RE: HA without fallback-CBUS

["Rob Mouser" <groups@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

I really don't think you need to worry Martin. Cbus is rock solid and
designed to be stand alone. Provided you get your design right then you
can build some fallback into the system. Two of the most basic of these
would be 1) Ensure you have more than one cbus psu 2) Distribute your
loads over multiple dimmers (and relays if applicable) i.e. If you are
intending to have 3 1amp circuits in the lounge and you have 3 8ch
dimmers at the consumer unit then put one load on each. That way if one
dimmer was to fail you would still have 2 working circuits in that room.
(I'm not sure if I've explained that very well :-))

As for switch failure well again I guess it "could" happen but
then it
"could" happen on a standard switch dimmer. At least with cbus
you can
have other switches configured to control a load and change them at will
(PC and interface allowing) something you would never enjoy with a
standard system. In our set up we have a couple of touch screens (One in
the hall and one in the landing) which have a page with all lighting for
the entire barn on it. (I guess that's a fall back design but have never
considered it as such, just "useful" :-))
We also have buttons on the front page that say "All lights off"
"Ground
lights off" (On the landing screen) "Upstairs lights off"
(On the hall
screen). I can't imagine living without them now :-)

Was just thinking as I typed this that we don't have an "all lights
on"
button (Comfort does for the smoke alarm trigger) but I'm not sure I'd
want to use it as a)We have LOADS of loads and we'd need sunscreen:-)
b)Turning on certain appliances (I.e. an electric shower) dims our
lights :-p

HTH

Rob

> -----Original Message-----
> From: ukha_d@xxxxxxx [mailto:ukha_d@xxxxxxx] On Behalf
Of
> Martin McCreesh
> Sent: 13 January 2006 21:48
> To: ukha_d@xxxxxxx
> Subject: Re: [ukha_d] HA without fallback-CBUS
>
> I've been looking a half way approach for a cbus install later this
year.
> Planning to put override switches for main lights at 2 key locations
in
> the house. These locations will be CBUS nodes anyway.  One issue that
> maybe somebody can help with is what happens if you apply full power
to a
> cbus dimmed circuit - could it damage the CBUS dimmer.  The
alternative
> requires a good bit of extra cabling and invloves using a two way
switch
> to isolate the feed to the light from CBUS.
>
>   ----- Original Message -----
>   From: David Gumbrell
>   To: ukha_d@xxxxxxx
>   Sent: Friday, January 13, 2006 8:28 PM
>   Subject: Re: [ukha_d] HA without fallback
>
>
>   Depends what you mean by a fallback. My Idratek
>
>
install<http://www.automatedhome.co.uk/modules.php?name=Forums&file=view
to
> pic&t=746>is
>   designed to be i) removable in case of sale and ii) tolerant to
>   control
>   computer failure due to Reflex (built-in) functionality. If there's
no
> power
>   to the HA network, there's probably nothing to switch !
>
>   I know of another Idratek install which has put the panel relays in
> parallel
>   with existing switching, which might be the kind of fallback you
were
>   thinking of. I guess that you could do something similar with the
other
>   systems (C-Bus etc) out there.
>
>   But really, anyone would think you can't trust this technology stuff
...
> :-)
>
>   Dave
>
>
>   On 1/8/06, Mal Lansell <mal@xxxxxxx> wrote:
>   >
>   > I thought most people did go the whole hog - wiring for
mechanical
>   > switches and for HA is mutually exclusive in most situations.
>   >
>   > So, wire it up, and buy a torch ;-)
>   >
>   > Mal
>   >
>   >
>   > Chris Hunter wrote:
>   >
>   > >'wondered if anyone had been brave enough to go for HA
without
teh
>   > >fallback - ie: without manual switches on the lighting
circuits,
> without
>   > >manual timeclocks & thermostats, and so-on ... might
save a good
part
> of
>   > >the costto go the whole hog ! ... less wiring included ...
?
>   > >
>   > >Chris
>   > >
>
>
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>
>
>
>
>
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