One of the effective ways to improve everyday comfort in the home is to switch from conventional to remote control of lights. In this case, the lighting turns on automatically for any event - opening a door, movement, a signal from a remote control or mobile phone, according to a timer, etc. Let’s look at what a remote lighting control system is, how it works and what tasks it allows to solve, what are its pros and cons, what options exist for use in a private home.
Programming parameters in the control unit allows you to automatically set the level of illumination depending on the time of day Source electrica.net.ua
Controlling light from a distance - what is it, circuit options, tasks to be solved
The ability to turn on and off lighting in the house and in the surrounding area from a distance is carried out using special technical devices. There are several options for such control schemes:
- General.
It is used when several lamps need to be turned on or off at the same time. This control scenario is necessary, for example, when there is no time to go around and check all the rooms before leaving the house.
To complete the task, so as not to open the common electrical panel every time, a special controller is used. It is installed at the entrance and combines a group of main lamps that need to be de-energized upon leaving the house.
A special unit can simultaneously control several lamps Source siteapi.org
- Remotely.
Technically, remote switching on of light is carried out in several ways:
- Push-button remote control. Suitable for turning on and off lamps mounted in several tiers, as well as for controlling outdoor lighting - illumination of the house, on the site, in a bathhouse, barn, gazebo, greenhouse and other structures.
- By computer. Using a special program that interacts with the smart home system, you can turn on and off the main lamps of the house and the surrounding area. Moreover, this method is accessible both directly from the home itself and from any other place via the Internet.
- Mobile gadget. A special mobile application allows you to perform a similar procedure from a smartphone, tablet or laptop.
In addition, the lighting can be turned on and off by sending a special code SMS from a regular mobile phone.
Smartphone software effectively controls the light in the house Source lightcomplect.ru
- Automatically.
Lighting devices turn on depending on the signal coming from 3 main types of devices:
- Sensors. In most cases, an IR motion sensor is used. Ultrasonic, microwave and other types of detectors can also be installed.
- Photo relay. The lamp begins to work only when natural light decreases to a certain level, that is, at dusk.
- Timer. The device turns on strictly according to the specified schedule.
The operating principle of the devices is based on the interaction of two main modules - a sensor that sends a signal to a specific event, and a receiver that detects the signal and sends a command to turn on the lamp.
See also: Catalog of companies that specialize in electrical work of any complexity
Problems to be solved
Remote control of light from a remote control, sensor, timer, computer or gadget allows you to solve the following number of problems:
- Comfortable lighting control. It will take less time and effort to turn the light on or off.
- Energy saving.
- Stabilization of illumination characteristics.
- Combining a group of lighting devices into a single system.
- Automation of light control.
The light control system integrates and controls all the lamps in the house Source amperasmart.ru
- Turning lighting on and off according to a given scenario.
- Increased security level. Eliminates the need to walk through the dark to reach the light switch.
- Strengthening security. Turning on the lights for movement in most cases deters intruders who want to enter the territory and the house.
- Possibility of integration with other systems for controlling home electrical equipment.
On a note! To control the light inside the house, it is enough to use IR sensors. Their range does not exceed 10 m, which is quite enough for a room. However, if you need to install a similar system outside the home, it is better to use radio wave analogues that can operate over several tens of meters.
Maintaining positive temperature in the house automatically
Water supply is directly related to heating. If you rarely go to your dacha in winter, then you shouldn’t be too smart about the water supply. You can bring the necessary supply of liquid with you for several days, or store it in capacious plastic containers from the summer. If the dacha is visited quite often, and the water is used not only for drinking, but also for showering and sewage, then this property is used as a country house. In this case, smarter systems are needed than the classic remote switch.
If the house is periodically subjected to freezing and thawing, this is fraught with accelerated deterioration of the property’s finishing, which will force the owners to spend additional money on unscheduled repairs.
The assembly of more complex remote systems needs to be done if it is planned not only to provide high-quality heating of rooms, but also to electrically heat sewerage and water supply systems, as well as constantly maintain positive temperatures. Expensive models of boilers that operate on gaseous or liquid fuel and are equipped with a thermostat are equipped with similar functions.
Important! Heating of water pipes is based on the fact that they are wrapped in a spiral with a heating cable cord, and then covered on top with a warm sleeve, which is made of foamed polyethylene.
