Introduction: ULTRA CHEEP HOME AUTOMATION UNDER $5
Hello friends
Today I am back with another project called ultra cheep home automation under $5
Home automation means you can control home applies more easily. You can control your fan lights exits’ with tip of your finger or allow them to work automatically
The project contains three different switching circuits
1. IR remote controlled switch
2. Automatic water level controller
3. Automatic night light
Step 1: My Goal
“To make a cheap and efficient home automation circuits under $5”
Step 2: The Circuit :IR REMOTE CONTROLLED SWITCH
This is the driving circuit of the IR remote controlled switch
To make this circuit you need
1. BC 547 & BC 558 Transistors = 9 INR
2. CD4017 IC & 16 Pin IC holder = 15
3. TSOP 1738 = 17
4. 100 Ohm resistor = 0.50
5. 100K Ohm resistor = 0.50
6. 4.7 K Ohm resistors x2 = 1
7. 10uf Electrolytic Capacitor = 10
8. 0.1uF Film Box Capacitor = 5
9. 1N4148 Diode High-speed diode = 2
10. 5V relay = 20
11. 2-Pin PCB connector x2 = 10
12. Wires = 5
13. PCB = 10
Total = 105 INR
Total cost of this circuit is equals to 105Rs or 105INR (70 INR = 1 USD).that means this circuit is under $5 budget
Step 3: The Circuit :AUTOMATIC WATER LEVEL CONTROLLER
This is the driving circuit of the Automatic water level controller
To make this circuit you need
1. BC 547 Transistor X 3 = 9 INR
2. 220 K Ohm & 5.4 K Ohm resistors = 1
3. 1N4007 Diode = 1
4. 12V relay = 12
5. One, 3-pin PCD connector & two, 2-Pin PCB connector = 25
6. Wires = 5
7. PCB = 10
Total = 66 INR
Total cost of this circuit is equals to 66Rs or 66INR (70 INR = 1 USD).that means this circuit is under $5 budget
Step 4: The Circuit : AUTOMATIC NIGHT LIGHT
This is the driving circuit of the Automatic night light
To make this circuit you need
1. IRFZ44 MOFSET = 17 INR
2. 150 K Ohm resistor = 0.50
3. LDR = 2
4. 1N4007 Diode = 1
5. 12V relay = 12
6. 2-Pin PCB connector X 3 = 25
7. Wires = 5
8. PCB = 10
Total = 72.50 INR
Total cost of this circuit is equals to 72.50Rs or 72.50 INR (70 INR = 1 USD).that means this circuit is under $5 budget
Total cost of the these circuits are under 5$ budget
Step 5: Fitting and Wiring
IR REMOTE CONTROLLED SWITCH need an 5 V DC to operate.you can use any IR blaster as switch
AUTOMATIC WATER LEVEL CONTROLLER need 12V DC to operate.you can control any water pump Max load is 1.4kW).use stainless steel bolts as sensor
AUTOMATIC NIGHT LIGHT need 12v DC to operate
Step 6: The Moment of Truth
this is the video of IR REMOTE CONTROLLED SWITCH (Video 1)
this is the video of AUTOMATIC WATER LEVEL CONTROLLER(Video 2)
this is the video of AUTOMATIC NIGHT LIGHT(Video 3)
for more details about AUTOMATIC WATER LEVEL CONTROLLER "www.instructables.com/id/1-AUTOMATIC-WATER-LEVEL-C...
for more details about AUTOMATIC NIGHT LIGHT "www.instructables.com/id/AUTOMATIC-SOLAR-PO...

Runner Up in the
Automation Contest 2016
59 Comments
6 years ago
Sorry im a newbee. Where do i connect this switch? Am i gonna tap it to the wire of the appliance im using?
Reply 6 years ago
like this
Reply 6 years ago
it's a switch.you can replace any ordinary switch with this IR switch
6 years ago
Hi. I have a question. What are the other things that i can connect to the ir remote controlled switch?
Reply 6 years ago
any thing under 4Kw :)
beware!! not use with any device that use an IR remote
6 years ago
Where do i put the 5v dc?
Reply 6 years ago
put 5 volt hear :)
6 years ago
Hi, im new in electronics and i have a question, maybe is a fool one, but what am i have to connect to ve+ and ve- ?
Reply 6 years ago
+ve means positive. usually a red or white wire & -ve means negative. usually a black wire.use a multimeter to ensure the polarity
IR REMOTE CONTROLLED SWITCH - 5 VDC
AUTOMATIC WATER LEVEL CONTROLLER - 12VDC
AUTOMATIC NIGHT LIGHT - 12VDC
6 years ago
Yes You Can!
TSOP1838 and 1738 are same.18 series comes with small size package
6 years ago
Can I use TSOP 1838?
6 years ago
What a great idea! I'd put circuits for all lights in the apartment on a board in direct sightline to the entrance so when i leave or enter, it's one click to kill or activate all lights. Great for families whose kids keep forgetting to shut off the lights and those who have anxiety disorders.
Reply 6 years ago
Also, the water controller would be a terrific backup for a sump pump or a painless way to maintain aquarium water levels.
Reply 6 years ago
i don't know the the water level controller is safe to fish.but i know it's not harmful to human because i am still alive ;)
Reply 6 years ago
Generally speaking, stainless is safe for freshwater fish.
Saltwater might be a different story, however, since salt is corrosive and also changes the conductivity of the water. I have zero experience with marine tanks, so perhaps someone else can chime in.
Reply 6 years ago
It's probably not the best circuit for a few reasons. You'd probably get corrosion where the copper wire attaches to the bolt. A DC current is likely to corrode the ss bolts and would make a small amount of chlorine. Chlorine and copper are two things you'd want to keep away from a marine tank. You could probably use a cheap pressure sensor and a pic/duino etc to analyze rational level measurements and other logic tests to trap system failures. That way you'd only have a plastic tube exposed to the water with the electronics away from the moisture/salt. Might be $10+ range though.
6 years ago
Great! ?
Reply 6 years ago
WHAT "?"
Thank you for your comment :)
Reply 6 years ago
Sorry, this "?" is a emoticon from my phone hehe
6 years ago
I really enjoyed the water level controller, electronics is a world class hobby that needs projects like this to spread the joy of being able to actually fix things. ebay has some fantastic bargains on electronic relays capable of handling 20, 40, even 100 amps of ac (triggered by 3-to 36v dc)at low prices. i do a lot of simple projects living in the country , and used the water level controller on my evaporation cooler . they have a little float valve that gets plugged easily and floods the ground or goes dry and quits cooling. I substituted the water inlet valve (110ac) from a discarded washing machine for the pump and solved the problem. While relays can be salvaged from automobiles where they control fuel pumps and lots of other items,(0$ cost), the solid state stuff will last for decades... if the electrical storms and tornadoes don't get them first, .... i live in Oklahoma! thanks for doing what you can to make electronics useful to ordinary folk who are missing out on a great hobby.