My GEM, ISY, Dash Box, Insteon Home Automation Install

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Teken
Posts: 2700
Joined: Wed Dec 15, 2010 4:09 pm
Location: The Bad Lands

Re: My GEM, ISY, Dash Box, Insteon Home Automation Install

Post by Teken » Sat Apr 22, 2017 9:24 am

PROJECT TITAN - WEATHER FLOW:
Teken . . .

My ongoing projects thread: http://www.brultech.com/community/viewt ... ?f=2&t=929
Buy me a cup of coffee: https://www.paypal.me/Teken https://gfinotify.com/ Discount Code: PC10
Teken
Posts: 2700
Joined: Wed Dec 15, 2010 4:09 pm
Location: The Bad Lands

Re: My GEM, ISY, Dash Box, Insteon Home Automation Install

Post by Teken » Sat Apr 22, 2017 10:25 am

DASH BOX - FIRMWARE 4.2.3C7H:
Its been a very long time since I provided any kind of update regarding the Brultech Dash Box. The last 16 months has seen endless break fix's, bug fix's, and countless iterations of the DB firmware. Since firmware 4.2.3C7H has finally gone public ready I will offer some of the insight about new features and advancements to the system.

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DISK MANAGEMENT & MEMORY USAGE:
Introduced in very early Alpha builds was changing how the system handled writing data to the Micro SD card. The system now holds a lot of processes in high memory. This has two important advantages which is less wear and tear on the memory card and faster response time of the system.

There have been cases where a system failure had occurred due to a memory card failure. With this new high memory usage in place it will limit the amount of unnecessary writes to disk and thus be one less area of concern that may have impacted the Micro SD cards failure.

As noted, because lots of processes are now operating and held in high memory it offers quicker response time and over all better stability when tabbing from page to page.

Both are still under active development to ensure long term reliability and performance.
SHUT DOWN DISK MANAGEMENT:
The team has been working hard on how the system handles a loss of power or when the system is first booting up. As of this writing the system has several operational safeties to ensure the data base is secured and protected against corruption due to a loss of power or erratic first boot / failed shut down.
HEADER HIDE:
A new feature implemented by Ben is the ability to hide the entire consumption / NET power header. I'm not sure why anyone would want to hide what has been consumed & generated but this was a feature request by another member.

In red is a eye ball and when selected will literally hide the entire purple area high lighted here.

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This is what the top header looks like with the consumption & NET generation hidden. I don't see the value in this feature to be honest but at least who ever asked for it got it. :lol:

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STATUS - UP TIME - DISK USAGE:
Moving forward the status LED high lighted in orange has been moved to the main tab section. User feedback given to Brultech found the old method was not intuitive or apparent?!? :? Regardless of how I feel about that this area will offer more system feedback in the near future. At the moment the system offers similar visual feedback as it did before.

Meaning should there be a system fault high lighted in red the system will turn from green, yellow, to red as a quick identifier.

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As in the past evoking the status tab will render the system up time since last reboot. It will relay how much storage has been consumed and how much is left in terms of days for data logging. As you can see I have 102 GB or 4682 days of minute storage.

That is a whopping 12.82 years worth of data storage! :mrgreen: :lol:

At the bottom is the error status indicators and possible solutions to resolve the issues at hand. As noted this area will be developed to offer more stats which in my mind would make it worth taking up an entire tab in the system.

My recommendation has been to offer charts and graphs to reflect the various disk usage along with other metrics.

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In the Energy Monitor section Ben has also transitioned the system status with the check mark flag which also changes color from green, yellow, red. Not visible here is the fact when there is a system fault the area below the *Refresh* will display the fault messages.

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LIVE STATUS - DIAL GAUGE:
In this release the system is capable of setting the high limit for *Dash Board* dial gauges. In the past the system would always indicate crazy high limits like 60,000. The user can now define the max value with in the minimum 30 numeric value.

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The return of a detailed live tab but in a different iteration has been implemented as seen below. This area is still very much a work in progress but it gives you an idea of what can be seen at a glance.

When the check box is invoked the system will render all channels which then displays a time stamp along with low, mid, high, and average values. At the moment this new feature does not auto update which kind of defeats the purpose of a single live page for viewing. :|

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Don't be sad my friends as Ben has enabled the old school live status bars for viewing too. For those of you who started off with the 1.X.X ~ 2.X.X firmware like me. Way back in the day this is how the live status tab rendered the power levels similar to what you see here in the system.

This area needs some rework to ensure the labels align correctly with the power bars. Some of the metrics also don't scale correctly like the temperature etc.

Regardless, the power fluctuates in real time based on the send interval set by the GEM. I have this and many other alternate views set up on consoles and tablets for remote viewing.

This hidden tab can be invoked by typing in /#/live after the URL.

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DETAILS & DESCRIPTIONS:
One of many feature requests I had asked for has finally been implemented which is expanding the ability to add details and descriptions into the pulse, voltage, and temperature channels.
Having this ability enables me to document key metrics and installation notes which impact the install.

As seen here the Water Hero system was noted as to which output was being fed and rendered for tracking. In some other areas this detail page provides calibration data, base settings, to install placement of sensors.

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When your up in a dark attic and its 55'C I can tell you for a fact. You don't want to be farting around trying to figure out where that wire is which is buried under three feet of insulation! :twisted:

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BILLING - RATES:
This area has been given a visual update as to how the different tool options look like. Besides that there have been improvements and bug fix's to those using Tiered, ToU, rates.

Some billing processing bugs have also been resolved in this release.

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IP BLOCK - IP NAMING:
A few years ago when I first came up with the idea of IP blocking for the Dash Box. At the time I didn't know there would be so many people accessing my DB. :shock: Along with the endless hackers that seem to be hell bent in seeking any type of Linux server on the net. Another feature request I submitted to the team was to allow a *Friendly Name* to be appended to the IP address.

Having this simple but important feature allows me to track and visually know who and what is accessing my resources. A small sample of the listed IP addresses that were poking around in my network.

It should be noted what is seen here was done solely to show case what tried to enter the network when the firewall was disabled and not active. There are several Barracuda Enterprise hardware firewall appliances and pfSense units in place.

Ultimately I believe having the ability at the hardware level such as the DB to filter out IP addresses will provide more robust protection. My hopes are the next iteration of firmware will see other feature requests I have submitted.

Those are having the ability to limit network access to subnet and MAC address. Having all three in place will harden not only the product but offer a extra measure of fail over for those not having a software / hardware firewall appliance in place.

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DATA BASE MAINTENANCE - EDIT DATA:
I don't recall if I published this specific information. But if not here it is - The system is now capable of editing out a value instead of deleting it entirely. The ability to delete a value is still present should it be needed. This was another feature request I had made last year and is in place now for all to use and enjoy.

My hopes is this area is to see the feature set be expanded a little more. My vision is to have the ability to *Add* a new value to the data base. Having the ability to add in a value will enable a person to *Back Fill* information that may have been lost in Micro SD failure etc. Another enhancement would be to have the ability to define a date range & low / high value during the search.

Having that ability would enable a person to quickly find and correct any bad data points.

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BRULTECH PORTAL ACCESS SERVICE:
The Brultech company has been growing at a steady pace and the adoption rate by Consumer, Enterprise, and Government has also increased. Those having multiple Dash Box's have asked the company to come up with a method to have a single sign on (SSO) web portal to help manage and access the very same.

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As always the Brultech team has stepped up to the plate and offered the first iteration of the Brultech Web Access Portal. :P The steps to accomplish this task is simple and takes only mere minutes to accomplish.

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This feature must have been considered for awhile considering the *Alias* feature has been present for many years as seen below. Having the ability to assign an alias ensure the person knows what DB & GEM is being viewed and monitored.

As seen below one of two DB's in my home is so named Dash Box Silver. :lol: Yes, I know how ingenious of me to name it silver considering the outer case is indeed silver! :lol: As you guessed it the other is called Dash Box Black - Because its black. :mrgreen:

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IFTTT INTEGRATION - NOTIFICATION - THE FIRST STEPS:
Another long time feature request by me has been IFTTT integration. The company has embarked on the first steps of IFTTT use and wait for it . . .

Alert notification, tracking, 3rd party integration, and conditional logic threshold. :o

At the moment this is the very first pass of what the system is capable of offering the end user which of course will get better as development time and resources are made available. The setup process is straight forward and takes only a few moments to set up.

I will go through the entire setup process in another thread entry as some aspects were a little unclear during the initial setup process. Regardless in its current iteration the system is capable of sending out energy metrics that apply to all 32 channels.

The system can render data from Today, Yesterday, Weekly, Monthly, Yearly. Depending upon how the user has set up the IFTTT Maker Alert the system can offer insight to the user based on a timed interval.

The system supports 12 / 24 hour time scheduling as seen below in blue. At the moment I am testing to see the daily / monthly values for various appliances.

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This is how the alert message comes in from the IFTTT Maker Channel. In red is variable that has been created and in this case its for the daily KWH total up to that moment in time. In green is the time stamp to confirm that variable did in fact fire off and come your way.

In blue is the total KWH consumed during that time frame. In orange is the dollars and cents costs associated for that KWH consumed. Lastly, in purple is how the variable has been set up so you know if its for the day, week, monthly, yearly, and what task.

