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We can certainly help you with the energy (utility) monitoring side, but I haven't seen much in the forums about security and environment monitoring alone. I suggest you look at JeeLabs, and you might also find some useful stuff in Martin's Corner. We mostly use the same RF modules and library, so there should be no major compatibility problems.

I don't have a Raspberry Pi, so I can't comment on the amount of traffic it can handle.

Tahnks Robert for replying.

I am wondering, can the RFM12Pi V2 send AND receive RF data?  As you can see in my setup I want the base to receive data from nodes, and command nodes to perform actions.  I am also thinking about future expansion where I might decide to control light switches and other equipment with the Raspberry PI base..

Hi 

I can comment on the DHT22 and monitoring around the house and Garden also with the PI.

The RFM12B Radio modules are a two way RF module so thats fine and should be fine for what you want.

The RFM12PI also can send and receive and will send the Time to the EmonGLCD so could be modified to send any command.. Iv been looking at using the JeeLink as i can connect it to my NAS and get that to do every thing the PI does But this is some way off..

Iv got the following all running on separate LiPo batts Jeenodes. 

Environmental all of these also report battery voltage.

Main Room = CO2 / Temp / Humidity

Utility Room / Kitchen = Humidity / Temp

Garden = Humidity / Temp / LUX (to be expanded to a weather station setup if i ever get time) with Solar Panel charging the battery (Jeenode USB? or SMD?)

Upstairs Hall = Humidity / Temp

Daughters Room = Humidity / Temp 

OEM kit

EmonTX = current / voltage / temp

EmonGLCD = Temp  (Also running on a LiPo with Solar charging)

All of these report fine to the Pi

I have some more sensors that still need to be built up.

Drop me a PM if you want more info or shout here and ill reply.

lpallard,
I have a system very close to what you're talking about. But use various types of equipment. My main network uses RS485 to the physical transmission because it uses cable. Also use WIFI and ethernet shield.
Actually you can find information on other sites. Now speaking of energy, design openenergy is the best of the internet, in my opinion.
The forum is very well structured and respectful. Worth participate.
As I can help I am available.

Sidney

Guys you're awesome!!!

Based on Robert Wall's recommendations, I am thinking to go with the JeeNodes for most of my nodes since they are fairly cheap and since I will have at most 4 sensors per node, they should be sufficient...

robw,  Ive got a few questions for you:

I will want to implement a "low battery" notification or warning on the battery powered nodes... Did you perform this in the code or you actually have a component monitoring the battery level??  I am asking because I am about to buy some components, while its never too late to reorder more, I'd like to be able to order more to save on shipping..

Which CO2 sensor did you use?  Does it work well?

Same question for the LUX sensor... :)

Its very tempting to have the "outdoors" node battery powered with solar recharging.  Can you expand on this?? You use a small solar panel? Thats nice! ;)

So I take that the DHT22 works well ...  Do you have recommendations for the motion sensors ? IR??  What about proximity sensors?  I'd use them to send a signal when a door is opened..

Is it possible to run the Jeenodes on AC power instead of batteries? I suppose it is, but what should I consider?  As you can imagine, the "Security" node will be connected to a UPS.  What would be the point of having it AC powered without a battery backup... :)

Regarding the emonTX you use, I was going to use a Jeenode with a current/voltage sensor to meter the wattage use of the main..  Is it what you;re doing?  Can I use a jeenode or should I get a emonTX for this one?

farmsid,

thanks for your feedback!  I am curious to know if you have a similar setup, do you use a Raspberry PI for the base and Jeenodes for the nodes or do you use emonTX nodes (based on Arduino boards)?

IMO the emonTX nodes are excellent if you need to monitor several energy sensors but are not really viable for other sensors (such as motion detection) or if you need to monitor only a single sensor...

You may want to look at this for a starting point for your security system http://www.projects.privateeyepi.com/home/home-alarm-system-project

You would need to modify it to work with wireless sensors.

Personally i have have extended the system and used jeeNodes as they are cheep(ish) and well designed for a small form factor.

If, like me, you live in a house that also has a visually conscious person, you may want to look at Martins Funky sensors as these are the same size as a coin cell (roughly) and are around the same price.

Jimmy

lpallard

(sorry on the way to work so may be a little quick explaining things.)

Lux plug from here http://jeelabs.com/products/lux-plug Like most of the Jeelabs stuff its fine and works great.

CO2 from http://www.gassensing.co.uk/product/cozir-ambient/

Also Pressure using http://jeelabs.com/products/pressure-plug  Needs calabrating to your hight but once you do that (in code) its as accurate as the weatherman.

Works like a charm, Expensive but most of them are But unlike the others uses very very small amounts of power.. Its just serial and not only does CO2 but does Temp and humidity. 

