Installing a UPB UFD and UFR

[Jim Doolittle]

I have a UFD and a UFR I need to install. This would be done in the attic. I have several choices for boxes that will allow the UFD/UFR to be installed like a switch but what about faceplates? I have never needed a "solid" switchplate before but is that what I need to enclose these devices?

 

[Steve]

You can certainly use a blank plate, thats what I used in a wall when I replaced an outlet with a UFR, but you may want to check code in your nexk of the woods. In an attic I would probably put the UFR into a metal box and use the metal cover plate.

 

[acdcelectric]

National Electrical Code only requires that you use a lsted box and it does require that the connections be closed off with a cover. In additon, all junction boxes must remain "readily accessable" which is commonly interpreyed to mean that the boxes must be situated above the attic insulation level and that no part of the building structure must be removed to service them. Structure does not include access doors to attics. Local jurisdictions can make the code more restrictive if they wish, so always check with your inspector.

On a practical note, I have had an occasional problem with a UFR and the audible click and led colors are helpful in troubleshooting the problem. If possible, face the junction boxes toward your access door so that you can see the led condition with the covers removed.

 

[ano]

You can also break off the plastic tabs. I find they fit better that way.

Also, I want to alert everyone of a defect with these devices. The metal that surrounds the programming button it tied to HOT. Yes, HOT. Push the button with your finger or metal device while your grounded and ZAP. How it was every approved by the safety agency, I do not know.

 

[Jim Doolittle]

Now I am confused.

The purpose of the UFD and UFR were to avoid expanding the double gang switch box in the wall and instead use a US2-40 with quad-rocker faceplate. The UFD and UFR would then be best located in the attic where I will also be rewiring for a new exhaust fan and that is where I will gain access to the vanity lights. The ceiling light load will still be run to the wall double gang.

The attic space is very tight but there is an access panel in hallway ceiling. There is an AC unit and a whole house fan (would like UPB control of this... but one thing at a time) up there was well as all the conduit and boxes for ceiling lights and electrical outlets throughout the second floor of the house (all covered by insulation).

So, I was going to find a logical place to mount box for these modules near the access panel. I was not planning on running any more conduit but instead use romex.

Here's where I am confused. The UFD and UFR are designed like a switch. If I break off the tabs as ano suggests, there will not be a way to securely mount them in a box. Furthermore, the setup button and LED are on the side of the UFD/UFR. If I put them in a box, how will I check them and press setup button (and avoid shocking myself as ano mentioned)?

I can pull module out of box to perform setup or check LED status but that does not seem very safe to do while circuit it hot.

 

[ano]

Yup, you have discovered some unique challenges. HA has always had these. Did you know that the NEC prevents you from placing any electrical devices in your breaker panel, but how many of us have UPB couplers? O.K. you can put your hands down.

What I have done is just get an old power cord, hook the UFD/UFR black and white to it, and plug it in. You can do this anywhere, like your livingroom. Use a PLASTIC device, put it in program mode, run UPStart, give it a device number, then your done. You will never need to press the programming button again.

Go to Home Depot and buy a metal or blue plastic single outlet box that nails to a stud. YOU HAVE TO MOUNT THE UFD/UFR IN AN OUTLET BOX. If it should ever catch on fire, the lack of air in the box will contain it. You also HAVE to put a metal or plastic faceplate on this box. Tabs or no tabs is your choice, but it works better if you cut the tabs off and just stick it in the box then if you try to mount it behind the plate. The NEC also says that this box needs to be accessable, so, in can't be behind wallboard. I also wouldn't mount it under insulation. I'd mount it a few feet high on a vertical beam where you can access it. I find that with the tabs the faceplate doesn't fit secure, and remember that sealing the box thing to prevent fires. Unless you live in a camper, or have lots of earthquakes, I wouldn't worry if its just loose in the box. Its not going to be moving.

I don't know how big your fan is, but the total of all devices on the breaker can't exceed 80% of its load rating. In other words, you can't exceed 12A total or 1440 watts on a 15A circuit. Also, you can NEVER use 14ga. wire on a 20A circuit no matter what the power usage of the device you connect to it.

And romex is allowed in most but not all areas. Its perfectly acceptable if allowed but it does need to be secured to the studs. You just can't lay it there.

 

[Jim Doolittle]

I believe ROMEX is allowed and will double check. I have "ROMEX staples" for securing it.

Fan is on different circuit and is not part of this effort. Something I would like to do in the future as I move more fully towards a UPB system.

Thanks.

 

[acdcelectric]

I have been using the SAI UFRs and the led and switch are located behind the tab. I carry a few wooden toothpics in my toolkit for activating this switch.

For programming UPB devices, Jim over at AO has a neifty little jig deisign that I co-opted. It will let you program 1 or 2 devices at a time. It also includes a porcelain socket and incandescent lamp to test light level functions and the "blink" that you get when you are in setup mode. You cn even use a compact flourescent in the jig to test that function. The only modification I made to his design was to add and on/off rocker switch with a 110v power indicator lamp.

I usually endup programming them in the evenings while watching a DVD and then take them to the clients house. I plug it directly ino the socket on the back of my laptop's PIM so that I can program it in a guarunteed no noise setting. Be sure to mark the boxes well for location and function of each device.