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IFTTT GOOGLE SHEETS - CLOUD HOSTED DATA TRACKING:
Starting June 20, 2017 I have started on the journey to test out how best to use the new IFTTT capabilities found in the Dash Box. As of this writing there is no direct method to export the data from the DB into off line formats. Given the new capabilities via IFTTT this has been made much easier using the Google Sheets.

Below is my first attempt of storing historic data I feel is important from my home. The first channel I decided to track was the solar generation from my system. There isn't much to look at since there are only three entries. :lol: But the first two entries were a proof of concept to validate the DB could be set up to send to IFTTT and then relay that same data set to the Google Drive and create a spread sheet.

Since the lowest interval is hard set at 15 minutes the two entries are for those. The last entry is the end of day KWH solar generation and the dollars and cents made. The long term goal for me when the bulk of the *Conditional Alert Logic* is hammered out. Is to be able to track low, mid, high values of interest to me to help facilitate normal operations, out of band, and low / high limits to see trend patterns.

I have very high hopes that team Brultech will be able to release conditional alert logic in the near future and where I and others can take advantage of said features.

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Its safe to say the humble Dash Box from Brultech has expanded to be one of the most powerful data storage servers in the open market. In the last 36 months I have been asked to help test, sample, and offer feedback on various so called cloud hosted desegregation products from Smapee, Sense, Neurio, and many others. :?

Having the opportunity to use, test, and sample these products has only affirmed the products offered by Brultech are not only superior in every way. But offer the only method for true energy monitoring & energy management.

All of the other products I have listed above are just complete junk, toys, and a complete wast of money for anyone ever considering to purchase the same! :|

I can tell you with 100% confidence that I would have never spent a dime on any of these toy like products if it wasn't given to me for free for review and testing. The lack of accuracy, detail, and integration are only some of the pitfalls of these garbage products. :roll: :?

For those who have read this massive thread entry knows I have purposely avoided comparing the Brultech offering vs other so called Energy Monitors.

The primary reason is its like comparing a Ferrari to a Chevet! :lol:

Not only that, the reasons are these products are a complete and utter waste of time, money, and effort to use. Having used many of these products for extended periods its apparent to me many of these companies focus on offering a slick smart application which offers no real world use, accuracy, flexibility, scaling, to taking on user feedback to make the product better. :|

The bulk of these cloud based energy monitors span a degree of sh^t that one can't really say anything positive about them. What is quite apparent to me over the last 36 months of use, trial, and testing is none of these companies are serious about energy monitoring.

None of these companies have taken on any feature requests by me or any other to make the product more reliable, accurate, or useful.

To be fair having a base line of a real energy monitor like the Brultech Green Eye Monitor & Dash Box makes anything else a person would have or use look like a POS Toy anyways. :lol: :mrgreen:
Teken . . .

My ongoing projects thread: http://www.brultech.com/community/viewt ... ?f=2&t=929
Buy me a cup of coffee: https://www.paypal.me/Teken https://gfinotify.com/ Discount Code: PC10
Teken
Posts: 2700
Joined: Wed Dec 15, 2010 4:09 pm
Location: The Bad Lands

Re: My GEM, ISY, Dash Box, Insteon Home Automation Install

Post by Teken » Tue Apr 25, 2017 11:42 am

PROJECT TITAN - WATER HERO: PUBLIC RELEASE
After more than 2 long years of development the Water Hero monitoring system will finally be ready for mass deployment for retail sales. Its been a very long journey for me and those who have backed this incredible project.

Alpha / Beta testing for the company has been ongoing and every iteration has made the final product better. I've had several versions and iterations of the Water Hero system in my home which is directly linked to two Brultech Green Eye Monitors.

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The insight regarding what, when, and how much water is consumed has been fantastic.

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As of this writing my goal has been to create programs to track the different water signatures that are present.

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Once those signatures have been defined in the ISY Series Controller. The next step is to craft reactive programs to help manage the water flow, time of use, and be alerted of out of band water usage that may not be expected during a given time / period.

As always with the power of the Brultech Dash Box being able to compare water consumption usage from any point in time is simply a breeze via the all mighty Dash Box. :mrgreen:

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FIELD TESTING NEARS COMPLETION
100 Units Shipped

We have now shipped over 100 beta units and are excited to be nearing completion of our field testing. Over the last 6 months, our beta testers have been providing excellent feedback on the Flow Only and plumber installed PRO units they have been testing.

This important feedback has led to many bug fixes, some great product improvements, a better user experience and enhanced security. With this progress we are on track to ship commercial release Flow Only and PRO units to our Kickstarter Backers by the end of May!

Gearing up for Larger Production Runs

The electronics and hardware continue to perform quite well in the field. We are now gearing up for larger production runs which will help drive cost efficiencies. Below is a picture with the team at our PCB assembly vendor here in New England. They not only provide great quality, but have also offered valuable advice on design for manufacturability that help us reduce production costs.

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Dan Sterling and Dan Fink (in white lab coats) with the team at our PCB assembly vendor.
Firmware Update

Vic, Chris and Eric of our engineering team have been busy releasing 5 firmware revisions since our last update, with field units currently running v1.31 firmware. The v1.27 firmware which released shortly after the last update was loaded with the most improvements ever, including an improved flow detection algorithm and increased magnetic field sampling rate for better accuracy at high flow rates, plus many features designed to make Water Hero one of the easiest to connect IoT devices on the market.

Subsequent releases focused on increasing stability to maintain the network connection, as well as increases in overall system reliability and processing speed by streamlining communication paths through the device.

Security Update

We take security very seriously, and have built and architected Water Hero with this in mind from the start. We are happy to report we just finished adding additional security layers to our web interface and cloud infrastructure this week.

App Update

With the firmware and security enhancements discussed above in place, we are now focusing on mobile apps. We are nearing completion of our first draft of a native iOS app and will then follow that up with our first draft native Android app.

Other Updates

After completion of the mobile apps, we will move to adding some of the cool new product feature suggested by our beta testers.

Housing Update

We now have 1,000 pieces of our beautiful Main Controller Board and PRO unit Sensor Cap housings in our inventory, and are proud to have received several compliments on the look and feel of these housings. We are still 3D printing our FLOW sensor housings, and are evaluating tooling quotes so we can also get this housing plastic injection molded. Both the Pro Sensor Cap and Flow Only sensor housing plug into the same Main Controller Board housing. Here’s a picture of Flow Only unit.

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Flow Only unit with Plastic Injection Molded Housing.

Supply Chain Update

Now that we are gearing up for larger production runs, we can take advantage of volume pricing on components. We have over 10 components from Texas Instruments on our two PCBs, so recently met with TI to negotiate annual volume commitments that will give us better pricing.

We also are happy to report that we received an advance shipment of 1,000 pieces of the key component that we reported as out of stock for months in our last update. We have deposited these in our parts bank, and are relived that we now do not have to scramble to find this part (at a hefty markup) from reputable parts brokers. We are now stock-piling the few components on our boards that have no alternatives or could face global shortages.

Flow Only and PRO unit shipping update

We have made some progress with our non-invasive shut-off motor, and are targeting beta testing in June. Please contact us at info@waterheroinc.com if you have a new, easy to work ball valve and would like to be a beta tester.

For the benefit of those of you who have not read the past few updates, the development of our non-invasive Shut Off Motor has been a much bigger challenge than we anticipated because of a wide range of ball valve shapes and sizes we have to clamp over. The other big worry is the condition of the existing ball valve we would try to clamp over; we are finding that in many homes, the ball valve has not been exercised in years and is calcified open. Either our motor will not have enough torque, or worse yet, we could snap off an old, poorly maintained ball valve.

So for those of you who ordered our FULL WATER HERO (basically, our Flow Only Unit plus DIY Shut Off) please accept our apology for this delayed development, and consider some options:

#1: Change your order to our Flow Only unit: (special Kickstarter price of $79), and when we ship your order, we will also send a check for the price difference of what you pledged.

#2: Change your order to our PRO unit: (special price of $199 for a standard unit that fits ¾” pipes, heavily discounted from our expected retail price), and we will charge you the price difference of what you pledged right before we ship. Note that this is invasive and has to be cut into the pipe.

#3: Continue being patient and hang in there: we are still developing the DIY Shut Off Motor that plugs into the Flow Only unit, making a non-invasive FULL WATER HERO. We will ship the FULL WATER HERO to you once they are ready if you can continue to bear with us and be patient.

Please e-mail us at info@waterheroinc.com with your selection and/or any questions or concerns. We really appreciate your understanding, patience and support.

The Round Up

We are nearing the end of our 100 unit beta field testing, and so far are very happy with product performance and tester satisfaction. We have built inventory of our beautiful plastic injection molded housings, and are gearing up production of assembled hardware.

We fully anticipate being able to ship our first commercial units to our backers who ordered the Flow Only and PRO Water Hero units by the end of May! We could not do this without the wonderful support, feedback and encouragement of our backers…THANK YOU!
Firmware updates have been coming out at a steady pace. The development team and I have identified many bugs and issues and they have been squished.

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Teken . . .