Low battery is a simple Voltage divider with code to send the battery value back to base and also when it gets low to stop sending every min to every 5 mins then 10 mins etc..

See

http://jeelabs.org/2013/05/17/zero-powe-battery-measurement/

http://jeelabs.org/2013/05/16/measuring-the-battery-without-draining-it/

http://jeelabs.org/2013/05/15/what-if-we-want-to-know-the-battery-state/

Solar panel is a cheap 5V - 6v One connected to the USB port of http://jeelabs.com/products/jeenode-usb It has all the LiPo charging in it and seems to work fine.. Make sure you put a diode on the panel to stop it going over 5v.  I also use http://www.adafruit.com/products/390 to power others and the GLCD.

No idea on the IR sensors (jeelabs have some that they recommend http://jeelabs.com/products/room-board) iv not been looking at that currently. For door switches a simple reed switch will be fine im sure like they use in home security.

Yes you can run them on AC power but they use so little power its not worth it for what im doing..  the LiPo needs charging every 9 months (could do more if i sorted the code more, No Time) or so and the out side one has the smallest lipo and has never seen the charger except for the initial charge. The node is reporting its 100% full. Lipos range from 300ma to 6000 for the GLCD. Just what i had around.

The DHT22 is fine.. they all seem with in a % or two for humidity when together and temp closer. Iv had one go bad temp was stuck at 14C but other than that they are great, The Temp on the water pipes are 1-wire.

I used a emonTX. It was my first step into arduno land and look where its got me.. Also it help support the guys and it seems easier to just buy it off the shelf than build it. But you may think different.

hey rob,

I have been thinking a bit more.. Thanks for the links and recommendations!  We need to talk more about the project.

I am putting together a bill of material to purchase the components for the project.  I am still in the planning & brainstorming stages. So far, looking at the numerous options I have, I have found that the cost of using Jeenodes, even if they are perfect for my nodes, is going to be pretty expensive...  Especially since I need 8 of them (8 x 19Euros....)

The only nodes I believe even a JeeNode is overkill are the emergency light nodes...  Even smaller nodes are more expensive..

I tried evaluating the cost benefit from building my own Jeenodes by purchasing parts from misc websites and local stores... I dont think it will be cheaper than the kits JeeLabs are selling...

I may try to get a deal from the sellers..

Regarding power, I was initially going to power all nodes (except the emergency lights) from AC power... I understand that I will need to use or homebrew a AC adapter (120V to 5V)...  I wonder how much LiPo batteries are?  I also understand that most (if not all nodes) will run on 5V so technically speaking, 3X 1.5VDC LiPo batteries would provide 4.5VDC which is sufficient? 

Can you point me to the exact batteries you are using?  I know nothing about LiPo, but I know NiMH better...

How long would a node running 4 sensors last on a single charge with LiPo's?

If these batteries are fairly cheap and will need charging only once a year, I may use them for all nodes and eliminate the need for AC adapters and UPS'es...

For the LUX, CO2, IR, and proximity switches, I am looking at your recommendations.  The CO2 sensor seems to be coming from the UK.  I am in Canada, I am not sure if I can get the same, but Ill try...

lookin forward to your reply and anybody else's replies! ;)

Attached is my bill of material so far...

Hi Again

OK no worries.. But im Electrical Genius i can tell you. Just happy to play around and tinker.

If you are going to buy Jeenodes please look at the US Site as the US one has a different frequency than the UK or EU. 9XXmhz? You also may find its cheaper also than from the EU.  Also see if they do a 10 Pack version as the EU web site does..  Think it works out you get 2 free But this was some time ago.

The emergency lighting 

could you not just use a simple circuit to charge the battery and once the power goes a relay unlatches to power the light from the battery? there for no Micro to worry about? All depends of if you want separate kit or not.

Lipos require special handling. and MUST be charged correctly or risk fire.  They are 4.1V Charged and 2.8 uncharged (i think) They are sold as 3.7V, though but again you Must make sure that the lipos have a charge circuit on them to protect the battery from under charge / over charge.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/SYMA-S107-S107-19-Li-Po-Battery-replacement-3-7V-240mAh-Parts-UK-store-/271200143570?pt=UK_ToysGames_RadioControlled_JN&hash=item3f24c9c8d2

has protection. You can see the orange tape.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1-pcs-PCB-for-3-7V-16340-18650-Li-ion-Lipo-Battery-Pack-/151088184973?pt=UK_Sound_Vision_Other&hash=item232d8ebe8d

The protection PCB

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/x8-NEW-3-7V-5000mAh-Lithium-Polymer-Li-Polymer-LiPo-li-ion-Battery-Batteries-/181178501974?pt=UK_ToysGames_RadioControlled_JN&hash=item2a2f148b56]

The un protected cell.

