Cheap Honeywell Freeze Monitoring system for the GH

If you're paranoid like me about vacationing during freezing weather, I have found a little piece of mind. Honeywell manufactured these systems (now discontinued) for home security but they have a neat freeze warning and power failure feature. Here's the link to the (sole) distributor:

http://www.smarthomeusa.com/Shop/Security/honeywell/Honeywell-Systems/

This site offers a kit (HSK211K) for $40 that comes with two freeze sensors, two flood (water) sensors, and a carbon monoxide dector (all wireless). The freeze sensors are preset for 41 degrees (too bad they're not adjustable). The beauty of this system is that if any of these sensors go off, the system alarms (loudly) but even better, it calls two programmable phone numbers. It will also call two numbers if the power goes off for more than one minute. It also controls up to ten X10 switchable devices (it communicates through the house wiring) and I used it to control lighting during a recent week-long getaway to Florida. I programmed one number to my cell phone and the other to a good friend here who was watching the GH for me. Normally I assign the other number to DW's cell phone.

The system also supports an RS-232 serial link to a PC with full automation software. I'm working on this feature now (it uses an RJ9 telephone handset plug for the serial connection at the device) though it's not a high priority for me. I would really like to figure out a way to get the system to alarm on high temperature so I can vacation in Summer with similar piece of mind but there is no standard high-temp device I can find (yet). There are also intruder alarm functions available. The only down-side to this system is that it is discontinued and parts or replacements won't be available forever.

IMHO this piece of mind is well worth $40.

Dave.

That's pretty neat Dave! Did you see the expensive units under Climate Control? One of those calls you about temperature changes.

MollyD

Thanks, Dave. I just bought one, even though I don't have my greenhouse yet!

Wow, that's a great deal. Thanks so much for the link. I just bought one too. I almost bought a second one, although not sure what I'd use it for!

My daughter and son-in-law are into salt-water aquariums and there are hardware/software systems to remotely monitorand control (via the web) the tank systems. Very sophisticated but not cheap either. Here's an example... http://www.automatedaquariums.com/

Stosh - I also bought two just in case I cannot get another in the future.

Molly - Yes, I was tempted to go with a much more sophisticated system but I decided to "keep it simple" for now.

Dave: Did you sort out how this works? It looks as if the PC connector might be part of another unit. I couldn't figure out (on a short look) whether additional supplies would be needed to connect this to an X10 system.

The PC connector is just a regular RJ9 plug - the same one used by telephone headsets. I just have to build a serial cable with the RJ9 on one end and a DB9 on the other. I have the Honeywell Home Automation software on CD. The "Honeywell PC Upgrade Kit - HSA900" has the CD and the cable. smarthomeusa told me they don't have any more of the cables but they did send me the CD. I figured out the pinout of the cables but I haven't gotton around to building the cable. there are only three lines used, Txd, Rxd, and signal ground. I've got it scribbled on a piece of paper somewhere.

The X10 communications are all transmitted through the house wiring and the little wall adapter power supply that comes with the unit. I have the X10 switching working fine and use it with X10 receptacles to switch the house lighting when we're on vacation. I think the PC upgrade kits allows much more customization of the X10 switching, the alarming, etc.

Dave,
How much did Honeywell charge you for the CD? I'm very interested in building a cable too. When you get a minute, could you share the exact pin connections so I or anyone else can build one?
My unit came yesterday, but I didn't have time to open it and check it out. Great service!
I remember when the X10 system first came out. The computer I had at the time (Commodore Amiga) boasted how it could control an X10 system and what a big deal they made out of it. I never had an X10 system before, but since this Honeywell unit uses it, it's probably cheap to buy other things like outlet modules, etc.

stosh - the cd was supposed to be included in the package. I called smarthomeusa who told me they didn't have the cables (therefore the cd would be useless). I told him the connector was a simple ethernet plug (oops) and I could build my own cable so he sent me 2 cds (since I bought 2). He will probably send you one too. With the software now no longer being sold, IMHO, it qualifies as vaporware. If they don't have any more, dmail me.

