Starter kit for your home automation system!

Content:

• 1 Raspberry PI4
• 1 32gb high-endurance microSD already programmed with Raspbian + Domoticz + Firewall + Backup
• 1 RS485-to-USB adapter
• 1 Creasol DomBus1 (2 relay outputs, 6 inputs, 1 AC input)
• 1x Creasol DomBusTH (temperature+relative humidity sensor, white+red+green leds, 4 inputs, 2 outputs, 1 analog input)

Domoticz is a very easy and powerful controller for domotic systems, accessible by web browser and android/iOS app.

Raspberry is a single board mini computer, low power (less than 10 watt), with quad-core ARM processor, suitable for home automation.

DomBus1 is a device that can be placed into wall junction box to control lights, pumps, valves, and read inputs like door/window/blind magnetic sensors (for alarm), PIRs (for alarm and presence), door bell button, .... It's connected to Raspberry controller by a thin cable within 4 wires (for alarm, or better for RS485): 2 wires for data (RS485 at 115200bps, that permits to cover up to 1km), 2 wires for 12V power supply (better if battery backupped)

DomBusTH is a small board that can be placed on a blank cover and is designed to measure temperature and relative humidity. Also, it has 3 leds, white + red + green, that can be activated to notify a status or in case of power outage (like emergency lamp). Finally, it has 4 configurable I/Os (that can be connected to switches and pushbuttons, alarm sensors , buzzer, ...)  and 2 open-collector outputs (suitable to drive external 12V relays).

The RS485 solution permits to:

1. avoid RF pollution (caused by WiFi and other wireless systems)
2. use a thin cable to interconnect all devices via bus
3. supply all devices by a battery backupped 12V power supply, so the home automation system will works even in case of blackout

Also, this system is optimized for low power consumption:

1. Raspberry consumes less than 10 watt
2. DomBus1 consumes 0.050W in standby and 0.3W when all 2 relays are ON. Just to compare, Sonoff Dual R2 consumes 1.2W in standby and more than 2W with only 2 relays ON.
3. DomBusTH consumes 0.03W

and is really plug&play: just connect a new DomBus device to the bus, and you can find in the Domoticz Switches Panel that device: change its hardware address from the switch panel to assign a unique address, and all inputs/outputs/sensors will be automatically available in Domoticz automatically.

What can you do with Domoticz?

• Control indoor and outdoor lights
• Make a reliable and full-feature alarm system, that shows status on the phone (Telegram app) and send pictures/videos in case of any event you want.
• Send a picture on smartphone when someone ring the bell
• Control the gate and pedestrian gate, to open them remotely
• Measure room temperature and relative humidity
• Control the heat pump or other heater/cooler: no need for thermostat in every room, but just a invisible thermal sensor in every room
• During the winter, activates electric heaters if solar photovoltaic produce more power than usage power
• If heat pump and solar photovoltaic are installed, optimize the power consumption by regulating the heat pump on the available power from solar PV
• If ventilation system is installed, regulates it controlling the humidity of the rooms, and activating the dehumidifier (and cooling coil, if available) during the summer when solar power is available
• Activate external devices like dehumidifiers, electric heaters, when there is extra power from photovoltaic, or when room humidity/temperature are not good.
• Check the level of rainwater tank and control a valve/pump for watering the garden
• Connect to a meteo station and grab data of rain, wind, temperature, humidity, pressure, in nice graphs

Optional available products

• Raspberry PI4 official case, red/white, made in UK
• 5V 3A adapter, to supply Raspberry
• USB type-C cable to connect 5V adapter to Raspberry (needed to connect the 5V 3A adapter to Raspberry
• One of the available 2A switching step-down regulators to reduce the 13.8V (battery voltage) to 5V, to supply Raspberry: suitable when a 12V battery with a battery charger/supplier is used to supply the home automation system
• more DomBus devices to manage more inputs, outputs and sensors
• DomESP1 + ESP8266 module, when you need to control devices/sensors through a WiFi connection (standby power: 0.5W)
• Cable for RS485, 2x0.50+2x0.22, 100m
• Cable for alarm, 4x0.22, 100m

More information

Link to Creasol DomBus1

Link to some scripts for Domoticz

Youtube video that shows Domoticz for a home

Need help? join the DomBus channel on Telegram!