OnQ ALC Wiring help

[broconne]

Thanks... Just to be sure, you mean the 3-way 'slaves', right? Or do you mean the scene switches? As you mentioned these will require 12 wires (since I have access to the 2nd floor from the attic and the 1st floor from the basement, I should be able to run additional cat5 myself if need be.

The slave switches for 3-way (and 4, 5 way) do not count toward the 31-device branch limit.

The scene switches DO count towards the device limit. They require only 2 LV conductors. (plus 120v hot, neutral, and ground). They work through the lighting controller to generate scenes.

The 4 device aux switches are dry-contact only, so they are not on the communication bus, do not count towards the device total. They can essentially act as slave switches to 4 regular ALC switches (or they can act as 8 momentary SPDT switches, I assume, so they could be used to command an automation panel like the Elk to fire scenes). And, I understand they can only fit in a single-gang box.

Others will proofread and correct my analysis, I am sure!

Ack! Somehow during my planning stages I missed that the scene switches require HV! I thought they were LV only.. There goes my plan of attaching an LV gang to the HV gang, running my CAT5 there and putting in a scene switch in that extra plate...

Ok, and just to verify - I can piggy back off adjacent switches hot and neutral right? I don't need an extra line?

Damn! My plans are foiled.. Good thing they haven't even started to pour the basement yet.

 

[beelzerob]

Good catch for you then. Ya, since the scene switch has an address and communicates, then it needs the power.

No reason you can't take the hot/neutral/ground from a nearby switch...you'll only be stuck if you planned a scene switch where no existing switches are.

 

[broconne]

Good catch for you then. Ya, since the scene switch has an address and communicates, then it needs the power.

No reason you can't take the hot/neutral/ground from a nearby switch...you'll only be stuck if you planned a scene switch where no existing switches are.

Well, I wouldn't feel comfortable having HV in an LV box attached to the side with an open back. It is probably fine - but I imagine code is code for a reason?

Back to the drawing board on how to pre-wire for ALC.

 

[AceCannon]

The other thing is to use a 4-way aux switch and wire them to inputs on an automation panel (Elk, etc) and make scenes with rules. Or have CQC do it through the Elk. You would not need HV in that case.

But since you have not started yet, just have Sparky run HV to the scene switch locations. I had my guy move the 4-gang box in the kitchen to the pantry (out of sight), then put a 1-gang for a scene switch in the kitchen.

I wish I had run more cat5 to the scene switch locations. I single run has 8 conductors - fine for the ALC scene switch, but if I wanted to get fancy with some LV solutions and LED's, I could use at least 16.

 

[felixrosbergen]

Thanks... Just to be sure, you mean the 3-way 'slaves', right? Or do you mean the scene switches? As you mentioned these will require 12 wires (since I have access to the 2nd floor from the attic and the 1st floor from the basement, I should be able to run additional cat5 myself if need be.

The slave switches for 3-way (and 4, 5 way) do not count toward the 31-device branch limit.

The scene switches DO count towards the device limit. They require only 2 LV conductors. (plus 120v hot, neutral, and ground). They work through the lighting controller to generate scenes.

The 4 device aux switches are dry-contact only, so they are not on the communication bus, do not count towards the device total. They can essentially act as slave switches to 4 regular ALC switches (or they can act as 8 momentary SPDT switches, I assume, so they could be used to command an automation panel like the Elk to fire scenes). And, I understand they can only fit in a single-gang box.

Others will proofread and correct my analysis, I am sure!

Ack! Somehow during my planning stages I missed that the scene switches require HV! I thought they were LV only.. There goes my plan of attaching an LV gang to the HV gang, running my CAT5 there and putting in a scene switch in that extra plate...

Ok, and just to verify - I can piggy back off adjacent switches hot and neutral right? I don't need an extra line?

Damn! My plans are foiled.. Good thing they haven't even started to pour the basement yet.

I had the same revalation a good bit into the planning. With that the concept of the LV attachement to the HV box went out the window. Mind you that if you get a scene switch and you tried to fit it into the LV attachment it wouldnt work anyway due to it's width!!!!!! Hopefully our lessons will help others...

I ended up having my HV boxes sized for an extra gang and the boxes are such that the entire box is rated for HV but there is a removable divider that you can place between any 2 gangs in the box (so 3 divider positions in a 4 gang box) and one side of the divider becomes LV and the other HV.

Whats further special about this box is that it permits 3/4 conduit to be connected so i have them connect the 3/4" conduit to the far left or far right position. If i add a scene switch the whole box becomes HV and i will use the ALC supplied sheathing to upgrade the insulation on the cat5e through the conduits. If i don't put a scene switch in the far left or far right is essentially a dead compartment where i can make all the LV connections.

This has worked out very well so far, I have been able to add a ELK KPAS keypad (decora size) into one of these positions as well. A single gang Nuvo keypad should fit as well.

The boxes were not terrible expensive..don't know the name , but i can find out.

 

[Sokoloff]

Please do find the info to order those boxes, as they seem a very useful item.

 

[felixrosbergen]

will call the electrician to see if i can track a make and model down. Since mine are all in the walls know i can't tell anymore.

Stay tuned.

 

[Jimmyjam]

Carlon makes some. Here is one.

 

[broconne]

Please do find the info to order those boxes, as they seem a very useful item.

I second that request!

 

[broconne]

Carlon makes some. Here is one.

I don't think that box has the conduit connection.

 

[broconne]

MavRic -
Did you ever get with your electrician and get the details on those boxes? It might save me some cash in a few locations

 

[felixrosbergen]

Sorry all, it too a while but i got word back from my electrician.

What he used in my place were Arlington boxes.

http://www.arlcatalog.com/Miscellaneous/ON...let%20Boxes.htm

Note that these are screwed in from the 'inside' rather then nailed at the top and bottom. The screw go in at an angle. In order to made an ALC switch fit they however need to put the screws in straight and cut of the little nub for the screw. Didn't seem to be a big deal and inspector had not issue with it.

The knockouts in these boxes will take a 3/4" flexible conduit fitting or a regular romex strain relief.