Home Automation with a Touch of Security - Noob Help

[TheEther]

*sigh* I've been reading until my brain hurts... Your help/advice is much appreciated.

I'm building a 4500 sq/ft home and am weeks away from the drywall phase. I've wanted to do Home Automation for quite sometime. I was a 12 Volt Engineer for 4 years and am now an Engineer for the Tech Industry. I'm incredibly DIY minded and not afraid to tackle anything. Heck, I even do all my own auto repair. In my last house I ran 24 drops of Cat5 including a patch panel, 66 blocks and phone wiring. So this is right up my alley..

In reading about all the options, it's a bit overwhelming. My wife and I agreed to put a security system in the house during the build as I prefer my Door and Windows to have wired switches over wireless. (Maybe that's old fashioned, if so let me know.) What brought me here is I was doing some research on Home Automation and quickly realized I could also DIY my Home Security system complete with 3rd party monitoring. Wow, I thought. So I've run across the HAI and ELK systems. It looks like what will work best for me and my budget would be the ELK/ISY-99i combo from SmartHome (BUT PLEASE, if there a better solution for my needs, chime in). Also I have a requirement for heavy integration with the iPhone/iPad.

Here's where things get fuzzy for me. I'm having trouble understanding what the ELK does well and the Insteon does well and what I should plan for each. THIS I WHERE I NEED THE MOST HELP.. If there's another HA platform I should consider please let me know. I need to make the decision quickly as I'l need to begin running cables and switches very soon.

What I want to do on the Security Side:

1. Protect 5 doors that open to the outside.
2. Protect the Garage Door/Garage (I;m reading motion sensors are potentially unreliable though)
3. Protect approx 12 windows give or take a few. Not planning on doing all of them since some are too high to be a major threat.
4. Have the system alert me, my wife and a 3rd party if something goes wrong.
5. Fire/Smoke Alarm integration

What I want on the Home Automation Side

1. Have light control of approx 5-8 key lights in the house
2. Control the Garage Door
3. Have some lights like the hall lights and bathroom lights (maybe) be motion activated
4. Water Sensor my Washer/Water Heater and possibly Ice Maker/Dish Washer then put a water shutoff valve on the house supply in case of issue.
5. My house will have 2 Trane Heat Pumps (upstairs and downstairs), I'd like to be able to automate them also.

Automation I may want at some point:

1. Washer/Dryer completion notification via speaker system


What I'm looking for from you gents at this time is suggestions on the best way/components to implement these items. What tasks do I have the ELK do and what do I have the Insteon do? I'm very fuzzy on how the two integrate and how the scenes would work across the platforms. I guess this will be the first post of a few as I'm attempting to clear up vision on what I need.

Thank You so much!

William

 

[TheEther]

Also one more thing. In my reading I'd like to keep my installation as clean as possible. I realize some components of the insteon line use wireless pretty heavy. I like the idea of powerline communication instead of wireless. If that doesn't fit into the ISY-99i's list of items it does well, help me understand that too and where I should look.

Thanks!

 

[fcwilt]

What's the budget?

I'm have not use that ISY device so I can't help there.

The ELK unit (and the similar unit from HAI) are security systems first and home automation second. You can do quite a bit of home automation with either. I'm not sure that either has much in the way of first class integration with iPods/iPads - someone else will have to chime in here.

If you can manage the money you might want to take a look at http://www.elanhomesystems.com. I have the older (but similar) system from HomeLogic. For lighting I use UPB which is well supported by the Elan system. Security is handled by an ELK panel tied into the HomeLogic system.

As to what can be done, my HomeLogic system is handling Security (via the ELK), Security Cameras, Climate Control (thermostats), A/V equipment control in several places and the Irrigation system. It can also handle voice mail (phone answering) and e-mail. And it has very good integration with iPods/iPads.

 

[pete_c]

Personally I like wired versus wireless relating to security. I am using wireless though with the HAI OPII in FL. I have it configured with wireless IR sensors for turning on lights but not to trigger alarm events.