My ongoing projects thread: http://www.brultech.com/community/viewt ... ?f=2&t=929
Buy me a cup of coffee: https://www.paypal.me/Teken https://gfinotify.com/ Discount Code: PC10
Teken
Posts: 2700
Joined: Wed Dec 15, 2010 4:09 pm
Location: The Bad Lands

Re: My GEM, ISY, Dash Box, Insteon Home Automation Install

Post by Teken » Sat May 06, 2017 10:51 am

PROJECT TITAN - COMMUNICATIONS: PORTABLE SOLUTIONS
In 2016 of last year I started on the journey to select, test, and use a few second tier portable radio's for mobile communications. As always with the great help of my partner in crime (BBB) I was able to obtain the first sample for testing.

Team 45 has grown to 85 members strong . . . :P

Because of this the goal was to find a comparable quality radio that offered the best value to performance while show casing long term reliability. Many of us have been using tried and true brands like Motorola, Icom, and Yaesu for many years. The problem for many is the fact these radio's I have and use are very expensive for a week end warrior. :|

With that in mind my goal has been to sample various 2nd tier brands which have been known to be widely supported and have proven to be rugged & reliable. Since Team 85 has grown the request by many has been to find a radio that could offer the most for the least.

After field testing and validating many facets of these radio's I believe these samples are a good fit for Team 85. They are not only quality built but offer some of the best features a person would need or want.

Depending upon where you purchase these radio's they run from $99 ~ 169.00 USD.

Well short of the Icom & Yaesu portable radios I have been using for years which costs 3 ~ 4 times as much while offering less in terms of feature sets! :? :shock: As noted up above the goal was to test, validate, and use these radio's on a daily basis to determine how they performed or their limitations.

I am happy to report after more than six months of field trials these two radio's have past with flying colors.

My expectations are (IF) these radio's pass the next six months with out issue. Team 85 can move forward and purchase 70 plus radio's should that be decided upon. Some of the long term plans have been to set up private repeaters through out the Province where many of the team live.

Having the existing commercial repeater stations in place coupled with our own will offer that measure of fail over, distance, and reliability I have sought long and hard for. As of this writing our geo graphic location in terms of RF distance exceeds 250 miles in all directions. :mrgreen:

If the plans I have set forth fall into place that radius will be expanded to the entire province with out issue!

It should be noted when I say coverage it means 100% up time and reliability where anyone at anytime can simply click on a button and everyone can hear that message. :|

So lets break down what came in my (BBB) care package so long ago to the Teken household. :mrgreen:

NOTE: In the future I will touch upon a global communicator which is being used now in field trials. These next generation radios allows me and those on the team to have global reach and communications with any person around the globe. :mrgreen: :ugeek:
WOUXUN - THE HIDDEN RF RADIO GEM:
There are many brands of radio's on the open market today. You can literally find radios for $25.00 ~ $XXX.XX to your hearts content. Anyone who has taken the time to review different web sites and You Tube videos know there are endless resources for the same.

The question is why then did I purchase the Wouxun branded RF radios? :roll: :?: These radios were chosen for several reasons in no specific order of importance or relevance:

- These radios are relatively cheap and can be purchased almost every where on line.
- They offer some of the best feature to value compared to other 1st tier products.
- They can be unlocked to expand the RF frequency spectrum to cover almost all use cases.
- They offer some of the most powerful RF output that exceeds FCC regulations.
- They are well supported by 3rd party vendors for accessories and software.
- They are built extremely rugged and durable and offer comparable cycle life.
- They offer endless customization of basic to advanced features to suit any user need.
- They are easy to operate and use for basic novice to advanced users.
- They offer some of the loudest, clearest, and longest RF TX / RX of any radio.
WOUXUN - KG-UV9D PLUS:
Below is a special edition package of the Wouxun KG-UV9D Plus radio. If you can find this specific bundle it truly offers the best value for those just starting off in the RF industry. If you can find it on sale like I did at the time when my partner in crime (BBB) made the purchase.

Even better!!! :mrgreen: :lol:

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This special edition package comes with hundreds of dollars of extras that not only are useful but are truly items you will use over the course of the long term service life. Below in the first tray are two 7.4 2000 mA 14.8 Wh lithium ion battery packs. A 12 volt car charger and the two belt clips which mount directly to the battery cells.

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The second layer includes the 120 VAC base charging station, clip on speaker / microphone, 12 volt battery eliminator, 2 different length antennas, protective radio case, ear piece speaker / microphone, 2 sets of lanyards, USB data cable, CD drivers,

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As noted up above one of the primary reasons I purchased the Wouxun branded RF radios is because they can be *Unlocked*. All 1st tier radio's you can purchase in North America are locked and can not be expanded at all. Meaning if they are intended for Air, Business, Marine, GMRS, Citizen Band, HAM, Police, EMS, Fire, NOAA, this is all they can operate on.

These radios are capable of either listening, broadcasting, or a combination of the two on the above frequencies. :o The goal was to have a multi purpose radio (pre-programmed) for the entire team to use and have as a single source communicator.

The Wouxun radios meet this specific need 100% and beyond! :geek:

Anyone who has taken the time to review this massive install thread knows I have many dedicated *Weather Radios* on hand. As you can guess these two way RF radios allow me to listen to the same broadcast.

In turn should we be on the lake, river, ocean, these radios are more than capable to broadcast on the marine band and also engage the Coast Guard should the need arise. This is the very same for those of us who need to communicate to someone in a airplane. Almost every commercial and consumer frequency has been extended into these radios so any band can be used if and when needed.

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The top of this radio has a standard issue SMA male antenna connector. Next to it is a LED which can be used as a flash light or strobe. This is NOT common in 1st tier radios and thus offers some dual use if and when needed. Beside that in the center is the frequency / channel adjustment selector and next to it is the power & volume knob.

Below that are the two white colored RX / TX LED's.

On the opposite side which is hard to see is the lanyard hole with the wrist strap already in place.

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On the side is the combination speaker & microphone connector which is normally covered by a super tight rubber gasket cover. Next to that is the battery eject button to with drawl the battery cell.

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On the other side are four soft buttons which can be customized for any use a person wants or desires. By default the system is pre-programmed to select low / high TX PTT. At the top is a round button, this by default enables the FM radio. The two lower buttons enable a person to select key features they use most often.

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As noted up above this unit comes with two high capacity lithium ion battery cells. Unlike many other brands the clip is attached to the battery cell. The unit has a dual positive locking mechanism which slides into the metal body frame.

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This unit came with a dual input power source. One being the 120 VAC plug and a 12 VDC power source. Those who have been reading this massive install thread knows I am a true believer in dual use and back up.

Having the ability to power my systems using alternate source of energy is paramount. Given this radio is factory ready to use the most common 12 volt power supply from: Automotive, Boat, Generator, Solar, RV, etc.

Assures charging of these fantastic radios will never be an issue during a grid down event or in the field.

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The front of the unit has a dual colored LED and label indicating charging status and full.

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WOUXUN - KG-UV8E:
The KG-UV8E radio was purchased as an alternate test unit because it offered the first ever *Tri Band* 220 frequency in one hand held radio. The 220 RF band is less used and common in the field and thus offers me and the team the capability to use this as a secondary frequency when needed for specific use cases. 8-)

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The KG-UV8E is very similar to the KG-UV9D PLUS in almost every way besides frame size and battery configuration.

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Even though the overall dimensions of the radio are similar. The KG-UV8E uses a completely different battery configuration and mounting. This unit comes with a 7.4 VDC 2600 mA (19.24 Wh) lithium battery pack. Unlike the KG-UV9D Plus which has two detentes to eject the battery. The battery is ejected by pressing on the bottom of the radio case. The belt clip is also physically attached to the radio's frame and not to the battery itself.

The obvious downside to this is I won't be able to swap batteries in the field should I need to with spares on hand or with others. :cry: :|

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Fortunately both radios can use the same docking station for recharging as they both share the exact same pin outs on the rear of the battery case.

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As noted up above the KG-UV9D Plus came with a dual mode charging port. As can be seen the KG-UV8E only comes with a 12 VDC port and uses a AC ~ DC transformer to supply power. In the big picture it isn't a huge issue but does offer less flexibility for remote powering.

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A photo of the global voltage power supply that came with the KG-UV8E using the barrel style power supply. The PSU supports 100 ~ 240 VAC, 50/60 Hz, 12 VDC output, 500 mA current output.

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WOUXUN - USB DATA HACKING CABLE:
As noted early on one of the many reasons for purchasing these fantastic RF radios is having the ability to upgrade the firmware, changing options, programming, and expanding the RF frequencies to cover out of band modes. :mrgreen:

This special USB cable is required to update and change the settings in the Wouxun RF radios.

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Below is a few snap shots of the OEM programming software. Even though direct programming at the radio is available its just so much easier to point and shoot via PC. The most important aspect of having this software is being able to *Clone* the settings and transfer the very same to similar radios.

Given there will be no less than 85 radios this will make my life a lot easier in defining and configuring all the radios for the team with out hours of manual programming. :ugeek:

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VFO SETTINGS:

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FM BROADCAST MEMORY:

As noted these fine radio's allow a person to simply use them as portable FM receivers. Nothing beats having the ability to broadcast and listen to some of their favorite music stations. :P

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SCAN GROUPS:

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REMOTE SETTINGS:

This tab allows a person to define and customize which features are assigned to the radio buttons. To the far right is the label / identifier so each radio can have a custom or unique display name to ensure the group knows which radios are dedicated for what task.

