centralight litejet and omnipro

english_1969

Active Member
While I have been planning to use UPB as a lighting control system, my electrician has proposed using a centralite litejet system for the main floor and optional upb on the second and basement floors.

My questions are:

1) Anyone have any experience with a litejet system here?

2) HAI OmniPro indicates it has an interface for this system. Anyone using this? Can the lights/scenes then be controlled from something that can interface to the HAI (e.g. homeseer, cqc, mainlobby, etc.)?

Thanks,
WE
 
I use the LiteJet, but with the Elk. I am interfacing with the Elk using ICQ. I am still in the remodeling phase of my house, so haven't had a lot of time to tinker with the software (specificall ICQ), but my initial tests have been successful.
The biggest complaint I hear with LiteJet is the keypads, but I don't have any problem with them.

If you have any specific questions about my setup, let me know.
 
1) Is it possible to have more than one interface to the litejet? i.e. 1 for homeseer and 1 for elk/hai?

2) Does the elk provide 2 way communication to litejet?

if some has this up and running, i'd like to talk if you wouldn't mind. I am a homeseer and mainlobby user.

WE
 
The LiteJet has 2 serial ports. I use one for programming the lights, switches and scenes, etc. and the other as a connection to the Elk. The Elk has 2 way communication with the Litejet, so it can adjust lights based on its own events (like arming/disarming the alarm), and it can react to LiteJet actions.

If you wanted to use HomeSeer or Mainlobby, I would interface from these software platforms through the Elk, and let the Elk control the lights. I am building a similar system, but using CQC instead.
 
3dogknight - thanks for the input!!! Do you mind if I ask a few more questions?

Do you use pc software or a programming device to do the programming? Have you found it pretty easy?

How many scenes can you setup?

Can you control the scenes from the elk? Can you get feedback on what scenes are active?

Can you set timers in the litejet?

Can you adjust fade rates for each scene/button press?

Do the keypads provide feedback that a button/scene has been activated/de-activated?

Is the scene setup separate from the keypad buttons? I.e. you setup a scene and can assign the same scene to one or more buttons (e.g. an Outdoor On scene...assigned to 5 different keypad button?)

Sorry for all the questions, I need to make a choice in the next few weeks and want to ensure this will work for me.

Thanks,
WE
 
re: UPB ... This just means that the Centralite can send powerline commands to upb devices. You define the load in the Centralite software, and these loads can participate in Centralite scenes, etc. Even though I haven't tried this, I would suspect it would not be as reliable as hardwired loads native to the centralite.
 
Do you use pc software or a programming device to do the programming? Have you found it pretty easy?
PC Software. You connect to the PC through the serial port. Easy.

How many scenes can you setup?
30

Can you control the scenes from the elk? Can you get feedback on what scenes are active?
Yes/yes

Can you set timers in the litejet?
12 timed events native on the Centralite, yet I put all timed event on the Elk instead.

Can you adjust fade rates for each scene/button press?
yes

Do the keypads provide feedback that a button/scene has been activated/de-activated?
There is a light that indicates whether the load/scene is off/on

Is the scene setup separate from the keypad buttons? I.e. you setup a scene and can assign the same scene to one or more buttons (e.g. an Outdoor On scene...assigned to 5 different keypad button?)
Yes, loads, buttons, and scenes are all setup seperatly, and then related in the software. I use mutliple butons to control common loads (works like 2-way switches in conventional wiring)
 
Did you go with only the litejet 48 or are you also using the UPB for other floors? What was the reasoning for the combination system?

Are you interfacing the centralite to the HAI Omnipro? I am leaning toward this setup (LJ48+Omnipro) with CQC.
 
What hardware do I need to purchase from centralite to get a litejet system working with my elk m1 gold. Any idea on price?

Thanks,

Holt
 
Hi, Holt:

I have not purchased yet, but I was quoted $2600 for a LiteJet-24 system, which includes:

Light control panel, setup for 24 loads.
Touch Panel Programmer with LCD display.
5 of the 6 Button Keypads.
6 of the 4 Button Keypads.
5 of the 2 Button Keypads.
96 Interchangeable pre-engraved buttons.

Also, you need a serial expander board for the ELK (I haven't priced this yet).
 
Thanks for the information Rocco.

I've decided to go with the ALC system because I think it will be easier than to try and convince the builder to homerun all the romex to a single location for the lights.

BTW, Smarthome has the M1 serial port expander for $71.99. I think you can probably find it cheaper than that.

Have a good one,

Holt
 
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