Hi Tony,
I have a few ALC questions i've been unable to get anwered.
I read somewhere that the ALC600 watt dimmer doesnt have to be derated when put into a multigang box with other dimmers? Is this true?
-------> You are correct! No derating is necessary. However, keep the tech sheet that ships with each switch in case the electrical inspector wants to see it.
I have a chandelier with 9 40watt bulbs that i want put put on an ALC dimmer....will this work?
-------> It sure will work. Just note that there are 75 watt bulbs available as well. Should you or the next homeowner ever use them, your would exceed the max limit. You can use the 900 Part number 364335-11 watt dimmer instead. However you must place this switch in a single gang box. Or......... Install it on the end of a double or triple gang box and break off ONE TAB only of the heatsink. Each tab removed reduces the rating by 200 watts. With one tab removed at 700 watts, you could then replace all 40 watt bulbs with 75 and still have wattage left over. 9x75 Watts = 675 watts. One side of the heat sink removed 900 watts - 200 watts (removal of one tab) = 700 watts. And there is some good news. When the 900 watt was first released several years ago it was only rated for 900 watts. Today it can handle 1000 watts.
See picture here and note the heat sinks on either side.
Another question is when using the ALC<> ELK interface where the 'brains' are. Does the ALC controller still manage the scenes etc? Or is it all Elk driven now? In order to unload memory space and programming rules from the ELK can you set up a scene in the ALC controller and then just simply have the elk activiate the scene?
-------> Good news! The interface is called the scene learning interface. Meaning that when used with their scene switches, all scenes and modes are handled by the interface saving precious programming code in the Elk.
Can any ALC switch (not just scene switch) activat a scene? e.g. If i press the living room light switch can that trigger a scene that also turns on some other lights? Or do i need a scene switch for this?
-------> Yes and no. If you are using the scene learning function then only the Scene switches can start scenes without programming rules in the Elk. But any ALC button press can be used as input to the Elk to start scenes, arm security or whatever your imagination can create. And you can use a scene switch to start a scene using the interface's scene learning feature and to also be a trigger to the Elk to run any other macro - say to arm security in the night mode.
When usng the ALC<>ELK can each light activation be used as a trigger? Does the ELK poll the switch status or does ALC report 'change event'? I ask because this could circumvent the issue i mention above where you don't have a scene switch. If somebody locally turns a light on via a ALC switch can the ELK notice then and then do some sort of action (like turn on other lights or trigger a scene)?
-------> See above. ALC is a "closed loop" system that is always polling. The 2-wire connection loop is called the polling loop. Contact Spanky at Elk (also a member of Cocoontech) about the finer points of the polling link to the Elk.
When using scene switches how do you turn off a scene or do you need to programm a 'off' scene and link that to a button? It would be nice if a 3nd press of a scene switch button would turn the light in the scene off. If ALC can't do this i suppose putting the actuall scene configuration into ELK and some rules that say 'when scene switch button 1 is pressed then turn lights xxx on and set some parameter to '1', then when scene switch button 1 is pressed again and parameter is '1' turn lights off and set parameter to 0. Would this work?
-------> This can be real tricky. Your example will work. It is what I call using "flags". While it does work as you described the timing of the rule can often cause it to get out of sequence and it uses up rule space. The cleaner way to plan is to use one of the 4 buttons for on and another for off. But there is also another rule of thought....
Don't get too carried away with the off. Most often Button one sets the lighting to scene A, button 2 to a different scene, button 3 to a third scene and button 4 is off for all scenes. Furthermore....... Starting lighting modes from one button press is popular. Turning out lights is often best left to manual operation. It's awful unfriendly to turn out a light or group of lights at the wrong time than it is to turn them on at the wrong time.
Hope this Helps
God Bless