central command post..

[itchulation]

Hey guys! New to the forum, great site!!

Here's my ?. I work with a tracer summit system daily hooking up tcm's, new voyagers, etc.. Just out of curiosity, is there any similar type of system that could be set up for home use?? Without a huge pricetag. I've heard about I/O cards that can be installed in a pc, but I haven't found anything that could use 4-20mA analog and/or 24v binary inputs (maybe even outputs). Then comes the software problems.

Just thinking it'd be cool to jump on the comp and see my sup/ret air temps, strip heat status, and other assorted things. Thanks in advance!

[R12rules]

If it's out there, Carrier or someone like them has it already... but it's gonna be expensive out the wazoo. In my opinion.

If you can program in C+, your all set. Just make your own rig.

[Guy]

I made my own HVAC activity logger, as part of my home automation system. I used this kit for the I/O (its connected to a serial port):

http://www.phanderson.com/t64.html

I used small, board mounted DIP relays to monitor the various 24 Vac HVAC control signals and connect to the kit's digital inputs and also the DS1820 temperature sensors to log various temps every half hour. In the summer I also log the pool's water temperature so it can be displayed on the TV or on my WiFi PDA. I wrote a VB program to poll the board and write a log file, as well as update the home automation controller.

The log can be very helpful in monitoring the system's health. Last December I noticed my heatpump was covered in ice so I checked the log and noticed that the defrost had stopped working. I called in the service company (I'm not in HVAC myself) and explained the problem in detail. They came and replaced the defrost board.

Here is a sample of yesterday's log file:

Thu 20 Jan 05 14:17:20 : IN1 OFF, Rev. Valve OFF
Thu 20 Jan 05 14:17:21 : IN3 OFF, Defrost OFF
Thu 20 Jan 05 14:28:07 : IN6 OFF, Aux Elec Ht OFF
Thu 20 Jan 05 14:30:02 : AT-TEMP >T000 17.35 Attic Temperature
Thu 20 Jan 05 14:30:05 : OU-TEMP >T001 -15.67 Outside Temperature
Thu 20 Jan 05 14:49:15 : IN6 ON , Aux Elec Ht ON
Thu 20 Jan 05 15:00:02 : AT-TEMP >T000 17.68 Attic Temperature
Thu 20 Jan 05 15:00:04 : OU-TEMP >T001 -15.56 Outside Temperature
Thu 20 Jan 05 15:00:34 : IN6 OFF, Aux Elec Ht OFF
Thu 20 Jan 05 15:19:02 : IN6 ON , Aux Elec Ht ON
Thu 20 Jan 05 15:28:46 : IN6 OFF, Aux Elec Ht OFF
Thu 20 Jan 05 15:30:02 : AT-TEMP >T000 17.77 Attic Temperature
Thu 20 Jan 05 15:30:05 : OU-TEMP >T001 -16.09 Outside Temperature
Thu 20 Jan 05 15:43:30 : IN1 ON , Rev. Valve ON
Thu 20 Jan 05 15:43:31 : IN3 ON , Defrost ON
Thu 20 Jan 05 15:47:49 : IN6 ON , Aux Elec Ht ON
Thu 20 Jan 05 15:47:53 : IN3 OFF, Defrost OFF
Thu 20 Jan 05 15:47:57 : IN1 OFF, Rev. Valve OFF

[Diceman]

Most people just look outside and see the unit covered in ice and pick up the phone.
That's our Guy.......

[mattm]

I won't even change my filter so I doubt I'll ever automate it. Would be cool though I've got some old CCN stuff laying around maybe I could Frankestien something together.

[airmax]

When you do these things for a living I wanna go home and not think about 'em until Monday.

Cheers.... unless you have a 12,000 sqft bungalow with a walk out...and a swimming pool

[mattm]

I currently have a 25 year old York and the birds every week or so come down the chimney and get in the basement and I've had a nice stainless cap to put on top of the chimney for 2 years now and last week when I changed the filter it looked like DeltaT's back.