Messages

1

Users / Re: New house - help to choose home automation protocol to work with MCE

« on: November 16, 2011, 02:17:19 pm »

I am already all over ebay.de for KNX/EIB modules

So I have to watch which binary inputs I buy?  Any recommendations?
Is this function to toggle addresses normal or only some binary inputs have it?

2

Users / Re: New house - help to choose home automation protocol to work with MCE

« on: November 16, 2011, 01:09:53 pm »

How many channels do you need?

I have pretty much decided to start with 12 lights and 8 blinds to keep the cost down.
And will prepare all electrical installations for future KNX by routing all the switches and wires to central location.

Can you recommend blind controllers which work with one binary input?

3

Users / Re: New house - help to choose home automation protocol to work with MCE

« on: November 15, 2011, 03:16:13 pm »

OK, so I definitely need binary inputs or switches.
I was hoping that some actuators have binary inputs incorporated.

Swtiches or binary inputs alone are hefty expense, mostly because of shutter switches - they take 2inputs each and there are quite a few of them.
I am just doing calculations of everything I need on online shops and the sum for KNX is heavily over budget

Have to rethink my approach now.

Thank you all for your time and knowledge!!

4

Users / Re: New house - help to choose home automation protocol to work with MCE

« on: November 15, 2011, 11:56:35 am »

Just read wiki, there is good description which RS232 interface to buy.

But I will use forums knowledge a bit more

There is one major thing I dont understand about KNX: switches
I know there exists KNX switches and binary inputs. Does it mean that I have to buy those for every switch, and more importantly use 2 inputs for every motor blind? This is getting very expensive

Or are there actuators which accept binary inputs for switches? Shutter motors are special because they would use 2binary input each.

And what does REG mean?

5

Users / Re: New house - help to choose home automation protocol to work with MCE

« on: November 14, 2011, 10:59:50 pm »

OK you got me hooked on KNX and I am already trying to find actuators on ebay
BUT - as I have read lots on X10/PLCBUS/Zigbee/ZWave - I am unfamiliar with KNX.
Can you point me to the good documentation for KNX?

REG actuators are the ones that can physically be controlled via momentary-switch?

I understand I need KNX powersupply, KNX RS232/USB interface, KNX actuator for blinds and for lights and I'll go for DALI.
Something special to look for regarding LinuxMCE connectivity?

thnx to all!

6

Users / Re: New house - help to choose home automation protocol to work with MCE

« on: November 14, 2011, 02:56:03 pm »

thnx for the information about fibaro, I havent yet seen their modules.
It looks fine, and prices are about 60EUR ppc

this could be viable solution - what about zwave range? are there any problems around typical house?

7

Users / Re: New house - help to choose home automation protocol to work with MCE

« on: November 14, 2011, 11:00:36 am »

Can you elaborate just a bit? At least which KNX - centralized or eib modules behind switches?
And we are talking about at least 30 circuits, so the switch actuators at 200EUR/switch and 500EUR/blind are way way to much money.
Especially when you compare to taiyito X10 at 15-20USD/module.

Maybe there are some more affordable KNX solutions?
I've gone through siemens, gira, merten, abb, mdt, etc...

8

Users / New house - help to choose home automation protocol to work with MCE

« on: November 14, 2011, 09:30:35 am »

Hello all!

As I am currently building new house - I have come to stage of sorting out electrical installations - so I can choose to add additional lines for home automation.

Current main tasks are:
-controlling lights
-controlling shutters
-possible FL/LED dimming (if it is achievable)
-later the HVAC will be added - depending on the heat pump type, but it is not current priority.

The house has 220V/1-phase AC current, the shutter motors are 220V with 3 wires, and the most lights will be CFL, some LED flood lights.
For the dimming purposes I was considering FL with electronic ballasts (0-10V or DALI) - but as I am still unable to find good ballast/module combination I am about to give up dimming

Major concern now is which the protocol to choose - the more I read and ask for quotations the more I am unclear
-X10 Taiyito micro modules - very cheap (~1000USD total) and very easy to implement, but I am concerned about interference from CFL and switching power supply
-PCLBUS micro modules - more expensive (~2500USD total), probably more robust?!?
-KNX/EIB - the expense with micromodules is sky high (about 150EUR/module), could be great solution but out of my price range
-centralized KNX - expense is quite high and needs lots of customized wiring which could lead to lots of problems with upgrades in decades to come
-zwave or zigbee - cannot find applicable micromodules, especially for shutters and again gets very expensive

As I have said I have a clear book to start with, my electrical installations can be customized if a good solution emerge.

Here is my floor plan with some simplified lightning zones (A-I):
i.imgur.com / UD9jg.jpg
(cannot post img?)

Please give suggestions and keep in mind that the budget is not limitless

9

Users / Re: New PLCBUS driver

« on: November 11, 2011, 02:44:36 pm »

Hello all.
This thread is the most active for PLCBUS and MCE, and I am just in a process of purchasing PLCBUS devices
which I will use in my new house that I am building:
-10x micro modules (2268HE)
-2x dimmable micro modules for CFL/LED (2268HXD)
-3x dual shutter modules (3160MHX2)
-1x usb controller (1141)

And as a novice in PLCBUS i have lots of questions:

Is this all I need - Will I be able to program the modules via usb controller (1141)?

Has anybody been using shutter controllers with MCE? As far as I can see the commands are on/off dim+ dim-

And a PLCBUS harware question - what about dimmable fluorescent light module, it has 0-10V analog output - I am thinking about buying all 3160MHX2 instead of 2268HE if the dimmable balasts are obtainable and working fine (I would then use FLs with ballasts instead of the standard E27 CFLs in the house).