RE: iLight OR CBus ??

["Stephen Jones" <ukha@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Hi Dean

We probably were just unlucky with our failures but it involved quite a few
extra trips back to site swapping out kit and re-programming temporary kit,
all of which costs us time and money and didn't exactly look too good to
the
client. There was 2 touchscreens in the property being used to store the
scenes needed to operate electric curtains and blinds (of there were 13
off), and when one of the touchscreens went down we didn't want to touch
the
first one in case we lost it as well. Unlikely I know but given the luck we
were having then it wouldn't have surprised me. But with one of the
touchscreens taken out the client couldn't open/close the living room
curtains! We had to show her how to use the local switch on the relay - not
very impressive.

Regarding the output channel MCB's, it's the cost of the breaker but rather
the time taken to them all together whilst it's a lot simpler on the iLight
racks.

Do you not find it strange that Clipsal do not have a relay unit made to
suit electric curtains, either mains or low voltage? I'd have thought this
would have been fairly easy for them to produce. When controlling low
voltage DC blinds we are having to use 2 channels of a change-over relay
and
a separate relay channel to allow for a disconnect (i.e. stop mid-travel).
If the change-over relay even had a centre off option it'd make the units
more flexible. And when using 2 channels of a change-over relay you have to
make sure that the channels can never be switched so as to supply the motor
with +/+ or -/-.

Stephen

-----Original Message-----
From: Dean Barrett [mailto:dean@xxxxxxx]

I would say you've been unlucky in the extreme.

We have done a goodly number of installations, and to date not a single
faulty item.

We've installed quantities of touchscreens, NEO's, E2000's, Saturns, and
all
the dimmer, and relay variants and no faults.

I havent looked at iLight or Dynalite seriously - in each case due to non
standard switches coupled with most peoples love of the Saturns - though we
did lose a 250 downlight CBus job due to the client finding the Saturns too
contemporary.

As far as MCB protection is concerned, you would already by protecting the
inputs, and i dont think the 1/2a MCBs at around #1.75 per channel is going
to make that bigger difference.

I would agree however that Li's service and relationship with Clipsal is a
saving grace. I've had some Brass switches on order with Clipsal for over a
year now - i'm guessing the client probably doesnt want them anymore ;)

Regards

Dean.

----- Original Message -----
From: Stephen Jones
Sent: 05/01/2005 17:40:08
To: ukha_d@xxxxxxx
Subject: [ukha_d] iLight OR CBus ??

Has anyone ever properly compared the iLight iCAN range to CBus kit?

I've never sat down yet and compared specs and prices in detail of each
kit,
but there's been a lot of talk onlist over the last few months about
protecting input and output channels of CBus dimmers, whereas the dimmer
racks by iLight (or Dynalite) are supplied made up with MCB's and ready to
be connected to the loads and supply.

If when using CBus dimmers we follow the guidance of using MCB's to protect
the input and output channels it seriously increases the work of
installation and the chance of something being mis-wired. And of course
makes it more difficult to modify at a later date.

Of course the new CBus products will make the system stand out from the
other lighting control system manufacturers, but the lack of spec's and
pricing from Clipsal, the fact they keep putting back the release dates and
that Clipsal as a company have failed to do what they promised to do on
many
occasions doesn't give me much confidence.

If it wasn't for the support and service given by Li (of CBus Shop) we'd
really be getting annoyed with Clipsal by now. It would appear that we've
been extremely unlucky with the number of faults we've had with CBus kit
including faulty dimmers, relays & touchscreens. And that's only on the
one
install!

All this leads me to think that maybe the iLight range may not so be bad
after all?

If anyone has any experience they'd like to share please reply on or
offlist.

Thanks

Stephen