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custom light controller needed

I need a custom home lighting controller for my disabled father. What I want it to do is control track lights that will be used like a nightlight. The operation is this:

When the circuit is triggered (either by a pressure mat by the bed or an IR device to sense when my father has gotten out of bed) it will turn the track lights on. The lights will stay on until my father gets back into bed and then pushes a bedside momentary switch to turn the lights off. If my father gets back out of bed the circuit will trigger again.

Reply to
Clyde
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I would think that X-10 devices will do everything you want.

Infrared sensor, timer (or no timer), manual override etc. Little or no hard wiring except maybe to replace the existing wall switch for the track lights. All the other switches, IR sensors etc are wireless RF.

Lumpy

-- In Your Ears for 40 Years

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Reply to
Lumpy

For off-the-shelf, I would look at X-10 too (because I'm familiar with it). I think you do not want any IR sensor though; might be difficult to set up a sensor to discriminate between dad getting out of bed and dad merely rolling over in bed. There is an X-10 device that works by detecting a dry contact closure (push button; relay; door mat pressure-type device), and I'd use that instead of IR. Put the mat beside the bed where dad would step on it.

Reply to
Michael

re X10 devices

I explored the smarthome.com site but didn't find any X10 devices that seemed to fit what I needed.

Do you know the X10 devices that would fit this application?

Reply to
Clyde

I haven't needed this particular configuration, but I have used a lot of x10 equipment to turn on lights when a room is entered and turn them off when everyone leaves the room. You might be able to use a wireless motion sensor - I've never seen a sleeping person trip one (my wife often goes to sleep on the couch while watching TV).

The equipment below is all plug-in, so you don't have to worry about changing batteries every few months (depending on usage).

There are often sales on the x10 site (3 for 1, buy 1 get 1 for 1 cent, etc) - but I haven't seen that on the PowerFlash module.

replacement wall switch

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or

replacement 3-way switch

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controller for turning off lights (and manual turn on)

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PowerFlash module for turning on light when sensor pad is stepped on

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Contact me for more details.

support AT jecarter DOT com

John

Reply to
John

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