help with choosing x10 gear

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  • chrisscott666
    Automated Home Lurker
    • Jul 2010
    • 6

    help with choosing x10 gear

    Hello there, firstly sorry for the long post but I知 looking for some general information regarding the x10 home automation system. I have just bought a 8 room flat including the balcony (included for the light) and am looking for some simple automation of some of the functions, i have read through the forum but as im working 12 hour days have not had a chance to look up everything i want to know hence the post, i have also contacted some dealers with my questions but there not exactly quick at getting back to you even when there痴 potential for a sale lol
    Firstly what i want to do, control all 8 lights on off and dim ( i want the behind the switch modules so i can use my own light switches, lights are all 230v halogens 4x50w one 6x50w, are standard on/off wall switches a problem?), control 3 plugs on and off(again behind the switch to use my own sockets), 3 curtains open and close, one set of normal and 2 sets of half curtains as there on the corner of a room. I知 also going to install the flat panel monitor in the link below into the passage way as a second convent form of control. (not to sure now as it may be abit tacky, no full lcd screen as i first thought but stick on pics on the back and stick on writing )
    HOWEVER I WANT TO BE ABLE TO DO ALL THIS FROM MY IPHONE (THIS IS A REQUIREMENT NOT A OPTION)
    I have a lap top for setting up but it runs windows 7 64bit as i just upgraded ;o( but my g/f has a older lap top running vista or xp i can use if necessary or even buy a dedicated desk top to interface with it, the flat has wifi and broad band already with sky.
    So far talking to a dealer i have come up with the below list of things ill need, can anyone who knows about x10 please take a look and advise me if this is correct as the descriptions are not excellent on the products about what exactly it dose and im still waiting to hear back from the dealer on my other questions.
    Im assuming the touch screen is 240v wired and uses radio to control with the controller? Or dose it also use the power lines?
    X10 system requirements and price

    8 x Dimming Light module lw12 @ 」32.09 each = 」256.72
    (been reading up a bit and got the impression you need momentary switches not normal wall switches, maybe use 8 aw12痴 as lights but wont have dim function?))

    3 x Socket switch aw12 @ 」33.56 each = 」 100.68

    1 x Easy touch panel 10 @ 」179 = 」179
    (Anyone have this? Is it as cheap and tacky as im now imagining?)

    1 x Cm15 pro user interface @ 」50.60 = 」50.60

    1 x Marmitek TM13 - A Must Have For X-10 Instilations @ 」19.44 = 」19.44
    (do i need this if i have a cm15?)

    3 x S3160E - PK3 - Curtain Controller Wall Switch 173 euros

    3 x automated curtain polls
    Various site on the net from 」120 each to 」400 each so not added up in total

    Total = 」606.44 + 173 euros
    Price is not a major issue within reason, I知 happy to spend 」1500 or so, if you can suggest any alternatives that are better I知 happy to look into them.
    If i need a momentary light switch will this do its touch on off control but im unsure if it has a relay to hold permant power on im assuming it dose

    Please remember I知 wanting to control all this from my iphone/ipad primarily
    I live in the uk as well

    Regards Chris
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    Automated Home Jr Member
    • Mar 2004
    • 34

    #2
    Just thinking aloud for a few seconds...

    i) Check your back boxes are going to be deep enough to accept the micro modules, you may have some difficulty with lighting back boxes as I believe most are about 16mm deep which is not enough space to hide the module and then mount a switch in front. Might be better seeing if you can hide them in the roof somewhere.

    Quite exactly how that switch works I don't know, its getting the voltage to operate the LED/touch circuit from the wiring somehow - I don't think (but cannot confirm) that there is any voltage on the switch inputs on the micro modules so I doubt they work.

    Another more crucial point is if you operate the micro modules by local control I don't think they report status (although the LWM1 micro module does), so if you press the switch the rest of the network does not know you have switched the light on.

    ii) 」179 is alot of money for that panel, I think its an RF panel aswell. For that sort of money or a little bit more you may be able to get a proper LCD touchscreen which will look and operate a lot better.

    iii) I would find the curtain poles before you worry about X10'ing them, depending on what they are they may be very easy to interface with or very difficult.

