Hi
I need to detect multiple power failures, from 1 to maybe 20 different circuits and be able to show which circuits have tripped and which ones are still active.
The "sensors" need to be plugin and the "control" box portable, testing may last 5 mines to a couple of hours max
The sensors have to be battery powered as I can't run wires everywhere.
Transmission range is a problem, the units could be 3 or 4 floors apart and have to go through up to 3 feet thick stone walls (Live in France) or concrete slabs with metal re-enforcing.
I initially thought of using wireless alarm system, loads of magnetic door detectors modified with 230V relays - cheap from aliexpress
but you get what you pay for and not sure if the alarm control panel would display which individual "zone" have been triggered in any meaningful
way plus the thick walls would be a problem.
So looking into ZWave and mesh networking, possible using RFXCOM usb unit and Domotiga on a laptop - The problem is that the sensors I've found all cost around £30-£40, a bit too expensive for me
So maybe Zeenodes (RFM12 modules) and Arduino/Raspberry Pi route - more flexible, more time programming, more fun maybe but not sure if
the range problem can be fix
So another option is Zigbee with Arduino/Raspberry Pi ?? - Appears to be latest greatest option at the moment, cheap RF bits but a lot more work in programming I think ??
Or ???
I've programmed 8051 chips (assembler/PLM 51) in a pass life and years of building electronic stuff since I was 13 but not done anything for a few years since so a bit out of date on the latest techno especially RF
If I can get something working reliable, I might need to control relays in the sensor units at a later date so a 2 way system is really needed.
Can anyone comment on a possible best direction to take ?
Leigh
I need to detect multiple power failures, from 1 to maybe 20 different circuits and be able to show which circuits have tripped and which ones are still active.
The "sensors" need to be plugin and the "control" box portable, testing may last 5 mines to a couple of hours max
The sensors have to be battery powered as I can't run wires everywhere.
Transmission range is a problem, the units could be 3 or 4 floors apart and have to go through up to 3 feet thick stone walls (Live in France) or concrete slabs with metal re-enforcing.
I initially thought of using wireless alarm system, loads of magnetic door detectors modified with 230V relays - cheap from aliexpress
but you get what you pay for and not sure if the alarm control panel would display which individual "zone" have been triggered in any meaningful
way plus the thick walls would be a problem.
So looking into ZWave and mesh networking, possible using RFXCOM usb unit and Domotiga on a laptop - The problem is that the sensors I've found all cost around £30-£40, a bit too expensive for me
So maybe Zeenodes (RFM12 modules) and Arduino/Raspberry Pi route - more flexible, more time programming, more fun maybe but not sure if
the range problem can be fix
So another option is Zigbee with Arduino/Raspberry Pi ?? - Appears to be latest greatest option at the moment, cheap RF bits but a lot more work in programming I think ??
Or ???
I've programmed 8051 chips (assembler/PLM 51) in a pass life and years of building electronic stuff since I was 13 but not done anything for a few years since so a bit out of date on the latest techno especially RF
If I can get something working reliable, I might need to control relays in the sensor units at a later date so a 2 way system is really needed.
Can anyone comment on a possible best direction to take ?
Leigh
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