light switch - web and local controls

[garys]

Hi I need some input.

I am currently making some electrical control designs (for light switch) for my house (to be).

My idea is to have both web controlled and local controlled (your typical spst switch) wall switch.

The aim is to have the over all master control sitting on the web controlled side. So that if we leave for a short weekend trip, I can set all the wall switches in the house to become "inactive" so that if a friend/family where to come over without us, i can (remotely) give them "limited access" to the light switches of where they are allowed to access/use. So that no matter how many times they flick the switch up and down, the light will not come on since it is 'deactivated'.

I'd like to share (before I continue) that I have very little knowledge in programming so the idea I am sharing here is purely on the mechanical side (web controlled relays). Going back to my idea of 'deactivating a switch' - my plan is to have two relays (web controlled) that will act as a gate.

Relay1: will be 'in series with the spst wall switch' - this will do the 'activation/deactivation' of the switch itself. 

Relay2: will be connected to each side of the spst terminals - this will do the 'remote on' of the light regardless of the mechanical state of the switch.

While this idea will work, the draw back is, I will not have indication on the state of the physical switch if its in 'on' or 'off' position. This therefore pushes me to use a DPDT switch instead so that I can use the other half of the dpdt switch as a digital input signal to the controller (open 0, close 1) so that I'd be able to see its state.

 

Here's the problem. Since I am only relying on the off-shelf "16 channel web controlled relays", what I am intending to accomplish would be very challenging. And so, I would like to ask if there is any other way to approach this?

I am aware about the RF solution that are currently out in the market but I would like to stick with the relay and hardwired solution. And suggestions/ideas are very much appreciated.

 

many thanks,

GaryS>