New house new system?

[bailers]

Hi All,

I have just moved to a new house which requires full renovation complete with a new automation system.
I am fairly experienced with home automation, my last home was kitted out with mainly homeeasy and bbstandby powered by homeseer and rfxcom.
I am struggling with what to go for this time round. There were many flaws with my previous system that I wish to improve on this time round. The brief for the next installation is as follows:

1. I would like a system that does not require a pc.
2. The main method of control is iPad, almond with wall switches.
3. The switches need to be either customisable or at least look nice ie satin black finish etc.
4. As always the system must be WAF!
5. A modular din rail system would be smart but not essential.
6. I am on a tight budget so it needs to be modular or cheap. I don't mind hacking stuff etc and I will be installing myself as I am electrically qualified.
7. The ability to add sensors and switches would need to provide feedback.

I have a few ideas but would be interested to hear what you guys think.

Many thanks

Chris

[Wexfordman]

I've just completed a refit of my house, and installed a velbus system which works with comfort! Obviously I am biased as I've just installed it, but the comfort system speaks for itself and velbus for me is an excellent system and meets pretty much all of your needs! Incredibly affordable, I got my units at 120 euro for 4 channel vmb4ry unit! Din rail
Modular system, same topology as knx/CBus!

I'm in the process of doing up an overview of my system, hope to get it finished next week!

Regards
Eamon

[b_weijenberg]

Possible solutions:

1 use a Homeseer Hometroller or a VERA with the new RFXtrx433
http://www.micasaverde.com/
http://forum.micasaverde.com/index.p...ic,9563.0.html

2 iPad is supported by Homeseer as also by VERA

3 Use HomeEasy or LightwaveRF wall switches or use the modules that can be mounted behind a standard wall switch.
Or use an AWMT-003 KlikAanKlikUit transmitter that reports the switch changes.
Sorry Dutch http://www.klikaanklikuit.nl/shop/awmt-003/

4 Program a HomeEasy/LightwaveRF remote in each module so that the lights can be controlled using this remote in case of system down.

[bailers]

Hi Eamon,

I am really interested in your solution and can't wait to see your overview.
Just one question..... The vmb4ry, do you use the push button inputs for your wall switches? Can you read those inputs from comfort or do you need to use a comfort input module?
I take it that comfort can poll the status of the vmb4ry outputs also?
Do you use the comfort app for the iPhone, what do you think?

Burt, your solution is one I have dabbled in and am also tempted by however I have several lighting circuits going in so it could prove more expensive than a din rail type modular system.

Many thanks
Chris

[Wexfordman]

Hi Chris,

I specifically chose the vmb4ry modules because they had the pb inputs for local control. Other solution for example woould have been to use a vmb8pb push button module, but I could'nt really see the benefit, because I chose to use a patch panel solution for all my pushbutton wiring. I installed a krone block in the attic which I wired all my wall switches to, and all the velbus module inputs, psu and data channels. Evetything was wired back to the patch panel, which meant I could easily just patch wall switches to velbus inputs in seconds, and change things around just as easy. Also allowed me to make wall switches two way etc really easily. Final benefit was that once the initial installation was done, it meant I never had to go near the fuse board to change things around, and it also kept the amount of wiring for inputs etc low in the fuse board itself.

Comfort has full visibility of the status of all channels, everything is 2 way communications and is 100% accurate so far. Its such a change from my old x10 system where I always missed a heart beat everytime an on command was sent, in case it didnt get there. With regards the heating, it was always a bit nerve wrecking given the slight uncertainty that x10 would do what it was supposed to, but with my heating now on velbus, I know its gonna be right all the time.

Comfort iphone app reads and controls my velbus solution perfectly, and status updates are alwats correct.

I have 21 velbus circuts installed now, 16 lights via vmb4ry, 3 heating circuits via vmb4ry and a dimmer circuit via a vmb4dmi, with 1 spare velbus channel left over. Am going to buy another vmb4ry and a few more dimmers over time as I want to add some mood lighitng and led striplights etc.

Velbus is also a complete standalone system in its own right and has some intelligence built into the modules themselves, but tbh, i never even bothered utilise this end of it, as I love the way comfort does all this for me, and its better to do it within the one system than have two competing sets of logic etc. But it is reassuring on one point that it will work without comfort, and there are other external solutions for controllers for velbus etc if I ever do move away from comfort (which I never will!!)

So, lets look at a few of the downsides, cos everything has a downside I suppose, and it would be dishonest not to point them out.

1) The modules themselves dont mount very well on din rails. Cant quite figure this out, they are din modules, but just dont give a tight fit. Not the end of the world.
2) Support forum is quiet. While you do get a reply, its not quite as quick as other forums Id be used to. The comfort forum is excellent, and quite good at getting back to velbus queries etc as well. I will say that the velbus support email however is very quick and helpful. Velleman have been around for a long time, so not a fly by night solution.


They are also developing some interesting rf modules etc, which look really promising!


Regards,
Eamon

[bailers]

Hi Eamon,

As a follow up to your comprehensive reply I just thought I would give an update on what I have decided to go for. After much research and deliberation I very nearly went with your solution however in the end I have purchased a Loxone mini server. I only ordered it today so cannot comment as yet however I will blog the whole installation as I go........ Link to follow........

Regards

Chris

[Wexfordman]

Hi Chris,

Interesting looking system, will be very interested to see more info on in, very nice price also.
Many hours of enjoyment ahead in any case, look forward to hearing more.

Regards,
Eamon

[toscal]

Looks good. Just wonder how much the entire system would actually cost. since I reckon its an extra light dimmer module and or extension module. So cost I guess will be about 1344 euros. Not bad I guess in reality. Like the fact it can handle 0-10V and there is a DMX module. (Got my LED lighting head on here)

[Wexfordman]

Was looking a bit more, dones look quite nice! One thing might be worth considering is if you can have two main modules rather than a main and extension, that way perhaps there could be some redundancy of one unit fails! Might be worth considering how you can implement some form of backup in case one unit fails, as having the entire system dependent on one piece of hardware might not be ideal!

Was trying to find some schematics but didn't get a chance to so might dig a bit more!

[tomkent45]

Thanks for this info

Possible solutions:

1 use a Homeseer Hometroller or a VERA with the new RFXtrx433
http://www.micasaverde.com/
http://forum.micasaverde.com/index.p...ic,9563.0.html

2 iPad is supported by Homeseer as also by VERA

3 Use HomeEasy or LightwaveRF wall switches or use the modules that can be mounted behind a standard wall switch.
Or use an AWMT-003 KlikAanKlikUit transmitter that reports the switch changes.
Sorry Dutch http://www.klikaanklikuit.nl/shop/awmt-003/

4 Program a HomeEasy/LightwaveRF remote in each module so that the lights can be controlled using this remote in case of system down.