Home Automation

MuttsNutts · February 15, 2007

Hiyo, Has anyone had any experience of Home Automation, like switching lights on and off etc, keyless door entry, temperature controls etc? I am quite familiar with C-Bus products but they seem expensive to use to knock up a bespoke solution designed from the ground up (so to speak). What I'm after is the best solution for maybe a 3 or 4 bedroom apartment that I can design from scratch by asking the customer what they require (after prompting them a bit) and knock up some electrical schematics for them to first and second fix from (kinda like domestic wiring). I am assuming all the wiring will come back to something akin to a control panel. Any ideas/experience? Thanks in advance. Edited February 15, 2007 by MuttsNutts

Ken Moore · February 15, 2007

I recently automated a utility building, I wanted to ensure that everything would still be functional if the plc died. So I may have over did it. I wired all the inputs such as light switches through a two position toggle switch on the control panel door. When in auto the light switch sends an input to the plc, the plc then fires a relay that energizes the light. When in manual the light swicth controls the relay directly. For the heating etc... I used two position toggles as well, Auto allows the plc to fire a relay, manual directly fires the relay. The down side is the control panel ends up rather large, with all the toggles on the exterior, and all the relays inside. Plus you will need more wire, because each device must be connected to the control panel.

Sleepy Wombat · February 16, 2007

So this is a new development.... 3-4 bed apartment.... aint small... plus kitchen, living, toilet, ensuit ... Do you wnat the standard click clak switches to control lights or have each room dimmable from a single switch... Why limit you self to the eletrical wiring what about data and distributed TV etc Yes i have done my house in C-Bus... No i would not do it with a PLC (i have been involved with PLC;s for years)...The only thing that i would have changed was how i terminated the field wiring for the c-bus modules.... i should have mounted them in an industrial metal cabinet and pre wired all of the io points down to a terminal strip ... much the same as you would with an industrial control system with cable duct etc in stead i adpoted the onsite install domestic approach with a slim line enclosure etc,... this just made the install a bit harder to keep neat which is what i like. If you want to know i used the Ulti Saturn type of switches... glass facia etc with org/blu neon indicator in the switch...can;t beat them for style... i also used the DLT switches (dynamic labling switches) ... i also got the PAC controller as well although definetly not necessary.. It is a little expensive...but the effect and flexibilaty far out ways this....remeber you are not selling two way switching....

MuttsNutts · February 21, 2007

I'm guessing that the customer will want all the bells and whistles of a remote control unit, or at the very least, a centalised touch-screen type of panel where he/she can control the light settings according to moods etc as a group. Different themes can be selected that will control different combinations of lights, for example. One theme would be "holiday" theme where lights are switched on and off at night whilst the property is empty. However, the ability to switch the lights on and off (including dimming) for each room individually will be a requirement. I understand 2-way switchingmight be tricky unless the switches are used as digital I/O to a CPU which then works on the logic to switch the lights on and off. That more or less takes care of the lighting circuits. As for heating, normally, a motorosed 2-way valve is used to divert hot water to either the hot water cylinder or the radiators depending on the thermostat settings. Hot water cylinder usually has higher priority. Any ideas on the automation of this? And what about sockets (230v in the UK & Ireland)? Normally, there is a ring circuit for a room (or a floor of, say, 3 rooms) but is it possible to automate the individual sockets easily? (Mind you, I cannot think of a practical reason for wanting this other than for lamps etc, but you could use a plug-in timer as a quick solution) Any info is appreciated.

Sleepy Wombat · February 21, 2007

C-Bus. & C-Bus wireless for the sockets to control lamps... Then if you really want to get into it a C-Bus PAC controller (pascal automation controller) When you do the C-bus training course in Australia you get a 12 pt dimmer module and Neo type switches to play on to keep... also if you do the basic screen course you get the small mono screen as well

MuttsNutts · February 28, 2007

Thank you for your pointers. i had hoped there was some fairly obscure and cheaper options out there but I guess there's only a few to choose from. Mutts

beegee · February 28, 2007

Hi, I performed different domotics projects with PLC's, going from normal houses over jails, up to boats. I still think a PLC is a good choice. It has some small drawbacks and needs som knowledge about programming but basically you just know it will still be running within15 years and if it breaks down at a certain moment there will be another (maybe compatible) PLC to replace it without having to replace all the cabling. if you need more info, let me know... Beegee