Newbie question - alarm clock & Wake Up activity

[apostolakisl]

If you had an Echo you could record, "Alexa, Wakeup On" and set that as your alarm tone.

 

I'm Gary Funk and I wrote this message.

That's a good one.

[Teken]

This might also be a good time to create a state variable and link it to a voice command to Alexa. That would save on the whole pressing a button but that doesn't address who is up vs who isn't. This is kind of like those who have 9999999999999 heating and cooling scenarios, really?!?

 

The basic 7 day set back TSTAT has been in use for more than 15 years . . .

 

There isn't a need for 99999999999999 heating and cooling scenarios - That's simply a want.

 

Regardless, unlike a few higher end vehicles which have dual climate control of the HVAC and seat warmer. There is no reasonable way to set a home to ambient temperature with out impacting others in the home. The reality is if you need to fool around with the environmental's to meet comfort levels.

 

I am quite confident to say the problem has nothing to do with home automation vs your home is poorly insulated, leaking like a siv, and does not have enough mass / density to retain the heat / conditioned air.

 

Keeping in mind this assumes a single stage, one zone HVAC. Those with multi zone, multi stage HVAC have more flexibility as to what can be done. But that too is a band aid for a poorly executed HVAC system that doesn't take into account proper heat / cooling calculations and understanding basic thermo dynamics.

 

End of Tangent  . . .

[apostolakisl]

Is buying a cheap android tablet or phone and using it just for an alarm clock an option (no need for cell service)?  Or even just seeing if anyone you know has an old one lying around unused?

 

I've been using the tasker/autoalarm solution for a while, and it works really well.  Additionally, I use an always on clock app, and it serves as a bedside clock as well.

That is a good idea.  You can pretty much get an older android device for free.  I still have one of my first ever android phones (like maybe 10 years old) still running on my bedside table.  I have my Sprint phone number linked to google voice which then rings my hangouts dialer on the phone.  In short, it is a bedside phone that ensures I don't miss a phone call during the night if my normal phone is left elsewhere in the house.  Interestingly, the hangouts rings at least once if not twice before my actual cell phone rings the first time.

 

Good to hear your autoalarm works.  Maybe I'll try adding it to my Tasker profile.

[stusviews]

There isn't a need for 99999999999999 heating and cooling scenarios - That's simply a want..

 

Isn't that what HA is about?

[Teken]

Isn't that what HA is about?

 

Tangent Alert:

 

I would agree the over all intent of HA is to better ones home and family environment. In the hopes of making it more enjoyable, convenient, safer, and perhaps I dare say even increase its value.

 

The quoted reply with respect to 9999999999999 heating / cooling variables is from watching, reading, and seeing first hand what others have done. In the misguided vain of over compensating or worse yet not addressing failures in the homes super structure.

 

This doesn't even address some of the worst ideas I have seen people do like actually integrating voice control on all exterior doors and windows. Couple this with the insistence of people failing to comprehend letting companies known to abuse and use all manner of user metrics to bolster their revenue and share private data to the Government.

 

At the current pace the market and the general public is heading there is really no need for a search warrant. As people have openly offered up their homes to audio / visual monitoring freely! To think people actually believe its a great idea to be tracked everyday and be monitored from what they eat, crap, to sleep.

 

Makes me really sit back and consider where this world will be in 50 years . . .

 

There are tens of millions of people using the NEST TSTAT, why? Because these people truly believe it offers more stable and reliable environmental? You have EcoBee with their remote sensors, why? Because people believe its going to offer more comfort and reliable heating / cooling?

 

No . . .

 

Both of the above are toys which has been marketed to people who simply like shiny objects and have no freaking clue about energy efficiency. These people truly believe investing $300 - $1500.00 dollars in toy product will reduce their energy bills while offering more comfort?!?!

 

The only thing that will offer more comfort, energy savings, and keep the home stable is addressing the super structure of the home. You spend that same $300 - 1500.XX on more attic insulation, walls, basement, garage, where ever. Guess what you get from that one time investment?

 

Steady, even, and predictable comfort which requires no batteries, sensors, etc. You sealed up that home from windows, doors, fixtures, what ever so the air exchange per hour is below 1.

 

What do you get??

 

No drafts, no leaking conditioned air which translates directly to energy bills going up and consuming natural resources. Add some correct placed trees, shrubs, what ever you reduce your cooling bills. People are actually spending money on band aids like the remote control vent?!?!

 

Again why?

 

Because they have too much money then common sense . . .

 

Not one of these poor fools has a freaking clue about back pressure and how it will impact the HVAC system. Yet they will go on their merry way and install hundreds of dollars of automated venting which is supposed to do what?? They truly believe shutting a vent to direct the heated / cooled air is going to address heat soaking?!?!

 

Will it some how automagically address conductance ???

 

Proper insulation, mass, density are the only things which will offer a solution to the above and keeps on giving year after year with no further investment and doesn't break down unlike the dozens of electronic devices in use now.

 

When you dumb it all down the two coldest parts of the world - One in the Arctic and where I live doesn't rely on toys to make my home more comfortable, energy efficient, or require me to press a button, utter some odd phrase, or have 9999999999999999 unicorn programs to initiate in hopes of offering my family all season comfort.

 

Its called building your home to be energy efficient from the on set. Worse case you live in a 999999999999999 year old home. Guess what, almost every city has a program to help home owners to make their homes more efficient in the hopes of saving them and the world limited resources.

 

Even if a person had the most limited budget I could offer them five basic solutions which cost very little money - besides the sweat equity and time.

 

I say - Be a world saver not some kind of toy maker . . .

 

End of Tangent . . .

[stusviews]

I've done what I could to insulate our home, seals around doors and windows. Attic and wall insulation where possible. I even use switch and receptacle gaskets on all interior boxes on outside walls. But, I like toys, too.

 

I recently replaced our bedroom thermostat with an Ecobee3 precisely because it has an occupancy mode. It seems to be working OK, if a zone is unoccupied for more than 30 min, the thermostat automatically adjusts the temperature appropriately for that zone.

[Teken]

I've done what I could to insulate our home, seals around doors and windows. Attic and wall insulation where possible. I even use switch and receptacle gaskets on all interior boxes on outside walls. But, I like toys, too.

 

I recently replaced our bedroom thermostat with an Ecobee3 precisely because it has an occupancy mode. It seems to be working OK, if a zone is unoccupied for more than 30 min, the thermostat automatically adjusts the temperature appropriately for that zone.

 

All of us like toys - None of us would be here if we didn't that is the simple truth. As you stated you took the required steps to bolster the home in the best way you could in hopes of making it more efficient and tight. 

 

This is the correct step and thought process . . .

 

My tangent reply was to offer insight that too many people never consider resolving real building envelope issues. In the big picture offers more savings, comfort, and long term efficiency than one single piece of electronic gadget.

 

Well, besides a high efficiency furnace properly duct-ed to maximize air flow and return.

[mjpotts82]

I got a lametric clock hoping to integrate the button with isy but the button doesn't send a trigger while in the alarm app.