Automated Home

I think this would be an advantage to using a belt drive system to run the Air Conditioning. Using relays are most reliable.

I do believe that the point of the exercise was actually to avoid modifying the house as much as possible. Tying into the thermostat connections that way would involve removing or extensively modifying the thermostat itself, which might annoy the landlord to no end upon discovery.

Plus, making it actuate the existing knob will make it easier to remove and restore later.

Actually, It wouldn't need a mod to make it work. It would just use 2 aligator clips to the terminals.http://oldhousenew.files.wordpress.com/2010/06/img_7317.jpg Like so, you can just have even a small wire to run to it.

I have a portable airconditioner unit that i wanted to control for my bedroom.

It had a remote so I looked around for some code templates and found a simple IR libary for the arudino so i had it learn the basic commands for the aircon unit. Once i had the codes I used them in the arduino and an IR LED to transmit the codes when needed to the unit. I put a webserver on the unit and made an android app using App inventor to control the unit.

This is the end result of the little project

Its alot of bad code but it worked in the end.

http://ai.kittywolf.net/index.php/AutoAircon

I have a heating unit for the house thats got a digital pannel but when you pull the digital pannel off the wall theres only 2 pins going to the outside heating unit. From what I was able to find all you do is join them together and the unit turns on. I have a plan to put an arduino infront of this to control it and a relay but have not had time for the project yet.

Actually, It wouldn't need a mod to make it work. It would just use 2 aligator clips to the terminals.http://oldhousenew.files.wordpress.com/2010/06/img_7317.jpg Like so, you can just have even a small wire to run to it.

I wouldn't want to explain to the landlord what it was, or how easily it could be reversed.

Anything that has wires running into or out of the housing gadgets would give any landlord out there concern. Best case, best case, the landlord will ask you politely to remove it and never reinstall it. The usual will probably be that the landlord will remove it for you, and have a discussion about all the rest of the stuff you've added to the place, including hung pictures....

Depending on the model of thermostat, it could be possible to put some small electronics in it, buying a spare shell and hollowing it out if necessary. Then you could hide your control system in there, and no one is the wiser.

I dont want to be off topic here guys but I dont post much here and I dont know how to start a new thread or whatever it is called here. But when does he make new episodes? I thought it was every other tuesday but after the 4th of july it seems to be differnt. Was I just wrong in the first place or did it change?

again, sorry for being off topi here.

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For your Honeywell Round thermostat, they used to make a digital overlay device that did what you wanted it to.  I am suggesting if you could find a retrofit kit like that that would be one way.  I know this because my Aunt and Uncle used to have a Round with the digital module that hung off of it.  My apartment has a Round too, but mine is noticeably different, as it only controls the heat and is also Centigrade instead of Farenheit.

Just hide it along with your bong when the landlord gives the required 24-hour notice that he's coming over.