Trying to find some sort of system that can be attached to a refrigerator so that if the power goes out it will send a text/email/phone call/something to me. Need it for a business in which we have lots of product in the fridge which can't stay unrefrigerated long. Any ideas?

11/19/2011 10:22:25 AM

This board might be a place to start. I don't have any specific answer though.

http://www.diychatroom.com/f18/cell-email-notification-event-power-outage-47150/

11/19/2011 10:34:13 AM

I think you're approaching the problem backwards. If the site lost power I assume that the internet has also gone down there (unless you have your router on a UPS and your service provider has their stuff on a UPS.) Or you're using some kind of cell connection like http://www.diycontrols.com/p-6977-cellular-freeze-alarm-intermediate.aspx

In terms of doing it cheap and simple just set your onsite modem to answer ping requests and then write a bash script to ping it once every few minutes from an outside machine (like your webhost that will almost never go down.) If the food is good for X amount of time and you think it will take you Y amount of time to get your generator and get over there then you can figure out where to set that alert. My guess is the food is probably good for at least 3 hours, so I would set the alarm email for 1 hour (hasn't answered a ping in one hour) to give me some time to get it all straight.

If you decide to get anything that costs more than a few dollars a month you would seem to be much better served to just get the generator that automatically kicks on...

[Edited on November 19, 2011 at 12:53 PM. Reason : http://www.protectedhome.com/homesitter-p-118-l-en.html Or this! Just found it.]

11/19/2011 12:48:04 PM

How much are they willing to spend? We use a company call Johnson Controls that monitors all our critical processes/equipment. This includes the air handlers for clean rooms and refrigerators and freezers for our product. When the equipment quits, has a negative trend (temp rising) or power is lost, alarms sound in offices and where they are needed, emails are sent, and text messages are sent.

11/19/2011 1:29:54 PM

A pharmacy I've done work for used this for their refrigerators:

http://www.temperatureguard.com/vm505.htm

11/19/2011 2:37:14 PM

this would be pretty damn easy to do with an arduino.

11/19/2011 2:59:24 PM

My cellular alarm monitoring sends me texts and email if the house loses AC power. Since it's for a business, if you can justify an alarm system then it basically gets you the power monitoring as a side benefit. Mine is through Frontpoint, but I would suspect most vendors' equipment should be able to do the same.

11/20/2011 12:07:21 PM

For some reason I doubt that the "product" in the fridge is food.

11/23/2011 8:43:27 AM

Quote :

"this would be pretty damn easy to do with an arduino."

Maybe proof of concept. But "pretty damn easy" for someone that doesn't know mcu's? Come on.

Tell me which subsystems you'd need in addition to the arduino?

11/23/2011 8:49:59 AM

this reminds me, I need to put the arduino starter kit deal on my christmas wish list.

11/23/2011 9:30:13 AM

Skip the Arduino and go straight to this:

http://leaflabs.com/store/#Maple


I'm actually working on a general purpose IR reciever/sender inspired by this

http://www.arcfn.com/2009/08/multi-protocol-infrared-remote-library.html

but better.

His code uses polling and isn't intended to be able to receive and send in the same instance of the code. Mine is able to receive and will be able to inspect what it received and send a different code if it desires...effectively turning any remote into somewhat of a universal remote (assuming you have some spare buttons you can use).

11/23/2011 10:42:09 AM