48x39x14 shop build

[kevinwak]

I have my house setup for SmartThings. The hub is about $200 & switches or outlets (mostly Zwave) are in the $35-60 range. It's a mesh network & in theory each hop can be up to 300', but that's in open air with line of sight. I had to put a Zwave outlet outside the shop 150' from the house to act as a repeater (but again a metal shop kills signal).

It's nice to be able to light up (or shut off) everything outside my house & shop from my phone. House lights near the hub generally respond within half a second to a second. Stuff in the shop can take a few seconds due to the number of hops & the range with lesser signal quality. Sometimes operating the main switch in the shop fails to trigger the other switch in the adjoined barn as its suppose to, likely due to poor signal quality & range again.

I also have a standard 120v zwave light switch connected to a 220v relay running my 5hp Quincy air compressor. My previous compressor killed itself when running for days after the tank started leaking. Now turning off the lights in the shop will turn off the compressor. Want to add a controlled valve to the outlet of the compressor so it doesnt leak down due to leaky lines when it's off too. Have a remote controlled linear actuator on the chicken coop too.

It can be a lot of work to set it all up & a bit to maintain it. You can overcome some of the poor signal quality issues you get going in or out of a metal building, but it takes time, money & some understanding of RF to get it done.

I was looking at smart things for leak detectors and temp sensors for in the house when we are away. Have you tried either of those and any feedback on them?

 

[Fallon]

I was looking at smart things for leak detectors and temp sensors for in the house when we are away. Have you tried either of those and any feedback on them?

Ya, they work decently. The Samsung leak sensors are nice & small, but the batteries only last a year or so. Have several cheap ones (brand I forget offhand) that is big with a probe on a long wire. Uses a handful of AA batteries & lasts a long time.

Lots of smart thermostats integrate & are often as good of an idea as a stand alone temp sensor. My Nest doesn't integrate with SmartThings, but does have it's own remote access.

Stay away from cheap or obscure systems, they are a security nightmare. Cheap zwave & zigbe switches & sensors are fine as they are connected via the hub, as long as your hub is regularly updated.

 

[ededic]

Here is a question from way out in left field. Can you make the lights wireless? That way you can open the door, then turn on the lights.
hugs, Brandi

Brandi,

I think one of the best surprises in my shop was the remote/motion lights on my three garage door openers. They provide temporary light to get me around the shop and turn off by themselves. Is really nice, never planned for it to work the way they do, just a happy accident. I can also turn them on remotely with the LiftMaster myQ app.

 

[Fallon]

Brandi,

I think one of the best surprises in my shop was the remote/motion lights on my three garage door openers. They provide temporary light to get me around the shop and turn off by themselves. Is really nice, never planned for it to work the way they do, just a happy accident. I can also turn them on remotely with the LiftMaster myQ app.

I put in a motion switch into the garage, in addition to the motion sensor on the garage door opener. Huge fan of not needing to fumble for a light switch.

 

[ultrarunner]

Plus the battery back-up has been very helpful... no more tenants calling saying they can't open the garage door.

Battery Backup for the door opener was included with a home system...

 

[MRollins10]

We decided to build a shop and house on our 150 acre farm. We currently live on 20 acres 8 miles from the farm. We'll sell that property to fund the build project. Plan to do this without a mortgage. We'll see.

In March we started moving dirt to create a building site. Hauled dirt with my 5yd clamshell scraper and the Kubota. Packed the fill with an 8ft sheep's foot and the Ford. Moved approximately 1700yds of dirt. Started by removing the topsoil and piling it in a ridge pile. Stripped the site area and the borrow area. Had to haul the clay 250yds or so. Many, many trips.

Terry helped me a couple days running the Ford. I actually felt sorry for that tractor. Wide open throttle, second gear, 4wd. She would still occasionally get stuck and I'd have to bump her a little.



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Beautiful countryside!

 

[ovrszd]

Beautiful countryside!

Thank you. We are Blessed. Took this pic out of a shop window couple days ago.

 

[Corkpuller]

Richard,
How bout a report on how your shop has done with temp changes and the metal roof sweating.
Have you looked up there many times to see how it's acting with the non insulated metal on the trusses and the ceiling insulation?

Thanks

and do you know what ever happened to "RayfromTX" ?

 

[ovrszd]

Honestly, I've not looked in the attic. I've saw no indication of a problem. By looking at frost on the roof it seems I have no heat loss into the attic, or I should say not enough to detect.

The heat system has worked very well. I added a thermostat that uses a concrete probe as well as air temp. That helped a lot with over runs.

Since 6 December I've averaged 8 gallons of propane per day
That heats 2,400 sqft in the house as well as providing domestic hot water. Also heats 1870 sqft in the shop. Propane costs me $1.40 per gallon. That's $11.20 per day.

Maybe I'll get energetic and look in the attic today.

I haven't saw any postings from Ray for awhile.

 

[Corkpuller]

Ok thanks.
Forgot about your heating system, which is easy for me to do.
Heating does not come in to play where I’m at, so that’s really of no interest to me.

Y’all may not have the temp swings that create all the moisture we get down here.
Like this morning for instance.
Last Wednesday Thursday nights the temps were in the low 40’s.
Friday night was low 50’s.
Yesterday we had a high of 65.
Today it will be in the mid 70’s.
All that being said, this morning the fog was so thick you couldn’t see 300’.
Our tables underneath our covered back porch look like they’ve been sprayed with a garden hose.