General Question About Lighting Automation

[AndyRay]

I am newbie to automation and a friend has asked me to take on a project. He would like for his house to be upgraded with all the bells and whistles in regards to automation in lighting. For most this would seem overkill, but he would like to start here and decide how to proceed from there. 
 
He has a traditionally wired home. There are so many light switches that he can no longer tell what is used for which light. Can someone in the forum give me some indication of what the best step is to automate his lighting? When I say automate, I specifically mean consolidate his lights into a single switch that can be pushed a number of times to turn on different lights, or possible just a LED screen that would be the interface for easier use .Preferably the wiring will remain as is. I am a bit lost as to how this can be achieved with traditional wiring. 
 
I'd appreciate any feedback here and general guidance. 
 
Thanks!
 
 

 

[az1324]

To avoid rewiring and preserve aesthetics, you will probably want to replace most switches with automated versions and only some of the switches with keypads.  Then you can create scenes such as all on and all off, etc... 
 
You can also label them:
 

 
The above are Insteon products, but you have other options as well.

 

[pete_c]

Welcome AndyRay to Cocoontech.
 

best step is to automate his lighting?

 
Reading here on the forum and FAQs and personal experiences would be a good start.  There are folks here which have utilized all the means of automation of lighting.  Its getting better by leaps and bounds and a bit more complex (relatively writing). with more miniaturization and little computers residing in your light switches.  You wonder if its time or do you want to wait for tomorrow? 
 
You might get a bit more responses to your post moving it to automation rather than under microcontrollers.
 
The choices today are plentyfull.  I am not thinking that anything may be going away anytime soon yet.
 
You have (will not mention here the propietary wired HV lighting using LV wiring stuff).
 
1 - power line automated lighting which utilizes your AC power lines as a mechanism of transport; X10 and UPB.
2 - hybrid automated switches which utilize powerline and wireless as a means of transport ; Insteon
3 - pure wireless utilized as a mechanism of transport use as in Z-Wave and Zigbee
4 - new wireless transport technologies.
 
In the new wireless technologies there is also a mixture of HV lighting switches, modules et al plus the use of wireless with battery devices; IE: door locks, PIRs, Smoke detectors, so forth and so on. Then also the adds of thermostats; some wired, some wireless, some battery operated so forth and so on.  Easiest to start in baby steps with just lighting; but thinking about what else you want to automate and how you want to automate it.
 
Here in the last couple of years have been reducing the footprints of automated switches mostly going from two gang two switch boxes to single gang with multiple rockers.
 
I did start my current home automation switch endeavor with Insteon and similiar switches as you see above.
 
I then migrated to UPB switches; initially with multiple switches in double and higher electrical boxes.
 
Most recently reduced the footprint some.  There were a few "button" style switches and now they are all "rocker" style.  Funny though the button style was easier to use and I could label them; but I like the look of the rocker style; but they can be more difficult sometimes to utillize.
 
The UPB lighting and switches computer software configuration is relatively simple. 
 
You run a piece of software on your computer which is connected to a UPB PIM; (Power Interface Module).  You utilize the software to search for all of the switches on your home UPB network doing a UPB switch discovery.  The software running on your computer finds them telling you type of switch and manufacturer to the model number.  You then name and number each switch in the multiple fields presented to you.  You do a virtual live on and off test of each switch.  Then if you choose to; you create links between switches and different rockers and stuff.  You can then control multiple switches from one switch utilizing links.  What is sort of neat is that you can just do this from a laptop or desktop connected to one UPB Pim in your home.  No need to walk up to each switch for programming.  Typically you validate each switches load functions when installing them.
 
Much of the automated switches are similiar today.  You pay for this technology in the price of one switch; IE: $30-$200 per switch. 
 
I don't recall when but did see automated "virtual" switches a while ago which presented a tiny graphic of a switch or rockers on a color LCD display; a tiny computer touchscreen that provided the illusion of a real switch in a virtual sense.  This is kind of neat looking but doesn't provide the "feel" of a toggle switch or rocker switch.
 
Here is a picture of the offered UPB multiple rocker and button switches.

 

[jimmiej]

I am in the same boat and like your response.  Thank you.

 

[gclugston]

I am also new to the forum, but have been dabbling in home automation for the past several years.  Pete_C's summary is very good.  My base of implemented experience is with X10 which is not as robust as the newer technologies.  It's probably the least expensive, but you will be frustrated with the results.  In my experience, once I get an X10 working properly, all i have to do is add a new piece of electronics equipment such as a blu-ray player and it will stop working.  Also, X10 has a limited RF range and coupling from one phase to another can be problematic.  I have not used UPB.  Recently, I started experimenting with ZigBee using XBee radios and have had very good experience.  The technology is flexible, robust and has a very good range.  The challenge is: 1.  Components are expensive, and 2.  You will find yourself developing applications for your own requirements.  Personally, I like to dabble in the technology so the XBee works well for me.  Research the technology you want to start with and select according to your budget and technology comfort.  Good luck.