Re: What can I replace this latching relay system with?

[nobody@xxxxxxxxxxxx (Dave Houston)]

I think you will have problems finding dimmers to use the existing control
wires.

You have 120V at the lighting fixtures and outlets. The relays swich this
under control of the remote low-voltage switches.

I think (but am not expert) most of the central lighting systems (e.g.
Centralite, LiteTouch, Vantage) mount their dimmers and switches near the
entrance panel and require home-runs of the 120V lines from each controlled
location. Neither your 120V nor low voltage control wiring goes where it
needs to go for centralized systems but you may be able to mount dimmers in
place of the relays. You'll have to check with the various companies that
make this type system. I posted a list of such companies a few months back
to CHA.

You haven't mentioned your budget. These GE systems tended to be installed
in upscale residences (I saw my first one in 1962 next door to Bing Crosby's
house in Atherton, CA.) but that doesn't always mean the neighborhood is
still upscale 50 years later.

You said the walls are plaster. Is it over plasterboard, lath or wire-lath?

SmartHome's In-LineLinc Insteon dimmers can control the loads but I'm not
sure how you would control the inline dimmers since you need a transmitter
(normally a wall mounted switch) connected to 120V and your switch locations
do not have 120V.

I don't know if John Jones is monitoring CHA (he's rebuilding his tornado
damaged home) but he has some expertise in the GE low voltage system (and
even had some spare parts for them). He might be able to shed some light on
this.

"Steve Wechsler" <swechsler@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

>Just purchased a house built in the early 50s. Almost all the lights
>are controlled by latching relays, with low voltage switches in the
>walls connected to the relays in the ceiling boxes with 3 conductor
>cable (there are also some relay-controlled outlets, and I haven't yet
>figured out where the relays are for those). There is a central
>transformer, connected to each switch by additional two conductor wires
>(no idea if they are daisy chained or home run, but I assume the
>former). There are also a couple of remote multi-function switches,
>which have a knob that allow you to choose one of 10 or so different
>relays to control, along with a switch that turns the remote fixture on
>or off. I assume the remote is wired directly to the remote relays
>using more 3 conductor cable. Most wiring is similar to what we used to
>call rotor cable (for wiring up TV antenna rotors), but some is simply
>three solid conductor wires twisted together.
>
>Anyway, I'd like to replace this sytem with something a bit more
>modern. Although all the relays work (one or two are starting to give
>me a little trouble), I'd like to have the ability to dim lights, and
>even better, set up some automated controls. Is there any system that
>will allow me to use the existing wiring infrastructure? The walls are
>plaster so I don't want to tear them apart.
>
>Please respond in the newsgroup.
>
>Thanks,
>
>Steve