CAT5 based switches

[RobWalker]

I put in an EDT iLine system for lighting control ~4 years ago into a new home, daisy chained CAT5 to each switch (4 branches from a central hub). EDT went bankrupt a few months later

A near lightening strike last week appears to have taken out the controller. It still powers the network (fortunately, otherwise nothing works) but it no longer responds to any serial commands.

I am planning on replacing the switches with UPB, which is straight forward ... but I have a number of iLine multi-switches. These are boxes that have 6 buttons on them and act as scene switches. But they only have (daisy-chained) CAT5 running to them -- no power. Anyone know of a technology that can replace these without pulling new wire? I don't need 6 buttons, for most of them 1 would actually be sufficient.

Thanks!

 

[edge]

Maybe On-Q lighting? Now Genesis 1:3
www.setnetpro.com

 

[brathnach]

Wired Clipsal C-Bus should work in this situation. Have to replace the central controller obviously but would fit the CAT5 daisy chained situation I'm pretty sure. Ain't cheap though..


Jim

 

[RobWalker]

Thanks for the suggestions.

I'm reluctant to go with another single (small) vendor solution to avoid being in the same position again ... and the only pricing I can see around On-Q suggests >$200 a switch which seems excessive.

C-Bus was suggested on the CQC forums too. Not sure it would work for the loads themselves since it doesn't have the load switching inline and (AFAIK) that needs to be mounted elsewhere (which is more retrofit work than I want to tackle). But using it for just the switches would be an interesting idea, and tying it together in software.

Another cheaper option would be to use just stick-on battery powered Z-wave switches like http://www.aartech.ca/zw5301-ge-gasco-45631-stick-on-wireless-zwave-controller.html and forget about the wiring all together.

Does anyone have any experience with these, especially wrt battery life and signal strength in a small Z-wave network? Would a Z-wave network with just an interface a bunch of these form a good enough mesh over ~2500 sq ft?

 

[fwd03]

Is UPB devices litening proof?

 

[RobWalker]

Is UPB devices litening proof?

I doubt it -- but maybe I can appeal to the lightening never strikes twice theory (and at least I could get a drop in replacement for a UPB controller if necessary).

 

[KeepItSimpleStupid]

You mentioned serial. Is this Rs232? I had a X-ray diffraction set at work that was retrofitted with a stepper drive. It kept taking out the RS232 Receiver/Driver chips. It might be worth seeing what interface chips are being used. It might not be too difficult to fix.