Re: Another newbie vacation home question

[Marc F Hult <MFHult@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

On 18 Nov 2005 05:40:39 -0800, astutesolutions@xxxxxxxxxxxxx wrote in message
<1132321239.781058.201440@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>:

>Sorry if this has been asked before.  I have googled the group and read
>some interesting threads and learned about some interesting products
>(omni, et al), but I couldn't find a post that talked about everything
>I need.  Plus, some of the posts were from 1995 so I was concerned
>about whats currently the best solution.
>
>Like the other posts, I want to be able to lower/raise the temp at my
>vacation house either via phone or web - either is okay.
>
>What I have:
>	* broadband, can be on all the time
>	* wireless g
>	* 4 thermostats (2 systems, one with 3 zones, one as its own zone)
>
>This is existing construction (log house) so running wires is a little
>painful although there is a wire closet I can run phone and cat 5 to
>the "controlling unit".  Many of the controlled thermostats I see out
>there seem to need new wires run, or to be attached to the 110v.  I've
>also seen the ip-addressable thermostats but was disappointed to see
>that they don't have wireless capability (big market opportunity here).
>
>I only care about controlling one thermostat since the one I'm thinking
>of would cover the majority of the house.
>
>I know there are some big systems out there that will control lights
>and other stuff, but that's pretty low on the priority.  I have ADT
>for a security system (pays for itself with insurance ;) )
>
>TIA, Jeff

Your wiring requirements would seem to be a severe restriction but here's a
suggestion:

Look into the Aprilaire (was Enerzone and Statnet) communicating thermostats
(model 8870). I've used them for about five years and can recommend.

They would solve your wiring problem in a way that you may not have thought of
because they accommodate remote sensors.  You can physically replace the
existing thermostat with a sensor at that location, which in turn would be
connected to the thermostat at a remote location by the _existing_ wiring.  The
T-stat can be any where you can route wires including at the furnace/boiler
where the existing wires presumably now go. The thermostat itself can be
controlled by a home automation program or system for set-back and monitoring
(Homeseer, Elk, CyberHouse, Premise Systems and soon, Charmed Quark).

The Aprilaire/Enerzone  thermostats also have the virtue that the ASCII command
set is straight-forward and you can control them from a simple communication
program such as hyperterminal.

So, assuming 24x7 internet connection,  you can connect from home to a 8870
T-stat at your vacation home through a TCP/IP--> RS232+ RS-485 converter
(Comtrol, Lantronics, etc)  directly though an inexpensive router/hub _without_
having a local computer running or a local home automation controller (Omni,
Elk) connected.

Hope This Helps ... Marc
Marc_F_Hult
www.ECOntrol.org