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Control A/C remotely with iPhone?

ero87

ero87

macrumors 65816
Original poster
Jan 17, 2006
1,196
1
New York City
I'd love to turn on my A/C with my iPhone when I'm on my way home so that my room is cool when I get back. Any suggestions? Can it be done?
 
i control my diabetes with my iPhone, i tell it when to give me insulin and whatnot. im sure it can be done. i also use the garage opener with my iPhone. works like a charm!
 
You need to get a Zigbee or Wifi enable Thermostat (they are not cheap), that will allow you to set your temperature using a web portal.

here is one, you can do a quick search on Google and find some more.

http://www.alpinehomeair.com/viewproduct.cfm?productID=453062644&linkfrom=froogle

I am actually working on a small device that wireless enable light switches, receptacles, and thermostats and also working on a iPhone app to control those remotely, PM me if you are interested I would send you one when its ready for you to beta test it for me. (not really close to ready yet since it is just a side project for me and work is actually not leaving too much of a free time at the moment)
 
This is probably one of the coolest threads I have seen in light of all the iphone defect threads.

I too wish I could control my air with my iPhone, but the thermostat is about $300 and a little bit out of my price range.
 
Mike84 said:
This is probably one of the coolest threads I have seen in light of all the iphone defect threads.

I too wish I could control my air with my iPhone, but the thermostat is about $300 and a little bit out of my price range.
Click to expand...

Just make sure you don't hold it the "wrong way" when you're adjusting the temperature. :apple:
 
I'm actually designing and building one for my window unit currently. Using a $19 arduino microprocessor, and a $39 ethernet shield, I'm using a IR diode/ phototransistor to learn the remote control's commands, then reproduce them from the arduino (using a website and/or app to send commands to the ethernet shield).
 
Likely cheaper and more efficient to buy a programmable thermostat.
 
Awesome thread...

Programable thermostats don't cut it for those of us who have a varied work schedule. A schedule that's dynamic daily and is constantly in flux.

I would love to be able to turn the central AC on before my 45 min drive home. If I'm gone for a few days, and the oppressive nj heat this summer coming home to a 90 degree house at 1am and waiting 3 hours for it to cool down sux!
 
B737 said:
Awesome thread...

Programable thermostats don't cut it for those of us who have a varied work schedule. A schedule that's dynamic daily and is constantly in flux.

I would love to be able to turn the central AC on before my 45 min drive home. If I'm gone for a few days, and the oppressive nj heat this summer coming home to a 90 degree house at 1am and waiting 3 hours for it to cool down sux!
Click to expand...

You shouldn't vary the AC setting in the summer by more than 4-5 degrees. If you keep your house at 76 in the summer, and then pump it up to more than 80 degrees, it will likely have to run for quite a while to bring the temp of the house and all it's contents down, thus negating the savings. There's more variance ability when heating as the AC fights to remove the humidity.
 
yanki01 said:
i control my diabetes with my iPhone, i tell it when to give me insulin and whatnot. im sure it can be done. i also use the garage opener with my iPhone. works like a charm!
Click to expand...

Curious now...

What App are you actually using to do the above? As a diabetic and a technology person I have never seen or heard of this.


- Stan
 
pdqgp said:
You shouldn't vary the AC setting in the summer by more than 4-5 degrees. If you keep your house at 76 in the summer, and then pump it up to more than 80 degrees, it will likely have to run for quite a while to bring the temp of the house and all it's contents down, thus negating the savings. There's more variance ability when heating as the AC fights to remove the humidity.
Click to expand...

Ur not getting it. When some of us go to work, my bag is packed for 6 days. I might be home in 1 day, I might be home in 8.

It's cheaper to run it for 3 hours rather than have it cool an empty house for 6 days.

A sub $300 remote solution would b ideal. Bur I haven't found anything that wasn't subscription based or less than 3 bills.
 
B737 said:
Ur not getting it. When some of us go to work, my bag is packed for 6 days. I might be home in 1 day, I might be home in 8.

It's cheaper to run it for 3 hours rather than have it cool an empty house for 6 days.
Click to expand...

I get it. I still wouldn't jack the temp up though. You must have a small house or a huge AC unit or two units to bring it from 90 after several days down to a comfy temp. We have about 3200 sq ft. and one large AC unit and it will take 8hrs or more to drop it and the contents from 90 to 76. When we leave for vacation in the summer, I leave it set for 85.
 
check out homeseer.com

They make software where you can control any device (including a thermostat) via a a web browser.
 
interceptor47 said:
I do believe he way being facetious (funny)!
Click to expand...

Thanks for the follow-up and the education on facetious, much appreciated and in-tone with how this forum seems to be directing itself.

I was under the misconception that his post was semi-serious and was hoping for more information.

Alas,


- Stan
 
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