After closer inspection I saw it wasn't an ethernet plug but an RJ9.
Here is the pinout as best as I divined it. The entire unit is controlled from a small pc board housing a Mitsubshi M37471M2 CMOS 8-bit microprocessor. The RS232 interface uses a Motorola MC1488 driver. (I'm a retired electrical engineer so bear with me.)
DB9 RJ9
Rxd=2 Txd=2
Txd=3 Rxd=3
Gnd=5 Gnd=4
I can't guarantee this is right but when I eventually build the cable I'll try this first.

The only real challenge is the RJ9 plug. It's meant for very small phone conductors and you really need a special crimping tool. Alternatively, you could use a telephone headset and just connect the DB9 to the other end. I don't know if the PC actively controls the Honeywell unit or simply programs it. This would be important to know since the length of the cable would have to be fairly long in my case to reach the PC. If it's the former, one could just temporarily move the Honeywell to the PC. Here's a snippet from one of the Help screens:
"However, if you are using certain features that only the computer can do, such as changing Comfort Patterns or dimming lights, you must have the control panel continually plugged into the computer."
Good luck and keep us posted,
Dave.

Dave,
Fear not about the engineering stuff. I started EE, changed to CompSci, and now work in Ag! Anyway, the more details, the better. Thanks very much. I still didn't open the package, so now I will to find out if there's a CD in it.

Digital_dave: I have to admit be being eager to get some of the x10 features, and totally confused about them. I don't have any x10 equipment at all.

I would like to be able to buy the HSK211K kit you recommended above (freeze warning and water leak warning).

I'd also like to be able to buy
whatever else I need to make the kit work
appliance modules (to turns lights on and off)
power failure warning

I don't understand the interface issue -- isn't there a USB connector that attaches to my electrical line? I've make some internet cables before, but I don't know why I'd need to make the cable you have described.

I'd like to be able to control it via my computer, and access it over the internet. I guess the power failure warning wouldn't work unless I had some separate power supply, so maybe I don't care about that.

I don't need other security features.

Do you have any idea what I should buy to do this? Are there clever features I should consider? I can't stand the x10 site, and I can't figure out from the Home Depot site what I need to get.


This message was edited Mar 11, 2007 3:32 PM

The "Control Panel" in the kit is a stand-alone unit. You don't need the PC interface unless you want to do some "fancy things" like complex combinations of X10 on/off timings, control more than eight X10 devices, etc.

The interface to the house wiring (and thus any X10 equipment) is inside the little "power supply" that plugs into the wall.

The power failure warning is a standard feature. All you have to do is program the Control Panel with the number(s) you want it to call (Options 5 and 6) after two minutes of power failure and activate Option 7.

While the PC interface can do more things, I haven't made the serial cable (it's an RJ9 to DB9... see above responses). Controling over the internet would be possible, but surely not easy. There is not much documentation with the PC interface kit (on the CD). There are some very sophisticated remote alarm/monitoring systems available (for a lot more $) but this this did most of what I want rather cheaply. (See the aquarium hyperlink up above...)

he only thing I need to cobble up is a way to alarm in the event of high temperatures in the greenhouse. I had a fan belt break years ago in the middle of the Summer and had lots of damage from overheated plants. This was before I had the Oregon Scientific wireless monitor which works great, but only helps if you're home to hear it alarm!

For X10 control, I bought four X10 receptacles on eBay and mounted them inside blue plastic boxes with short extension cords. I used the system recently on a short trip to Florida programming the lighting throughout the house. I don't have much faith in those cheap plastic timers. I did have one receptacle that didn't seem to work when it was installed at the far end of the house. I played around with it and eventually it worked.

X10 works by impressing a very small signal over the existing home wiring in a series of pulses - essentially encoding a digital signal that the X10 devices understand. The X10 protocol (very mature) is fairly standard but with the age of this particular system there is no guarantee that all X10 devices will work. I'm sure there is a limit on the electrical "distance" over which the small signal will be successfully decoded. You wouldn't want a neighbor to be controlling your lights! There is a selector in the Control Panel and on all the X10 devices to select a "House Code" letter to guard against this, kind of like the garage door opener codes. The Control Panel can only control eight X10 devices, additional devices are controllable only by using the PC interface.

Hope this helps. If you need additional "consulting," d-mail me and we can chat on the phone.

Dave.

It does help -- but I'm going to dmail you too. Many thanks!