Elk M1 and Malibu Outdoor Low Voltage Lighting?

[ultrajones]

I have a 300 Watt Malibu outdoor low voltage lighting kit and wondered if I could hook it up to my Elk M1. I noticed it has a 3rd terminal for a Photo Control and wondered if the Elk could control it via a relay.

Here is the manual for the Low Voltate Photo Contol:
http://www.intermatic.com/images/instructi...s/158LV9968.pdf

Wondered if the Elk could emulate the photo control some how...

EDIT. I JUST NOTICED THE WIRES ARE SHIFTED ON THE TERMINAL WHEN THE PHOTO CONTROL IS INSTALLED, SO IT DOESN'T LOOK LIKE THIS IS POSSIBLE.

Regards,
Ultrajones

 

[sqhughes]

I have a 300 Watt Malibu outdoor low voltage lighting kit and wondered if I could hook it up to my Elk M1. I noticed it has a 3rd terminal for a Photo Control and wondered if the Elk could control it via a relay.

Here is the manual for the Low Voltate Photo Contol:
http://www.intermatic.com/images/instructi...s/158LV9968.pdf

Wondered if the Elk could emulate the photo control some how...

EDIT. I JUST NOTICED THE WIRES ARE SHIFTED ON THE TERMINAL WHEN THE PHOTO CONTROL IS INSTALLED, SO IT DOESN'T LOOK LIKE THIS IS POSSIBLE.

Regards,
Ultrajones

I use the relay board expansion module with my low voltage lighting and it works great. I created a rule to turn the output with my yard lights on at sunset and off at 11:00 pm. See if you can take the photo control out of the mix and let the Elk do all of the work. You should be able to use the power supply with the DC voltage on all of the time and let the Elk control the lighting.

Scott

 

[wuench]

I have a 300 Watt Malibu outdoor low voltage lighting kit and wondered if I could hook it up to my Elk M1. I noticed it has a 3rd terminal for a Photo Control and wondered if the Elk could control it via a relay.

Here is the manual for the Low Voltate Photo Contol:
http://www.intermatic.com/images/instructi...s/158LV9968.pdf

Wondered if the Elk could emulate the photo control some how...

EDIT. I JUST NOTICED THE WIRES ARE SHIFTED ON THE TERMINAL WHEN THE PHOTO CONTROL IS INSTALLED, SO IT DOESN'T LOOK LIKE THIS IS POSSIBLE.

Regards,
Ultrajones

I use the relay board expansion module with my low voltage lighting and it works great. I created a rule to turn the output with my yard lights on at sunset and off at 11:00 pm. See if you can take the photo control out of the mix and let the Elk do all of the work. You should be able to use the power supply with the DC voltage on all of the time and let the Elk control the lighting.

Scott

I have been trying to figure this out myself. That photo sensor connection sits inline with the lights so all the current flows through it. I actually had a photo sensor fail on it. I don't think the elk relays are rated for that amperage. I had a scheme worked up to stack relays but it seemed kind of complicated. I was also just considering putting in a Insteon/UPB/ZWave and controlling it on the 110 side. There are other brands of transformers on the market that have a relay connection, if you are willing to swap out transformers.

Hopefully Spanky will chime in and make it easy for us and just tell what he thinks is best....

 

[BraveSirRobbin]

That's what I was thinking. Why not just control it from the 110 side. Maybe cover the photocell with black tape if you want "total" control.

I installed an X-10 outlet and made sure it was down stream of a GFCI since it was outdoors. Did a How-To on this if you are curious...

 

[electron]

I just use an appliance module to control my Malibu low voltage lighting. I put electrical tape on top of the sensor, so I have full control.


edit: blah, just noticed BSR beat me to it. I guess that's what happens when you respond to a post 10 minutes after reading it.

 

[sqhughes]

Controlling the 110 volt transformer would work fine. The reason I control the low voltage is I broke up the 12 volt power into three different "circuits" using three Elk output relays. One is for front yard lights, one is for back yard lights, and one is for a 12 volt light in a dark stairway.

Scott

 

[Spanky]

The relays are rated at 12 amps which is plenty to break the low voltage side of the lighting transformer. It is safer to break the low voltage side instead of the high voltage side of the transformer.

 

[BraveSirRobbin]

The relays are rated at 12 amps which is plenty to break the low voltage side of the lighting transformer. It is safer to break the low voltage side instead of the high voltage side of the transformer.

This is good advice Spanky, but just to clarify for those playing along at home, Spanky means if you are controlling the lighting via a relay (i.e. safer to route/control low voltage via the relay contacts vs high voltage. Also you don't have to "route" the high voltage to an external relay). You can still safely control the 120 vac side via an appliance module as described in some of the suggestions above.

 

[wuench]

The relays are rated at 12 amps which is plenty to break the low voltage side of the lighting transformer. It is safer to break the low voltage side instead of the high voltage side of the transformer.

This is good advice Spanky, but just to clarify for those playing along at home, Spanky means if you are controlling the lighting via a relay (i.e. safer to route/control low voltage via the relay contacts vs high voltage. Also you don't have to "route" the high voltage to an external relay). You can still safely control the 120 vac side via an appliance module as described in some of the suggestions above.

Ok, so i'm no EE. But isn't 300W, 300W/12V = 25Amps? (i.e. Over the 12Amp limit). Or am I using the wrong equation?

 

[mimitche]

I'd like to have the Elk M1 control my outdoor (Malibu) low voltage lights as well. I'm planning on using an Elk relay to control the low voltage side. I wanted to move the Malibu Transformer inside (into the basement) so I can mount the relay nearby. Does anyone know if this is a code/safety issue with running the wire from the lights outside into the basement mounted transformer?

 

[Spanky]

Mitch,
The lights are less than 48 volts, so it is considered low voltage wiring.

I had a problem with short life of the bulbs. They only lasted a few months. I placed a power diode in series with the line going out of the transformer and the bulbs never blew out again. It reduces the light slightly, but the bulbs last forever.

 

[BraveSirRobbin]

I had a problem with short life of the bulbs. They only lasted a few months. I placed a power diode in series with the line going out of the transformer and the bulbs never blew out again. It reduces the light slightly, but the bulbs last forever.

I have problems with my 12 volt Malibu landscape lighting blowing out bulbs also. What power diode did you use? What's your theory behind using that?

Thanks! ;0

 

[mimitche]

I had a problem with short life of the bulbs. They only lasted a few months. I placed a power diode in series with the line going out of the transformer and the bulbs never blew out again. It reduces the light slightly, but the bulbs last forever.

I have problems with my 12 volt Malibu landscape lighting blowing out bulbs also. What power diode did you use? What's your theory behind using that?

Thanks! ;0

Me three! My bulbs are constantly blowing out. Thanks for the power diode tip Sparky; can you point me to any sources for the power diode?

 

[gatchel]

I had a problem with short life of the bulbs. They only lasted a few months. I placed a power diode in series with the line going out of the transformer and the bulbs never blew out again. It reduces the light slightly, but the bulbs last forever.

I have problems with my 12 volt Malibu landscape lighting blowing out bulbs also. What power diode did you use? What's your theory behind using that?

Thanks! ;0

You are only allowing half of the AC sine wave to supply power to the lights. Essentially you are turning AC power into a very poorly rectified DC power.

 

[robolo]

Spanky,
Can you provide the specs of the diode you used?