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Below are just a small sample of the radio frequencies pre-programmed into these radios. The first set covers all 22 bands of the FRS & GMRS family radio spectrum that is very common for kids, week end warriors, and casual users.

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Next are all five bands of the MURS business radio frequencies.

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Next are the most common Coast Guard, Dock, and Emergency marine bands which cover both Canada and USA.

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All weather band frequencies have also been programmed to round out the usefulness of these radios.

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Other RX / TX frequencies are for Aircraft, Air Tower, Government, Commercial, and many restricted frequencies. At the moment I am trying to balance the capability and use case scenarios that we feel our team may encounter or need in WROL event. :|

Below is one of the anti frequency limit software packages which enables me to expand the radios to RX / TX further than FCC regulations allow. :mrgreen:

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In the last few years I have been able to purchase military RF equipment from USA auctions. The primary goals is being able to listen and communicate at a high level to different agencies if and when required.
Teken . . .

My ongoing projects thread: http://www.brultech.com/community/viewt ... ?f=2&t=929
Buy me a cup of coffee: https://www.paypal.me/Teken https://gfinotify.com/ Discount Code: PC10
Teken
Posts: 2700
Joined: Wed Dec 15, 2010 4:09 pm
Location: The Bad Lands

Re: My GEM, ISY, Dash Box, Insteon Home Automation Install

Post by Teken » Tue Jun 20, 2017 10:50 pm

PROJECT TITAN - COMMUNICATIONS: PORTABLE SOLUTIONS
Teken . . .

My ongoing projects thread: http://www.brultech.com/community/viewt ... ?f=2&t=929
Buy me a cup of coffee: https://www.paypal.me/Teken https://gfinotify.com/ Discount Code: PC10
Teken
Posts: 2700
Joined: Wed Dec 15, 2010 4:09 pm
Location: The Bad Lands

Re: My GEM, ISY, Dash Box, Insteon Home Automation Install

Post by Teken » Tue Jun 20, 2017 11:46 pm

FIRST ALERT ONE LINK - SMOKE & CO DETECTORS:
As some of you may remember a very long time ago I installed many First Alert One Link combination smoke & co talking detectors. These units seamlessly integrated with my Insteon network via the Smoke Bridge. :P

At that time, I was not made aware there were three different types & models of the same. :? :shock:

Also, it came as a huge surprise to me to learn that these devices actually have different service life when compared to the standard smoke only hardware. Way back in the day the combination units had a five (5) years service life. The latest smoke & co units offer seven (7) years of service life and the smoke only offer ten (10) years.

What I also found out is for what ever stupid reason the talking versions of this sensor is only sold in the United States?!? :shock: :evil:

So, the Canadian users have no choice but to purchase the none talking version here at home??

Fast forward to this year (2017) quite a few units started to beep. Using the full users manual the number of beeps indicated a malfunction of the units? Looking at the users manual it simply said the unit was bad and it had to be replaced. :cry:

At $65~89.00 a piece depending upon where you can find them. That is a lot of freaking money to shell out every five years!! Considering I have 16 of these combination units that would be on the low end $1040 ~ $1424.00 on the high end worth of hardware.
SERVICE AFTER THE SALE - PERHAPS / PERHAPS NOT:
As noted up above, reading the full users manual noted the units I had on hand were covered by a 10 parts and service warranty. Going through the first eight manuals affirmed the very same. At this point I decided to call in to the service department to get some resolution to the problem at hand.

After talking to a wonderful young lady about my problem and sending off my copy of the ten year warranty card. The CSR explained to me there had to be a problem at the production line and the warranty cards I had in all eight of these detectors were incorrect. As the units I had were made to only operate for five (5) years.

She affirmed what I stated up above in that the latest models of combination sensors offered seven (7) years of service and the regular smoke only units offered ten (10) years of service. Given I was able to provide the CSR written proof regardless of their error she indicated they would indeed honor the ten year parts and service warranty of the product. :D

At this point one would ask what is the freaking problem, son? :?:

Well a few weeks went by and a small package was dropped off at my door step by Fed Ex. Since I recalled the bulk of the sensors were installed generally in the same time frame it was just a matter of time before the remaining units would blow up and declare a malfunction fault.
Because of this I decided to wait before I installed the new sensors to ensure each unit would expire on the same day as the rest.

A month later had passed and the next set of combination sensors did in fact go off declaring a malfunction fault. It should be noted the Insteon smoke bridge indeed also relayed the same to me via push notification and email. :mrgreen:

So the next step was to rinse and repeat the call in process to get the remaining sensors replaced under warranty. A few weeks had past and sure enough another small box arrived via Fed Ex. As previously noted up above, unbeknownst to me at that time the Canadian version of these sensors don't actually talk!! :evil:

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The next step was to call back into the service line and explain what I had seen. It was obvious to me even the CSR had no clue there were two different versions of this combination smoke & co detector. As he needed to talk to another agent to find out how it is the sensors I had on hand didn't speak.

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After a few moments he found out there were indeed two different versions USA (talking) and Canadian (None Talking).

Canadian version which doesn't talk.
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American version which does talk.
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One would think none of this would have been a big issue and I was told by the CSR (Richard) that this would not be an issue and the proper replacements would be sent out. At that time he indicated they would call back and let me know when to expect the replacement units. I was also told at that time to simply keep the units I had on hand.

Even though I told them these units should be sent back as I wasn't looking for a free ride and simply wanted the talking versions which I paid for in the past. :| 24 hours later I received a call from Richard and it was like listening to a fucking robot now. All he would do is read off a script to me and offer me an apology that was totally insincere and patronizing. :evil:

No matter how many facts I presented to him this guy simply would not budge. At this point I had asked for a supervisor to intervene to assist in this matter. At first blush it seemed the manager was not only sincere and responsive to my pleas. But was going to circle back with me the following week to resolve this entire matter.

It should also be noted the first seven of these sensors were purchased on line. The remaining nine sensors were purchased at our local Rona Revy here in Canada. What struck the CSR and the Manager as odd was they stated none of the talking units were EVER sold in Canada! If so how the hell did I purchase nine (9) brand new combination smoke & co talking sensors?!?! :|

The manager asked me to send in my very faded receipt for the 9 units I purchased which I did.

As of this writing the dead line to call back and resolve this issue has past. :evil: My plans moving forward is to call back and see what's going on with this service request.

Let the games begin . . .
Teken . . .

My ongoing projects thread: http://www.brultech.com/community/viewt ... ?f=2&t=929
Buy me a cup of coffee: https://www.paypal.me/Teken https://gfinotify.com/ Discount Code: PC10
Teken
Posts: 2700
Joined: Wed Dec 15, 2010 4:09 pm
Location: The Bad Lands

Re: My GEM, ISY, Dash Box, Insteon Home Automation Install

Post by Teken » Wed Jun 21, 2017 4:41 pm

AQUANTA - SMART HOT WATER HEATER MANAGEMENT:
A number of years ago I blogged about a new crowd sourcing product under development which I was part of. Unfortunately that campaign did not succeed in its funding goals. :cry: Near the end of the campaign I had offered my services in Alpha / Beta testing this new product. To my surprise and delight I was asked to help the company and team develop this fine product for retail sales.

Like many new products the R&D has been long, slow, and painful. :|

For those who have been tracking my energy management efforts know. The single largest electrical consumer in my home is the electric hot water tank! :evil: To that end I have done as many things to bring this electric pig to heal. Its safe to say sometimes the results are debatable while other times it has shaved off a few KWH's in savings.

The primary goal of installing a smart hot water management system has been to offset and reduce my energy consumption. Fast forward to June 2017, I would like to show case this new product which is public ready for consumption.

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Those interested in purchasing this fantastic new product can follow this link: https://aquanta.io/
AQUANTA - THE MAGIC INSIDE:
The main Aquanta controller is essentially a small blue square box made out of ABS injected plastic. The main cover is held together by four black Phillips head screws.

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Removing the front cover show cases how well the casing is internally braced. In the center of the case is a cut out in the shape of a water drop. This cut out is the LED status indicator hole where the multi color LED signifies various states and user settings.

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The bottom half of the case is just as robust and sturdy as the top case.

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The system has five I/O ports and a manual set button. The black RJ11 jack attaches to the entropy sensor. The other pins goes to two 1 wire sensors and the last port leads to the leak detection sensor.

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I wanted to show case the beautiful PCB board and the electronic components with in this fantastic product. All of this was designed and made in the good old USA!

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Every component has been spec'd to be of the highest quality to ensure the longest service life, performance, and energy efficiency. The Aquanta smart water heater management system at full output consumes less than 1 watt 24.7.365! :shock: :o

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During the initial development cycle I had stressed to the entire team how important it was that the hardware be efficient, reliable, and robust. Many of the design elements I had suggested did indeed make it to the final production model. While others did not, due to increased costs, complexity, and lower return on investment.

One of the major concerns I had was using the highest quality relay. In a previous blog entry I had discussed the Insteon 240 Load Controller. One of the major faults of this unit was the cheap relays in use along with auxiliary parts used in that piece of hardware. As can be seen the team has spec'd out a very high quality 240 VAC relay for years of reliable service.

