Hi everyone, I’m excited to share my recent project to automate my exhaust fan for generator safety. I have a whole house generator that exercises itself every week at the same time, but the exhaust from the natural gas generator is very near the exhaust fan outlet in my basement. This means I have to manually turn on the exhaust fan every time the generator kicks in to prevent the basement from filling up with toxic fumes.
I decided to tackle this with some home automation. The exhaust fan is currently controlled by a digital timer, but I wanted to keep that functionality intact while adding automation. I came across two potential solutions: the Zooz ZEN51 and the Shelly 1 Mini Gen3 relays. I’m curious if anyone has experience with one over the other and could share their thoughts.
The automation seems pretty straightforward—turn the fan on at 9am every Friday for 30 minutes. However, I’m also thinking ahead to future enhancements. I’d love to add a vibration sensor to the generator so the fan kicks on whenever the generator turns on, especially during actual power outages. I live in western Washington state, so the sensor would need to handle some snow and temperatures as low as 10°F. If anyone has recommendations for outdoor vibration sensors, I’d be grateful for the advice!
I’ve just started with home automation, so any tips or experiences would be invaluable. It’s been a fun project, and I’m eager to hear how others have approached similar challenges. Thanks for your insights!