Turn heating on by text ?

[W+T]

I see with modern gadgets this is not a new thing really as it has been around around for a good few years. This is in giving you the ability sending a message to your boat to do near everything you would do if you are there. Turn lights on, heating etc tec.

 

What i am wanting to know is about a system either DIY or a kit to turn on the heating ( Mine being a Propex LPG blown air heater ) and may be a light.

 

Is there a way to make a DIY system for this? Can o do this from my Smart phone with contract SIM card?

 

All depending on cost I find it could be good to have this on the boat.

 

 

Wayne

[Machpoint005]

Wear a jumper until the boat warms up?

[W+T]

Wear a jumper until the boat warms up?

 

So the boat can get a jumper out for you when you get there ? coool

[Dave Payne]

There is a bit of kit out there, can't for life of me remember what it's called though, you pop a sim in it and top it up then when you text it, it activates whatever you have connected...

 

I'll try and google, but my internet is terrible tonight.

 

 

Sorted. Google GSM remote control.

 

http://mobile.quantek.co.uk/site/GSM%20Remote%20Control.html

[W+T]

There is a bit of kit out there, can't for life of me remember what it's called though, you pop a sim in it and top it up then when you text it, it activates whatever you have connected...

 

I'll try and google, but my internet is terrible tonight.

 

 

I found Boat Command but it an american make.. It sounds similar.

 

or is it this one

 

http://www.nauticaltextalert.co.uk/howitworks.html

[MtB]

I'd be most interested to hear how this can be done, as I currently do it using firelighters and kindling.

[Dave Payne]

 

Cheaper options on eBay

 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/bhp/gsm-remote-control

[W+T]

I'd be most interested to hear how this can be done, as I currently do it using firelighters and kindling.

 

 

in your case you can get a lodger on your boat and you then text them to light your fire.....easy

[Dave Payne]

Or a wife...

 

 

Nah scratch that, too expensive!

[Rob-M]

I'd be most interested to hear how this can be done, as I currently do it using firelighters and kindling.

You need a Hudson, then you just text the butler.

[chubby]

OK

 

Im going to mention something im CERTAIN i once read on this forum somewhere in the mists of time passed . I can t provide any details but i seem to remember it cos i thought to myself " clever sod "!!

The person responsible ( im sure it was magnetman - apologies if im wrong ... im going by memory here ) stated that they switched on an eberspatcher by having an old cheap mobile phone in a little box of some sort . When he rang that phone its screen lit up . This triggered a light sensitive switch ( relay ?) that was wired into the heaters circuits and turned it on . I guess it ran for an hour but the cost was only the price of an old skool mobile fone , not a smartfone , a PAYG sim card & the relay / switch thing .

Im going by sketchy memory here folks so shoot me down in flames by all means if im wide of the mark but im sure i remember correctly as it struck me as very clever .

Beyond that i know nothin as its too technical for me but it may be possible to find it on old threads

cheers

[nicknorman]

You need a Hudson, then you just text the butler.

Yeabut even the butler has the odd night off. This is why we have a GSM remote control. I send a text saying "HeatingOn" to the boat, this starts the Mikuni. I can then phone it up, it answers and I can listen to the startup sequence. If I am bored I can send it a text saying "Battery" and it sends me back a text with the battery voltage. Of course being mean I don't do that too often since it costs a PAYG text whereas turning the heating in is free (from the boat's point of view).

[Paul C]

Its a shame even the most complicated boat heating system is as agricultural as relying on the user to send a text message. My heating at home uses geosensing so it knows how far away I am and when I'm on the way home, and automatically turns the heating on when I get close to home. Also it links with weather forecasts so it knows to turn it on a bit sooner if its really nippy. All automatic without intervention. Its Tado, in theory it could be adapted to a boat but in practice the interface uses a wired ethernet connector (so you'd need some kind of mifi device with an ethernet port, or a network bridge; also I use the expansion box and it uses mains relays (the thermostat on its own, is battery powered and may be adaptable to a boat CH system - my home CH needs the expansion box).

[Dave Payne]

http://m.ebay.co.uk/itm/122301560972

 

Can turn on three things.

[patty-ann]

Id love a gadget that turns heating on here at Horror House whilst Im away..however all solid fuel heating so like MTb I need firelighters, coal and fuel and a servant....

[Lord Gadbury]

There are two devices that could switch anything on within the boat, monitor battery life etc, flood detection, etc. 'RaspberryPi' and 'Arduino', all the components readily available from eBay, Maplins, CPC etc. Even GPS, which you could put up a geofence.

 

If an old mobile phone has a data connection ( cable ) then it should be possible, else the light detection as described above would work if connected to something like an Arduino, which would know what to do once the sensor is activated.

 

Hope that makes sense.

 

Another option would be to make use of wifi if it is available, a raspberry pi could act as an email server, you would then send it an email.

 

Maybe over thinking it, but those are the possibilities, pretty sure you can get gas sensors for them as well.

[W+T]

http://m.ebay.co.uk/itm/122301560972

 

Can turn on three things.

 

I like the idea more now, well more out puts for a Bilge alarm and intruder.

 

So its either a GSM-AUTO or the one Dave has gave a link to above.

 

For the cost i think i will look into these two as they seem easy for me to understand on the Tech side.

 

I am on O2 network aswell which is good as i see most recommend that network.

 

 

How easy are they to wire up? I guess they come with fitting instructions but is it in tech jargon?

[RD1]

With non feed back systems there is no confirmation on switching, if you get a marketing call, or wrong number, any device you have could be switched on without your knowledge, so great care if this is heating.

