Home Automation with Raspberry Pi 4 and Amazon Echo Dot (Alexa)

RE: Home Automation with Raspberry Pi 4 and Amazon Echo Dot (Alexa)

paulm330 — Tue, 28 Jul 2020 18:33:17 GMT

This is exactly the type of project that many people like me are interested in. A few questions:

- Can I use a RPi 3B instead of RPi 4B?

- Can you provide program code for momentary contact rather than SPST? I have a Sainsmart 16-relay board already hooked up to my RPi 3B. I use python script to actuate the relays on a momentary contact basis, with those relays connected to my home's 24v latching relay system (Touchplate) that controls all the lights in the house.

If you can come up with a RPi 3B project that, in addition to the Alexa control, also provides a simple web server setup accessed through NGROK with a web page with simple buttons/titles to actuate the 16-relay board, that would be great!

Thank you for posting this project. Cheers!

- Paul

RE: Home Automation with Raspberry Pi 4 and Amazon Echo Dot (Alexa)

michaelklos — Fri, 24 Jul 2020 14:24:15 GMT

Can the PI have Alexa say something?

RE: Home Automation with Raspberry Pi 4 and Amazon Echo Dot (Alexa)

shabaz — Tue, 09 Jun 2020 02:06:18 GMT

Hi Dipak,

I think you should mention as a warning in your blog that users should follow their country-specific regulations when constructing this and when connecting to the mains supply and mains-powered equipment, and that only a qualified engineer in that country should install it.

It's going to be very hard for you to comprehensively detail electrical and assembly requirements so the warning is needed I think. You should also mention that the light-bulb and plug is just shown for illustration, and isn't intended to reflect precisely how the relay is to be wired during electrical installation, and doesn't (for example) show wire type, enclosure requirements, earthing requirements (if needed), connections, any fuses and so on that may be required.

You may wish to mention that if someone is not qualified but wishes to experiment with this project, then they should use the relays to only switch low voltages.

RE: Home Automation with Raspberry Pi 4 and Amazon Echo Dot (Alexa)

smartiedust — Mon, 08 Jun 2020 18:41:30 GMT

Wait, the relay board spec'd has 5A contacts, but the drawing and article show connecting to household AC, and load devices that could be powered by a regular household circuit, with wiring at 15 to 20 amps - based on wiring gauge & circuit breaker size in the panel. Unless I'm mistaken, NEC won't allow this unless the circuit breaker were de-rated to the ampacity of the smallest device - that relay. And the relay must be mounted in an approved, accessible enclosure.

RE: Home Automation with Raspberry Pi 4 and Amazon Echo Dot (Alexa)

clem57 — Sun, 15 Mar 2020 00:44:43 GMT

I like this project t:;[mention:36ed4715b9ee450b90d471fe03cb3473:e9ed411860ed4f2ba0265705b8793d05]

RE: Home Automation with Raspberry Pi 4 and Amazon Echo Dot (Alexa)

dubbie — Thu, 12 Mar 2020 10:11:40 GMT

This is the sort of thing that I wish I could do and understand. Maybe one day I'll take the time to work through all these different steps, but probably not - there are still too many mobile robots still left to be built and programme and not enough time.

One day, it might get simpler and be some sort of plug in module with automatic software setup and then I'll be able to use it.

Dubbie