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I am putting 16 can lights in the soffits of the house that I am building. I would like to control the lights with three switches, motion sensors and when I open the garage by remote control. I also want to put override switches for some of the lights that are near bedroom windows. It would be too difficult / impossible to wire this “conventionally” I was wondering if someone made a “black box” to control a lighting system like this. I called the local electrical, box and lighting stores but they did not know of one. Is there such a beast made? Perhaps associated with a security system. If this is impossible to do I would like to know that too.
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Brad - The motion sensors do make it a bit tricky. For an application like this I suggest that you contact Lutron via their technical hotline at (800) 523-9466. You may find that the 'black box' ends up being expensive and may have capacity beyond what you are looking for, like Homeworks or Radio Ra.
Nevertheless, you could start with Lutron and see what they can do.
also here
Jeff
*Did one like this for my own house, had to build it up out of low voltage control components. The 3 switches are standard connections to the low voltage relay, the motion detector switch tied across the low voltage relay, and the garage door tied to a microswitch that gets "bumped" when the door opens and a second microswitch that "bumps" when the door closes but "locked out" when any of the 3 regular switches have been previously activated to "on". I'm always surprised that low voltage lighting control is not used more often in residential work. It is really convinient having any number of switches able to control any light, also can tie the whole house into a computer program.
*Do you need to be concerned about turning on eave lights when there's snow on the roof and you start melting it rapidly? Especially when the gutters stay frozen. You might end up with some stunnining icicles.
*Hi-Do a search on "X-10" components on the internet. I believe the switches (actually electonic devices) turn on and off based on signals they receive thru the AC line. I know systems are available that allow you to say, wire a "panic button" light switch such that all lights in the house will go full on at the touch of a button based on settings at a central controller. Radio Shack has a system similar called "Plug N' Power", but it isn't what you are after for a more serious application like yours. Or, get a guy from a home automation place out for a quote, ask for manufacturer brouchures, and shazzam- kick him out the door.Good luck- sounds like a cool project!
*Brad: If you strike out on finding a lighting-specific black box, any supplier of process equipment controllers will have a line of programmable logic controls (PLCs). A PLC takes a huge variety of inputs (line voltage, low voltage, switch closures, thermocouples, pressure sensors, etc.) and lets you decide under what conditions actions are taken. (e.g. When switch A closes AND switch B closes AND there is motion OR the temperature is below 32F AND it is after 6 pm THEN put power to output #1). Allen Bradley and many other companies make PLC's. I've been out of it for a while, but would guess that the components would run about $500-750 to go this route. Might well be a cheaper option available at the electrical suppliy house, but a PLC would give you a ridiculous amount of flexibility. -David
*I put a low voltage relay system in my parents' house back in 1972. Big mistake: The company that made the relay switches went out of business, and the only viable alternative is X-10, which can't use the existing low voltage control wiring. Moral of the story: Whatever you do with fancy stuff like this, ask yourself if you'll be able to get replacement parts 30 years from now.-- J.S.
*There is a lot of stuff on the Internet on "home automation" or "home control" or similar terms. A couple to start with:http://www.electronichouse.com/http://www.hometoys.com/http://www.smarthome.com/http://www.home-automation.org/I understand Bill Gates did a couple of home automation things in his new digs. If you are near Lake Washington, perhaps you drop by his place and see how he did it. http://www.goehner.com/gates.htmhttp://www.usnews.com/usnews/nycu/tech/billgate/gatehigh.htm
*Brad The link Casey posted to "smarthome" is a good one and they were carrying the X 10 setup not to long ago. Their catalogue is pretty trick. Securew one if you can. Skip
*I'm in western Washington so I'm not that far from the Gates place. However, we don't socialize in the same circles so he or his security staff would probably take exception to me snooping around his soffits. Thanks for all of the leads. I'm goin to be busy researchin for awhile.
*It doesn't stay very cold for long in western Washington so I don't think I'll have the icicle problem. It just rains. Although, it really hasn't been doing much of that lately either.
*I put my low voltage system in in 1972, and can still get GE parts. Most big commercial and industrial buildings use low voltage controls. I have over 60 relays, 200 switches, and 2 central control panels and have not had any switch or relay failures in near to 30 years. I can also still get the relays for $1 at the local industrial surplus store. switch source and description at--- http://www.geindustrial.com/industrialsystems/panelboards/catalog/tlc-rely/index.htm
*Yes, I'm familiar with this. It's the three wire GE system. Unfortunately, the turkey I'm stuck with is the two wire SurfacePack system. Its relay latches both on and off, and changes positions when a momentary contact switch closes.-- J.S.
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I am putting 16 can lights in the soffits of the house that I am building. I would like to control the lights with three switches, motion sensors and when I open the garage by remote control. I also want to put override switches for some of the lights that are near bedroom windows. It would be too difficult / impossible to wire this "conventionally" I was wondering if someone made a "black box" to control a lighting system like this. I called the local electrical, box and lighting stores but they did not know of one. Is there such a beast made? Perhaps associated with a security system. If this is impossible to do I would like to know that too.