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Lighting automation

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  • 14-12-2019 12:55pm
    #1
    JL spark
    Registered Users Posts: 199 ✭✭


    I’m looking to add light automation to a few rooms to my house , house is 4 years old , im a electrician so hopefully I can install this my self , what are my options , I’ve one room I want to start with , it has 6 gang dimmer switch that I’d like to modernize to a smart switch and maybe in line dimmers , thanks


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    #2
    wexfordman2
    Registered Users Posts: 2,555 ✭✭✭wexfordman2


    JL spark wrote: »
    I’m looking to add light automation to a few rooms to my house , house is 4 years old , im a electrician so hopefully I can install this my self , what are my options , I’ve one room I want to start with , it has 6 gang dimmer switch that I’d like to modernize to a smart switch and maybe in line dimmers , thanks

    Depends on how accessible and what route you want to go done.

    Smart bulbs:- easy to replace, expensive relative to other options and no direct replacement for your wall switch.

    Smart switch:- direct replacement of your existing switch, although difficult to do with 6 gang. If you have a neutral behind your switch then that makes things easier and .ore options, if no neutral, then harder and most likely you will use dimmable smart switches.

    Rewire: how feasible is that?


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    #3
    JL spark
    Registered Users Posts: 199 ✭✭JL spark


    wexfordman2 wrote: »
    Depends on how accessible and what route you want to go done.

    Smart bulbs:- easy to replace, expensive relative to other options and no direct replacement for your wall switch.

    Smart switch:- direct replacement of your existing switch, although difficult to do with 6 gang. If you have a neutral behind your switch then that makes things easier and .ore options, if no neutral, then harder and most likely you will use dimmable smart switches.

    Rewire: how feasible is that?

    Thank you for reply, when I was wiring my house , I brought a feed to every light in the room back to the plant room , so if there was a din rail controller with a smart switch , there is a neutral at light switch


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    #4
    ted1
    Registered Users Posts: 23,538 ✭✭✭✭ted1


    JL spark wrote: »
    I’m looking to add light automation to a few rooms to my house , house is 4 years old , im a electrician so hopefully I can install this my self , what are my options , I’ve one room I want to start with , it has 6 gang dimmer switch that I’d like to modernize to a smart switch and maybe in line dimmers , thanks

    How many lamps does it have. You don’t often see 6 gang switches


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    #5
    JL spark
    Registered Users Posts: 199 ✭✭JL spark


    ted1 wrote: »
    How many lamps does it have. You don’t often see 6 gang switches

    It’s two 3 gangs on top of each other ,
    3 sets of spots , center light , 5amps and a unit light , got a bit carried away on my own house 😅


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    #6
    wexfordman2
    Registered Users Posts: 2,555 ✭✭✭wexfordman2


    JL spark wrote: »
    Thank you for reply, when I was wiring my house , I brought a feed to every light in the room back to the plant room , so if there was a din rail controller with a smart switch , there is a neutral at light switch

    That's interesting, ther are din rail modules with lots of options, but the switch control would need cat5 cable to the switch, is that possible in your scenario ?


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    #7
    JL spark
    Registered Users Posts: 199 ✭✭JL spark


    wexfordman2 wrote: »
    That's interesting, ther are din rail modules with lots of options, but the switch control would need cat5 cable to the switch, is that possible in your scenario ?

    In that room I can get a cat 5 to the switch location


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    #8
    wexfordman2
    Registered Users Posts: 2,555 ✭✭✭wexfordman2


    JL spark wrote: »
    In that room I can get a cat 5 to the switch location

    Ok, so that expands your options a bit, bit if you are looking at extending ot to other rooms, you might want to look at a different type of setup if cat cable is difficult to other rooms

    There are a good few din rail type solutions, such as loxone (someone has a thread on that system) , or velbus (that's the system I use), and a couple of other options as well.

    I woul suggest taking a look at their websites, both systems use similar wiring topology. It might be overkill for you or not depending on how much you are looking at getting in to it.

    Www.velbus.eu for ref of the velbus stuff, if it looks like something that meets your needs, I can explain my system a bit more, but essentially you need to consider 2 areas

    1) wiring topology
    2) contoller/ hub


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    #9
    JL spark
    Registered Users Posts: 199 ✭✭JL spark


    wexfordman2 wrote: »
    Ok, so that expands your options a bit, bit if you are looking at extending ot to other rooms, you might want to look at a different type of setup if cat cable is difficult to other rooms

    There are a good few din rail type solutions, such as loxone (someone has a thread on that system) , or velbus (that's the system I use), and a couple of other options as well.

    I woul suggest taking a look at their websites, both systems use similar wiring topology. It might be overkill for you or not depending on how much you are looking at getting in to it.

    Www.velbus.eu for ref of the velbus stuff, if it looks like something that meets your needs, I can explain my system a bit more, but essentially you need to consider 2 areas

    1) wiring topology
    2) contoller/ hub

    What I really want is something I can set lighting moods with , I might be a bit stuck with the boxes I have for the switch’s at the moment, would a wireless switch or system work with a din rail controller ? Some of the control 4 systems have it , very hard to get info , I like to try it on my own place before I’d offer it to any of my electrical clients,


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    #10
    wexfordman2
    Registered Users Posts: 2,555 ✭✭✭wexfordman2


    JL spark wrote: »
    What I really want is something I can set lighting moods with , I might be a bit stuck with the boxes I have for the switch’s at the moment, would a wireless switch or system work with a din rail controller ? Some of the control 4 systems have it , very hard to get info , I like to try it on my own place before I’d offer it to any of my electrical clients,


    Yeah, for a refit, it might be worth looking at something like fibaro z wave modules which fit behind the wall switch, but space might be an issue.

    Again, a good solution for a refit, but for a rewire or if possible a din rail.type solution would be better imho. If it were for a client, new build or rewire, I would 100% go for a wired din rail type solution, no questions, no doubt.

    Take a look at the fibaro modules above, again, there are lots of manufacturers etc along similar lines.

    Dont forget the controller element which you would need to get a decision on as well. Imho, something like openhab running on a raspberry pi is very stable and flexible.



    https://www.vesternet.com/collections/z-wave/products/z-wave-fibaro-double-switch-2-gen5


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