Detached workshop; Elk wiring suggestions

Lou Apo said:
The dbh instructions tell you how to do this.  But you lose 2 spots.  Also keep in mind that your wire run length is the sum of all devices plugged in to the dbh times 2.  With 14 runs, it could be too long.  So you might instead choose to run the two dbh's in parallel directly off the Elk.  Of course this means that everything else will have to run off the dbh, since the Elk can only have 2 parallel runs.
 
Lastly, it doesn't sound like you have considered grounding and lightening protection.  Running wire between structures underground is a risky thing.  Are you putting in a separate electric service in the second building?  If so, you need to make sure you only have a single ground for both structures.  In other words, don't use a grounding spike for building 2, tie it in to building 1's ground.  A lightening strike will setup a potential in the earth and typically this will weaken as the distance from the strike point increases.  So the closer ground will have a different potential than the further one, and a current will try to run between them if there is a path.  Since you have Elk stuff grounded in the one building, and other stuff grounded in your primary building, it very easily could use the communications cabling between the two close that potential difference.  The basic jist is, you want the potential throughout your entire interconnected stuff to rise evenly together and fall evenly together.  Think of a wave of water, you don't want two boats tied together scraping sides when the wave lifts them sequentially, you want a single boat that lifts and falls as one.
 
Also, the wires under ground should be shielded and grounded to prevent EM induced current in the wires.  The grounding should be to the primary buildings ground, the same ground that everything else is attached to..
 
If I had to estimate my current DBH wiring I would say that I have NO more than 100-ft run right now - and that includes doubling the runs to each of my keypads. The Cat5E cable that will connect the DBHs together will also be approximately 100-ft in length, so that's another 200-ft there. Still NO WHERE close to the 4000-ft max.
 
The workshop will be powered from the homes primary panel, not a separate service line.
 
Lou Apo said:
No, you can only have the two runs off the main databus connections.  The other spots are for temporary use.
 
I read that J1 and J2 were for temporary use of the databus. I was actually referring to J3 (Aux Data Bus), but see that there is a note that says it's for wireless receivers.
 
I assume that I should have no issues running the workshop off a secondary parallel run off the primary databus connection (as I illustrated in a previous post).
 
Yeah, if it were me, I'd run the shop off the second leg of the data bus - it should be pretty clean that way.
 
As the construction on my detached workshop comes to a close (the only thing remaining now is the door which should be installed by Wednesday), I am planning to be staining the concrete floor this coming weekend and will start doing other work shortly thereafter. That being said, I think I've already figured out how I want to tie the workshop into the Elk, but I do have another question...
 
I'm waffling about being able to control the lights out there as well. Say I forget to turn them off... I don't necessarily want to have to go back out there. I doubt my existing Zwave network is going to reach out there either, so I wanted to ask... is it possible to have multiple XSLZWs on the same network? Functionally, I understand that it is a Type 5 databus device (same as a serial expander), so I would assume that part should be of no issue. My concern is the rest... is it possible to assign lights to utilize a different "serial expander"?
 
How far is the workshop? What z wave controller are you using?
I can reach my shed that's 40 feet from my house. I have a couple z wave outlets and a light switch I'm there. Also have zwave outlets in my garage at the closest point to the shed.
I'm also using a Vera 3 with a modified external antenna that i believe reaches that area also. No connectivity issues.
 
Big517 said:
How far is the workshop? What z wave controller are you using? I can reach my shed that's 40 feet from my house. I have a couple z wave outlets and a light switch I'm there. Also have zwave outlets in my garage at the closest point to the shed. I'm also using a Vera 3 with a modified external antenna that i believe reaches that area also. No connectivity issues.
 
I'd have to measure, but I'd guess the closest wall is ~30' away from the house; the closest part of the house being the MBR.
 
I'm using the Leviton VRCOP via the M1 and it's XSLZW.
 
The door should be installed NLT Wednesday...
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If it reaches that would be great. My concern is if it doesn't and what alternatives are available then...
 
Zwave should get you about 100 feet open air (I have seen it go much further outside).  So 30 to 50 feet should not be a problem with one intervening wall on either side.  If it is not reliable (I doubt it will happen) an outside device would improve the range. 
 
If you have foil face insulation or aluminum siding that obviously will affect the range.
 
I am about to add some Zwave if I can get the Ztroller to work on the new Hometroller if I decide to stay with Homeseer. 
 
You might want to monitor your temperatures in the workshop and be able to turn the heat, ac or exhaust fan on before you go out there.  Even an exhaust fan might help a lot in the summer depending where you live.
 
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