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Thanks
to Steve, Simon, Alan and Mike.
I
can
now see the biggest issue with mains relays is 'State'. I apreciate
that an
additional relay across the lamp can feed the state back to
Comfort/HV.. But
then one has three further complications:
More
ports being used up
More
code needs to be written to 'monitor' everything
More
wires need to be run back to Node Zero
I
don't see though, how with x-10 Comfort/HV would know the state if
one is
also using mometary switches for manual operation anyway. Have I
missed
something critical about X-10???
It
almost seems irrelevant mind you. Comfort/HV can ignoe the state and
just send the apropriate X-10 command which tells the device to go ON
or
OFF or DIM. So for example, if I leave the house and want all the light
off,
where as with relays the HA Controller would just dumbly trigger all the
relays
and risk turning some lights on instead of off, X-10 will send
the
'OFF' command and be done with it.
My
philosphy for HA is that if I fall down a deep well, then my family needs
to be
able to run the system without taking a course in VB. Guests need to be
able to
operate switches by the door - rather than having to learn to use a pronto
(might be important if they need to take a leak in the middle of the
night).. So
everything needs a manual overide, and the whole shebang needs to be
simple..
Seems that this simplicity is available if you don't mind spending £40 for
every
'appliance/lighting circuit'
Comments?
Chris
You can add an additional mains coil relay
accross the lamp using the contacts to an input to give you
state.
As i want complete automation i went the route
of
avoiding manual control using my own pcb mounted relays for cheapness. In a
kitchen make over i parralleled the oringinal switch this leaves manual
control in case of failure but totally automated the under unit lights and
cooker hood lights.
I am in the process of doing another room
again
this will have multiple lights but one set will have a manual control in a
cupboard, so no light switches visable at all.
All done with comfort, relays, pc & vb
code.
After initally burning my main comfort pcb the relays have 100% reliabily
operated around 8 lights for three months. No sleepy x10
modules.
I now find myself walking into areas i plan to
automate and wonder why the lights havent come on!
Approx costs per light X10 40 quid, CBUS
higher,
Relays 1.50
----- Original Message -----
Sent: Sunday, November 25, 2001 9:31
AM
Subject: Re: [ukha_d] Din Mounted
Mains
Relays for lighting control verses AD10s
Chris, if you wire them as two way switches
then how will Comfort know what state they are in?
Does Comfort not have input ports like
Homevision, if so the override switches could be connected to the ports
then
Comfort can instruct the relays and track the status.
Not being a Comfort fan I don't know its full
capabilities.
Alancc
----- Original Message -----
Sent: Saturday, November 24, 2001
11:40 PM
Subject: RE: [ukha_d] Din Mounted
Mains Relays for lighting control verses AD10s
Andrew,
Thanks for this. I figure the override needs to be achieved by
wiring the relays (which are controlled by comfort only) with standard
wall mounted rocksers as if they were all 2 way circuits. Does
that make sense?
chris
Chris
I'm about to embark on a large HA project and I'm not
touching X10 - just seems too unreliable and expensive (plus I'm on
3-phase).
Like you, I aim to use DIN mounted relays. But I'm going to
switch them using 12v or 24v signals from industrial control cards
mounted in a dedicated PC - so not quite your config. The main
problem I can see with your direct switching of the relays (I assume?)
is being able to override them from your Comfort system to simulate
occupancy.
Best regards
Andrew
I'm sure this has been discussed before, but I'd apreciate to
hear a fresh round of debate on this point. I'm doing a complete
rewire on the house - so there's two choices for control of lighting:
X-10 or Mains relays. Either way we're gonna use a star pattern as
this provides maximum longterm flexibility.
I figured LD11's are hard to beat for their versatility, but
for switching fluorescents, or applicances why spend £40 on an AD10
when I can have DIN mounted relays for under a tenner? Of course a
mains relay like this will need to be CAT fived back to the HA
interface, but aren't relays more reliable than X-10
anyway?
So here are my three questions:
1. All things being equal in a star wiring pattern - would you
go for DIN mounted relays or AD10s?
2. Are there any obvious gotchas when hooking up manual (rocker
type) wall switches for local control if I go for the DIN
mounted relay option? Suppose
for example I need two way control for the lights on the
stairs?
3. My consumer unit and DIN rails are all in the boiler room
next to all the HVAC stuff. The boiler room is also very well
sittuated for running wires almost anywhere. However, Node Zero
(Comfort, AV gear, Data Hub, Telephony etc) is in a large cupboard in
the centre of the house. Given that I first need to make the
choice between AD10's verses DIN mounted mains relays - is there any
particular advantage to having Comfort located close to the DIN
rails in the boiler room rather than in Node Zero.
Thanks for your help
Chris
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