Displaying Metrics With A 1602 LCD, I2C and MQTT

A few months ago, I solved the problem of having to use a Home Assistant dashboard to view power related metrics that matter to me by using LED’s embedded into my desk. You can read about it here, and these LED’s work really well. The LED’s have saved me looking at Home Assistant, and they … Read more

Creating Interlocks In Code (C++) For Controlling Relays In the Real World

[RELEASING IN MAY 2023] Work In progress Are you familiar with an interlocks? Interlocking is a safety measure designed to prevent signals and switches from being changed in an improper sequence. Interlocks are a staple of our modern lives, they exist in places you would or perhaps may not expect. In their most basic form, an interlock … Read more

Tracking State Without Feedback Loops

Throughout my automation journey there is one thing I always strive for, that is full duplex communication. The ability to send a message, but also receive a message from a device. This need, often in many cases influences technology choices. Which TV will I buy? Why will I build an irrigation controller over buy? Automation … Read more

Bridging Mosquitto MQTT into Azure IoT Hub with an Arduino based ESP32

I have been on a journey to explore Azure IoT and push the thousands of events that flow through my local MQTT broker (Mosquitto) in to Azure IOT. After my last post in using the Azure IoT SDK for Python conjunction with Paho MQTT I thought my work here was complete, but have just recently … Read more