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billygoat333
11-07-2011, 03:59 AM
I have this great idea for my dad's cabin, and I need some help implementing it.

In the wintertime, we keep the power off (except for the essentials) to keep the electric bill cheap. But, in doing so we cut the electric heat off so the cabin is FRIGID cold when we go up to go snowmobiling in the winter.

Anyway, so I have been doing some research on a way to remotely activate an outlet to power a heater so the cabin won't be so damn cold when we get there.

My idea is this:

Take a cheap pay-as-you-go cell phone, some form of DC controlled AC relay to switch the power on, a photocell and a project box.
Place the cell phone inside the dark project box, so that normally the photocell isn't receiving light.
When I call the cell phone, it lights up, triggering the photocell and switching the relay to on and have it stay on, possibly until I call again and have the relay switch back off?
the power would have to be able to be switched off to the heater, so there is no power drain.

any ideas? I have a feeling the circuit for this should be fairly simple, as the photocell should just act like a switch in the DC current to the relay, yes?

ASPHIAX
11-07-2011, 04:51 AM
Yo,
You could also look into getting an arduino and a gsm board. That way there is no box and photocell. You just call the gsm and the signal captured by the arduino will trigger the relais turning on the heater.
you could even program it the other way around, let the cell phone call you at a specific time (if you always go at the same time) so you dont forget. simply hang up and call back to trigger the relais.
The schematics for such a project are readily available on the arduino forums.
just my 2 cents
ASPHIAX

billygoat333
11-07-2011, 06:01 AM
I was thinking cheap, thats why I went with the pay-as-you-go phone. lol

ASPHIAX
11-07-2011, 07:02 AM
its probably gonna cost you around the 100 to 120 dollar mark so true, it aint very cheap ..

Drum Thumper
11-07-2011, 10:24 AM
Personally, I would look into the home automation toys over at X10.com. I've got something similar going on here.

I SSH into a box from work before I am ready to leave, run a script and the lights in the living room come on. Pretty cool stuff really.

AmEv
11-07-2011, 10:27 AM
I'd rather go for a headphone hookup. It hears a sound, it turns on.




Only problem would be signal disconnects, and interference that way.



I do like the idea of an arduino and an FM reciever, though.

SXRguyinMA
11-07-2011, 11:41 AM
I'll just leave this here :whistler:

http://hackaday.com/2008/12/22/wap-controlled-home-automation/

billygoat333
11-07-2011, 01:07 PM
That's awesome... I will read that! I forgot to mention there is no internet access up there.

crenn
11-07-2011, 03:30 PM
2 XBee Modules, couple of resistors, a transistor and a relay. Done!

billygoat333
11-07-2011, 03:35 PM
XBee... those are the radio modules yes? I don't think they would reach, as the cabin is 90 miles away :P

crenn
11-07-2011, 04:13 PM
Yeah they're radio modules, and I didn't quite understand what you meant by remote ;P

Just if you're implementing a system, make sure it's low powered or even solar powered. And also gives you the ability to read the state of the relay.

AmEv
11-07-2011, 08:52 PM
OH!
I see what you mean!


You want the power to kick on while you're gone!

And you're trying to figure out the simplest way!






2.4GHz pole-mounted amp?

Konrad
01-08-2012, 09:57 PM
So the heat and lights will come on every time a telemarketer dials you up?

billygoat333
01-09-2012, 02:32 AM
lol, hopefully that won't happen too often Konrad.

crenn
01-09-2012, 08:14 AM
It's possible to do ID checking ;P