Re: About to build house, advice needed.

[RickH <passport@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

On Aug 28, 1:36 pm, and...@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx (Andrew Gabriel)
wrote:
> In article <13d8posj92h9...@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>,
>         "CWatters" <colin.watt...@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> writes:
>
> > Extra tips...
>
> > Make sure the electrical wiring is suitable.. For example in the UK you
> > won't find a neutral wire behind most light switches but a neutral
> > connection is needed for some home automation applications. Might be worth
> > telling the electrician you want a neutral wire at all light switches and in
> > the ceiling at all light fixtures. This means using wire with more cores.
>
> When I was rewiring with a view to future HA, I ran every lighting
> and switch point back to a wiring centre (which was a depopulated
> Consumer Unit). Even prior to HA installation, this made it trivial
> to alter the switching arrangements when required. When I moved to
> HA, I mounted relays and some X10 professional modules on the CU
> DIN rail, and the conversion was easy because access to everything
> was in one place. I used triple and earth everywhere too, with multiple
> runs for multi-way switch points, just to give extra cores if needed
> (and could be used to supply a neutral to a switch point).
>
> > Specify deep back boxes ones (in the UK that means 47mm). Many builders
> > install shallow ones as they don't require the wall to be chased out.
>
> The wiring centre method makes this unnecessary, but it would be a
> good move if you aren't using a wiring centre and need to distribute
> X10 modules around. If you are starting from scratch, you can avoid
> X10 and use relays directly driven by a suitable ontroller. I only
> use X10 where I want dimming, or retrofitting HA to an installation
> without being able to get a hardwired control cable to the switch
> location. However, this is also influenced by X10 being much more
> expensive in the UK than the US.
>
> --
> Andrew Gabriel
> [email address is not usable -- followup in the newsgroup]


I did centralized load switching when I remodeled my basement.
Installed a 60 amp sub panel off the main 400 amp service, then each
breaker of that went first to a switch bank, then out to the bsmt
light fixtures (6 banks of 6 switches each for 36 fixtures).  This is
very unusual wiring but did make it a little easier.  The only reason
I did it was because X10 was my intention, and X10 is pretty
unreliable so I wanted close-together devices some day.  By the time I
finished my basement (5 years later) Insteon was out and I am elated
over that development because it has proven to be ultra-reliable (had
it for a year already).  I could have used conventinal wiring.  But I
dont think you would have much luck getting your builder and inspector
to go along with a centralized load center for all your switches.  It
uses up about 4 times the amount of wire and it would be new to the
electrician and costly.  I think it's best to just make absolutely
sure you have a neutral in every J box, and that the mud plates for
switches dont have rounded openings so you can accomodate the rather
wide Insteon switches, they are not deep but they use every millimeter
possible of width.  I would definitely go with Insteon and only use
X10 if you absolutely have to for devices that are not yet available
in Insteon (occupancy, photoelectrics, etc).  Insteon devices talk X10
too.

Choosing your home run closet location is essential too, I find that a
central location is best with all low voltage wires coming to there
from relatively equal distances, instead of locating it off in some
far flung corner where half the wires will be long runs.

Dont forget a central vacuum system tubing rough in either, now that I
have central vac I cant imagine not having it.