Home automation: Raspberry Pi + Tellstick Duo ++

There are many sites that has this project in many flavors... I will just add mine.

Brief summary: Tellstick Duo is connected to Rasberry Pi (running Raspbian).  I have SE K700i GSM phone connected to RPi as well. The main features are:

• control several radio controlled switches (Anslut)
• monitor temperature and humidity from my wireless weather station
• monitor for "door open event" (NEXA LMST-606)
• monitor for commands send by SMS (gammu) Update: replaced by Android SMS Gateway. Read more...
• report on selected events by sending SMS to predefined phone number (gammu)
• simple web interface to control some of the features (apache + php)
• events are logged locally in to a file and to a remote server (own twitter like)

To install telldus-core follow this guide. One can compile the GUI for RPi or use it on another computer to set the codes. I wanted to be able to repeat the original codes from the remote controls. Advanced users can use code from the examples to "learn" the codes.

Essentially, I am running a monitoring program written in python (took one of the provided examples and changed it severely). It catches signals from the remote controls and could trigger an action. In other words, I can use the remote controls to send signals to RPi. The same program monitors the GSM. It could trigger an action upon CALL or SMS. The signal from the door is logged by default but could also send an SMS - poor man's home security alarm.

I particularly like the CALL feature since you do not need to answer the call, so no cost attached. The downside is that there is only one action hooked to this event. SMS is easier but will cost you (or not - depends on the plan you have). When SMS is received from another phone (not mine) the SMS is logged and forwarded to my phone.

Rikomagic MK802 IIIS Bluetooth - just couple of tips

Just few words about what we are talking about. Without any concrete specifications, this is essentially the core of a decent tablet that was stripped from its most expensive parts - screen, battery, power supply. The price is reasonable and can easily make your dumb TV smarter than most smart TVs around. Together with Logitech K400r keyboard makes it just perfect.

How long does it take to warm an engine up?

From time to time in some car or other forums, pops up a question of this sort...

How long does it take to warm an engine up?

Most of the answers are reasonable but lack any concrete data. Here I provide, as reference, some data for Renault Clio III 1.2 TCe 100.

At the time of the experiment, the car was less than an year old, at about 10 000 km, with all original parts. The numbers were collected from the OBD-II port via ELM327 Bluetooth type adapter and Torque Pro (OBD 2 & Car) for Android.

• ambient temperature about 0 °C
• air humidity almost 100%
• city terrain (50 km/h speed limit) with no congestion, (just one slow guy in front of me for a while), 
• AC on. 

For better understanding, some relevant parameters were also monitored i.e. engine RPM, speed and turbo boost.

In summary:
It took about 13 minutes and 8 km to fully warm the engine coolant without rushing. The engine is small and probably one can see that the temperature increase is smaller while the engine is idling (on the graph - shortly after the 2 km mark). The thermostat opens at 89 °C first, then drops to 79 °C and converges with attenuating oscillations between 80 and 84 °C

Renault Clio III 1.2 TCE100 SportTourer - first impressions

... after one year of driving ...


Impressions from the offer and the official car dealer:
Probably it is something common but some detail of the specifications of the car were, in my view, implied... like seat belts. Well, the description did not mention seat belts but had specified thing like: electric heated back window, fog lamps (front and back), mirror in the passenger side sun visor (one can get on the drivers side as well), headlight (seriously).
Then in an upgrade package: color-matched door mirrors (shell I read that the basic package gets color mismatched mirrors or...), colour-matched side moldings...

Well, these are only small things but I was a bit confused what happens to things I assume implied and was not mentioned - spare tire, light in the glove box, jack...

Valeo Silencio X.TRM Flat wiper blades- switch from right to left driver side vehicle

... or how to save few bucks on buying flat wiper blades for your car in Sweden...

Well, that was quite a surprise. I used to buy a pair of windshield wipers that cost 80 SEK for my old car (Volvo 460) and now all of a sudden I needed to pay at least 450 SEK for unknown brand or 650 SEK for BOSH that fits my new car (Renault, Clio III)... This was not something I was prepared for...

So, I spent quite some time to find a good alternative to buy something decent that still will not ruin my budget ... so... I found something that I should swallow somehow, since it was the cheapest reasonable blades I could possibly find to buy - Valeo Silencio X.TRM Flat from Wiper Blades Ltd (WB) for 320 SEK including international delivery. So far so good!