    Maybe I am biased but I prefer HomeSeer, you can buy the HSTouch iPhone plugin and I control mine using the iPhone - however you design the interface yourself.

    They were doing a special I think this month for HomeSeer Pro (which includes the iPhone plugin) but cannot remember the price.

    You may not want to limit yourself to X10, try looking at ZWave if you are not on a budget. It supports status reports straight away and a number of other benefits but you will need to use the switches rather than the micro modules and the plugin modules rather than something behind the socket.

    Comment

    • chrisscott666
      Automated Home Lurker
      • Jul 2010
      • 6

      #3
      thank you for the reply I appreciate you taking the time, I don稚 want the plug in modules or built in switches because they look cheap and tacky in white plastic, I知 going for a contempery look and they just would not fit in

      I agree with your comments on the LCD screen, I thought it looked good at first but then realized the back ground is a picture not a screen back ground

      as for the switch modules ill need to look more into this, I went with x10 as it was the first thing I came across so kind of latched onto them as there seems to be lots of support.

      Not sure I can design the interface with home seer, how easy is this? I know nothing about computer programming language but if it痴 just moving icons and addressing them I could do that. I値l look into that and zwave

      as for the sockets it痴 a new apartment and getting fully decorated after this so can just pull out the old light back boxes and put in deeper ones, could even totally re wire if I needed to although I would rather not lol

      Comment

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        Automated Home Jr Member
        • Mar 2004
        • 34

        #4
        I know what you are saying about the plugin modules, but its a fact of life in the UK as there are US versions of wall sockets with inbuilt modules (well there is the X10 WS10 but you sacrifice a socket and you may struggle to replace the socket for something after market, and its loud). What sort of appliances do you want to control? May be easier to build a module into the appliance rather than the socket.

        Another very important thing to consider is they don't support 13A IIRC (perhaps appx 6A?), whilst you may remeber you can't plugin anything above 6A into the sockets someone else may come along and plug in the iron - the results of which may range from a reset module to a burnt out module.

        If you have the ability to rewire then your options can be expanded, take a look at Idratek, CBUS etc.

        For the basics HomeSeer is pretty easy to use, it can be extremely powerful if you need it to be and start coding but its not essential to learn scripting. You will need a PC/Laptop running 24x7 though which is a consideration.

        I think Insteon has a hardware controller and an iPhone server, but I think its strictly US only which is a shame.

        Comment

        • toscal
          Moderator
          • Oct 2005
          • 2061

          #5
          Seems as though my rather long post didn't get posted.
          The touch screen is RF and can be considered a touch sensitive photo frame.
          If you go for a CM15 pro then there is no need for a TM13.
          Why not buy a starter kit. Intellihome do them and p+p is free. This one might be of interest to you.
          Also they are doing a buy 5 modules and get an extra one free.

          This 8" touch screen just requires a USB connection only and is just over 100 pounds.
          The Homeseer software is very good, and the touchscreen interface isn't that hard to get to grips with.
          Another option is the Homevision controller. Had mine for over 4 years now and its never given me any problems. Doesn't work with the CM15 though, so you need the XM10 Two-way PLC Interface And then I guess you will need the TM13 if you require RFX10 commands. I use the Homevision with Schelte's version of the HV software which is platform independent and has a few more things such as a touch screen interface. If you are into Star Trek then I did an LCARS type interface as a proof of concept http://www.wordpress-1219309-4387497...ead.php?t=1716. HV has its own users group on Yahoo.
          Also you will need to get a whole house X10 filter.
          I personally prefer the Xanura modules, (they look similar but there are firmware differences and seem to be of a better build quality). But these are a little more expensive than the Marmitek ones. Which is strange now, since Xanura is now owned by Marmitek.
          Last edited by toscal; 26 July 2010, 02:08 PM.
          IF YOU CAN'T FIX IT WITH A HAMMER, YOU'VE GOT AN ELECTRICAL PROBLEM.
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          Comment

