Electrical – Relay before or after power transformer

I've been doing something similar for the past couple of months. At present the setup only extends to my workshop (for testing). Currently I am using a single UNO for control which reads various sensor states, including light level and temperature/humidity, plus some door (reed relay) and IR movement sensors. The arduino reads the state and sends messages to some software ( currently Python 2.7 under Ubuntu) over UDP which then does the processing that is required and sends control commands back to the Arduino, again over UDP. The processing currently amounts to checking the internal light sensors and switching on the lights if necessary. Ultimately I want to migrate all my lighting to 12v LED so I can run off stored solar, but at present I am using a system similar to yours in that the relays are in series with the power switch for the lights, normally closed, so that if the control circuitry fails the light switches should operate as normal. I also have some external IR sensors and the same system activates an external security light, this time with a normally open relay. I consider using the normally closed relays as essential for the main lights, otherwise the domestic management will kick off once the system is rolled out to the rest of the house. I want to use LEDS because of their dimmable nature when using the PWM enabled pins of the Arduino, this will then enable a nice low level of light for those nocturnal toilet trips, all automatically of course. I have just taken delivery of a Mega 2560 which will provide a lot more IO. Like yourself I envisage having separate Arduino's for input and output. I am developing the control system in python, with the intention of migrating it to raspberry PI once development has finished. This will allow me to run it all an enclosure with a status screen hooked up to the composite video. I currently have a limited status screen running on the PC, which allows me to control the brightness of LED panels and GU16 bulbs. I have configured the arduino so it will accept commands from any device on the network, so I can set up some control from the android devices I have around the house. I also have a fully working zoneminder installation, but had not considered using it to trigger anything as yet, but then again I don't have any internal cameras on that, just external. I did consider thermal imaging, as you suggested, but I think cost is a major issues (would need to come in at below $100 Australian, per room to be feasible for me), so I'm persevering with low cost IR sensors (about $2 each from China). My Arduino code is not best but I am more than willing to share it. It is currently set up to monitor the various sensors in a constant loop, and also listens for a 3byte UDP string in the form of 410 (4 is light 4, 1 is for on, the last digit is used for a brightness level for the LED)

I do agree with the comment about the resale values of the house, but I'm not planning to move anytime in the foreseeable future. Your needs may be different.

The python code also does some DPMS control of the monitors in the workshop. Currently they are put to standby after 10 minutes of no workshop movement. I am in the process of setting up some power sockets that are switched in the same way as the lights, so the system can turn off things like my soldering iron and amplifiers that I frequently forget to leave on.

Let my know if I can be of any help with your project. It sounds great. Good luck

John

If you already own the generator I say go for it and try it out. If the generator is anywhere decent then it will regulate the voltage more than enough for a motor so you won't over power the motor with voltage. If the generator can't handle it you will not harm the motor unless you are able to stall it for an extended period of time; the generator shouldn't be harmed either it would be like trying to use a dead battery if it can't push out enough juice it just won't.

The reason I've notice that people suggest higher wattage ones is because they are typically built a little better and since they are capable of more wattage they respond to a peak significantly better, I'm going into peak discussion. Generators supply electricity on demand (even the power stations'), a household generator will produce approximately a few hundred watts at idle, as more items are plugged in/turned on demand rises and the generator senses it and runs harder. Since there isn't a preemptive notice about this, the generator will typically spike/peak higher than the demand and recovery back around what it needs to put out. A motor turning on with capacitors will typically be able to handle that lag, the capacitors will just charge up slower (almost not noticeable in most cases) and the capacitors work as rectifiers handling another other voltage changes during operation. Motors without capacitors also typically handle it but since they don't get a beginning zap from the capacitors you run a small chance of burning out your coils, imagine plugging a 220v motor under load to 110v source it will energize the coils but remain stalled.

If this is a more permanent installation (off grid scenario as opposed to hurricane prep, etc.) I recommend a separate motor starter kit - bad with naming here - before the motor or a heavy duty UPS/Battery system but for just when the power fails I think you'll be fine.