Re: high voltage home runs?

["Robert L. Bass" <robertlbass@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

> I'm reading a contribution to my project
> from an author who claims there are
> lighting controller devices that require
> 120 VAC runs between the controller and each controlled light circuit.

Sure.  CentraLite is one such system and it's an excellent choice.  It
really needs to be installed during construction.

> At a glance, this seems like a helluva lot
> of work, a crazy way to wire a house, and
> outrageously expensive...

It's not much more labor intensive than conventional wiring.  On a mid-sized
(say, 3-4000 sf) home you might need one or two additional days for the
prewire.

> Would such a system ever be built these
> days?  Did such systems ever exist?

Absolutely.  Obviously these systems are not intended for retrofit jobs and
most are not for the DIYer.  But major integrators often consider this
approach.  It offers certain advantages over ALC type wiring schemes.  For
one thing all of the processing is centralized.  You can use standard
receptacles rather than $100+ per unit controlled outlets.  Control cabling,
typically CAT5 is run only to the room controllers which don't have to be
"intelligent" devices.  The smarts are in the main unit.

It's also easy and relatively inexpensive to upgrade such a system compared
to something like RadioRA if you become disenchanted with the manufacturer
or when -- not if -- they drop support for the system later.

--

Regards,
Robert L Bass

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