RE: Best approach to HA for lighting control

[Paul Gordon <paul_gordon@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

James,

The scenario you describe is exactly the same as mine....

YES, you absolutely can install CBUS piecemeal... - you can start off with
nothing more than a relay or dimmer module to control some load(s), and a
wall switch to control it, and a run of CAT5 between them... that little
would give you a functioning CBUS system  - notwithstanding a few caveats;
you wouldn't have a friendly way to commission the units & do any
programming, but they do have a "learn" mode for precisely this
scenario.. -
you would also have to ensure that the output unit you selected first
(dimmer or relay module) was equipped with a CBUS power supply (not all
are)....

I would highly recommend the wired CBUS solution... it is 100% rock solid,
well known, well supported, and likely to be around for a while yet. It can
be integrated with the CBUS wireless kit, - as well as a host of other 3rd
party products such as Comfort...

I would recommend that as you renovate each room, you install a run of
proper CBUS pink CAT5 cable into every wallswitch backbox  (that pink CAT5
cable is certified for use inside the same enclosure where mains is
present,
ordinary computer CAT5 cable is not). Take each run from each wallswitch
back to either a single central location - if possible - since it is more
convenient that way, - or if that's difficult, at least to as few points as
possible. Note that CBUS does NOT enforce any rigid toplogy for its wired
network... you can use bus or star topology, or indeed a completely random
mix of the two...

I have done all my own CBUS installation and programming myself... - I did
go on an official Clipsal training course a few years ago, but honestly, if
you are at least reasonably competent with wiring electrics, it really
isn't
that difficult... and there's plenty of people on this list who have done
the same (even one or two who have worked for the company!), so there's no
shortage of help & expertise available here... - you definitely don't
*need*
to hire a specialist if you don't want to, - but do refer back to my point
about how comfortable you are with your own level of competence... - in my
experience, I found that "general electricians" were pretty much
hopeless...
most had never heard of or seen CBUS - or any similar such HA system, and
were pretty much flummoxed by the wiring requirements for it - until I
showed them!

As I think you have realised, CBUS is a proper tried & trusted system,
and
you are paying a little more for the reliability... My opinion is that it
is
worth it for the peace of mind... my mantra these days is "to buy
cheap is
to buy twice"...

HTH

Paul G.




-----Original Message-----
From: ukha_d@xxxxxxx [mailto:ukha_d@xxxxxxx] On Behalf Of
James Reed
Sent: 24 May 2012 19:14
To: Ukha_D@xxxxxxx
Subject: [ukha_d] Best approach to HA for lighting control

Hi

I'm in the middle of buying a house, which is a largish Victorian terrace.
It needs a lot of work but we are going to have to do it in stages because
we can't afford a full scale renovation in one go - and anyway we have to
live in it!

I'd love to embed some HA really to do lighting control to begin with
although I'd like to extend it to other things in due course. I've got some
Homeeasy products at the moment, and although I found the switched sockets
good the lighting modules / dimmers have been unreliable and I'm not really
satisfied with it as a permanent / long term solution. Also I hear that
lightwaverf has similar issues and it does not seem to be well supported
either.

I've looked at things like c-bus wireless which looks much better but is
expensive. Ideally I would like to use a wired solution with cat5
everywhere, and this may prove possible but it would have to be done room
by
room.

If I was going to use c-bus could I do it on a piecemeal basis or would it
need to be done in one go? ALso do I need a specialist installer or could
it
be done diy or with help from a general electrician? Are there any other
systems I should consider? I don't have much budget for this so would
prefer
to be cheaper if poss but I'm aware that you get what you pay for and I've
not found HE that good even though it was cheap.

I'd be grateful for any thoughts

James



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