My HAI systems have evolved over the years adding a bit at a time. Both the HAI and Elk system do well with automation and the options are plentiful. I too personally like powerline over wireless. I have a hodgepodge in the sandbox I call my home; X10, Insteon, UPB and Z-Wave. My electrical boxes are all metal with conduit thruout the home. So far UPB has done well for me. I did my Christmas lights this year with Z-Wave after using X-10 for many years. UPB offers a nice free configuration program with decent diagnostics.

You'll find much information on the forum and plenty of comments relating to just about anything you decide on; easier too than reinventing the wheel.

I have kind of distributed setup with the HAI-OPII panel, HA (Homeseer Server) and a separate Video server. They all talk to each other and can pretty much work independantly of each other. I utilize both HAI OmniTouch screens and Homeseer Touchscreens. Its up to your imagination on what, where and how you want to automate.

 

[Del91574]

As a dealer for both, I think the Elk M1 would be far more budget friendly compared to what it takes to get something like a HAI Omni to equal it's capabilities and expansion options.

As far as fire alarm goes, check with your AHJ for their requirements first. Personally, I recommend to use all alarm system smoke detectors rather than attempt to brew a solution using the 120V smokes.

Without going overkill, plan on getting additional wiring at the T-stats so you're not limited to a certain manufacturer or type. I'd pull a Cat 5 as a minimum with possibly different wiring if I'm considering a couple of manufacturers.

The only thing I can say is use security and fire alarm cable for the alarm. Cat 5 will work, but is more difficult to work with and sometimes more of a hinderance. Cat 5 will work with the Elk's keypads if that's all you have around.

 

[TheEther]

As a dealer for both, I think the Elk M1 would be far more budget friendly compared to what it takes to get something like a HAI Omni to equal it's capabilities and expansion options.

As far as fire alarm goes, check with your AHJ for their requirements first. Personally, I recommend to use all alarm system smoke detectors rather than attempt to brew a solution using the 120V smokes.

Without going overkill, plan on getting additional wiring at the T-stats so you're not limited to a certain manufacturer or type. I'd pull a Cat 5 as a minimum with possibly different wiring if I'm considering a couple of manufacturers.

The only thing I can say is use security and fire alarm cable for the alarm. Cat 5 will work, but is more difficult to work with and sometimes more of a hinderance. Cat 5 will work with the Elk's keypads if that's all you have around.

Thank You DelInstallations! I've decided on the Elk after looking hard at the other options. I just opened another thread in the Security section, if you can help me out with a few questions there also.. How much additional wiring should I put at the Tstat? I have NO IDEA what Tstat I might get. Do I get Insteon compatible or something I can wire into the ELK?

I don't mind to buy the right cable, I just need to know what kind.

What Alarm System Smoke Detectors should I look at?

 

[Del91574]

18 AWG fire cable should be labelled FPL. Color isn't important. Burg wire is generally labelled CL2, CMX, CM, or can also be FPL. The best way would be to look in a copy of the NEC to get the listings and interchanges for the cables, as some burg cables can be interchanged for fire alarm and vice versa.

Your shopping list should have 22/4 and personally, I'd run 18/4 as a minimum for your fire alarm and speakers. What you run to the keypad(s) would be your choice if you wanted to use Cat 5, but I use 22/8 or 22/10 typically instead so I don't have to deal with a hub or retrofit board on the M1.

For simplicity's sake and not going overboard, HAI's t-stat will work with the Elk nicely, you'll just need an M1XSP to interface with them. In addition to your normal t-stat wiring, the HAI would need 4 communication conductors to go back to the panel. RCS and Aprilaire start getting more complex and need more cabling to run to them/between them and I've found they start to really add up in price and additional hardware. If you're not sure of what you're looking for t-stats, at least a single cat 5 to each stat combined with the normal stat wiring. The Carrier infinity opens up a huge can of worms.

I'm running System Sensor 2wtab smokes with a 2w-mod-2 and RRS-mod and 10 of them in my particular case for smoke alarm, with heat detectors installed to their own zone as well.