Living in a somewhat remote house with a large plot of land comes with its own challenges — and opportunities. This project transformed the property into a comprehensive smart home ecosystem with over 150 connected devices, using Shelly at its core for automation, security, and energy management.
🚨 Smarter Security for the Driveway
The property has no gate, so knowing when someone arrives is crucial. Traditional cameras and motion detectors weren’t enough — they triggered too many false alerts from wind, plants, and animals.
The solution: laser light barriers connected to Shelly i4DC. When triggered, they activate cell phone alarms, turn on rotating beacons via Shelly 1 Plus, and light up the driveway.
⚡ 12V & 230V: Flexible Power Solutions
The home runs on both 230V mains and 12V supply, allowing some cameras and alarm components to operate independently of the main power grid. Shelly devices that support dual power options made this hybrid system possible.
🌞 10kW Solar System & Energy Automation
The property is powered in part by a 10kW stand-alone photovoltaic system, managed by Shelly:
Shelly Uni, 3EM, Plus, Mini 3G, Mini PM control and monitor power flow.
A Shelly Plus with Shelly Uni switches on a charger when the solar batteries run low.
At night, another Shelly switches the 12V supply from batteries to a mains power supply when there’s no wind power available.
🌿 Garden & Outdoor Automation
Another laser light barrier, this one 230V, uses Shelly i4 and Shelly 1 Mini to control nine garden lamps. They turn on and off in sequence, timed to sunset.
🔥 Heating & Ventilation
Even the 1982 central heating system is modernized:
Two Shelly devices with add-ons manage the burner, using data from outside, flow, return, and boiler temperature sensors.
A Bluetooth Shelly H&T controls chicken coop ventilation via Shelly 1 Plus, keeping air fresh for the animals.
🏡 Whole-Home Automation
All ceiling lights are Shelly-controlled; basement lights automatically turn off at midnight.
The extractor hood in the kitchen triggers an extra ventilation fan in the attic via Shelly i4.
Garden lighting is controlled from multiple spots, including a portable wooden box housing an i4 switch.
📝 Mixed Ecosystem
While Shelly is the backbone, some devices (roller shutters, irrigation systems, a few door drives) run on Tuya-Zigbee or other brands — mainly for cost reasons or design preferences. But Shelly handles most core automations.
🚀 The Result
What started as a basic setup evolved into a smart property powerhouse:
150+ devices connected via Wi-Fi, Zigbee, Bluetooth, and wired connections.
Full security automation with alerts, lights, and alarms.
Integrated solar power management and energy switching.
Smart control of heating, ventilation, lighting, and even the chicken coop.
This project is a living example of how Shelly can tie together a complex, multi-power-source property into one cohesive, intelligent system — with more smart features being added all the time.
