Re: Photos of Home Automation

[Ben McCormack <yahoogroup@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Wayne

Just to add to the other comments

> By this same thought - if you wanted to say add another switch - find
> the nearest pink cable, break into it and add the switch? (thereby not
> having to run another pink cable back to node0?)

100% Correct

s the others have said you can get various interfaces to cbus - I have
chosen to link cbus to the Comfort alarm system, yesterday I got the 2
talking and now when a zone on the alarm goes off (ie PIR detects
someone) and light in a room comes on. To me being able to do
something like this is a basic building block.

Ben

On 19 Jul 2008, at 10:22, Wayne wrote:

> Thanks for that Ben,
> Hope you didnt mind :)
>
> If I'm understanding this all then, the star topology is only for the
> connections of the 240v side of things where each comes back to the
> control unit, any 'switch' or cbus controller then sits on this (and I
> guess this is where the name comes from) cbus 'lan' - almost like the
> old ethernet coax networking - wouldn't at all surprise me if you had
> terminators at each end of the 'pink' network :)
> By this same thought - if you wanted to say add another switch - find
> the nearest pink cable, break into it and add the switch? (thereby not
> having to run another pink cable back to node0?)
>
> Just back to the kit list - how many separate light circuits could
> that
> dimmer handle?
>
> I guess to program this from your armchair so to speak is like
> creating
> virtual links based on events from switches - 'switch gets pressed in
> kitchen -> toggle controller 1 - output 1 and output 2 (two lights
in
> kitchen :))' and I guess on the same event - these events could get
> fired from the lan interface as well - pc control etc ( 'dial in to
> home
> asterisk phone system with mobile - input pin - turn on lights /
> heating
> ?' - warm when we get home :) )
>
> Thanks again,
> Wayne.
>
> Ben McCormack wrote:
> > Wayne
> >
> > Let me try to answer those questions for you
> >
> > 1st thing - Cbus does not have a central 'brain' each cbus units
> knows
> > about the others and how they are programmed.
> >
> > Top left hand units are for future expansion
> >
> > Top Middle is a larger cbus dimmer
> >
> > Bottom middle with 2 pink cables is the cbus to ethernet box -
This
> > allows me to program cbus from my armchair
> >
> > Yes there is a breaker for each circuit that is switched
> >
> > The Pink cable loops in and out of each cbus unit for cbus
> communication
> >
> >
> > So lets wire up a single room with 1 Light and 1 switch
> >
> > 1 Twin and earth Wire from Light back to cbus modules that you
see
> top
> > right
> > 1 pink cbus cable looped through the switch
> > Thats all really - Took me ages to get my head around it
> >
> >
> > Right bottom half of the panels
> >
> > Left Hand side - Node Zero distribution board fed from the main
> > downstairs consumer unit about 25m away - Fed using the think
black
> > cable you can see pictures of. Fed from 62 amp breaker
downstairs.
> > This will be used to power other odds and sods in the area
> >
> > Bottom Right - 2 Comfort Alarm Panels also have ethernet
capability
> > and connect to cbus
> >
> > At the moment I am just planning to switch lighting nothing more
yet
> >
> > Any other questions then fire away
> >
> > Ben
> >
> >
> > On 17 Jul 2008, at 18:23, Wayne wrote:
> >
> >
> >> Hiya Ben,
> >> Can I be a complete noob with this and ask some real basic
(and
> >> nosey!)
> >> questions . :)
> >>
> >> Looking at http://flickr.com/photos/thinkinghouse/2674566591/
(the
> >> overview of node0)
> >>
> >> Going across the top These look like a bigger version of a
> >> distribution
> >> panel - I guess the ones on the left give a nice lot of
expansion!
> >> being
> >> as there is nothing in there yet?
> >> The cbus box in the middle - is this the brains to it all? I
guess
> >> this
> >> is the bit you plug your lan into and get at it via ip?
> >> With the boxes on the right - do you have a breaker per each
> 'thing'
> >> that gets switched? do you /need/ those or are the little
control
> >> panel
> >> strips overly sensitive?
> >> Looks like there are 16 breakers in the top of each of those
panels
> >> but
> >> the right most has two controllers what's the difference?
> >> Am I right in thinking that each of the cbus strips that are
in
> each
> >> panel is just using a cat5 patch lead to plug back to the
brain
> unit
> >> (I
> >> cant tell what that little box is under the brain is or where
its
> >> hooked
> >> to).
> >>
> >> If this is the 'control centre' for it all - what type of
wiring is
> >> needed from a switch to turn on a light? again, all wired
> individually
> >> back to the brain? (star topology?)
> >>
> >> The boxes to the lower right and lower middle - these are the
alarm
> >> panels? - nuff said there :) (although - do these have a lan
> interface
> >> as well?)
> >>
> >> Lower left - looks like a regular distribution panel, any
reason
> for
> >> that with all the other stuff up there? What size feed is
coming up
> >> from
> >> your main house board (I've got a spare 32amp breaker itching
to go
> >> somewhere!)
> >>
> >> Are you just switching lighting with all this or can you do
> regular 13
> >> amp sockets as well?
> >>
> >> Sorry for the grilling - just trying to get my head around
how
> you go
> >> about designing one of these things and how it all plugs
together.
> >> Hope you don't mind :-)
> >>
> >> Thanks
> >> Wayne.
> >>
> >> Ben McCormack wrote:
> >>
> >>> All
> >>>
> >>> As promised here are the photos from of the building of
my node
> zero
> >>>
> >>> Luckily I have a large wall in a large loft that is
perfect for
> node
> >>> zero. So I was able to spread things out and try and lay
them out
> >>> neatly.
> >>>
> >>> Sorry the photos are not tagged but I am sure most of you
will
> >>> recognise most items
> >>>
> >>> So far we have
> >>>
> >>> Zone Zero Consumer Unit
> >>> Some cbus Modules (Loads of expansion for later)
> >>> 2 Comfort Panels
> >>>
> >>> Now comes the best bit - All of this technology and I am
now
> able 2
> >>> switch the lights in 2 rooms on and off via cbus!!!
> >>>
> >>> http://flickr.com/photos/thinkinghouse/
> >>>
> >>> Enjoy
> >>>
> >>> Ben
> >>>
> >>> ------------------------------------
> >>>
> >>> **** Sponsored By http://www.Berble.com ****
> >>> **** Computers You Carry ****
> >>>
> >>>
> >>>
> >>>
> >>>
> >>>
> >>>
> >>
> >>
> >
> >
> >
> > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
> >
> >
> > ------------------------------------
> >
> > **** Sponsored By http://www.Berble.com ****
> > **** Computers You Carry ****
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
>
>
>



[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]


------------------------------------