Motorhome automation

St3v3

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I've been doing a bit around automating things in the truck recently.

Starting with a small relay board that connects to wifi has essentially given me 4 switches that can be controlled from a phone.

It is £16 https://www.amazon.co.uk/OWSOO-Wire...3805432&s=gateway&sr=8-1-fkmrnull-spons&psc=1

What have I done? It's hooked up to the awning lights on the outside of the truck, so that we can turn them on using the phone when approaching the truck to see what we're doing in the dark. As it's a phone app, all 3 of us could do it independently. I.e. remotes are available for this kind of stuff, but you usually just get one.

Then thinking about the heating.... I've so far hooked up one of the Eberspachers (kitchen one) to another of the switches so that we can start getting the van warm before we leave the pub :) I'll add the bedroom heater soon.

I'll also hook up boy's nightlight as that will just be easier lol.

Pretty cool for 16 quid, as long as you have some wifi in your MH. It uses very little data.

Taking it a little further I've put an amazon echo dot in there, and it connects to this relay board. Led in bed 'Alexa, turn the kitchen heater on' before getting out of bed.

And then there is another option. designed for the home, I've put a wifi switched socket in - 'Alexa, turn on the kettle.' Those are a tenner each, totally worth it for not standing around waiting for the kettle to boil.

So, do you have any other ideas?

What would you like to control from your phone? Or just by talking? I've yet to find an auto pilot on eBay lol.
 
Waiting for the kettle to boil when your travelling and got all day to do as little as possible, LOL!!!!!!!
 
Looks great.

Hmmm. I'm going to have to buy one of these controllers now....

Awning Light, Underbed Garage Light, Electric Blanket and maybe Hot Water?
 
Looks great.

Hmmm. I'm going to have to buy one of these controllers now....

Awning Light, Underbed Garage Light, Electric Blanket and maybe Hot Water?

Why not! You can chose between momentary, or latching, but they all have to be the same. Just for info :)
 
Would take a bit of set up I suppose, but have you ever seen simulated hare coursing? That could work :)

You've not met my dog,he could pull the skin off a rice pudding...attached to a railway engine?
 
My Alexa is faulty :(


I say "Alexa, make the sun shine". Does she?
 
Why not! You can chose between momentary, or latching, but they all have to be the same. Just for info :)
Something that I would want to keep an eye on is the power - those little relays passing through upto 2500W is quite an ask. I control my 2000W Water heater via a DC controller, but that output goes to a much chunkier SSR with a big heatsink fitted. It would be a few pounds extra in cost, but I think I would be inclined to drive the output of that 4-way the same way.
(And if doing that, you could also mix DC and AC devices on the one unit which is a nice bonus)
 
Something that I would want to keep an eye on is the power - those little relays passing through upto 2500W is quite an ask. I control my 2000W Water heater via a DC controller, but that output goes to a much chunkier SSR with a big heatsink fitted. It would be a few pounds extra in cost, but I think I would be inclined to drive the output of that 4-way the same way.
(And if doing that, you could also mix DC and AC devices on the one unit which is a nice bonus)

I'll check the rating on the actual relays, but I did notice that the tracks on the pcb have been filled with solder, rather than just the printed copper track, to improve the current capacity.

BTW, I've got a surplus of din rail mount multi purpose timers, 24V to 240V, if you can make use - rs part number 160-262 :)
 
I've been doing a bit around automating things in the truck recently.

Starting with a small relay board that connects to wifi has essentially given me 4 switches that can be controlled from a phone.

It is £16 https://www.amazon.co.uk/OWSOO-Wire...3805432&s=gateway&sr=8-1-fkmrnull-spons&psc=1

What have I done? It's hooked up to the awning lights on the outside of the truck, so that we can turn them on using the phone when approaching the truck to see what we're doing in the dark. As it's a phone app, all 3 of us could do it independently. I.e. remotes are available for this kind of stuff, but you usually just get one.

Then thinking about the heating.... I've so far hooked up one of the Eberspachers (kitchen one) to another of the switches so that we can start getting the van warm before we leave the pub :) I'll add the bedroom heater soon.

I'll also hook up boy's nightlight as that will just be easier lol.

Pretty cool for 16 quid, as long as you have some wifi in your MH. It uses very little data.

Taking it a little further I've put an amazon echo dot in there, and it connects to this relay board. Led in bed 'Alexa, turn the kitchen heater on' before getting out of bed.

And then there is another option. designed for the home, I've put a wifi switched socket in - 'Alexa, turn on the kettle.' Those are a tenner each, totally worth it for not standing around waiting for the kettle to boil.

So, do you have any other ideas?

What would you like to control from your phone? Or just by talking? I've yet to find an auto pilot on eBay lol.
I have the same board sitting here.
One of the Sonoff boards also has a wireless key fob remote for the channels, nice if no internet is available
 
I have the same board sitting here.
One of the Sonoff boards also has a wireless key fob remote for the channels, nice if no internet is available

I saw that they have quite a lot of different stuff. I can see I might get more as it's so cheap and because of how the truck is wired, fairly easy to wire in :)
 
I have the same board sitting here.
One of the Sonoff boards also has a wireless key fob remote for the channels, nice if no internet is available

Do you have plans for what you'll hook up to the board Phil?
 
Do you have plans for what you'll hook up to the board Phil?
I am going to fit scene lights (led flood lights) around the van. I am just going to take the power up to the roof then install the board in a weatherproof case on the roof. That way I don't need lots of cables. The four channels will operate the four sides.
 
I am going to fit scene lights (led flood lights) around the van. I am just going to take the power up to the roof then install the board in a weatherproof case on the roof. That way I don't need lots of cables. The four channels will operate the four sides.

Cool, cheers.
 

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