Hard-wired HA lighting; was Re: XTB, reliablity, etc.

[Marc_F_Hult <MFHult@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

On Mon, 11 Dec 2006 05:30:26 -0500, "Robert Green"
<ROBERT_GREEN1963@xxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
<ud6dnbYPAvgnruDYnZ2dnUVZ_h2pnZ2d@xxxxxxx>:

>"Marc_F_Hult" <MFHult@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
>
><stuff snipped>
>
>> Take the example of converting to centralized hard-wired
>> dimming of a ceiling light powered through a wall switch.
>
>That ceiling light represents perhaps one tenth of my HA use.  Most of my
>modules are plugged into outlets or powerstrips controlling free-standing
>lamps and devices.  When you have to start pulling wire to every switch and
>outlet in the house to create a truly hardwired control system, you're
>talking about turning the house upside.  Wifey no like!
>
>> Commonly you
>> can get to the supply to that individual switch where it comes up the
>> wall from the basement. Retrofitting for a centralized hardwired system
>> consists in replacing the SPST switch with a wirenut, replacing the
>> faceplate with the hole with one with no hole, and running a 14/2+G to
>> the dimmer panel through the basement ceiling. How hard is that?
>
>See my response to Brian about how hard that can be.  I stand by what I said
>to him.  Running a new three-way switch - just a manual version - takes a
>heck of lot more time and effort than doing it via X-10, at least for me.

And a good example of where INSTEON runs rings around X-10 for a variety of
reasons.

>As I said to Brian, the devil lives in the details.
>
[several useful examples of nitty-gritty realities of practical DIY home
maintenance snipped]

>Remember the poor guy from Puerto Rico with the concrete house?  He's not
>pulling cable any more easily than setting up and debugging X-10.  It's easy
>to discount all that you and Brian know and have learned to be able to pull
>your own wire.  I maintain that X-10 requires a similar level of knowledge
>to be used effectively.  Lots of people feel that it shouldn't,

Well, lottsa people say lottsa things. I, for one, have never said this
(ABIK).

>but that's
>life, I guess.  Lots of people believe computers shouldn't have so many
>things to fuss with but believing it doesn't make it so.

My point (as usual) is that hard-wired lighting and other hard-wired AC power
control can/may have its place in most every automated home. It is not helpful
to describe the decision as Either/Or in my opinion. There is no need to bet
on horses or root for the home team or otherwise disparage or ignore
alternatives in my opinion.

PLC, RF, IR and hard-wired can coexist. I have decided on technical grounds
(and experiences reported in this newsgroup and elsewhere) that INSTEON and
X-10 do not play well enough together (for my purposes) despite what the
manufacturer claims. I like the improvements afforded by INSTEON including the
all-important tactile switch response. So the mix of AC wiring control in my
house has migrated from X-10 + hardwired to INSTEON + hard-wired.

(and FWIW, the $200+ you jist spent on  XTB X-10 boosters (however useful they
are) to replace the X-10 boosters for which you previously _also_ spent
perfectly good money on, woulda got you ten (10) INSTEON dimmers + change --
currently *still* $19.99 each with free shipping from you know where.

...Marc
Marc_F_Hult
www.EControl.org