good quality outdoor wall light!

[theSouth]

I had similar requirements to you, but solved it in a different way.

I got some brushed ali up/down lighters from Screwfix (around £20 ea). They have been out in the elements for about 18 months now and no sign of rust.

No dusk/dawn sensor of course, so I replaced the internal light switch with a LightwaveRF radio controlled dimmer switch and got one of their Wifi-link boxes which allows you to configure rules about on/off time.

I have them come on at sunset and off at midnight. Works pretty flawlessly. Have most of the house set up like this.

---

Side note: Am currently upgrading them to work with RaspPi running Domoticz and wireless PIR sensors so when someone walks up the drive the lights increase from 30% brightness to 100% brightness for 5-10 mins, then back to 30%.

Thanks for productive suggestion. I have looked at lightwaverf stuff in the past.

Just finished installing evohome for heating and I'm liking this home automation thing

 

[nebjamin]

I was also looking at evohome.. not got round to that yet.

Have to say that using the rfxcom433 and domoticz on a raspberry pi is working out really well. And it's very cheap. The lightwaverf stuff is a bit limited on its own (e.g. you can only pair things directly to each other), but adding domoticz in the loop you can set up quite sophisticated if/then etc rules, especially if you're handy with lua.

Voice control maybe next.. !!

 

[theSouth]

Not LightwaveRF (I don't think) but if you've not already checked out the "SuperHouseTV" channel on YouTube I recommend it.

Mr Oxer is must see TV for home automation in my view. I like that he reminds us that home "automation" isn't being able to remotely switch on a light.

It's more like your example of increasing lights when people approach door and then dimming. I'm stealing that idea

 

[ban-all-sheds]

http://www.allowe.com/laughs/book/Smart House Diary.htm

 

[nebjamin]

BAS: LOL - I have ensured that everything can still be used even if the automation part breaks/is removed.
theSouth: thanks for the steer... needed a new work avoidance technique now I've watched all of colinfurze's pulsejets!

 

[ban-all-sheds]

That man is even more bonkers than photonicinduction.

Gotta love his pulsejet kettle and combination bread-knife-toaster though.

 

[nebjamin]

++
Although at least colinfurze does his stuff in a workshop with a concrete floor and not in his loft made of WOOD and CARPET!!

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Photonicinduction does have the sense to venture outside when he wants to try hoovering up a pool of petrol, or spin-drying a lump of concrete.