Running neutral cabling to switches

[u587162]

Hi
Have many people here (esp electricians) ever run neutral cable to light switches and have 45mm back boxes installed (for relays)?

I'm having my house totally gutted out and my builder friend has agreed to my request in the existing price to do this for most light switches in the house.

I plan to have many smart home automated features including lights and curtains / blinds etc.

Am I going about this the right way thinking it through like this. Should I give any other thoughts to certain cable runs to future proof my home for automation purposes?

 

[phatboy]

Doesn't sound right to me.

You would run all these cables back to a central location where some controllers would be situated. Cables to light switches and other control points would be via low voltage cabling or data cabling and wifi.

If your gutting the place, this would be by far the best way.

 

[OwainDIYer]

My house was originally wired with neutrals at the switches, which has made adding extra (and separately-switched) lights very easy.

In several cases I've extended both L and SwL to the luminaire. Very useful for emergency lighting.

I wouldn't have relays in the back of light switch boxes though - problems with segregation of mains and (extra) low voltage.

 

[u587162]

Doesn't sound right to me.

You would run all these cables back to a central location where some controllers would be situated. Cables to light switches and other control points would be via low voltage cabling or data cabling and wifi.

If your gutting the place, this would be by far the best way.

I should have mentioned that I was planning to use a Fibaro or Vera wireless controller, so apart from AV and satellite cabling I wasn't planning to have a wired controller.

What exactly is the purpose of a relay switch anyway? Is it to control or vary the amount of something opening or closing or dimming?

 

[bernardgreen]

You would run all these cables back to a central location where some controllers would be situated. Cables to light switches and other control points would be via low voltage cabling or data cabling and wifi.

Totally agree with that.
In my cottage drops to switches in 230 volt are not possible as the wattle and daub walls cannot be chased.

Untitled

• bernardgreen
• 31 May 2014
• 5

controls 4 lamps with dimmer function controlled by the buttons.

Untitled

• bernardgreen
• 26 Mar 2015
• 3

the prototype of the controller for 12 lamps ( own design )

Untitled

• bernardgreen
• 10 Mar 2015
• 3

relays remote from the controller, allows for a single 12 core alarm type cable to replace a lot of 1mm² twin and earth

 

[bernardgreen]

I should have mentioned that I was planning to use a Fibaro or Vera wireless controller, so apart from AV and satellite cabling I wasn't planning to have a wired controller.

Wireless is best only for those circumstances where wiring is impossible. and even then a lot of care is needed when planning the installation.

The electromagnetic radiation from a dimmer module and the wires from it to the lamp can prevent a nearby receiver from receiving commands from the remote controller.

 

[u587162]

I was planning to have each room hooked up with 2 cat 6e cables going to a small server/distribution box somewhere where my cable modem would be.

Given your comments how best should I design/construct this system? Any good recommended book? I would not have any budget left over to pay a consultant to get this designed.

BTW the point about wireless only being used where it cannot be wired, I would generally agree with that for alarms but for smart home related stuff it would appear that there are more configuration options with wireless.

 

[bernardgreen]

Given your comments how best should I design/construct this system?

Plan the lighting and switch locations to suit the life style you want to have.
Then decide on how to connect switches to lamps.

Having to walk across the room to pick up the remote control to turn the lights off when leaving the room is more trouble than flicking a switch at the door as you leave. Have both if you must have a remote control

Likewise a switch or switches by the bed for the bedroom light(s) for when you go to bed and a switch(es) by the door for when you keave the room in the morning. Trying to find a remote control lost in the bedclothes can be a pain.

I was planning to have each room hooked up with 2 cat 6e cables going to a small server/distribution box somewhere where my cable modem would be.

Again plan what equipment will be where

Any good recommended book? I would not have any budget left over to pay a consultant to get this designed.

Common sense and the planning to suit your specific lifestyle is unlike to be found in a book aimed at the general public. Avoid consultants, they will not be living in your house,

BTW the point about wireless only being used where it cannot be wired, I would generally agree with that for alarms but for smart home related stuff it would appear that there are more configuration options with wireless.

Wireless based equipment is designed to be feature rich in order to increase it's marketing value to compensate for the problems that wireless communication can create for the end user when they have to live with it.