Automatic toilet spray dispenser

[Lennart]

During a Xanura course for forum members (see topic http://www.domoticaforum.eu/topic.asp?T ... hichpage=4), Henk (the organizer) showed the participants an automatic toilet spray dispenser (Air Wick brand), which he had coupled to the outputs of his Home Control Box.

Basically, it contains a pressurized toilet spray container and a battery operated motor that releases a puff of spray when activated (time mechanism or push button).

Chak posted in the beforementioned topic that he bought one today.

He wrote:

@Blokker store, they sell the new version with motion detector.
@Super de boer store, they sell the old version for EUR 5,99 without extra motion sensor.

I also went to Blokker today and bought this one (only version available) for EUR 5,99:



Chak: is this the one you bought?

Also: this is a different one than the one that Henk showed us, isn't it? (I can't remember that one having a push button.)

Lennart

[Lempens]

Does it have 2 pen lites and a timer ? Then I think you can use it.

[Lennart]

Hi Lempens,

Yes, this one looks the same on the inside as the one Henk showed us. It has a off/9/18/36 minutes timer. So the thing to do is:

- Cut the wires from the batteries to the control unit and switch these using a computer controlled contact (a relay that can handle 3V such as the Xanura SAX15; I happen to have one installed of which I didn't use the internal relay yet).

The idea is that switching the contact will apply power to the unit which starts its timer (release one puff per 9/18/36 minutes, but *starting with a puff*). After the first puff, you may switch the contact off again. The trigger to close the contact could be: toilet light on, toilet flush sensor, etc.

One thing I noticed though: if you first put the switch from off to 9 minutes, it doesn't release a puff immediately; this takes about 6 seconds or so (but that makes sense, as you'd normally need time to close the enclosure). So: make sure the contact that switches the penlights battery power to the unit is closed for at least 10 seconds or so. If you want a direct puff, you could shortcut the button: switching the unit on while pressing the button releases a puff immediately.

One thing to still figure out: how to combine computer controlled operation and manual push button operation.

Lennart

[TANE]

Okay Automatic spray is ready for use

<b>Original:</b>

[img]uploaded/Chak/20093721401_AS-org.jpg[/img]

<b>Modification 1:</b>
Just removed the gray cable and used a phone cable to extend that

[img]uploaded/Chak/20093721416_AS-mod.jpg[/img]


<b>Modification 2:</b>
You have to modify the manual mode contact to let it work.
I just remove it and contacted both ends.

[img]uploaded/Chak/200937214930_as-mm.jpg[/img]


<b>Ready for use:</b>
I will contact this to the IPPower I/O device

[img]uploaded/Chak/20093721506_AS-r.jpg[/img]


<b>Homeseer Event:</b>
Homeseer a event will be trigged when the toilet lights turn off
Event will run a script that will send http command to the IPPower device
Short contact will be made for 4 seconds.

[img]uploaded/Chak/200937222948_Wick.jpg[/img]



Ps. I can't do any testing more...need a gas mask..[xx(]

[Lennart]

Hi Chak,

Wow, that was fast! Great work!

So, what you did (if I'm understanding correctly) was:

- Switch the battery power using the Ippower and the event, triggered by the toilet light (red and green wires in the picture under mod 1 are the phone cable replacing the grey interconnection cable between the batteries). Picture is upside down .
- Shortcut the manual push button contacts for an immediate puff upon switching the battery power (mod 2).

This, however, means that the manual push button operation is lost, isn't it?

You could use the remaining two wires in the phone cable (yellow, black) to extend the push button contacts to some input device (IPPower input, xanura aix/imx10). If you run the event on both toilet lights and manual push button operation, people in dire need of an extra puff still have this option available.

Lennart

[Lennart]

BTW Chak, given your 8 output IPPower, the thing to do now is buy multiple airwick freshmatic dispensers, load each with a different smell and have the toilet user decide which one to use.

Another nice feature as suggested by Henk is using a counter in Homeseer (i.e. the device value of a virtual status only device) to count the times that the dispenser is operated, so you have an indication of when to change the spay can. Given the refill livespan of 15 days when switched to one puff per 9 minutes, each can should contain approximately (15 days * 24 hours * 60 minutes) / 9 minutes = 2400 puffs.

Lennart

[TANE]

Lennart,
Total work was max 15 minutes including the HS event.

Your suggestion will also work.
If I need extra puff's I have to turn on/off the light few times..

Henk is controlling it via door sensor this is also possible
for this option I have to place MCT302..maybe I will do that also

I'm going to place it as high as possible..so manual push will be dificult.

[TANE]

hmm nice calculation Lennart...so I have 2350 puffs left..lol

[Jeroen Bartels]

Hey guys,

Please stop checking the functionality of the spray. I can smell it all the way to Hoofddorp

Jeroen

P.S. Funny to see (and hear last friday) that this was the item that all of you were the most enthusiastic about after the xanura home cursus. It must be a big problem that was solved.

[Noel]

I think that the mouse trap was more interesting.
I'm at the moment building v2 to catch cats with (not hurt them)

--

[Jeroen Bartels]

I want a cat catcher too !!

[Bwired]

The only downside for me is that I have no existing wiring in the smallest room of my house.
It's beside the fusebox so perhaps I can make it work. Also put a idle timer in there, no more spraying then once every hour

[Noel]

I think that I rather smell my own smell (or the one from my girlfriend) than the smell of the toilet spray container.
Especially if it's a really small room!

--

[Jeroen Bartels]

You can also have your HA system turn on the ventilation for 5 minutes.
But I'd rather not have any smell, good OR bad.

[Bwired]

I agree on that, most of the smells of the toilet spray are very strong!