If the Aquanta team had not engaged me more than two years ago that Insteon 240 Load Controller more than likely would have been installed. While offering less capability, insight, and management.

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AQUANTA - THE INSTALLATION PROCESS:
The *Initial* process to install this smart hot water management system was less than fun. :| Not so much on the part of the Aquanta product as it was trying to remove the existing blow off valve. I would say the average user will have a 50/50 chance in encountering what I did. That is finding the blow off valve is screwed down so tight that it might literally break off inside of the HWT!! :evil:

All I have to say on that part is if I ever meet the fucken monkey that wrenched on that blow off valve I'll punch him right in the throat!! :| It literally took me three hours by myself to finally break the bloody thing loose. It took a three foot ABS pipe and a long handle crescent wrench to finally break it free.

Regardless, it goes with out saying if dealing with plumbing and basic electrical work is not your strong suite please ensure you hire this job out. Having said this, I can safely state if anyone has ever changed out an outlet / switch they will have no problems installing this Aquanta product.

These are the basic tools to accomplish the goal minus the three foot cheater pipe!

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The steps are pretty basic and I will quickly summarize them here. Please ensure you read the full users manual in case I missed any steps! :oops: There really is only two parts that will be installed in the existing HWT tank. That is the main controller and the sensing probe which mates with the existing petcock blow off valve.
BLOW OFF *PETCOCK* VALVE REMOVAL:
1. Turn off the cold water supply at the HWT tank
2. Attach a short garden hose to the drain port and direct to bucket / drain
3. Open up the bottom drain port

3a. Release (Open) top of the blow off *petcock* valve
3b. Hot water will stream out the bottom drain port. Let water drain until half full in the tank then close the port.

The first mechanical step is to remove the existing petcock blow off valve. Customers should be aware this device is considered a wear item and should be inspected & tested prior to reuse. I was fortunate that my HWT was recently replaced and thus that wasn't an issue.

As can be seen the petcock blow off valve had endless amounts of plumber glue / putty. This material when fully cured is almost as hard as steel. When you couple this to a over eager monkey plumber it results in hours of frustration and headache.

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This very unique piece of brass houses most of the magic in the Aquanta system.

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This brass fitting mates with the existing petcock blow off valve. The long wire you see with the foam and round brass disk goes inside of the HWT. This special entropy cable is what tells the Aquanta system several different internal metrics about the water inside. Based on that data the Aquanta system will know and react dynamically to the HWT and users needs.

This long piece of wire is essentially a long ass thermoprobe! :lol:

Once the two pieces are properly mated together using Teflon tape / plumber putty. You will simply feed the entropy cable into the hot water tank ensuring it doesn't bind on anything inside. Secure the two pieces to the HWT frame until tight while ensuring the drain valve is properly situated to your environmental needs.

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NOTE: For the sake of clarity the 240 VAC main breaker has been turned off during the entire process. Do not attempt to drain the HWT while the system is still powered!
ELECTRICAL INSTALLATION STEPS:
1. Turn off the 240 VAC breakers
2. Remove the cover plate to the HWT 240 wire bundle and unclip
3. Mount the Aquanta unit and securely affix it using supplied ring snaps
4. Insert the 240 VAC power line into the appropriate Aquanta terminals
5. Insert the HWT 240 element wires into the appropriate Aquanta terminals

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As can be seen there is literally only five wires that need to be secured. Two 120 / 240 power lines, and two 120 / 240 heater element wires, and ground. It probably took me more time trying to *Dress* the wires so they looked nice inside of the Aquanta housing then it should have. But that's the anal OCD side of me coming out! :lol: :mrgreen:

And No, the image you see here is not the final wiring ~ the wires are all nicely routed and positioned in the housing. :ugeek:

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AQUANTA - FINAL INSTALLATION STEPS:
The final portion of the installation step involves filling up the HWT. At this juncture the user will need to decide upon whether to do extra maintenance or simply fill the unit up. I would highly suggest to those who have ignored the annual drain and fill process. To complete this step to ensure the longest service life of the HWT.

It should be noted this *Flush & Fill* portion could have been done during the initial installation process. It really comes down to personal choice along with time constraints. Regardless, lets assume you're going to complete the Flush & Fill* of the tank. You need only open up the bottom drain port and then open the cold water supply inlet.

Simply let the tank fill and drain the system while evacuating any debris and sediments. I can tell you with high confidence when you see the orange goo coming out. You will sit and wonder why you didn't complete this task on a regular basis! :lol: Once the water runs clear from the bottom of the tank and the hose shows nothing but clear water.

I would suggest you close the bottom port and let the tank fill up a little bit and than re-open the drain port to ensure any lingering debris is completely flushed out. Another option is to cycle open and close the cold water supply and letting the natural water pressure swish around any debris. Once the tank is clean you need only continue to let it fill until water comes pouring out the petcock blow off valve.

Once water is seen you can shut that valve closed.

The next step requires you to open up the sinks and bathtub water supplies. This is being done because the homes water line is full of air pockets and may also have debris in the lines. You will simply turn the facet to the *Hot Position* until the sputtering and gross debris is gone and the water runs clean.

Afterwards you can shut off all the taps and bathtub facets. At this point you will restore power to the HWT at the main breaker. If all is well you will see and hear the Aquanta come to life and make a few funny sounds as it boots up and completes its POST. Once the system is up and running and sits idle you can complete the WiFi enrollment process to allow the system to connect to the network.

Once done the web based UI will guide you through the remaining steps of configuring and entering key metrics of your hot water tank.
SENSING ELEMENTS:
The Aquanta system comes with a single 1 wire sensor probe that mates to the incoming cold water line. This is done to allow the system to know and compare to an internal sensor probe. What this does is allows the system to calculate how much hot water is in the tank and know the internal hot water temperature.

The system currently does not use the second 1 wire sensor for auxiliary measurements which I will detail more about later below.

The leak sensor obviously enables the user to know if the HWT has sprung a leak and will beep and notify the person via email / push alerts. More details about this aspect will be provided in the summary of the product and services.
AQUANTA - WHAT DOES IT DO?
The Aquanta hardware is a smart interface which ties directly to the homes hot water tank. The intended goal of this device is to manage and control the energy demands of the appliance while offering the end user a method to save money while doing so.

Below is a snippet from the makers web site:
Cost Savings

- Smart control of thermostat and heat cycling
- Energy savings suggestions
- Weekly & monthly usage data comparison

Convenience, Comfort and Safety

- See how much hot water is available
- Remote turn on/off and scheduling capability
- Maintenance alerts, including leak detection
- Automatic overheating shutoff

Intelligent Controls

- Autonomous learning function matches water heating with usage patterns
- Operation via remote dashboard
AQUANTA - WHAT CAN BE DONE?
The intended goal of the system is to help manage the the hot water system. This encompasses being able to set manual water heater on/off schedules; adjust Aquanta auto-efficiency settings; set Away periods and adjust Alert settings.
AQUANTA - WHAT INFORMATION CAN BE SEEN?:
The current system only offers a cloud hosted service, in the portal you can see the following metrics and statistics. Upon login the main page is split into three panes the first pane indicates the previous day, week, months consumed energy as seen below.

In the center is a virtual hot water tank which has a percentage value embedded in the center. I will talk about this indicator a little more down below. To the right is a status card which indicates the system is active and managing the hot water tank. Below that is the *Boost & Away* modes which the user can select to define and meet their specific needs.

YESTERDAY:
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LAST WEEK:
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LAST MONTH:
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The second pane provides the end user a basic view of the hot water consumption metrics. The system can display the previous hot water consumption or energy. When the day over day option is selected the system will indicate the previous trailing four days.
AQUANTA - HOT WATER CONSUMPTION - BASIC CHARTING:
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Selecting the week over week renders a similar view of the previous trailing metrics. Currently the service offers no method to recall the basic view of other days, weeks, months. The system for what ever reason also doesn't offer metric conversion in the basic view?!? Outside of the United States almost every developed country uses the Metric system.

So this is a glaring over sight which I have offered feedback on.

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Selecting the month over month provides the same view of the previous trailing four months. The system doesn't list out the actual previous months in numeric or by name?

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AQUANTA - HOT WATER ENERGY CONSUMPTION - BASIC CHARTING:
DAILY:
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WEEKLY:
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MONTHLY:
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AQUANTA - ADVANCED CHARTING OPTIONS:
The advanced section of the web portal allows the person to select from a few default views. The user can also select a date range of interest so this offers better scaling when required.

The system as noted early can track and show the internal temperature of the hot water tank. It can also display how much available hot water is in the tank at any given time. On this part I am uncertain about the level of accuracy for this part. As I mentioned earlier I have never ran out of hot water even using the most aggressive settings.

Of course the system tracks both in bar graphs and numeric value how much hot water you have consumed for a given period of time. Its safe to say having this level of fine grain detail while also having my Water Hero Monitor in place. It has allowed me to see, measure, track, and automate my systems to take advantage of the best conditions when needed.

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Hovering over any of the data points will pop up a summary of those metrics.

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Each option at the bottom can be enabled or disabled to over lay onto the chart. Invoking all of the parameters does however really cram in the data points which makes it extremely hard to see and view. The service has the ability to download and print off the metrics in several options from PNG, PDF, SVG, and JPEG.

