Help with new kitchen lighting

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  • avenger penguin
    Automated Home Lurker
    • Dec 2008
    • 6

    Help with new kitchen lighting

    Hi, I am after some suggestions for integrating some lighting into my new kitchen project.

    The idea is to have some led plinth lighting, all around the kitchen, plus some walk over floor lights mounted in the adjacent hallway.

    The plan is to hide a electrical point under a kitchen cupboard to power the lighting, but I would like it automated in some way.

    I currently have a number of home easy units in and around the house controlling a lot of our lighting and mains sockets, I also have some spare x10 units and pc interface. I also had a server running a while back some trial HA software on which I would be ok with running again if needed.

    Now ideally I am looking for the best way to achieve the following obviously with cost in mind.

    Dawn/dusk switching (no point have the on in the day)
    Motion activated (pir?)
    On/off using either my existing home easy remotes, or switchable via and app that will work on android, iPhone, and iPad.

    Any ideas would be great, I really liked the software option that I had on the trial software (can't remember name) mainly the dusk tracking for switching etc.

    It also needs to be a diy option as I don't have the funds to get people in, and will be doing the work myself, but I am quite competent. If needs be I am happy to write my own apps for control as long as there is an sdk etc.

    Thats about it.
  • toscal
    Moderator
    • Oct 2005
    • 2061

    #2
    Will the plinth lighting be a single colour or colour change.
    How do you want the lights to respond, with the motion activated sensor.
    all on, i.e. kitchen and hallway or just kitchen.
    Will there be lights in the cabinets as well.
    IF YOU CAN'T FIX IT WITH A HAMMER, YOU'VE GOT AN ELECTRICAL PROBLEM.
    Renovation Spain Blog

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    • avenger penguin
      Automated Home Lurker
      • Dec 2008
      • 6

      #3
      Originally posted by toscal View Post
      Will the plinth lighting be a single colour or colour change.
      How do you want the lights to respond, with the motion activated sensor.
      all on, i.e. kitchen and hallway or just kitchen.
      Will there be lights in the cabinets as well.
      Single colour, not sure on response, I don't mind hallway and kitchen on when entering kitchen, but in an ideal world I would like a sensor near the front door to switch the hallway lighting on when entering the home.

      No lights in cabinets, just the plinths and hallway, plus the main light in the kitchen, but that is just a standard switch.

      Comment

      • TimH
        Automated Home Legend
        • Feb 2004
        • 509

        #4
        Given you’ve already got the X10 kit I’d give it a go with that. You could continue with the ActiveHome (?) software or move over to xAP for control. xAP is a community-created home automation protocol (www.xapautomation.org). That coupled with xAP Floorplan and the xAP X10 connector should get you started. A few webpages should then enable control via your mobile devices.

        Having lights come on when you enter the house sounds simple and can be as strighforward or “optimized” as you wish

        You could do it with an X10 PIR, or a pressure-sensor under the door mat / reed switch on the front door connected to a powerflash module (http://www.letsautomate.com/10258.cfm?), all “and/or” whether you’ve disarmed the alarm as well. If you’re happy with “lights on if movement in the hall” then it’s fairly straightforward

        Similarly for the kitchen – plinth lights come on only if movement AND after dusk / before dawn.

        My only other tip would be to temporarily rig it up and test it before spending time on the final install. That way you can ensure your logic is correct, things are located in the correct place etc. before finally cutting & drilling your kitchen.


        HTH,

        Tim.
        My Flickr Photos

        Comment

        • avenger penguin
          Automated Home Lurker
          • Dec 2008
          • 6

          #5
          Tim, thankyou very much for your reply, has given me a lot to look into, I was unaware of the xAP stuff.

          I am going to go for the simple approach, that if its dark and theres movement, switch on. I will follow that approach in the hall and kitchen and hopefully xAP will allow that.

          Comment

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