Affordable GSM device from a domestic manufacturer
Advantages and disadvantages
The ability to control the light from a remote control or other control device has the following advantages:
- Availability of installation and connection.
- Smooth adjustment of lighting characteristics of lamps.
- Programming a schedule for turning the lights on and off, creating a “presence effect”.
- Optimization of energy consumption.
- Saving the working life of lamps.
Saving energy and extending the service life of lamps are the main advantages of a light control system Source avtcom.ru
- Turning on and off several lighting devices at the same time.
- Monitoring the safety of electrical appliances at home.
The disadvantages of systems for controlling lighting devices at a distance are manifested in the high cost of equipment and the influence of extraneous factors on the nature of their operation, for example, such as precipitation for outdoor devices, as well as the movement of warm air indoors.
Lighting control options
Remote turning on of the light can be done from a remote control or switch, in automatic mode or manually, with or without the ability to change the lighting characteristics, as well as on the principle of supplying a signal of certain wavelengths and receiving them. However, when looking for a lighting control system for their own home, the user first of all faces the problem of choosing between the following options:
- Remote control.
The equipment on the remote control operates in both radio wave and infrared radiation frequencies. However, the 1st option is most often used. Since the IR remote control works very limitedly - at a short distance, in a strictly specified direction and so that there is no obstacle in the path of the receiver, that is, it will no longer work behind a wall.
The light is turned on and off using the remote control Source ytimg.com
The radio remote control has much greater capabilities, as it allows:
- Integrate the control system with a PC, smartphone and other gadgets.
- Significantly expand the range limit - up to 100 m or more, and through obstacles - up to 25 m.
- Strengthen the signal with a special repeater.
The radio remote control runs on battery power. In this case, the equipment package includes a remote controller. It is mounted on the wall surface or directly into the lighting fixture.
- IR and radio wave switches.
These are switches that look similar to classic switches. There are models with both a remote control and manual ones, which allow you to turn the light on and off directly by pressing a key. The design includes a special antenna that receives the signal.
Interaction with lighting devices is carried out through special power units connected to the electrical network and lamps. During installation, the switch is placed in a suitable place where it is most comfortable to use; the blocks are installed in the distribution box or directly in the lamp.
High quality GSM sockets
Timely remote switching on of a heater in use in a small dacha using such a device is the best option. It is best if there are two adjacent rooms, and the total number of convectors in power does not exceed 3.5 kW, since this figure is the permissible load for one outlet. Of course, some advanced models allow you to connect an electronic device with a maximum load of 4 kW.
The GSM socket is very convenient and practical to use. The user only needs to connect all the heaters one by one and plug the unit into a regular wall outlet. The device has a special sensor for measuring the ambient temperature. If there are many rooms in the dacha, and all the heaters are plugged into one outlet, then in the main room the air will warm up to the required level, but in all the others it simply will not have time. The whole point is that the infrared temperature sensor will switch off exactly at the moment when comfortable conditions are created in the room where the GSM device is located.
Important! The adapters in question do not have a battery, which is why in the event of an unscheduled power outage they also cease to perform their functions. The device will inform the user in advance about the current situation. After 3 minutes the system resets. After turning on the power, you must again make the desired request and send the command.
Only advanced models can boast of having an autonomous power source. Such a device retains all the settings made even after the power supply is restored.
Briefly about the main thing
You can control the lighting in your home and surrounding area from a distance. For this, several options are used - common for several lamps, remote control, PC or smartphone, and automatic using sensors and a timer. The use of remote control solves many important problems - improving comfort, saving energy, stabilizing lighting characteristics, combining lighting devices, automating control, enhancing security, improving security, and the ability to combine with other home systems.
Main advantages:
- Availability of installation.
- Smooth adjustment of parameters.
- Specified operating mode.
- Optimization of electricity consumption.
- Extending the service life of lamps.
- Ability to turn on and off multiple devices.
- Strengthening control over electrical equipment.
Disadvantages are the need for financial costs and the possibility of interference with work. At the same time, several options are available for controlling the lighting in the house - using a remote control, a radio wave switch with a light control unit and motion sensors. Each method has its own characteristics and scope of application.
