Smart windows?

[puntloos]

Are there either platform-specific (Loxone?) or ideally agnostic (zwave/zigbee) reverse current controllers that you can just tie into any smart home?

 

I’m probably using the wrong terminology but what I mean is that for many electric motors you’d need to use one polarity to open the window, and then reverse it to close them. Once we have that we (probably) don’t even need ultra-clever windows, but just a standardish electrified window you can wire into your system?

 

[jack]

From memory, the window is wired to the mains and has a zwave module in it. I have a remote control that should be able to control the window via zwave. I seem to recall that we did have that working when the window was first wired up.

 

There's then a mains-connected wall-mounted module (see pic above) that can be controlled manually (buttons on the wall-mounted module) and via a home automation system (internal dry contacts). From memory, it was transitioning from the working handheld remote to the wall-mounted module that caused the problem. There are four channels in the wall-mounted module, and you need to teach each channel which remote control it will be copying when you push a button or close a dry contact.

 

I can't remember any more detail than this, but I do believe we wondered whether we'd somehow upset the relationship between the handheld remote and the window, and hence the wall-mounted module wasn't able to learn the correct code. 

 

 

[Ferdinand]

On 12/07/2019 at 11:46, puntloos said:

One of my main concerns with skylights is that many people (and I count myself as a candidate) let it sit just a touch too long and it looks very dirty and unattractive from inside. 

If there is a shutter above it (that responds to rain..), that might mitigate some/most of the cleaning challenges..

 

 

 

The trick there imo is to make it accessible so that cleaning is easy. It needs to be easy enough that you do not bury yourself in the football waiting for someone to get a penalty awarded against Man U.

1 - From the ground with a window cleaning pole. As you may have for roof mounted solar panels. I have pro-kit for my panels, which gets used about once a year; it goes up to 26ft plus me. You need to budget £100-£200.

 

Discussed at length here: 

 

The parcel was about 11ft long.

 

2 - Make it easily accessible from inside. That may mean putting it on the landing if you have a catslide roof, or near a mezzanine or bridge if you have one, rather than at the inaccessible end of the 6m high wow-void that requires a scaffold tower or mountaineering gear. Near enough that you can reach it with a sponge-mop (extendable sponge-mop?) whilst standing on a reasonable thing like steps or a hop-up-step. Velux window poles are very good for opening it so you can reach the outside side.

 

3 - Have a way onto your roof, such that you can reach your skylight.

 

4 - Have a "Scottish" skylight which reverses so that you can do it from the inside. If such exist. See 2.

 

5 - Put a patterned stick-on on the inside, of the sort used when Mr Planner says it must prevent overlooking. The filth and dead magpies will not be seen (by you !).

 

6 - Have a regular window cleaner.

 

7 - Use the direct approach like @Declan52:

 

 

My choice would be to design in access or reachibility if possible. 
 

F

 

Edited July 18, 2019 by Ferdinand

[puntloos]

I wasn't aware of this, but Velux might also be making smart windows - https://www.velux.co.uk/products/smart-home - connected to Netamo.. haven't looked deeply enough yet into that brand, but I think it can be used with the commons (Alexa/GoogleHome). 

 

And windows installers heavily recommend velux over pretty much any other brand, (sample size of 2 window installers..)