The cloud hosted service currently does not allow a person to edit or add in data points as seen by SEG and the Brultech Dash Box. My hopes is the company will incorporate such a feature in later updates as it would add great value to the service and product.

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PERFORMANCE & EFFICIENCY LEVELS:
The last pane in the main page allows the user to select one of three operational modes. In the less efficient mode the system indicates the following operations vs performance:

*Aquanta Intelligence will efficiently provide hot water*

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Using the *Efficient* mode the system indicates the following operation vs performance:

*Savings are not as important as high water temperature*

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Using the *Most Efficient* mode the system indicates the following operation vs performance:

*Aquanta Intelligence will attempt to save as much as possible at the risk of running out of hot water* Currently there isn't a smart application to control any of the features in this product. :?

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BOOST & AWAY SCHEDULING:
The system offers the user the ability to define and set from basic to advanced boost and away (timed) scheduled modes that best fit their needs and lifestyle.

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I see great benefit for those who subscribe or have in place ToU (Time of Use) or Tiered electrical rates defined by the local POCO. In some States / Provinces the user can also subscribe to services which enables the POCO to turn off the appliance when there is high loads on the electrical grid.

This load shedding ability can help the grid to avoid a black out. This same feature (IF) subscribed can offer the end user a lower KWH rate should the customer be enrolled in such programs.

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PERFORMANCE AND ACCURACY:
It will come as no great surprise that this fine product is being benched marked and validated by the Brultech Green Eye Monitor (GEM) and the Dash Box (DB). :lol: Below I will offer some insight and feedback about what I observed from this product and how it compares to the metrics offered by the GEM.

The Aquanta system does not measure the electrical energy consumed the same way the GEM does. It uses lots of fancy math and software to obtain the same. Because of this the values are not 100% when compared to the GEM / DB. The end user may observe that daily readings often times are fairly close to the GEM.

Below is a very small sample I pulled out to show case the variance between the two products. It goes with out saying this high lights the fact using basic math and software can not replace a real world CT at the breaker to obtain the same if pure accuracy is the primary goal.

This screen capture shows the Aquanta system on a *Daily* basis was off by a mere: 0.601, 0.112, 0.197, 0.202. Given even the GEM has a tolerance along with the CT's in use the variance at a high level is extremely close and impressive.

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When reviewing the monthly values from the Aquanta compared to the GEM the over all variance is easily seen. Below I have screen captured the metrics recorded by the Aquanta system and have also written in what months and their values.

As an aside, one of the issues I have with the current web portals UI implementation is the lack of common sense labeling and having the ability to truly go back in time and recall historic events. At this moment the system can literally ONLY show case the trailing four days, week, months of data in the basic bar graph. :| The user has not ability to scroll back to see previous days, weeks, months in the basic view at all.

Another pain point is the fact the system does not indicate *That Days Current* energy & hot water consumption in the basic view. Meaning you're always looking at historic data and not live consumption on the fly. The system does in fact offer an advanced view which I will detail further down below but will call out its limitations and how I believe the team can do better to offer more useful metrics to the end users.

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It should be clearly noted the variance(s) you see between the Aquanta and GEM at this moment in time in the screen captures should not be taken literally. As my Dash Box system have been under test and random updates and thus could account for some of the larger discrepancies seen here.

There have been a few instances where some DB Alpha / Beta firmware has caused me to lose some energy data.

Regardless, the Aquanta using its fancy software and math is fairly close to the GEM in over all energy consumption readings. :P

FEBRUARY 2017
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MARCH 2017
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APRIL 2017
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MAY 2017
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AQUANTA - THE PROS AND CONS AND HOW TO DO BETTER:
The following are my observations and thoughts about the Aquanta product and hope some of this will offer those interested in the same the insight they need. Please keep in mind these are my opinions and those of you who have read this massive install project thread already knows. My global view is from home automation enthusiasts and energy monitoring / energy management perspective. Having spent more than 30 plus years in various fields and played with most of the latest gadgets along with Alpha / Beta testing for no less than 50 of the largest to smallest companies in the world.

I believe my insight and feedback is sometimes mixed and conflicted with others. Having said this the insight I offer is not only from a lay persons perspective but from a development and manufacturing stand point.

Please also keep in mind my goal has always been to push and elevate the products I have tested. Nothing is more humbling than to have a personal hand in the development and making the product better than it was first envisioned.

With that said, it should be clear I have always tried to ensure products that hit the market offer common sense features along with open architecture. Listening to the customer and giving them what they want will ultimately sell more products and gain market share. So what are the good, bad, and ugly parts of this Aquanta smart hot water management system?? :?:
AQUANTA - THE GOOD - HIGH LEVEL INSIGHT:
The system has been designed and made in The United States of America using global parts. Nothing pleases me more than to support an American / Canadian product vendor. The system is very easy to setup and install and normally takes about 30~60 minutes form start to finish. The system offers basic to advanced features which I believe most folks can appreciate and enjoy.

Being able to remotely and schedule remote turn on vs turn off of the hot water tank is not only great but can truly offer the person an opportunity to save money. Such a device could be installed into a rental or cabin and allow the person to remotely activate the system when and where needed.

Those who subscribe to ToU or Tiered electrical rates again could save. Whether that be scheduling the HWT to only come on during lower rates or to allow the POCO to control the system during load shedding requirements. Just these three basic and real world scenarios would offer that potential savings over the long run for the consumer.

The web based portal is very easy to navigate and use while offering the average person simple and basic metrics that can offer some short term insight. The system offers two sensing options which I truly believe offers lots of value to those interested in personal safety and building safety.

The system can tell you literally how hot the water tank is set for and how low it sits at idle. Knowing this critical information will allow the a person to set the maximum high limit to avoid scalding of small children while also avoiding setting the HWT too low where Legionnaires disease could potentially grow and harm the occupants.

It goes with out saying the leak sensor would inform the end user the tank had burst and would help reduce potential loss and damages in the home. Back in the day when I grew up it was not very common at all to see a HWT anywhere except in the basement. Many of those who live in hot weather states have their tanks literally installed in the attic or on the main and second floor. :roll: :?

The current system also ties into the Nest thermostat as a means to interact at a very low level with home automation. The Aquanta system once set up is pretty much a set and forget piece of hardware that you never have to interact with.

If there was ever a Plug & Play system the Aquanta is that piece of hardware.
AQUANTA - THE BAD - HIGH LEVEL INSIGHT:
The following remarks and observations are based on more than two years of testing and using the current Aquanta system. Having worked with the team for more than two years the first requirement for me was having a open API. Doing so would allow me and other third party vendors to interact and manage the system using a HA Controller like the ISY 994 Series Controller.

As of this writing the company has no plans to offer a open API to integrate with other systems or services. Whether it be a smart hub or cloud services like IFTTT / Stringify. To me restricting the hardware and having a closed system will impact the adoption rate and potential sales of the hardware.

Other considerations is this product is completely cloud hosted with no ability to operate in a local manner in terms of tracking its metrics. :| I am truly not a fan of cloud hosted services because they can literally one day fold up and close the door leaving the end user with a useless paper weight. Cloud hosted services also offer the potential of privacy and security breeches which could impact the system.

Meaning there is huge potential that the system could be impacted by a hacker where they could interrupt the HWT operations. In terms of privacy one could hack into the site and be able to see and know if a person was home simply based on the hot water consumption. :shock:

Other elements which I touched upon early on is the fact the current system does not offer very good charting / graphing. If someone is looking for just the very basics in terms of charting the system does meet that need.

For those like me who have come to enjoy the plethora of charts, graphs, dials, from SEG and the Dash Box. The current Aquanta Web UI leaves a person wanting in many ways. Other areas where I believed the company could have taken market share was actually deploying the second 1 wire sensor array.

As noted up above the system has the capability to use (2) 1 wire sensors. The secondary one could have been used to simply monitor the ambient air temperature where the system resides. Doing so would offer a freezing / hot temp warning or for those just curious to know what the environmental's were for the system.

This to me is simple *Give Me* feature which could help bolster the product and differentiate it from competing systems on the market today. I have suggested the use of this feature to the team and thus far no one has taken me up on this option. :cry:

The leak sensor in its current form does not behave or operate as I would like. Upon detecting water the system will beep and send off an email of the fault. Should the water condition change the system will simply turn off.

Having dealt with many types of leak sensors the system should have the ability for the end user to lock that state until such time as they have addressed that concern. What does any of what I just wrote mean in plain English?? :?:

There are many examples and conditions where a leak will not be detected or will simply go away. People have to keep in mind all you have is a little strip of metal which a person (hopes) just so happens to get wet exactly where required. Very few people install or use the required *Pan Tray* for the HWT to sit in.

These trays are intended to catch small amounts of water in hopes of saving the building from a slow and minor leak. If such a pan isn't in place and the area where the tank is sloped there is zero chance the system would ever detect a leak condition. :|

As noted up above lets assume for a moment water just so happens to pass by the little leak sensor strip. Once the sensor dries the system will stop beeping! One would say:

*Well you got that email didn't you*??

No . . .

This is where my *Common Man* sensibilities kick in. One must always assume the worst case scenario and assume other supplemental technology is not present or available for use. Grand Ma / Grand Pa doesn't want to carry or have a smart phone to be alerted of a leak! The system should remain beeping until a person has acknowledged the fault. Until such time as they have confirmed and resolved said leak then *THEY* can shut off the beeper.

