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    Moving to house with Low voltage relay control

    Would anyone be able to recomend a control interface for a house that is already wired with low voltage relays controlling the lighting?

    We are current homeseer & x10 users and would like to integrate homeseer into the new house. I did not want to use 80 power flash modules (40 power circuits x2 for on and off control pulses.)

    The only thing I found on the board was someone with a bad install of the relay system (mine was done well and is a keeper.)

    Any advice is greatly appreciated.

    #2
    You might want to consider the HomeVision Pro or HomeVision controller, this has 8 relay contacts on the main board and then via a Multifunction Expansion Board you could connect and daisy chain a Sylva I/O board (I think its the SC8O8IX board) which has relay control. Upto 4 of these can be daisy chained together giving you a total of 32 via the board I think you can also connect another Multifunction Expansion Board so you could then connect more I/O boards. There is also a plug-in for Homeseer
    Website www.csi3.com

    Another option is an X10 relay board such as the ones made by CCC.
    Website www.cc-concepts.com/products/x10relay/

    Good Luck

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      #3
      Ocelot / Secu16 would be a VERY good option.

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        #4
        How about an Elk system? That would work as well.
        Martin Custer

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          #5
          Gregg, who makes the system? Is it Touch-Plate or GE? It sounds like the GE system with separate lines for ON & OFF. Are they 24volt relays? Does it also have the 3volt indicators?

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            #6
            Rocco,
            It is an older GE 24v system (~1960's.) Three wire per switch with no status. Kind of a nice system, with a lot of thought about switch location (they even glow.)

            I appreciate the advice received, and will be spending the evening reading up on the ideas (so much for my current WAF!)

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              #7
              Any one else have any thoughts? Currently leaning towards the ccc relay boards, but this will be less than optimal as every light will require two unit codes (one pulsing the on circuit, one pulsing the off circuit.

              Also does anyone know the power up state of the inline (bury in wall) light modules? Is it the last state or a default on or off? I am thinking of using these for dimming lights on this system with them being set for the on unit number of the particular relay set. This may be a pipe dream...

              Thanks to anyone with advice.

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                #8
                Gregg, I am working with an old Touch-Plate low voltage system for a friend, circa 1952 (older than me). It's different from the GE system in that a single 24 VAC pulse (on one pair of wires per light) toggles between ON and OFF. A second pair of wires (per light) indicates ON or OFF with 3 VAC, meant to power little indicator lights in each switch. My friend has 38 light circuits in her system (forty must be a standard size for LV lighting).

                Everything connects with punch-down blocks, and is quite well organized (considering it can handle 40 circuits). I was considering designing a circuit board with forty 24 volt relay drivers, and forty 3 volt inputs. This would work well for a Touch-Plate system, but not as well for a GE system.

                Does the GE offer any visibility into the state of the lights, like the Touch-Plate? Are there indicator lights or anything similar? Does it use punch-down blocks? I'm wondering if it's similar enough that the same board could do both.

                I have an aversion to driving relays with more relays. Add X10 in the mix and I start to feel sick. I'm thinking along the lines of a driver board that talks either xAP over Ethernet, or ZigBee (wireless with a hand-held remote). RS232 would be real easy, but you would need to come up with scripts or a plug-in for HomeSeer. If there was some serial protocol for lights that HomeSeer already supports, this board firmware could emulate it, and eliminate the need for a new plug-in.

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                  #9
                  Rocco,
                  My GE system has no indicators. It doesn't use punch downs, but that would be an easy retro for me, I think I have a couple of 66's form an old phone install. What you are descriping sounds like a great idea. Unfortunately your project is far beyond my abilities to help. I would be more than willing to contribute cash, and buy a finished product (or two for my situation.)

                  There have to be some more people out there with the LV systems who would like to integrate. I will take some pictures of my system on friday, and look for a manner to read state from the relays. There might be a set of currently unused contacts on the off side, or perhaps a method of registering AC on the load leg would be possible.

                  Xap would be very cool and a reason for me to get off my duff and get up to speed on it. Everything I have read on it sounds cool, just haven't had a need yet.

                  Thanks for taking the time to think about this, and let me know if you are going forward with any development.

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                    #10
                    Just remember, the GE relays are momentary. If you use an Ocelot or other controller you have to program 2 relays with short latch times. There isn't much chance to dim that system unless you put a dimmer after the relay. I've uworked with these relays and controllers for quite a few years and seen all kinds of issues with them, no major problems and the parts are availaible in a day or so.
                    Have fun!!!

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                      #11
                      Hi, Gregg. I am working on a project in Europe right now, so I haven't had much time to visit the board. I will be here a few more weeks. But I have thought about this some more.

                      The indicators on the Touch-Plate system just use small, 3 volt transformers for the indicators, and I had intended to use them, since they are there. But after thinking about it (always gets me in trouble), it is probably more reliable to monitor the AC on the relay's output directly. That would work with GE and Touch-Plate, but the 3 volt signal is easier for Touch-Plate, since it is routed through the punch-down blocks. I will probably do a board that supports both means of sensing.

                      deverson1, thanks for the confirmation. I knew the Touch-Plate relays were momentary, but I only assumed that the GE system was. I currently have the relay drivers set to activate for one half second, simulating a heavy finger on the button.

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                        #12
                        If your relays have a yellow wire in them they could be hooked to a indicator, or used for auxillary control. It is supposed to be used to light a LED on the switch. If you need a schematic I might be able to dig one up for you.
                        Dave

                        http://www.geindustrial.com/products...s/overview.pdf

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                          #13
                          just a bump

                          Just a quick bump to see if anyone has any other thoughts on my particular situation. Did find a nice thread that may get the job done (after some education.)

                          http://board.homeseer.com/showthread...t=media+center

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