Electrical distribution for home automation

[cel912]

Hi there,

We are in the process of renovating our 40's built end of terrace and have decided to go down the automated home route. I'm going to be getting a sparky to change our consumer unit and turn the lighting circuits into a star circuit running back to the main electricity cupboard under the stairs.

This is pretty straight forward but I also need some additional switched electrical connections for things like curtains and other lighting systems (plinth lights, headboard lights, etc). I think i've caluclated that I would require about 50 1mm cables to be run back to the main electricity cupboard, so would it be OK to have a local CU in a wardrobe in each room for eaxmple that would be fed by an adequately sized feed cable from the main CU and then have the switched connections fed out from the local CU to the local load points?

Example:

CU (MCB 16A) -> 2.5mm T&E -> CU in Wardrobe (4ch relay module with built in 4A fuse for each channel):

-> 1mm T&E -> Electric Curtain
-> 1mm T&E -> Plinth Lights (12V LED lights with transformer)
-> 1mm T&E -> Headboard Lights (12V LED lights with transformer)
-> 1mm T&E -> Table lamp

I like to do some research before I talk to tradesmen so I hope this makes some sense

Thanks.

 

[electronicsuk]

What you propose seems fine, and will probably be easier than trying to run everything back to a central point. If you plan to install controls in the bedroom, it would make more sense to install Solid State Relay or Triac based switching modules that will be noiseless, rather than electromechanical relays.

 

[cel912]

Wow! Now that's what I call a fast reply!

I know what you mean by the noise from the relays but unfortunatly I don't have a choice as the relays are built into the control module. The plan is to have a small (with adequate ventilation space) enclosure that the secondary CUs will live in that will also include sound deadening material.

The other option is to have another electrical control area in the loft and i'm not so keen on that idea.

Thanks again.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

http://www.attwood.org/news/house.html

 

[cel912]

http://www.attwood.org/news/house.html

Very interesting/ amusing read, but not quite what i was after