 

The unit I have, you send it a text, it is only expecting texts from programmed numbers, it responds with a text with the status of the device, on/off if timer control set or temperature control set and also the temperature inside the cabin. If there is a power cut, it texts you, and when it is restored.

I programme it to switch the dehumidifier on during certain hours, and you can set a thermostat, so the dehumidifier doesn't switch on if the temperature is below say 5C

I have had two outages so far, one I put down to my neighbour test tripping the post, as power was restored 20 seconds later.

 

There is a bit of controversy at the moment regarding pay as you go sim cards, for some companies it is against their terms and conditions to use a sim card for auto texting, like when I interrogate it for auto replies. doh..

Same with some burglar alarm systems, when the alarm is triggered, a text could be automatically sent to several participants.

Same potential problem with with GPS car tracking devices using sim cards, loose the car, so you text the no. it responds with GPs position, some have an app and puts the car on a map. Track your salesmen lol...

 

I think the company involved is probably after business people taking advantage of free texting when available, that send out 1000 free texts as marketing calls, rather than one guy on a boat, switching something on and off once a week. BUT we will see.

 

I am not keeping my account topped up with more than £10, as they could disable the number, and you can possibly loose the credit.

My SMS texts are not free, they cost 5p a text, so at least this particular company are benefitting from my account.

Edited January 17, 2017 by RD1

[Lord Gadbury]

http://www.instructables.com/id/SMS-based-Home-Automation-system-using-1SHEELD/

 

Could easily be converted to a boat, at the end of the day it is down to the electric supply, but they won't use much if passive. I've waiting for a text.

 

Agree with the being careful about how it interprets a text, with built in safe guards which should already be addressed in the above freely available project. Sorry not actually read the article in full but should give you all an idea, if you didn't already know.

[metal_snapper]

Webasto have their Thermacall wotsit and Eperspacher have their own system which came out fairly recently as I was chatting to a guy on the Eperspacher stand at the boat show last week.

Both seem pretty decent systems as long as you have some kind of data connection or reliable WiFi where you are.

Edit: Applogies OP wanted one to retro fit. ?

Edited January 17, 2017 by metal_snapper

[nicknorman]

With non feed back systems there is no confirmation on switching, if you get a marketing call, or wrong number, any device you have could be switched on without your knowledge, so great care if this is heating.

The unit I have, you send it a text, it is only expecting texts from programmed numbers, it responds with a text with the status of the device, on/off if timer control set or temperature control set and also the temperature inside the cabin. If there is a power cut, it texts you, and when it is restored.

I programme it to switch the dehumidifier on during certain hours, and you can set a thermostat, so the dehumidifier doesn't switch on if the temperature is below say 5C

I have had two outages so far, one I put down to my neighbour test tripping the post, as power was restored 20 seconds later.

There is a bit of controversy at the moment regarding pay as you go sim cards, for some companies it is against their terms and conditions to use a sim card for auto texting, like when I interrogate it for auto replies. doh..

Same with some burglar alarm systems, when the alarm is triggered, a text could be automatically sent to several participants.

Same potential problem with with GPS car tracking devices using sim cards, loose the car, so you text the no. it responds with GPs position, some have an app and puts the car on a map. Track your salesmen lol...

I think the company involved is probably after business people taking advantage of free texting when available, that send out 1000 free texts as marketing calls, rather than one guy on a boat, switching something on and off once a week. BUT we will see.

I am not keeping my account topped up with more than £10, as they could disable the number, and you can possibly loose the credit.

My SMS texts are not free, they cost 5p a text, so at least this particular company are benefitting from my account.

Yes my system accepts texts and calls only from pre-authorised numbers (Jeff's and my iphones). We both have monthly contracts with more texts than I could ever use so whilst not free exactly, there is no marginal cost when I text the boat. And even if it did cost 5p, it is worth it to arrive at a warm boat when we have just flown down from Scotland to our boat which has sat unused for a few weeks in winter!

[FadeToScarlet]

I'd be most interested to hear how this can be done, as I currently do it using firelighters and kindling.

Dead easy.

 

You attach your GSM receiver thingy to a light bulb with the glass smashed off.

 

This light bulb is placed in a small plastic pot of thermite, which is in turn put in the stove in the middle of a pyramid of coal.

 

Phone the thingy and the filament ignites the thermite and starts the fire.

 

Easy!

 

I'm probably now on some GCHQ list for researching this....

[widebeamboy]

I use the Webasto Thermocall app and one of the best bits of kit I bought. Although its an "app" that is really just an interface to save you from remembering the phrases to text as all pushing "on" on the app does is open the text screen and preload "start" - you still need to send the text. Basic however functional. I've Hive at home and that is great. I saw a boat in the marina with Nest running his Eberspacher however geeky tech interior solutions was his business and lots of people said it couldn't be done so he did it prove it could. Hive/Nest of course relies on wifi signals.

 

I use Wiwo Orvibo socket controls to control many other electrical devices including my 2kw calorifier immersion element. This does however require an internet connection onboard and doesn't have the confirmation response commands as part of it (I use a remote camera if need be to check lights have come on for the dogs).

[Psycloud]

I have just done this for my heating using this device:

 

http://my-eshop.info/epages/b0ab711e-2b0d-4e78-aa0b-1b45c672018a.sf/en_GB/?ObjectPath=/Shops/b0ab711e-2b0d-4e78-aa0b-1b45c672018a/Products/%22GSM%20v12.5d%22

 

They are in the UK and can answer questions quickly.

 

Mine took an hour to fit/set up once I was sure of the wiring

[Jess--]

for simple control have a look on ebay for "sms relay"

 

that comes up with some fairly neat 4 output modules (rated for 10A @ 240v) and it runs from 12v (throw the included power supply in the bin after you have cut the cable off it)