v1rtu0s1ty said:
Can you please give me a link to the X10 garage wall switch? I don't want to buy the wrong one.
By the way, are there any rules that if we go with X10, we should go all the way with X10 technology? I mean, can we integrate different protocols on the M1 like UPB and X10? I know that it is nice to have single protocol end to end like TCP/IP
Basic X-10 switch (push button, not 2-way, so the Elk wouldn't see it being turned on/off at the switch, but the Elk could turn it on/off then just use a sensor wired to an Elk input to determine if the light is on.)
Smarthome old ToggleLinc or
Smarthome new V2 ToggleLinc (switch looks like standard switch except it sits in the middle, press up to turn on, down to turn off. These do not have manual address settings so you'll need a way to assign a X-10 address to them, could do it with an Elk rule, or simpler to just purchase an X-10
controller that you could use to send the X-10 signal 3 times to assign the address. The old style defaults to A1, new style has no X-10 address by default.)
Smarthome paddle style Switchlinc (they no longer have the older versions, but these would have the same capabilities as the new V2 ToggleLincs.)
The switches I listed are all dimmer style. If you have fluorescent lights, then you would need non dimming versions of the switches (referred to as relay style).
The is no problem mixing different technologies. The only issue would be is that the Elk references all technologies as light(1-256). The Elk manual shows how the X-10 addresses are associated to the Elk light numbers. Insteon, UPB and Z-Wave all have different formats how they are added to the Elk lighting scheme. Insteon & UPB start at light(1) and goes up to light(192), then from Light(193) to Light(254/255) are light groups or scenes. Z-Wave starts at Light(97) and goes up to Light(256), Light(1-64) are Z-Wave Groups and Light(65-96) are Z-Wave scenes. So the problem with mixing protocols on the Elk would result in Turning on Elk Light(5) would turn on X-10 address A5, Insteon light #5, UPB light 35 and Z-Wave group #5. Not desired if you only wanted one light to come on. So if you were to mix say X-10 and UPB as you questioned. You would want to start adding X-10 devices address L16 (Elk Light 192) and work backward with addresses. This way as you add UPB devices, they would be working upward from Elk Light 1.
To those who are recommending UPB, yes its a great protocol, but not cheap solution to do only one light (even with the great deal on the starter kit). Initial cost would be $125 for the UPB starter kit plus you would also have to spend $72 for the Serial interface to the Elk ($197 total initial investment). If one was serious about getting into automation then its a different story, but v1rtu0s1ty is looking for a simple Elk solution to monitor/control just the garage light for now. With X-10 and the light sensor elcano posted he could do what he wants for $42. (Then we'll get him hooked on Home Automation like the rest of us and start spending tons of money to automate everything in the house.
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The Pod
