Good day folks. The project is fairly simple: I need to implement a system to remotely switch on/off a light on my floor. The reason for this is because my neighbours don't want to install a brighter lightbulb to illuminate the hallway because, so they claim, it consumes more power, thus adding to the building's electricity bill, despite me trying to explain otherwise since it's a bloody LED bulb AND it's on a PIR sensor which means it's off 90% of the time. People have no idea how electronics work and even the concierge herself asked me to oblige and deal with the crappy 5w one they decided to install, which is so dim it's just ridiculous, it's like a candle, so much so I'm even having trouble getting my key into the keyhole without resorting to my phone's torch, not to mention it's a potential safety hazard when you exit the door early in the morning or at night and someone could be lurking in the dark...you get the point, so I figured it's time I did something something about it in such a way that nobody can complain about it, but at the same time only I would benefit from it.
The plan is VERY simple and quite "bright" - pun SO intended
20w LED lamp, drill bit, screw onto wall above my door, run wire into my house so nobody can say I run it off the building's bill and switch it on and off with an RF remote when I need it to. A PIR sensor is not an option since it would trigger when others pass by too, which is pointless and would make the situation even worse, since it's the complete opposite of what I'm trying to achieve here (OTHERS would draw power from MY grid - go figure). The RF remote would allow me to turn it on when I'm just about reaching my floor and then quickly turn it off once I'm inside and vice-versa when I'm leaving.
The problem is the remote control module: while there are MANY different models to choose from that fit my requirement of having the smallest possible key fob-style remotes (you don't want a TV remote control in your pocket, do you?), I COULD NOT find one that has more than 2 remotes and I need at least 3 because that's how many people would need to be able to switch the light. Looking around at various of these generic RF modules, intended both for actual home automation purposes and for car use (doesn't matter, since it'd be just as easy to adapt it), I noticed the vast majority have the same circuit inside, or at least really similar ones, yet nobody could give me a clear-cut answer whether it'd be possible to obtain and register additional remotes for them. Answers ranged from "Don't know - I'm just selling them, I have no idea how they work" to "probably"....wouldn't want to get one and have it turn into a white elephant....
I'm aware it's impossible for people outside my country to know what's possible to get and what's not and how the tons of different models out there operate exactly, what they do and what they can't do, but perhaps it's just the looks that differ while still keeping the same basic principle which can be hacked into. Say I get a remote that looks different from the ones that come with the module, I SHOULD still be able to register it SOMEHOW. If others have done this before or have an even better solution, I'd be grateful to hear it, as long as it doesn't go too crazy like using arduinos over wi-fi to control it with our phones or other such over the top solutions
Someone might suggest something off ebay that maybe looks similar to something I'd able to source locally too...cheers and thanks for any input
Good project to learn about RF and remotes too
The plan is VERY simple and quite "bright" - pun SO intended

The problem is the remote control module: while there are MANY different models to choose from that fit my requirement of having the smallest possible key fob-style remotes (you don't want a TV remote control in your pocket, do you?), I COULD NOT find one that has more than 2 remotes and I need at least 3 because that's how many people would need to be able to switch the light. Looking around at various of these generic RF modules, intended both for actual home automation purposes and for car use (doesn't matter, since it'd be just as easy to adapt it), I noticed the vast majority have the same circuit inside, or at least really similar ones, yet nobody could give me a clear-cut answer whether it'd be possible to obtain and register additional remotes for them. Answers ranged from "Don't know - I'm just selling them, I have no idea how they work" to "probably"....wouldn't want to get one and have it turn into a white elephant....
I'm aware it's impossible for people outside my country to know what's possible to get and what's not and how the tons of different models out there operate exactly, what they do and what they can't do, but perhaps it's just the looks that differ while still keeping the same basic principle which can be hacked into. Say I get a remote that looks different from the ones that come with the module, I SHOULD still be able to register it SOMEHOW. If others have done this before or have an even better solution, I'd be grateful to hear it, as long as it doesn't go too crazy like using arduinos over wi-fi to control it with our phones or other such over the top solutions



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