In my testing the email alerts did not operate as expected either. So moving forward will need to test that aspect to confirm its fully operational. It quite possible the SMTP server was not in place during my Alpha / Beta trials so potential customers should ignore that part.

The system currently does not offer a smart application to see and control the Aquanta. Meaning a person would need to use their smart phone and go to the actual web site to do the same. My hopes is the team will reconsider developing a smart application even if its a basic one that allows control and scheduling of the unit. Being able to see the metrics would be a plus but isn't a huge deal breaker for me but would be expected for sure.

Up top I had mentioned that the virtual HWT would display a percentage of hot water available. In its current form which I have provided feedback the representation needs to change. An example of this is if you wake up and did nothing at all and no hot water was used. The system will literally indicate the available hot water is falling?!? :?

In a normal hot water tank should the hot water temperature drop below a defined threshold or where a call for hot water is seen the tank will begin to heat up. I have to gather because the Aquanta is in complete control the system is literally letting the (existing) water drop down in temperature which is lower than what the HWT would normally allow.

If that is the case the way the information is represented to the end user needs to change. Because the current method doesn't make any sense to me. I may be completely off base but one would expect the HWT to always be full until such time as I draw down some water?

Regardless, this UI display issue has been raised with the team and I understand they intend to come up with a better way to render the data. I've presented the team with several options as to how I would do it. So perhaps future iterations of the portal service will implement those ideas. :D

The Aquanta service currently doesn't offer the user the ability to edit or add data points to the data base.

NOTE: Even using the most aggressive setting of the Aquanta unit I have never experienced a lack of hot water when needed.
AQUANTA - SUMMARY OBSERVATIONS:
So the question comes down to whether or not such a device is worth considering and buying. In my humble opinion this assumes a lot of different factors. If we assume a person had absolutely nothing in terms of a smart appliance the Aquanta fits that bill nicely.

Given the system is only $149.00 USD and comes with a 60 day money back guarantee the average person simply can't go wrong. At a high level the system is well built, efficient, and offers basic controls and metrics to the end user.

The potential to save money is huge for those on Tou / Tiered rates.

Having the ability to remotely activate the unit for home, rental, cottage, for that *Just in time use* is simply fantastic. Couple this with having the ability to know if there is a leak and what the hot water temperature is really does round out the product.

Having said all of this I must confess the fact this is yet another cloud hosted product with no local capabilities is a huge negative for me. Along with being a closed system with no open API for users and third parties to integrate with is yet another strike against the product.

The question really comes down to how you intend to use the hardware. For me I have always strived and pushed for local first vs cloud first. Even if something was cloud based having a open API along with local control made it bearable to use over the long run.

Some would argue I am not the target audience and (IS) a power user. I would disagree and counter that point with the following. I am simply an average guy who has been in the technology and IT world for more than 30 years. I know what works and what doesn't because I have supported some of the largest companies in the world with regards to cloud computing.

I know the ups and downs of cloud hosted services and companies that use said services. I know the SLA's and the downtime for them. Having been involved in multi million dollar test programs I also know what has proven to work and what doesn't in terms of *Human Ergonomics* :geek:

My primary role as a tester for some of the largest companies in the free world has been the user experience and how things operate. I bring to the table 30 plus years of insight and know what will sell and what won't.

I believe the Aquanta smart hot water meter is winner and offers great value. But also must affirm the company and team must re-access how their product integrates with other products and services. Doing so will ensure quick adoption, increased sales, and market acceptance from the average user to super geek! :ugeek:

In closing, the Aquanta system is a fantastic product that has lots of potential
Teken . . .

My ongoing projects thread: http://www.brultech.com/community/viewt ... ?f=2&t=929
Buy me a cup of coffee: https://www.paypal.me/Teken https://gfinotify.com/ Discount Code: PC10
Teken
Posts: 2700
Joined: Wed Dec 15, 2010 4:09 pm
Location: The Bad Lands

Re: My GEM, ISY, Dash Box, Insteon Home Automation Install

Post by Teken » Thu Jun 22, 2017 4:03 pm

INSTEON - HITTING THE JACK POT:
A few weeks back one of several programs I set up alerted me of a potential sales opportunity. I'm not sure why I decided to ignore the alert message but can reflect back it was a stupid move. :oops: Having followed up the next day it came as no great surprise to find those sale items had gone poof and were all bought. :|

One can't cry over spilled milk as they say! :lol:

About a week later I received another message that indicated some limited supplies of Insteon products were indeed available and on sale. You guessed it I didn't repeat that same mistake and jumped on the band wagon and gobbled them up! :mrgreen:

Some how I don't think the UPS / Fed Ex man is going to appreciate the heavy ass box that's coming my way. :lol: Regardless of that fact the other day another alert message came my way and I have to say *A typically* these Insteon items are rarely if ever found at blow out sale prices.

Here is a quick snap shot of some of the Insteon hardware I was able to grab on the third round.

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One small lot I received were for NOS (New Old Stock) of Insteon Filter Lincs.

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The bulk of the hardware is being donated to a few good friends I've come to know. In previous log entries I believe I've touched upon how incredible technology has come along. And how it has made my life and that of my family more fun and secure. Given this fact I have always wanted to give back to those who have less or don't have the same standard of living.

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Nothing is more heart breaking to me than to see a person restricted in mobility. :cry:

Having said that, this is where Insteon technology and that of Amazon Echo has come to the rescue!! :D

Other than seeing my daughter being born ~ Helping others to achieve the small victories of turning on a light, unlock a door, or even adjusting the TSTAT via remote or voice control. Is truly a great feeling knowing that persons standard of living has increased dramatically.

This in my mind is truly what technology is all about and meant for . . . :ugeek: :|
Teken . . .

My ongoing projects thread: http://www.brultech.com/community/viewt ... ?f=2&t=929
Buy me a cup of coffee: https://www.paypal.me/Teken https://gfinotify.com/ Discount Code: PC10
Teken
Posts: 2700
Joined: Wed Dec 15, 2010 4:09 pm
Location: The Bad Lands

Re: My GEM, ISY, Dash Box, Insteon Home Automation Install

Post by Teken » Sun Jun 25, 2017 12:19 pm

ONSITE PRO - FLOOD STOP SYSTEM - SERVICE AFTER THE SALE:
In late 2016 I had started to reevaluate all of the systems in my home for intended use and whether they still continued to meet those goals. On another front I started to assess whether key protection elements could be upgraded to be more reliable or energy efficient.

On the final portion it was to complete the annual *Maintenance* of anything that required it. Low and behold during the 30 day auto cycle I found one of the Flood Stop systems making a terrible noise and eating through batteries. :?

The system when under load to open / close the motorized valve would labor and make this odd clicking noise. The main board would then declare a fault and also seem locked in a unresponsive way. :|

I wasn't too sure what was happening so decided to take the whole system apart and review each element of the system for proper operations. Reviewing the main PCB and taking some basic measurements all of the different components were in spec when compared to a few brand new spare units on hand.

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Swapping out the main board for a new one continued to offer the same lock up.

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Upon swapping out the old motorized valve assembly with a new one. The system came back alive and operated just fine. :)

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I figured there wasn't anything to lose opening it up to see if there was something I could repair / replace within the motor assembly. Upon opening the motor assembly there wasn't anything obvious inside that could make the system fault out? :?: :?

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So the next step was to power the unit up while partially apart and look and listen. When the unit was powered up the system completed the POST just fine? :?: In the past the unit would immediately declare a fault. At this point it had to be what we call in the industry *One time lucky* as every other boot up would cause the system to fault out.

No matter what I did the system would continue to come up fine. Undaunted I decided to go further inside of the unit and remove the four retaining screws as seen below.

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Taking apart the main assembly exposed the round gear and the half moon assembly. At the time there were still no obvious reasons for the motor to make that odd noise and bind.

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The next step was to isolate each part to see if they operated as expected using a reference unit on hand. To my surprise the half moon assembly operated just fine over the course of several hours of testing. :?

That was a real WTF . . .

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The next step was to test for torque weight and tension using basic pliers and a torque meter. Unsurprisingly both manual and automated tests passed with flying colors.

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At some point after repeated cycling of the motor assembly I heard a great pop. :shock: Low and behold the culprit was found ~ It was the little round plastic gear that must have been just hanging on a thread and finally gave out and snapped apart. :cry:

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During the cycling tests what I has seen and heard was the valve would either open and close endlessly or stop in a partial open / closed state. Neither was a good condition to be in given if there was a leak a partial open condition would not protect the home against said leak.

System cycling open and close endlessly and thus chewing through batteries.

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System held in a partial open / closed state. A terrible situation for the dishwasher where this unit was in. This contributed to dirty dishes and sediments left in the washer because there wasn't enough water pressure to clear the debris.

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So the decision was to either scavenge from a brand new unit or to call in to find out if this part could be purchased. I didn't have very high hopes such a one off part would be available from the vendor. But decided asking is free and the worse case scenario is they say no. So undaunted I sent out an email to the maker which so happens to be an American company. :mrgreen:

Within 24 hours the actual CEO sent me a reply inquiring how many of these units had failed in this manner. I told him that my home alone had five of their units in service which covers both toilets, dishwasher, clothes washer, and the water main line. Other friends and families which I installed the same hardware accounted for another 45 units.