 

[Jim Doolittle]

acdcelectric,

I have the SAI UFD and UFR. Would like to look into a jig but for now I need to get these installed soon. I found a couple of switches boxes with solid covers and am going to drill small holes in the end where I can insert a toothpick to initiate a setup. If I dim the lights in the attic, I should be able to see the LED blinking out the hole I drilled. After setup, I will cover the drilled hole with electrical tape. Also, I will be using a Sharpie to identify each of the boxes. Thanks for reminding me about that.

Another challenge I have is gaining access to the existing wiring. The wires for the ceiling light, original exhaust fan and vanity light go to the wall switch via series of thin-walled conduit. I need to gain access to the conduit near the wall and not have to deal with the boxes located where there is little room to work.

I was thinking of using a pipe cutter to cut conduit just after it comes up from the wall and makes 90° turns. Cut it again about 4" away so that I can install the switch boxes for the UFD and UFR. The tricky part is removing that 4" section of conduit. Once removed, I was thinking that I would then cut wires in the middle which would give me (only) two inches either side to wire cap with other wires necessary to complete wiring. I would make sure that boxes are secured to a 2X4 across rafters. That would keep the boxes up above insulation level.

Does this sound OK? Any other suggestion? Time to hire a licensed electrician?

 

[Steve]

I have the SAI UFD and UFR. Would like to look into a jig but for now I need to get these installed soon. I found a couple of switches boxes with solid covers and am going to drill small holes in the end where I can insert a toothpick to initiate a setup. If I dim the lights in the attic, I should be able to see the LED blinking out the hole I drilled. After setup, I will cover the drilled hole with electrical tape. Also, I will be using a Sharpie to identify each of the boxes. Thanks for reminding me about that.

Of course any of these options will work but what I did was just use a regular extension cord you have or you can buy one with bare wire on one end. Just connect hot and neutral with wire nuts and plug it in. Very simply and works fine to program wherever you have an outlet.

 

[ano]

Jim, why are you so insistent that you need to program them when in the box? I would recommend what Steve said, program them once and then that's it. UPStart can even find unprogrammed ones so you will never need to access them.

As for the adding of a box plan, it sounds like it will be lots of work. It also won't be technically in code because you have to have 6" of leads in the box. If you want to use this method, I'd use two boxes and add a new cable addition between them.

You could also expand the box where the current switch is. It will be a bit of drywall work, but having two switches in the bathroom is pretty standard. You could even cover one side with a plate, then drywall it up. It should still meet code because the covered box is still accessible. (Using the switch hole.)

O.K. One more suggestion. How about you put the UFD/UFR behind the light or switch its controlling? That probably is the best solution. There is almost always enough room for a UFR/UFD in there. You could put it behind either the fan or the light, whichever works best and let the switch control the other.

 

[Jim Doolittle]

I am not trying to be insistent on programming in the box. I guess I am inexperienced with acceptable methods of programming UPB. I thought I needed to do it "in situ".

I suppose I could expand the wall switch. If I do that then I wonder if I should have gotten more US2-40s or US11-30s. I was thinking that the UFD and UFR would be easier to deal with and a double gang containing a US2-40 quad rocker with a GFCI outlet would be "simple looking". I suppose if I drywall over the expanded portion, I am stil bakc to the "simple look".

Unfortunately, I still need to either tap into the conduit or crawl to the older ceiling box in order to install new exhaust fan/light combo. The switch conduit goes over to the box near roofline and then back to where exhaust fan/light goes. Still not easy...

Thanks ano... I should be able to at least cut my original work effort in half. Running one wire network so I can have humidity sensor control of exhaust fan is going to be fun also. But hey...who said hobbies don't involve a little work.

 

[ano]

O.K. Why not install it above the fan. Even if it doesn't fit in the box the fan connects to you could just add a box, install it in there, then wire that into the fan box. You deon't even need to go in your attic.

 

[Jim Doolittle]

O.K. Why not install it above the fan. Even if it doesn't fit in the box the fan connects to you could just add a box, install it in there, then wire that into the fan box. You deon't even need to go in your attic.

Uhh...took the old wires out when I removed the old fan and flexible duct. The old wires went near the roofline and then came back to the center of the room. Thought I could "easily" run new direct from wall switch. Not the case. Oh well...gotta go up in the attic to put the exhaust fan in anyway and replace insulation.

Thanks. I think I got a plan.

 

[acdcelectric]

Jim,

Sorry, I've been tied up with the power outages up her in the Northwest.

Conduit always makes adding a new box difficult, but if you can remove the original switch box, there are elextrical boxes that can sections added to them as needed. They are called "gangable" boxes. All it take to ad a section is to loosen one screw and hook the new section in. You can build it as wide as you need and then enlarge the hole in the wall to suit.

Also, using electrical tape to seal the led window in the cover is not code. The box and the cover must have a minimun 1 hour fire rating on all high voltage junction boxes, and electical tape, while it has a high insulation value does not meet this requirement. Instead, use a 7/8" hole saw and cut a hole in the cover. You can seal it with a knockout seal (trade name is K.O. seal) and meet your fire rating. Oh, and the 7/8 hole size is actually referred to as the 1/2 inch trade size (becase we go by with I.D., not O.D.).

I have had some trouble using the UFRs with certain ceiling fan models. If you cannot get it operate the fan, I have been able to substitute a UFD (fixture dimming module) and it has worked in every case where the UFR would not. Be sure to disable the dimming under the option tab when you program it. You can also program it as a snap function, and it will work. It is triac control so according to Paul over as SAI, it can even be used for speed control, but I have not tried this myself.