Home Automation - Lighting scenarios
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thomrose
05-28-09, 12:04 PM
I just remodeled my kitchen, and now I have more light switches than I care to think about. To set the lighting for a particular purpose involves running around and turning on or off or setting the dimmed level of a bunch of light switches. I would really like to have a setup for different lighting scenarios, each at the touch of one button, but I don't want to spend an arm and a leg to do it either.
What products should I be looking at?
What products should I be looking at?
Rick Johnston
05-28-09, 04:19 PM
How deep are your pockets, and how much control do you want?
The cheapest way is to replace all of the standard dimmers with remote-controlled dimmers (available at the big-box stores for about $35 each). Set up three scenarios: Full On, Full Off, and Pre-set. A single remote will control all of the dimmers, but you'll still be manually pointing & clicking. The pre-sets can be different on each dimmer, triggered by one click of the remote. IOW, set up a pleasing scene and recall it with one click.
The next step -- and higher cost -- is a SmartHome system that allows you to control groups of lighting. The dimmers are two or three times the cost, and you'll need a wired or wireless controller and extra wires run to each dimmer.
At the top end is a wifi- or IP-controlled whole-house system. If you have the patience to add it a little at a time, this is by far the best choice. It can be expanded to control your A/V, mechanicals, lighting, and any number of devices in your home.
A new state of the industry system can cost $80,000 or more, but used gear is readily available for pennies on the dollar as people upgrade and dump their perfectly-working older gear on ebay. AMX or Crestron controllers that sold for $8,000 three years ago are now selling for hundreds.
The cheapest way is to replace all of the standard dimmers with remote-controlled dimmers (available at the big-box stores for about $35 each). Set up three scenarios: Full On, Full Off, and Pre-set. A single remote will control all of the dimmers, but you'll still be manually pointing & clicking. The pre-sets can be different on each dimmer, triggered by one click of the remote. IOW, set up a pleasing scene and recall it with one click.
The next step -- and higher cost -- is a SmartHome system that allows you to control groups of lighting. The dimmers are two or three times the cost, and you'll need a wired or wireless controller and extra wires run to each dimmer.
At the top end is a wifi- or IP-controlled whole-house system. If you have the patience to add it a little at a time, this is by far the best choice. It can be expanded to control your A/V, mechanicals, lighting, and any number of devices in your home.
A new state of the industry system can cost $80,000 or more, but used gear is readily available for pennies on the dollar as people upgrade and dump their perfectly-working older gear on ebay. AMX or Crestron controllers that sold for $8,000 three years ago are now selling for hundreds.