I had asked him to let me know if it would possible to purchase a new motor assembly given I wasn't too sure if the plastic gear was single sourced part. To my surprise he noted this was a known issue in older units and the company had pushed forward to source metal ones in the next generation units.

The CEO told me he would get back to me in a few days about if such a part was still available in the shop.

A week later the post man came knocking on my door a small package in hand. To my surprise the company had sent me free of charge the replacement metal gears!! :P

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Inside of the small package was no less than five metal gears to replace all of the units I had on hand (IF) and when they fail.

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The obvious next step was to replace the existing broken plastic gear. One would have thought removing a metal clip would have been easy. The reality was this metal clip was so small and tightly packed inside of the plastic gear it was near impossible to grip or pry off. After what seemed like hours the blasted clip broke loose and it comes as no great surprise it went flying across the basement never to be found for days!! :| :evil:

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At that point I figured what the hell I have lots of clips in my parts bin how hard could it be to find one for this small motor assembly! :roll: As expected, life is just another challenge and none of the clips on hand would fit exactly either because they were too thick, large, or didn't have the correct closing diameter. :?

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After searching the entire basement for what seemed like weeks I was finally able to locate the existing metal clip. At this point one would figure *Your good to go* but you guessed it.

Nope . . . :evil:

The clip was not going to hold in place no matter how many ways I pried it in. Upon activating the motor assembly the spring clip would either wiggle out or pop out?!? No matter what I did the blasted thing would not stay in place. I must have compromised the clip when it was forced off. :oops:

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Undaunted I decided to break out the trusted Dremel and make the new spring clip work!! After shaving off a few thousands off of the new spring clip there was success.

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After cycling the motor dozens of times to validate the clip would stay in place. But to ensure it wasn't going to bind the motor assembly the new spring clip passed with flying colors. I have been using this amazing Flood Stop system for more than 15 years in various forms and homes. It was no great surprise when I built this new home more than eight years ago their system would be in place as well.

In all of those years I have never had a failure and none of the family and friends either. This one off failure is a testament of quality of the product. This of course leads to my personal experience with the Onsite Pro Company the maker of the Flood Stop hardware. Besides being an American company which means a lot to me.

They have truly showed and affirmed customer service after the sale is important to them. All of these units are more than seven years old in full production use. Well past the standard one year warranty period offered by them. The company could have easily asked $0.25 to $2.00 for the gear or simply said buy another new motor for $25~35.00!!

They didn't and simply offered to help and ship out the new metal gear to a long time customer. That in my books is *Service after the sale* and taking care of the customer. I highly recommend the Flood Stop system to protect anyone's home from water leaks.

This is the latest generation of their fine product which covers toilets, sinks, ice makers, dishwashers, clothes washers, hot water tanks, and whole house main line water shut off.

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Thank You to the Onsite Pro company for offering service after the sale. Add this great American company to a short list of those proving standing by your product is the hall mark of great business and character.

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Teken . . .

My ongoing projects thread: http://www.brultech.com/community/viewt ... ?f=2&t=929
Buy me a cup of coffee: https://www.paypal.me/Teken https://gfinotify.com/ Discount Code: PC10
Teken
Posts: 2700
Joined: Wed Dec 15, 2010 4:09 pm
Location: The Bad Lands

Re: My GEM, ISY, Dash Box, Insteon Home Automation Install

Post by Teken » Mon Jun 26, 2017 11:02 am

PROJECT TITAN - WEATHER FLOW SKY - ROOF INSPECTION:
As noted in this previous thread entry the Alpha / Beta team have been notified by the development team the Weather Flow Sky is getting ready to be shipped out by weeks end. :mrgreen: I also noted in this thread: that my annual inspection of various parts of the home was underway. To get ready for the WF Sky I decided to complete the annual roof inspection to ensure no missing tiles had been ripped off during the last few Mach 5 winds seen a few months ago. :roll:

Having walked back and forth of the length of the roof line everything was just fine. :) As part of my annual inspection I always try to take a few photos. To ensure as time goes by I have a reference point as to how things were opposed to how things are. :ugeek:

This photo was taken of the vent side of the roof. Last summer I noticed some light rusting on the nails which secure the vents so I applied some roofing caulk on to the heads. This summer showed the caulking was holding well and nothing was deteriorating further.

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This is the same vent side of the roof but me standing up to see further down with the camera. It might be really hard to see but at the center of the photo is a small white rock? I'm not sure how so many small rocks were placed up there because they weren't up there before?!? :?: :|

I swept-ed and tossed most of the rocks I could see while up there. :lol:

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After completing the review and inspection of the entire vent side of the roof line on the main portion of the home. I scaled back to the garage to lift and inspect all the shingles in each row. The previous year any shingles that were damaged, lifted were replaced. Any shingle that was fine but showed a slight uplift was secured with roofing caulk.

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While up there I was also checking all of the screws that hold down the roof line fascia. In the same photo I was cleaning out all of the hidden security cameras which encompass 360 degrees of the property. I don't suspect even a keen eye will be able to see the camera lens even this close never mind at 35 feet from the ground or from 100 feet away.

That was the whole point . . . :lol:

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This is the opposite side of vented garage roof line. While up there I activated remotely the *Active* interior attic blower fan. I ran the blower fan for about five minutes while taking temperature and humidity readings with a few calibrated tools. Using my smart phone I could view the previous temperatures recorded by the Autelis Bridge & Dash Box and compare them to the new readings seen up top.

At the time of the roof inspection it wasn't very hot yet since it was early in the morning. But the air pouring out of the vent was like a hot air dryer!! :? My future plans are to finally install the passive solar vents for the garage and the main building as time and finances allow.

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This was the roof vent where the temperature readings were taken as the active blower fan was activated. While up there I spoke to her over the RF radios to confirm that Alexa and Julie U.S. were both fully operational in their alert notification and being able to report back the temperatures and running status.

Her reply was everything was *Green, good to go*!! :lol:

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Now I'm on the other side of the roof near the back side of the home. I didn't think I was on the other side that long but man was it getting hot up there!! Having only been up there for about 45 minutes it must have jumped 12'C in that short period of time.

I was sweating bullets ~ Didn't help the UV was super high and there was nothing but calm winds. :cry:

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As I scaled down to inspect the lower portions of the shingles it really hit home what a terrible job it is being a professional roofer.

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After confirming all of the shingles were in place and securely fasten to the roof. The next step was to inspect and clean out any of the roof gutters. There is rarely ever any debris found given there aren't a lot of trees in my area.

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But one short section of gutter always has piles of shingle beads accumulated in the exact same spot every year?!?!?

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I honestly don't know if the beads are coming from my home or from the guy next to me because he uses the same colored shingle tiles. His home has seen endless shingles torn off every year and for what ever reason has never replaced them?

He just leaves the roof exposed ~ Now that is a real WTF?!?! :? :shock:

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After taking a mini scoop and brush to remove the bulk of the debris I asked my GF to send up a hose to spray away the remaining roofing beads.

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The last portion of the *Main Goal* was to find an ideal spot for the WF Sky. After walking back and forth and looking at how the other homes straddled mine. I came to the conclusion on a few things. I didn't want the Sky to be an eye sore when approaching the home from the front. Next I didn't want the device to be impeded by the other taller homes that surrounded me. So the most logical placement was to install the Sky sensor in the rear of the home where I could easily scale up a ladder and replace the batteries if and when required.

The Sky sensor will be mounted at the peek of the rear roof line. I'm still debating upon drilling a hole into my roof to secure the mounting pole. :| More than likely I will use a J pole mount and secure it to the gable end attic vent entry door. This will allow me to pivot the sensor down if and when required for maintenance while reducing the roof penetration at the top.

I'll have no option but to secure the J pole to the facia but with a few SS screws and lots of water proof caulking it should be fine.

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During the inspection process I had several things on the list for the gable vent. It had been more than seven years since the assembly had been painted. So it was quite weathered and needed a fresh coat of paint. In this photo you can see where I stopped painting because I simply could not reach. :cry:

I'll give it another go in a day or two once my body is up and running. :lol: To my shock and amazement I found the vent grill was literally hanging off of one tiny screw! :x The high lighted green circles were the screws that were either pulled out or simply hanging by half a turn of the screw head. :|

I didn't measure the screw but it looked no longer than 1/8th ~ 1/4" in length. I don't know what kind of idiot would use such a short length threaded screw to hold up a five pound metal grate.

I obviously took the time to remove all of the cheap and useless hardware and replace it with higher quality SS screws which were three times longer. For comparisons the four rusty ass screws here are from the gable vent grill. Next to it is a standard SS screw which I replaced it with a slightly longer one than what is referenced here.

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The red lined box is where the J pole mount will be affixed to the gable vent door assembly I mentioned up top. The red horizontal line is where the strap will be to secure the top portion of the pole.

More than likely I'll let the pole clear the roof line by 3~4 inches.

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Teken . . .

My ongoing projects thread: http://www.brultech.com/community/viewt ... ?f=2&t=929
Buy me a cup of coffee: https://www.paypal.me/Teken https://gfinotify.com/ Discount Code: PC10
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