Re: HA Holy Grail #1: Occupancy Detection

["David Gumbrell" <david.gumbrell@xxxxxxxxx>]

Hi Tim,

Yes, that's pretty much the plan since I was going to fit some temperature
sensors to the CH pipes anyway and will have a channel spare in the module.
To be honest, it's not that much of a problem, the humidity
method<http://www.gumbrell.com/archives/2006/01/26/configuring_the_humidity_controlled_fan_and_light.php>works
reasonably well, it's more a case of sharpening up the turn-on time
for optimal effect. At the moment it can sometimes take maybe 40 seconds
for
the light/fan to come on.

Since the hot pipes will take time to cool after showering the temperature
sensor won't give a decent indication for vacancy though, but then I tend
to
hang around in the bathroom after showering to get dry, so the normal room
occupancy will then work to decide I've left the room.  I think fine-tuning
the  time-outs and using the shower-on transition to "re-trigger"
the
occupancy timeout  (or extend it slightly) will be sufficient to get it all
reasonably snappy.

It's not even a minor problem really, just a matter of fine-tuning and
seeing how far I can push the energy efficiency angle. It's already into
diminishing returns zone :-)

Cheers,

David

On 8/30/06, Tim Hawes <timsyahoo@xxxxxxx> wrote:
>
>   How about a temperature sensor on the hot water feed to the shower,
or
> on the drain. If the pipe is hot, the shower is in use.
>
> Any good?
>
> Tim.
>
>
> On 8/30/06, David Gumbrell
<david.gumbrell@xxxxxxx<david.gumbrell%40gmail.com>>
> wrote:
> > Hi Ian,
> >
> > Yes, really the issue is one of positioning a sensor (whether it
is PIR
> or
> > sonar) to get "view" into shower cubicle whilst keeping
it out of the
> > "zone", or having to meet any necessary IPxxx / SELV
requirements. The
> Part
> > P stuff makes me very careful about the installation of
automation stuff
> in
> > the bathroom, and I'm also trying to avoid the ceiling getting
"sensor
> > rash". Really, I probably put the main sensor in the wrong
place, I
> should
> > have mounted it further into the room and closer to the shower
surround
> and
> > then there would be no issue.
> >
> > Cheers,
> >
> > David
>
>
>


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