Wired and Wireless Home Automation / Security?

[signal15]

The neighborhood I am in mustve profiled me differently.

This NEVER happens. I've gotten quotes over the phone describing what I need done, and when the guy comes out to give me an official quote, it's almost always about double what he said on the phone. And, then I either find someone else to do it, or I just do it myself.

 

[jokah]

yeah - when i talked to him on the phone, it was "well the controller will probably be around 1500"

Then I met in their office to checkout keypads, etc, it was 3500. But thats with labor.

 

[Steve]

Wheres a good place to read up on upb wiring? Books, websites, etc?

I understand Zwave/Zigbee, etc, because it just makes sense. But upb makes me confused.

It seems as if they remove the use of a dual ground using white as a form of communicator? Is this passable by NEC codes? or will inspectors get pissy and I should consider doing it after a basement remodel?

What are you reading about UPB that is confusing you? This forum is actually one of the best sources of UPB information. If you can't get your answer here you pretty much need to talk to the mfg. As far as the wiring it is all standard like anything else. Black is line, White is neutral, Green or Bare is ground. Load may vary but is usually brown or red. Traveler is usually some other color, like yellow or just no wire, just a connection point on the switch. What specifically is confusing you?

 

[jokah]

havent read much upb. What is confusing is how there is a travelor, or no wire, etc.

So with UPB, is there always a traveler? Meaning, for existing wiring it wont necessarily work? So then to do this, am I looking into drilling through floors etc to run wire down?

 

[jokah]

found a wiring schematic for a lightswitch.

So essentially I would need to add wire to retrofit for upb. For some reason I was thinking it removed the white as a ground/neutral to use for signals.

 

[royalj7]

Jokah,

I think you might be a bit confused. If you have the neutrals in your switch box, there is no retrofit necessary for UPB. UPB does require a neutral, but so does a lot of Zwave (though not all). Relatively new houses are usually wired with the neutral in the box, but I'm sure there are instances where that's not the case. My house is 19 years old and is wired up correctly.

--Jamie

 

[jokah]

Yes, I am confused.

For instance, a 3 way upb switch has a black, white, red, ground, and Yellow (traveler)

I would only have a B, W, R, G in my box.

And the R would only be from switch to switch, or lights, etc, not B W R G to box, in that case they only have a B, W, G running from circuit breaker to start of service (either light, switch, receptacle, etc)