Ok so I still haven’t done a post about the photo-booth camera controller, well that project is done as far as I’m taking it so I’ll do a write up at some point maybe 😉
Anyway onto my next project, well this one is pretty useful for myself and well maybe for others too. Leaning towards to the home automation scene I’m looking at making a replacement Thermostat for the basic turn dial one we have stuck on the wall in the passage, 
I know what most out there would be thinking there’s loads out there to buy why make one?? well main reason cause I can and it provides much more self gratification.
Reason behind the project well a not so little person has a habbit of when feeling cold turning the thermostat to it’s maximum, which given it’s location (Passage at the bottom of the stairs leading to the main landing) there is a huge space to heat and the single radiator just isn’t sufficient enough to heat that area so the thermostat turns the boiler off.
Key features:
- LCD Display.
- Current temperature readout.
- Turn on heating temperature readout.
- +\- Set trigger temp buttons.
- Remote temperature sensor to allow for different room to trigger heating e.g. living room.
- IoT (Internet of Things) enabled to allow for remote access to current temp, status and remote override.
Currently the main controller is 70% done, need to add the rf module and realtime clock to it then its finish of the coding, give the screen a nice layout and then find a decent enclosure for it. Also the remote temperature design and coding is complete just need to make it pretty. Well here’s a quick snap of what it all looks like at the moment:
Current component list:
- DHT11 Temperature / humidity sensor x2
- Arduino Mega 2560
- Arduino Nano
- NRF24l01+ x2 (one with power amp built in)
- 2 x normally open push buttons
- 5 x 1k Ohm resistors
- 3 x 220 Ohm resistors
- 1 x 10mm LED – Temporary stand in for relay.
- 1 x 100mF Capacitors
- 2.2″ 240 x 320 SPI Display
Once completed keeping with the spirit of open source hardware, I will be releasing all code and board schematics for public use.
Will post updated posts along the way.