Legrand Discontinues the ALC and PLC Lighting Systems!

[wlj]

I understood, just wanted all people to see the full picture. I made an assumption that the Ramp over time command (you call it extended) could be limited without a time clock like that found on the HAI/ELK. From your comments, I see that you believe this limitation does not exists. Beelzerob will test and come back with his finding. Standing by for that.

Tony,

Well, it's more than a belief. It's what I've tested and observed first hand using the SLI. Other interfaces may operate differently, but I can positively say that the OnQ SLI with firmware v1.12 can set/query extended ramp rates in the ALC dimmer modules, as well as command the dimmers to initiate and abort an extended ramp. I've posted details earlier in this thread. With screen shots.

As to terminology, "Extended Ramp Rate" is what the ALC developer's documentation calls it. It's also labeled this way in SceneTech (see screen shots above).

The SLI (Scene Learning Interface) and the HLC (Home Lighting Controller) are one and the same.

<sigh> No, they're not the same. See the spec sheet I posted above. The SLI was EOL'd years ago and replaced by the current mix-and-match set of components. Perhaps that's part of the confusion.

I think I'm going to bow out of this conversation at this point...

Cheers,
-Bill

 

[beelzerob]

Heh... I wondered about that, since the HLC I have looks *nothing* like the SLI that was posted in that PDF.

I had hoped BSR could move some of these posts to a new thread dealing directly with this extended ramp issue, but I guess he didn't have the time or wasn't available. I'll start a new thread about this when I get home tonight. These ALC posts seem to grow ginormous, and then lots of good info gets lost in them!

 

[beelzerob]

Ok...my latest observations and a summary of this topic have been posted in a new thread, so we can continue this discussion without it getting lost in this thread.

New thread is posted here.

 

[dpilati]

Just a homeowner (finished construction 7/09) here who wired cat5 to all switches. I was waiting for prices to come down. I certainly feel like I wasted my time running all that wire. I appreciate the price protection policy but I am mostly concerned with the future. I don't think the market supports the higher prices at a time of falling real estate prices. It is the unusual wealthy person or automation techie that will pay $150 a switch. I have a great income, no debt and I like my gadgets but I am not going to pay $150 a switch.

What I will probably do is work hard to get a wire based system to work (I don't know what you call typical x-10). Sad that I have a few thousand feet of cat 5 in place that I'll never use.

Tony - you seem like a nice guy and knowledgeable. There really are smart reasons why very few electronics are manufactured in the US - can you turn the boat around? Certainly there is nothing (that I can think of) that is sold in any kind of volume. Speakers maybe - but those are generally low volume.

I was hoping that someone could make these things in volume. It really is all about volume. I am typing on a $450 laptop that has unbelievable features and you want me to pay $150 for a switch? The value argument is just so out of whack as to be unreasonable.

I just wanted to give you a POV from a person who could afford your stuff but can't justify the cost on a value basis.

 

[beelzerob]

I've come to the belief that wire in the walls is *never* a waste. Granted, it may not get used for what you want it to be, but at least it's there!

One of the nicer things about wiring for ALC is that you can just use regular switches until you're ready to make the move, a piece at a time. that's what we did here, and eventually there was a sale for like 20% off or something like that, and we made our initial stab of some switches. Since then, I got the bulk of my switches from a fellow cocooner selling here (it happens sometimes).

But all that to say that for a *wired* lighting solution, you might still find that the overall cost of going with ALC is still lower than something comparable...I guess depending on how big of a setup you're talking about.

Controlled lighting vs a laptop isn't a very good comparison. You will never find something home-automation specific (like controlled lighting) at the same mass-market/economies of scale prices that you find other products. If 1 out of every 1000 people who owned a laptop was also into home automation, that'd probably still represent a ridiculous increase in the HA market.

Be careful with the cost/value basis argument.... you'll question why you're into home automation at all.

 

[felixrosbergen]

To be honest i agree with dipilati... sure it's great to have something 'made in the USA' and you may have better control and such...but feeling of patriotism aside I wouldn't be pursuaded to pay 30-50% more just because of that..certainly when my car and all my other electronics are made in Asia..

Can you elaborate the reason for moving the production again? It's not like there was real quality issues with the ALC kit that i knew of.

Anyway..i'm on the fence still..trying to determine if i want to go ahead and finish up the 2nd half of my house with ALC or switch... I've been looking at Lutron...but the processor cost on top of the switch cost is hard to stomach... time will tell..

 

[Herdfan]

To be honest i agree with dipilati... sure it's great to have something 'made in the USA'

I've been looking at Lutron

Which is by the way, Made in the USA.

 

[dutchyn]

You want me to pay $150 for a switch? The value argument is just so out of whack as to be unreasonable.

I'm seeing prices about 66% higher. At that rate, a Lutron-4 system comes in at 3/4 of the ALC price (including professional installation -- no DIY effort at all), and a Centralite Jetstream at about 1/2. ALC pricing is now at a premium product level.

 

[madburg]

ALC wish list,

I have what is called a bathroom light/fan switch. It looks like a .99 swtich with the cover plate on, hate it as all others are ALC style. What it does is when you turn it on (flip up) it turns on the light fixture AND Bathroom fan (I am using the panasonic units, love them). Once you shut off the switch the lights go off but the power to the Fan stays on. If you remove the face plate there is a timer control on the switch. I have them set to 5 minutes, so changes cannot be made on the fly.

What would be nice is a rocker switch (ALC) that could do the same. Via programming ( I run a HAI ), you could state WHEN switch #1a OFF then Switch#b ON For 5 minutes. To get more advance like ifs Switch#1a was on for less than 3-5 minutes FAN on for 5 minutes; If switch was ON for more than 5 minutes FAN on of 10 minutes. Not sure what would be involved, but I would think I am not the only one who thought of installed a fan in each bathroom and wished for a fan to be ON for a while even after the switch was turned OFF. The .99 look is killing me more than anything. Having it tie into HA is a Bonus. I do have Cat5 run to each of my bathroom switch location, ready for this. The worse part is in the master bathroom where there is a .99 switch look next to 2 ALC rocker switches, that was fun getting a face plate for.

+1 on better looking scene switches. Question on the 8 aux scene switches, that are not bad looking, why do they not come in WHITE?

 

[rbroders]

You certainly could go with an automation approach, but I chose a manual route. Every toilet in my house has an ALC switch for the light and a Leviton Timer switch for the fan side by side in a double gang box. It is obvious which switch controls what, and you don't have to turn the fan on if you are just taking a pee.

--Bob

 

[Herdfan]

You certainly could go with an automation approach,

I did go with an automation approach. I have a Lutron HW dimmer in the master bath. If the light gets turned on and is on for more than 2 minutes (at this point you are either showering, cleaning or doing something else that needs a fan), then the fan switch is activated by the processor. Once the light is turned off, the fan continues to run for 15 minutes then shuts off.

 

[madburg]

Herdfan, is you fan switch a second switch? and if so is it hidden? or is the Lutron HW dimmer contain both functions?

 

[Herdfan]

It is a second switch beside the dimmer. This way it can be operated manually if desired.