LIGHTING | IRRIGATION | INPUT | TREATMENT | FILTRATION | SOLIDS
AQUAPONIC | PLC | [SCREENS] | SONOFF | myHome-Assistant Project
I thought I would post some details of how I have a number of UI Screens mounted at key areas around my home to allow me quick access to Home-Assistant when and where I need it.
Rumpus UI
The Rumpus Room doorway is one of the busiest passages within the house so I selected what I thought was a good spot and mounted an old iPad 2 which has proven to be very useful place to see what’s going on with my systems.
There are quite a few commercially available mounting systems which are very sleek and make the screen pretty close to flush with the wall Surface but they come at a considerable cost as well. I was looking for a cheaper solution.
What I came up with has proven to be both secure, nice enough looking and cheap! I used a worn out one piece Aldi iPad cover which I removed the front (worn) folding cover leaving only the solid backing piece. This was attached to a standard electrical switch plate using 3mm countersunk head screws with holes drilled and tapped into the switch plate. Note the two extra holes so I could screw the plate onto the wall after the mount was assembled.
For charging I wired a usb outlet in the wall cavity (connected to the light circuit via a sonoff basic) and plugged in a USB lead with side mount lightning plug which was brought through a hole prepared during the making of the modified mounting plate assembly.
Another iPad is mounted an a magnetic mount screwed to a storage cabinet beside the door in my garage. This one cost about $30.
The mating steel magnetic plate which was siliconed to the back of the iPad.
I like this arrangement because it allows me to take the iPad with me if need be.
I also have several Android phones inside control panels mounted using a similar method as the Rumpus iPad. Main difference is these ones are screwed directly to the panels inside the weatherproof boxes.
I don’t do anything too fancy for charging really…I use a modified Sonoff basic setup as an MQTT switch or my Plc’s as a Modbus switch, whichever is more easily accessible where the screen is located. I then control by an automation using the inbuilt timers on a tasmotised sonoff or FBD program on the PLC.
I don’t monitor battery status as such…I just adjust how long each screen gets charged each day and keep an eye on battery levels when I use them. Works for me.
These screens are all used regularly as they are not password protected they are ready to go almost instantly I need them. Unlike my phone which is mostly in my pocket as well but as I use a password on that there is more fiddling to do before it can be used.
