Re: X10 Controller Question

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On Apr 15, 10:15 pm, "Brian Staff"
<brianstaffRemov...@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> Thehot waterre-circulating pump is outside (we live Phoenix, AZ)...of our
> master bedroom, in the water closet only accessible from outside.. The pump
> is currently on a timer to come on in the mornings for showers an again in
> the evenings. However, if we want to take a shower in non-normal times, then
> we either wait for thehot waterto arrive at the shower head...which is a
> long time when you're standing naked....waiting<g> or we step outside and
> manually hit the timer ON. Sometimes we get undressed and then realize the
> pump may not be on...my wife frowns on this procedure of having to go
> outside to turn on/off the pump.
>
> As an aside, we recently installed an outside pool and the pool light, water
> feature and landscape lights were all hooked up to a new X10 remote control.
> So, it crossed my mind that I could control the re-circulating water heater
> pump with the same x10 controller and dis-connect the time al-together- this
> I could do now. But the my current controller does not tell me if the pump
> has been switched on/off - so, we would never know if we could get instanthot waterfrom the shower.
>
> However, if the controller had a LED, even just to say it had been switched
> on, then that would be sufficient to tell us that someone had previously
> switched it on and by now thehot waterwould be flowing. If the LED was
> off, then we could switch it on (without having to go outside semi-nude),
> wait a few minutes and then take a shower.
>
> The reverse of this is also consideration too. If I see the LED ON and I
> know we are not going to require anyhot watersoon, I can switch if
> OFF...all without going outside.
>
> --
> Brian"Robert Green" <ROBERT_GREEN1...@xxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
>
> news:-eWdnZcoZ8Ffr7_bnZ2dnUVZ_vGinZ2d@xxxxxxxxxx
>
>
>
> > "Brian Staff" <brianstaffRemov...@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
> >news:RibUh.150972$ZA5.46381@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> >> I've been sent here from alt.home.repair<g>
>
> >> Is it possible for an X10 "control box" to show (say, with an LED maybe)
> >> whether a remote device is on/off or has been sent the on/off signal?
>
> >> I would like to control my water heater re-circulating pump (or garage
> >> drive-way lights) - devices I cannot normally see from inside the house.
>
> >> I'm sure someone will just say "switch it on/off - then you will know" -
> > but
> >> the notification on the re-circulating pump is useful to know whether it
> > has
> >> been on or off, because it takes a few minutes for the water to get to
> >> the
> >> shower.
>
> > I'm a little confused by your requirements.  You talk about "whether it
> > has
> > *been* on or off" and to me, that implies knowing more than simple status
> > LEDs will tell you.  All status LEDs will tell you is whether the device
> > IS
> > on or off, but nothing about how long it has been on or when it was last
> > on.
> > In fact, Nick correctly points out that all status lights will really tell
> > you, without getting complicated, is that a command to the device has been
> > sent.
>
> > I'd probably opt for monitoring the pump's piping with a $20 wired or
> > wireless remote sensor thermometer that would tell you the water
> > temperature.  That would give the feedback I think you are looking for,
> > based on your comments.  Can you please clarify whether your main concern
> > is
> > the status of the devices or their remote control or both?
>
> > The devices Jeff talks about will probably do at least some of what you
> > want
> > to do, if not all.
>
> > --
> > Bobby G.- Hide quoted text -
>
> - Show quoted text -

The RedyTemp hot water recirculator is engineered with the
capabilities your looking for.  It can be controlled by a timer, x-10,
motion sensor, sound sensor, etc. all without any tricky re-wiring.
It's push-button override forces the unit to operate for a single
cycle and stop even when the timer is in it's scheduled-off mode.
It's worth taking a look at http://www.redytemp.com