Design and Implementation of Smart Electric Switch Boards for Controlling of Electric Loads

Project Title

Design and Implementation of Smart Electric Switch Boards for Controlling of Electric Loads

Project Area of Specialization Electrical/Electronic EngineeringProject Summary

Home Automation Using Android Application through smart switch is a low cost, secure, universally accessible, auto-configurable, remotely controlled solution. It helps the user to turn on and off the electrical loads over the internet or control with a touch (capacitive touch sensors) or with the time specified by the user. User can also see the power consumption of all the individual load.

The design works on the existing electrical switches and wiring system which provides more safety control on the switches with low voltage activating method. The switches status is synchronized with the control system whereby every user’s interface indicates the real time status of switches. The system intended to control electrical appliances and devices in house, shops, Hospitals, and Industries with relatively low-cost design, user-friendly interface and ease of installation.

Project Objectives

The objectives of a system is to: 

• Provide complete electrical Isolation (between user and Loads)
• Show power consumption information and Provide Electrical Power saving
• Low cost
• Easy to install
• Easier to use by anyone

Project Implementation Method

The smart switch is designed with Microchip PIC 16 microcontroller Family. The software used to program this microcontroller mikroC Pro for PIC (using the C/C++ language). Also a web GUI is designed with Microsoft Visual Studio Code using HTML, CSS and JavaScript languages. Then the GUI is deployed to ESP8266 web server (this server serves the web pages to the connected user).

Sensors used in this smart switch are

• Current sensors to measure AC current
• Voltage sensors to measure AV voltage
• Capacitive touch sensor to control the loads

The current and voltage sensors are analog sensors. First, these sensors value goes to microcontroller ADC. ADC convert these values to Digital for further computation of current and voltage values

Benefits of the Project

• It connects with any normal switch to make it a smart switch
• Is compact design to fit inside any electrical switch board
• It turns lights and electrical appliances on/off, control electric loads
• Choose between the functions of the module with a simple programmable button
• It is retrofit design, installation takes just a few minutes
• Provide complete electrical Isolation (between user and Loads)
• Electrical Power saving
• Smart web interface
• Show power consumption information
• Low cost
• Easy to install
• Easier to use by anyone

Technical Details of Final Deliverable

Smart switch is designed with Microchip PIC16F877A and espressif ESP8266 microprocessors. The PIC16F877A controls all the loads when receives commands from capacitive touch sensors or from ESP8266 microcontrollers.

This system is based on two main parts. First part is mobile application based on Android platform. Second part of the system is an electronic circuit board that is used for controlling. First usage scenario is when Android application is used for communication with an electronic circuit board using Wi-Fi as communication channel.

Electronic circuit board consists of a microcontroller, a Wi-Fi module, relays which are used to switch electrical loads on the circuit and to switch power supply. Android application sends a command which is received by Wi-Fi module and forwarded using USART serial interface to the microcontroller that performs necessary actions. The operating voltage of this microcontroller is 2v-5.5V. The values can be read on Android mobile device that reads the values from the cloud. All smart appliances are connected to the same network, using Wi-Fi router and are communicating with main computer in the system which is microcontroller device. All sensors are connected directly to the microcontroller device, and microcontroller device is collecting all information from sensors and is sending that information using existing Wi-Fi network. The real time status of the loads is displayed, which are collected on the sensors. Also, the same information is sent to Android mobile device. User can also operate the loads through touch panel.

ESP8266 is a Wi-Fi capable microcontroller. It works as a Wi-Fi Access Point. A web server is implemented and deployed . Whenever any user access the server, a web interface is displayed to control the load and shows the power consumption of all the loads. This web interface is designed with HTML, CSS and JavaScript.

Final Deliverable of the Project HW/SW integrated systemCore Industry Energy Other Industries Others Core Technology Clean TechOther Technologies OthersSustainable Development Goals Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure, Sustainable Cities and CommunitiesRequired Resources

Item Name	Type	No. of Units	Per Unit Cost (in Rs)	Total (in Rs)
			Total in (Rs)	12200
PIC 16F877A	Equipment	2	350	700
ESP8266	Equipment	2	400	800
ACS712-20A(Current Sensor)	Equipment	4	400	1600
ZMPT101B(Voltage sensor)	Equipment	4	280	1120
Relay module(4 channel)	Equipment	1	430	430
Capacitors(22 pF)	Equipment	4	5	20
Crystal oscillator(16MHz and 12MHz)	Equipment	2	25	50
Printed circuit board(PCB)	Equipment	1	125	125
IC socket 40 pin	Equipment	1	25	25
90 degree male header	Equipment	2	25	50
Female headers single line	Equipment	2	20	40
Female header dual line	Equipment	1	35	35
Ferric chloride	Equipment	1	70	70
Male-female jumper wires	Equipment	4	100	400
female-female Jumper Wires	Equipment	4	100	400
push buttons	Equipment	3	30	90
Bit holder(smallest size)	Equipment	1	100	100
Smallest drill bit	Equipment	1	15	15
Capacitive Touch sensors	Equipment	4	230	920
Resistors(10 kilo ohm and 220 ohm)	Equipment	2	5	10
Plastic Box	Equipment	1	1000	1000
Thesis Report	Miscellaneous	6	600	3600
LCD	Equipment	1	600	600