I would like to install a home automation system in a complete reno I’m working on in Ottawa, Ontario. I have heard allot of conflicting “opinions” from sales people so I’m looking for any feedback from real installer/users. The house has allot of compact fluorescents, dc furnace motors, electronics etc, which create problems for the low end systems (rf stuff like Q10, or existing wiring like Leviton DHC) short of installing line filters in front of every device .. The hardwired networked systems I have found here are all marketed to death, they want 7000 for 1500 worth of material that can be installed in a 2 days. Can anyone recomend a reliable system that I can install myself .. thanks in advance ..
Edited 5/27/2005 9:26 am ET by wane
Replies
There is a lot of action in home automation using power line signaling that is many times as reliable as the old X10. One is Universal Powerline Bus (UPB):
http://www.go-upb.com/
UPB is licensed and there are several manufacturers. The other is the HomePlug alliance.
http://www.homeplug.org/
HomePlug is widely available now for Ethernet and AV applications but have the automation control system nearing beta testing.
I believe that reliable, widely licensed, and widely supported powerline signaling will take over the home and commercial automation markets since no additional wiring is needed and can be retrofitted at any time.
I've had a rather extensive X-10 setup for several years with lighting controls in four separate buildings spread over a couple of acres. Yes, reliability is an issue with X-10, but it's not as bad as the UPB web site claims. The biggest problem I've encountered with X-10 is interference caused by electronic ballasts and solid-state, step-down transformers. These devices use switching regulators that put out a lot of broad band electrical noise on the AC lines (put an AM radio near one to se what I mean), and this can mask X-10 signals if they are weak.The solution is to put a filter on thse devices that prevents their noise from getting out onto the house circuits. Once that's done, X-10 becomes very reliable, probably over 95%. That's a far cry from the 99.9999% of a wall switch, but convenience always has a price.One big advantage for X-10 is that it's a mature technology with hundreds of products on the market and multiple vendors supporting it. The UPB stuff is relatively new, and IMO, unproven.
X10 may not bad as the UPB site claims, but it is still not all that great. By far the most important issue in my mind is a widely supported standard, like the HomePlug spec, will mean a wide variety of products that will plug-and-play out of the box. Rather than buy a module to put between an appliance and the receptacle, a built-in system can do more for way less money and hassle.
I recently saw an 8000 sq. ft. house (yes, that really is 8000!), that was filled with UPB. The stuff is rock-solid. I use some X-10 in my own house (<3000 sq. ft.), and it is tricky to get it working.
That was the first house I've ever seen with a 600 amp service.