Re: Laying out a new house - looking for Wiring and controller advise

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

> It does work quite reliably and overall I'm pleased with
> it. I had tried a UPB starter kit before Insteon and found
> that it worked no better than X10.  IOW, in the two
> areas of my home where X10 flat out won't work, UPB
> didn't either. Insteon, with the RF bridges strategically
> located, does the job beautifully.  I do miss code wheels
> though.

Your experience is encouraging.  I also appreciate the fact that you make
clear whether your statements are based on experience or supposition.  My
biggest concern with Insteon is that only one company supports it.  When
they move on or should they experience business troubles (certainly not
unheard of in our industry) you could wind up with an unsupported system --
no repair or replacement parts and no add-ons for the next project.

This is related to the reason I've always avoided proprietary technology in
security systems.  If the entire system is dependant upon a single
manufacturer it can become completely unsupportable at the stroke of a
comptroller's pen.

While I have not yet tried either Insteon or Z-Wave, my inclination is
toward Z-Wave because it has garnered support from a vast number of
manufacturers.  We're going to do some remodeling in our new place shortly.
Our home has 3800 sf under air and over 2000 sf on the lanai.  We're going
to add an outdoor kitchen / dining room as well but that will have to wait a
couple of years.  The house has one floor on a slab with 12 foot ceilings
and concrete floors.  Rewiring the electrical system would be difficult and
time consuming.  Fortunately, the builder installed wiring for a
comprehensive security system.

The project will of course include installing a home automation system.  For
the controller I've chosen ELK's M1G.  I plan to use Z-Wave for the lights
and thermostats.  We also need to replace the pool / Jacuzzi controller.
I'm looking into a Z-Wave option for that as well.

--

Regards,
Robert L Bass

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