Re: one switch operated 6 seperate light areas, who makes this?

["gary" <satmaverick@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

Also I have read that the switch box needs a neutral.  Is that how the
system works?


"Mark Thomas" <mrt@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:1124911869.912591.157890@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
>
> gary wrote:
>> Thanks for the tips Mark.  Starting a house build in a couple of weeks
>> (depending on how fast my permits go through).  I like neat things like I
>> see in home automation/audio.  Last night I was reading on some UPB
>> items.
>>
>> Now I just need to figure out how these things work.  I've seen them in
>> show
>> homes but don't know how they are wired.  I am going to pull my own
>> permit
>> for wiring so it will all be done by me.  So when I get started I have to
>> go
>> like crazy and know my stuff in advance.
>
> Sounds like the first thing you'll need to do is choose a technology.
> X-10 and UPB communicate over the existing power lines, so no extra
> wiring is necessary. X-10 is cheaper, but requires lots of vigilance to
> keep it reliable. UPB is much more reliable, but is a relatively new
> technology with a smaller product line (i.e. no UPB sprinkler
> controller yet, etc). Insteon is an X-10 replacement by Smarthome that
> reduces some of the problems with X-10 yet remains backward compatible.
> There's also Z-Wave where switches communicate wirelessly. Check
> archives of this newsgroup for lots of discussions on these
> technologies.
>
> But since you have the luxury of wiring your own new house, you may
> want to also consider a wired lighting control system. These are much
> more expensive and usually require Cat-5 to each switch location. But
> they are as flexible, fast, and reliable as you can get. A couple of
> vendors are Lutron, Centralite, Vantage.
>
>>
>> I really liked that 2 gang switch system that controlled 6 (or 8?)
>> lights.
>> I walked through a home being built the other day and they had a gang for
>> 9
>> light switches.  They had to bolt 2 boxes together to make that number.
>> I
>> think that is a but crazy and will look silly.  How would the push button
>> lighting system have been wired?  Relays?
>
> It may have been a hardwired system like the above. Usually Cat5 to a
> central controller.
>
>>
>> When you have say a light switch and you want to do that neat stuff like
>> have the light slowly increase or decrease as the switch is turned on and
>> off, how is that done?  Do I need to run cat 5 to switch boxes and use
>> special switches?
>
> Pretty much all the technologies offer switches with configurable "ramp
> rates." Some can be set up with different ramp rates for different
> "scenes."
>
>>
>> Also for the whole house audio, do I run cat 5 to where I want the
>> speaker
>> controls in each room and then run speaker wire to each area I want
>> speakers
>> and then home run all the wires to the mechanical room?  For the sound
>> source i.e. stereo, do I run wires from there to the mechanical room and
>> then do I my tying together there as needed?
>
> Many of them need to be wired that way; however, some have amplified
> keypads, which means you only run speaker wire from the speaker
> locations to the keypads. Running the speaker wire through the keypads
> to a central location will prepare you for anything!
>
> Good luck.
>