HVAC / New lon based automation products

["J Starkie" <automation@xxxxxxx>]

I think the best way to control HVAC equipment is with a dedicated control
system and just enable it with your home automation system. For example I
use two cofort time programs to enable two relays one for heating and one
for hot water, If we are on holiday (vacation mode) comfort skips the time
program and doesn't heat the house / water. We can then phone home before
we
return and enable the heating ready for our return.

The heating pump is wired through a traditional thermostat as is the hot
water cylinder. Keeping things simple means that if the system should fall
over (not so far 2 years touch wood) the thermostarts will turn off the
heating at the desired temperature any way. If you wire wire a frost
thermostat across the heating enable circuit you get the bonus of automatic
fabric / frost protection.

As far as multi zone systems go why not wire a thermostat to a motorised
zone valve via an enable signal.

If anyone wants something more elaborate optimisation / Outside air
compensation feel free to drop me a line and I will try and source you a
product.

I would like to use dallas DS1820 around the house just for monitoring and
web access, if anyone could help I would appreciate this. I would like to
interface Homeseer with the serial one wire interface

I am a building controls engineer during the day and now see an abundence
of
lonmark type controllers entering the market, they are a bit expensive at
the moment for Home automation but expect to see the price fall as the big
players start to mass produce.

I have e-mailed this compay to find a UK distributor

http://www.halensmart.com/all_en.html

Hope this helps

Jason