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TempleTronics: Budget Home Automation

What is this?

TempleTronics is an open source hardware project to realize home automation in your home with the following objectives:

Why was this set up?

If you are a electronic hobbyist like me, you probably dreamed of a fully automated home at some point. For example

Home automation is not magic anymore, it can be obtained at any shop nearby. However, available solutions are often expensive, prices starting at 80 euro per node (a switch or a single light control point) are no exception. Mostly, you cannot modify it to your needs and it is limited in functionality. Furthermore, some systems are even unreliable (wireless control accidentally activates a heater somewhere, I have seen this happen).

Home automation of just a few lights in the living room with some remote control is no home automation in my opinion. We want a complete setup, every light or other machine controlled by the system. I estimated that, if I would automate my whole home (that is every light and switch connected to the system, as well as the central heater and the curtains), totally over a 100 nodes, it would cost me over 8000 euros. Way too much to my taste. And even then, my bathroom lights do not understand they have switch on at low intensity at night.

How can you participate?

This project is an ongoing activity. At the very moment I am automating my home, you can join in, profit from my success, share my experiences and have some fun. The goal is, at the end, our homes will have turned into fully automated "temples".

Of course, you can download the software, design the circuitboards yourself, buy the hardware and start building. This is fine. However, in that way it is not possible to keep your costs low. I have estimated just building the minikit will cost you almost 150 euros, thus exceeding 50 euros per node! And, it is hard to obtain all components, since some are only available in larger quantities. In order to keep the costs low, we are combining forces. On the 'participate page' you see how this is achieved.

What is the current situation?

I have available several controllers, actuators and sensors. On the documentation page this is all explained. These are prototypes, but are running. At the moment I am making final adjustments, and then I will publish the software and circuitry on this site.

Disclaimer

Designs, circuits, programs and pcb's are 'AS IS'. Please inspect and check yourself before you use, build or buy anything. Everything you encounter on the site or order via the site is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.

You must have the necessary skills in electronics to take responsibility for the circuits you build, even if they are built according the schematics on this website. The circuits may or may not work according to your expectations, may contain errors and may violate local regulations and law. Furthermore, some circuits are intended to be connected to the mains. You do so on your own risk, and you should have a proper education in electronics before you do so. If you do not have these skills, DO NOT ORDER OR BUILD the circuits. The parts which are to be connected to the mains, may cause LIFE THREATENING INJURIES.


Contact: info@templetronics.org   CC-BY-NC-SA License: Ruud Vlaming.