lighting automation

[timtheenchanter]

I have a friend who is shortly having an extension and full rewire, as well as some other bits.
a spark will be doing the rewire ( with me as a labourer/assistant if at all possible)
I will be doing the other bits, A/V networking install.

she wants some lighting automation, ie the ability to turn on/off lights from a central control poing, and be able to set timers, ie for holidays, and so there is a light on for her daughter coming home.

soo...anyone got any pointers as to what is avaliable, either stand-alone, or that will work together with a PC (they hare having a home server installed)

 

[ericmark]

B&Q do Home Easy range which uses wireless control but they have built in dimmer so can't be used with energy saving lamps. The MK Echo range is similar.

Personally I am not too keen on wireless because of EMC problems and prefer hard wired. If you are installing LAN system then doing the power using Ali-tube cable may help stop EMC problems as well as it's other advantages.

Using a PLC you could do near anything sky's the limit there are special PLC's for the home think called X10 but only seen on USA sites not sure if you can get UK version.

 

[timtheenchanter]

Id like to keep away from wireless if poss, just not reliable enough (hence what I have recommended installing LAN rather than relying on wireless (I have to have 2 APs in a 3 bedroom semi to get good enough coverage)

 

[ericmark]

I have worked in offices where the lights are on a PIR but even in an office pain in neck. Schneider group do a whole host of relays for lighting. With impulse relays and modular contactors.

Light controlers

• ericmark
• 2 Sep 2009
• 1

This shows some of the devices available but your request it too vague to show exactly what you need. I would suggest you need to talk it through with an electrician. Some of the units can get very expensive.

 

[toasty]

I did this http://www.yourmissus.com/lighting/

 

[ericmark]

I did this http://www.yourmissus.com/lighting/[/QUOTE]
It looks good and I suppose one could do all sorts with the aid of a few PIC's and relays however the programming of PIC's is level 5 University work and even the PLC is level 3 (A level) work so I would not expect the standard DIY person to do this! However looking at radio Hams they do get rather high tech in their hobby so must be some DIY people able to do it.

But as an electrician I would code 2 a lot of what you have shown and require it to be ripped out because of low voltage and extra low voltage mix. Yes it may work but will it work safely? To avoid safety problems domestic installation uses a selection of type tested units. For example a consumer unit not a distribution unit which do same job but consumer unit is type tested.

The automated lighting you show would mean the home could not be sold or rented without ripping it all out and any electrician would refuse to do any work on the house without disconnecting the lot.

Yes I am sure it all works fine. But not the route I would recommend.

 

[davelx]

There are loads of electronics hobbyists who use PICs - they really are pretty simple and the basic development and ICE systems are not expensive.

But my choice would be Lutron Grafik Eye 3000. The basic systems are not really that expensive and they are dead easy to wire and programme.

 

[ericmark]

Another post has referred to Z-Wave maybe this is what you need?

 

[tim west]

Or X10

 

[toasty]

But as an electrician I would code 2 a lot of what you have shown and require it to be ripped out because of low voltage and extra low voltage mix. Yes it may work but will it work safely?

Hi Eric,
There is (to the best of my knowledge) no mix between lv and elv in my system.

I have ran both 1mm T&E and Cat5 to the light switches, but I'm not using the T&E at present.

It is there for precisely the reason you describe, i.e when I move on to another house I'll cut off the cat 5, pull it out and connect up the T&E in a conventional manner.

Cheers
-Dan

 

[ericmark]

I am glad to hear you were aware of the problem. I have also in the past wired up some non standard systems. But I now am very careful to follow standard wiring as it has in the past it caused a few problems where those who have followed me have not been able to work out what I have done.

I did consider using a PLC I have left over to control central heating and there for remove over shoot problems even got as far as writing the program but if I was to then need someone with GasSafe or Part P registration to do any work it would have been a problem so I left it in standard wiring.

As to controlling with PC my knowledge of Linux is not good enough and Micro-soft has too many "Features" or would I would call "bugs" and it is not reliable enough.

I would consider SCADA as although you monitor and control to some extent with the computer the PLC will allow it to continue to work even if PC fails.

But then I would do even less than I do and become a couch potato so I think better if I still open and draw curtains and get up to switch the lights!

It does however look like a nice project. And congratulations are due to you for a good job.

 

[timtheenchanter]

cheers, alot to look at, I thought there would be a few simple off the shelf solutions around these days.

 

[pukka]

have a look at http://www.byebyestandby.com it has a on-line controller. so you can automate bits and bobs

Paul

 

[ban-all-sheds]

http://sunsite.nus.sg/pub/humour/future-home.html

 

[davelx]

I am glad to hear you were aware of the problem. I have also in the past wired up some non standard systems. But I now am very careful to follow standard wiring as it has in the past it caused a few problems where those who have followed me have not been able to work out what I have done.

Surely documentation is your friend here - provide a full set of schematics and an accompanying descriptive write up and ensure all cables are labelled both ends and any competent sparky should be able to follow it.