          • chrisscott666
            Automated Home Lurker
            • Jul 2010
            • 6

            #6
            oh god i now have loads more stuff to look at ;o) i like the touch screen thats a nice find and will pretty much be adding that, can you get it bigger? i.e 12" ill look in a bit

            basically all i want is very simple, no alarm or cctv or music or video. i just want to be able to control 8 lights (using my own light switches) and 2 sockets again using my own sockets (one for the kettle and one general) and 3 curtains all from my iphone

            Comment

            • Ad
              Automated Home Jr Member
              • Mar 2004
              • 34

              #7
              Originally posted by chrisscott666 View Post
              oh god i now have loads more stuff to look at ;o) i like the touch screen thats a nice find and will pretty much be adding that, can you get it bigger? i.e 12" ill look in a bit

              basically all i want is very simple, no alarm or cctv or music or video. i just want to be able to control 8 lights (using my own light switches) and 2 sockets again using my own sockets (one for the kettle and one general) and 3 curtains all from my iphone
              I've checked and it looks like you can switch 16A with the micro module so you might be OK, are you happy using other switches? I don't think your going to be able to use the ones from earlier, might have to settle on something else momentary.

              Theres all sorts of size touchscreen about, I think dell were doing some touchscreen PC's as big as 22" recently.

              Comment

              • chrisscott666
                Automated Home Lurker
                • Jul 2010
                • 6

                #8
                the same site dose a 12" touch screen for 」124, im likeing the homeseer kit as it can connect to most others just need to delve a bit deeper into it and work out some options.

                Comment

                • chrisscott666
                  Automated Home Lurker
                  • Jul 2010
                  • 6

                  #9
                  Wireless HDMI ✓ Present wirelessly & watch TV wirelessly ✓ HDMI splitter & HDMI switch 4K/8K ✓ Bluetooth adapter ✓ IR extender


                  these are a solution to the using my own switch problem but they will not dim so looks like i may have to compermise

                  Comment

                  • TT_Gully
                    Automated Home Jr Member
                    • Dec 2009
                    • 12

                    #10
                    Hi

                    I looked at the wall panel you have mentioned. I had planned on using this to replace the wall switches but if there were any problems with it then I would not be able to switch on the lights. In the end I went for the following wall switch (http://x10-hk.com/store/product_info...products_id=68). As we were using CFL light fittings then the normal light switch would not be compatible so I just used the appliance wall switches and they work great. They look "different" to the normal switches and have a blue glow in the dark.

                    What is the reason for having the lights controlled by your iPhone ?

                    I purchased the following instead of the wall panel (http://www.wordpress-1219309-4387497...RF-Remote.html) Down side of these is that I did need to change the cable running to the light switch to give a neutral wire but worth it in the end.

                    This gives me control over the lights and all the AV equipment from the sofa so don't even need to use the light switches. It is also programmed with various macros to do multiple tasks ie turn off the lights, turn on the TV, turn on the Sat box and change channel to Sky Sports all from one button Simples!

                    The lights are also on timer control using a CM15 so offer security on dark nights.

                    Just some more things to think about.
                    Last edited by TT_Gully; 3 August 2010, 08:04 PM.

                    Comment

                    • chrisscott666
                      Automated Home Lurker
                      • Jul 2010
                      • 6

                      #11
                      thank you for the new source of information and switches i like the x10 2nd gen stuff and its a lot cheaper ;o)

                      i have got around my dimming problem, I'm going to use a appliance module like you with normal wall switched for override (and coz they look cool) then I'm going to have 2 lamps on the wall using the dimmer modules and in the bedroom, so they can handle dimming and i don't need the manual switch, and the main light will be on remote.

                      macro programmed. main lights off and lamps on at 50% wha la

                      i pretty much have a system decided upon now, so ill do a big post with everything over the next few days with links to see what you all think and weather it will all work together.

                      i just want to be able to control it with my iphone/ipad as it will be cool ;o) yeah im fickle but there ya go

                      basically homeseer, touch screen with desk top, and the modules

                      chris

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