The Ac adapter i just use cheap USB power supplies from old phone chargers etc any thing that chucks out 5V. Much simpler than building it your self and safer.

The Jeenodes and the EmonTX all run at 3.3V so lipos are perfect for this as they have a regulator to make sure its 3.3V they see.

How long they last is a bit like asking how long is this piece of string..  How many sensors how much data is transmitted and how often. I can tell you the sensors (DHT22) i have reporting every min last 3 - 4 months. The sensors (DHT22) that report every 5 mins are still going ( 9 months). so its hard to tell.. You also can get more / less depending on how good you are at getting the node to sleep as much of the time as possible, These all run from 1200mAh battery. Some are on 850mAh and the GLCD on a 6000mAh but that only last at most 1 month but does have lots of lights and never sleeps. The outside node has a 850mAh battery and solar cell runns DHT22/ Lux / Pressure currently Gets around 5Hrs of sun before shading and has never been charged except for the initial charge is showing 100% full.

There are other CO2 Sensors but be aware some need a heater to get a reading and that will really kill off battery life quickly. But you could use one if you have a mains powered node, You may not need it at all, I only use it to show the air quality so see how air tight our house is. Shows if we need to think about a MVHR.

The LUX one adafruit sell the same and is a bit more local. http://www.adafruit.com/products/439  or this may be cheaper but iv not used it http://www.adafruit.com/products/1384  they also sell the pressure http://www.adafruit.com/products/391

On the subject of sensors don't be tempted with the DHT11 i found them rubbish.. Very inaccurate and touchy but maybe i had a bad one or two.

seems good so far.. Start small and work up..

Also look at off loading the os on the PI to a USB Stick.. Mine and others seem to corrupt the SD card after a few months but since going to the USB Stick all has been fine.. I was / still am looking at getting my NAS to do this instead of the pi.

Rob,

yes I will look at the US version of the Jeenodes... As a matter of fact, Jeenodes Lab has replied to my email and they forwarded me to their sister company in the US, Modem Device.  Check it out, its pretty nice!

could you not just use a simple circuit to charge the battery and once the power goes a relay unlatches to power the light from the battery? there for no Micro to worry about? All depends of if you want separate kit or not.

I was thinking the same but being a total noob in electronics, I had no idea how to do that.  There must be a tutorial somewhere on how to do that,,, That would cut the cost of the project by about $75....  Quite considerable. Maybe you know how to do this?

The Ac adapter i just use cheap USB power supplies from old phone chargers etc any thing that chucks out 5V. Much simpler than building it your self and safer.

I agree with the USB phone chargers... I have quite a few of those laying around in the house.  Do you equip the Jeenode with a USB port, or you simply cut the micro-USB plug at the end of the cable and use the wires?

I intend to have the temp/humidity sensors report every 10 minutes or so...  Security sensors are reporting when events occur, so for example the door switches can report only a few times per day.  A god example is the patio door.  During winter, this door never opens.  So the switch for that specific door will be triggered once or twice in 6 months..  While I understands the concept of sleep time, I have no idea how to implement it in the Jeenodes... Im sure the forums are fille with this topic.

I wonder about the sensors that I want to run with a cable...  Door switches, Passive IR are to be connected to the node using the existing security system's wires...  Can I simply solder the wires to the sensor's legs and the wires to the Jeenode?  I just hope the existing wires have enough wires... I think they have 4 or 5.. Not sure but Ill check.

I appreciate the advices on the DHT11 & the USB VS SD reliability issue on the Pi... I will think about it for sure!

I also appreciate your help a lot.  Being a mechanical engineer myself, I never had the training or time to play with electronics much before and someone like you is quite a gold mine!

Coming back to this topic, I just realized that the jeenodes I ordered from ModernDevice.com have 915MHz RFM12B modules… This wont work with the 433MHz RFM12BPi module sold here for the Raspberry pi???  If not, can I mount a 915MHz RFM12B module onto the Raspberry Pi and use it as the 433MHz version found here?

Yes the rfm12b modules are the same pin out. You can swap them out no problems. You just need to change the code to reflect the change. Very very easy. The 433 version will not talk to the 915?so you will need a 915 version. 

Ok so I can order a rfm12pi kit from here, and order a 915 rfm12b mldule from lets say adafruit or jeelabs and swap the radio module with no problems?

Ok Unless someone tells me this is not going to work, this is what I am planning to do:

I get the RFM12Pi V2 kit (not pre-assembled);

I buy the RFM12B 915MHz RF module separately

I install the RFM12B 915MHz on the RFM12Pi board giving me a 915MHz RFM12Pi circuit.

The problem is obtaining the necessary RFM12Pi kit.  The Openenergymonitor shop is out of stock on the PCB board for the RFM12Pi and they dont offer any unassembled kits...

What are my options??  What are the US/Canadian people doing if they are using 915MHz nodes?