Control home automation and security using x10

 In this instructable I'd like to share some experience I have with x10 and using it to control home automation, home security and lowering your home insurance bill. I'm not going to describe every single method x10 can be used but instead I'll explain the various ways I use x10.

In my case x10 was also extremely useful to allow me to control lighting or other electrical appliances without having to rewire parts of my home.

WARNING: I'm not responsible if you decide to purchase x10 products and it doesn't work in the same manner as I show in this instructable. x10 is a simple yet amazing technology but does not replace the quality of rewiring a house properly or having a high end security system installed.

Step 1: Assessing your needs.

 

  The results I wanted were: 

-       a method of controlling various lights and appliances in my home that did not have switches or wiring due to my home being so old.

-       a wireless security system that is safe but easy to install and can call out with a recorded message to inform me or intruders.

Actual areas needing a solution:

 

Wireless Security System

A wireless system that detects if doors or windows are opened or any movement occurs within the secured area.

Modules needed:

-       Security Kit (windows sensors, door sensors, horn modules, arm/disarm remotes, security console with call out function, motion detectors, lamp modules)

Wireless Motion detector

A wireless motion detecting system for the front and side of my house that would detect motion from any direction and turn on various lights in the front and side of the house. This system should also be controllable from the security system and wireless controllers.

Modules needed:

-       x10 ActiveEye motion detectors for each direction you want to detect movement.

-       Security Console

-       3 way wall switch.

 

Various x10 lighting and appliance control

Light switches that actually replace the typical light switches for controlling lights throughout the house. The x10 switches can then be controlled by either pressing the button on the switch or setting up a wireless wall switch with a transceiver and controlling wirelessly. Lamp modules can be used to allow lighting control in areas where there are no wall switches (in my case, rooms that were not wired in that way).

Modules needed:

-       2 and 3 way wall lighting switches

-       Lamp or appliance modules

-       Wireless wall switches

 

Software to control all x10 devices.

This software is installed on a central PC or server and communicates with a USB x10 module that can control all other x10 devices and provide a web based console to view your homes status remotely.

Modules needed:

-       usb wireless x10 control (CM15A)

-       ActiveHome Professional software and plugins for controlling security, providing the web console.

Comments

[ashodhiyavipin]

That is just the most awesome thing I came across on this site just what i needed as I live in a village and the house is well let us say tooo open for my liking ( I have lived in a 3BHK Apartment in Bangkok before! ) so I needed a way to secure the house. Thank you for the instructable!

[sani]

this is great! can u plz tell me the total expense?

[micahdear]

It costed about 100$... thanks for the comment.

[sani]

can u plz tell me any link or any contact from where you bought this all equipment

[The G-Man]

"MisterHouse is an open source home automation program. It's fun, it's free, and it's entirely geeky. Written in Perl, it fires events based on time, web, socket, voice, and serial data. It currently runs on Windows 95/98/NT/2k/XP and on most Unix based platforms, including Linux and Mac OSX. It can talk, it can check your messages, control the lights, program your VCR, and what is best - it understands spoken commands. It can even track your car by interfacing to a TNC. And there are 600 users and 209 authors contributing to this project. Cool, eh?"