ClimateTriac controller A ready-made project for smart heating
One of my friends suggested me to create a box solution for the heating system. First of all, of course, it is about getting a universal controller, like a smart socket, for remote control of the heater on the basis of the project Climate (Climate Control).
It is clear that it is extremely dangerous to use ordinary smart sockets on a permanent basis. But on the other hand, there is no desire to use some unsightly blocks from junction boxes, which in addition require their additional modernization.
Well, this is a perfectly reasonable desire. That's why I decided to add one more edition of the project - ClimateTriac, in which I decided to build a kind of universal board for working with heater, fan and humidifier. I think this edition will be of interest to those who would like to make a series of universal units for themselves or for their customers.
Let's take a look at how it turned out. This is what the complete block looks like. It has a special metal case made specifically for this edition. It comes without cords, because they can be of different lengths. Instead, the unit has standard IEC power connectors. That is, if I want to plug it into an outlet, I can use a known cable of the length I need. Or, if this unit is going to be plugged in via a home wiring cable, in which case it can be done via a collapsible plug. That's it.
As for the controlled devices, there are similar IEC output connectors for them, which are located on the left and right sides. You will be able to connect a heater with up to 2 kW of power to them, as well as a humidifier with up to 200 watts of power.
The heater can be either one or several. For example, two heaters of one kilowatt each. A corresponding adapter can be inserted into this socket. In this case, you can connect any heater with a standard plug. Or you can buy a ceramic or TENS heater and again connect it yourself using this plug "IEC".
There are no more high voltage plugs and I will consider others. The heater temperature sensor is connected on the left side. It goes like this. Then, it will need to be attached to the heater.
On the right side, there are two other similar connectors. The first one is for the temperature and humidity sensor. The second connector is for the fan. Yes, in this version of the climate project, I decided to use a standard four pin fan for computers. If you choose a good fan, such as this one with quiet bearings, it will be enough to ventilate a room of twenty square meters. Thanks to the PWM controller built into the unit, it will be possible to control the speed of this fan, which is especially important in bedrooms. By adjusting the speed of the fan you can keep the fresh air flowing and keep it noisy.
This is all from plug-in devices and sensors. On top of that, there's an on/off switch on the case, a Wi-Fi antenna, a number of LEDs showing the status and of course a neat little cooler to help prevent the unit from overheating. By the way, the unit itself has such a design that it is convenient and safe to hang it on the wall, with an imperceptible ventilation gap at the bottom back for air inflow and effective cooling even when the cooler is not working.
What else can be said about this unit. First of all, that it is as safe as possible. To control powerful loads like a heater you have to be extra careful as it is a fire hazard. This is why I so often talk about the unsuitability for this purpose of smart sockets made of plastic with a miniature electromechanical relay. Yes, they can turn on the heater for a while, but they cannot be used as a complete system for heating control.
This unit has implemented a multi-stage protection. First of all, it is a metal housing, which better protects the electrics from surrounding objects. Secondly, a special safety relay that will de-energize all devices if something goes wrong (this is what it looks like on the board).
This is a quality, reliable relay that is designed to last a long time with high current.
And thirdly, the design of the unit provides for forced cooling. For this purpose, the block has a built-in temperature sensor and a mini-cooler.
Another important advantage of this unit compared to the same typical smart outlet, is the silent operation, thanks to a solid-state relay based on a triac. This is a very important point, which for some reason is given little attention.
It is necessary to realize that in order to have a comfortable temperature in the room heater should not just turn on once. There is a concept of inertia, when it takes some time until it heats up and then when it cools down. Therefore, the heater relay should work silently and very often, turning on the heater for a few seconds and every minute. It is then that the effect of that special comfort can be achieved, when the overheated air is not stuffy and there are no colds due to constant temperature fluctuations.
The next important advantage, I consider the fact that the unit combines the functions of controlling the exhaust fan and humidifier. Temperature and humidity are almost inseparable indicators of indoor comfort. Therefore, it is necessary to control not only the heater, which can heat the room, but also increase the humidity. This excess humidity needs to be removed. Or vice versa, when the heater reaches the set power and works for a long time, it begins to dry the air a lot and in this case it will be necessary to turn on the humidifier.
As for the appearance of this unit, its ergonomics, it would not be correct for me to judge it, and I will leave this question to your discretion. But in any case, it seems to me more attractive than a typical junction box.
Finally, of course, I will make a small technical review of this block by disassembling it. As you can see the housing of the box consists of four parts.
This is the cover, which contains the power connector and the power switch. Here is the cooling cooler and the antenna on top.
These are two panels with device and sensor connectors. There is also a wall mount here.
And of course the base of the case and its frame. Actually, the ClimateTriac board is attached to it. At the back there is a small hole, it is a standard Reset button for initialization of the unit by the user.
Let's remove the board and take a closer look at it. This is a 12 volt power supply, followed by a 5 volt stabilizer. ESP chip itself with connection for external antenna. This is a solid state relay based on the simister with a good heatsink for the heater. Not far from it are two more relays. The first is a general safety relay and next to it is a second solid state relay for the humidifier.
As usual, you can read more about the board and its other components on the SmartESP website in the Projects section, Climate Control, ClimateTriac edition. Here you can also find the circuit diagram and materials required for assembly.