Basics of Automation !

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Hello to everyone!:)

I am new to this forum, as well as new to automation. can someone guide me on the basics of wiring in automation?
I am planning to go with either ELAN or control4. are the wiring method the same or is it different?
all I know is we need CAT6 cables for wiring.

Awaiting a response from all you nice friends. :)
 

The Automation Guy

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There are so many possibilities.

First, it is always better to hardwire something rather than use wireless. So if this is for a current building being constructed, you want to try to wire as much as possible while you can. On the other hand, if this is for a existing structure, then wiring can be done as needed. My home is existing construction, so I've simply added wiring when I needed it and was able to. You'll also likely be forced to use more wireless solutions in existing construction because of the inability to run wiring to some locations.

Alarm system - door and window contacts (including garage rollup doors), motion detectors, glass breaks, key pad panels, hardware extenders, etc, run cat5e or better wiring from the central alarm panel to your central automation hub

CCTV Cameras - run Cat5e or better wire to any possible camera location. While most people will default to placing cameras in the roof eaves, they perform better if they can be placed lower on the outer walls of the ground floor.

A/V - You have to decide if you are going to have everything run back to a centralized location or if you want local components in each room
Whole House Audio - speakers, keypads, hardware location need to be considered. Run speaker wire from the hardware - looping through a room's keypad location - and continue to the speaker location. Also run Cat5e or better from hardware to keypad location
Individual rooms with home theater sound (5.1, 6.1, 7.3 etc) - speaker wire to applicable speaker locations run back to a central location, RG-6 wire to sub locations
TV locations - run multiple cat5e or better wires to every possible TV location. For new construction I'd consider running SDI wire to each location as well. Also run a RG-6 cable from central location to each TV for possible old fashion "antenna" use - it's use is resurging with people "cutting the cord"

HV Lighting - this is really very much system dependent. You need to research and find a lighting solution prior to deciding how to wire things. Although I believe it is code now, make sure neutrals are run to every switch location to ensure compatibility with most wireless lighting protocols.

HVAC - run cat5e or better wiring to each unit, thermostat location, and central wiring location

Wifi - run cat6 or better wiring to multiple locations for wireless access points to be installed around the house (inside and out) to provide even wifi coverage.

Computers/Printers/Network Equipment etc - run multiple cat6 or better wiring to any location that could potentially have a computer, printer, or network equipment

Sprinkler System - run cat5e wiring from sprinkler control box to central wiring hub

Garage Doors - run cat5e wiring from each unit and garage door keypad/button to contract relays - perhaps part of your alarm panel, or automation system

Swimming Pool Controller - cat5e or better wiring from any pool pump and/or controller to central hub

Whole house water shutoff valve - have one installed and run a cat5e wire or better back to a contact relay - perhaps part of your alarm panel, or automation system

Power Monitoring - usually installed at the circuit breaker, but run a cat5e wire back to the central hub for communication

Leak detectors - run at least 2 wire (but cat5e works just as well) to any sink, toilet, tub, water heater, dish washer, washing machine, etc back to central hub.

EDIT - Entrance Doors - run a cat5e wire to entrance door locations where you might want a doorbell (in addition to the standard doorbell LV wiring). - Suggested by ThomasCamFan


That's just what I could come up with off the top of my head. Basically anything other than computer networking components can usually be fine with Cat5e wiring. For anything computer or network related, definitely stick with cat6 or better for future proofing. It won't be long before we start to see a demand for faster network speeds which will require higher class wiring. But most automation stuff is passing low data rates and doesn't need cat6 wiring.
 
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TonyR

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Insure your CAT-5e or CAT-6 is solid (not stranded) copper (not CCA / Copper Clad Aluminum) and the jacket conforms to its application: use CMR ("R"iser) rated for in-wall, between floors, in-ceiling, attic and crawl spaces. Use CMP ("P"lenum) for use in plenum/air handling spaces. If in a bind, you can use CMP where CMR will suffice but not the opposite.

Additionally, speaker wire approved for in-wall installation will typically be stamped with the designation UL approved CL2 or CL3.

Jacket conformance is VERY important for the CAT cable and speaker wire, as conductors with unapproved, unlisted jackets or conductors and jackets improperly suited for their application can possibly contribute to the spread of a fire occurring in-wall or between floors. Such non-conformance may expose you to liabilities and possibly lead to the denial of an insurance claim.
 

DanDenver

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Control4 is proprietary and requires a tech to come out to your house for any changes you want. Unless of course you buy the tools that they use and really have a desire to learn a closed (proprietary) system. Finding help in any forum could be a challenge as the industry pros benefit from the monthly charges these systems bring to them. Nonetheless, anything can be learned.

There are other approaches that can provide much, if not all, the functionality of control4 - though all systems do require the investment of time if you are going to install/admin everything.

I ended up going with HomeSeer. Pleasant blend of intuitive GUI with minimal to zero scripting required. HomeAssistant is popular as well, but scripting is pretty much another day in the life of an HA admin. Then there are the non-starters (IMO) like SmartThings/Vera/etc. Those systems are for the lowest common denominator and are just too simple to do anything interesting or truly helpful (fun for beginners though!).

Here are some examples of where I benefit from integrating Blue Iris (BI) with HomeSeer (HS):
I installed BI along with AI. That reduced my false alerts to a handful a year. For the first time in 4 years my home camera security system added value rather than just add a lot of false alerts to my day. I was getting false alerts like 5 a day before AI. So far so good.

Then once BI with AI was up and running, my wife would exit the garage - I would get an alert. Not a false alert mind you as BI detected a ‘person’ rightfully so. However I did not need to know that my wife was exiting or entering the garage. Same thing for me, I would get an alert just because I was entering or exiting the garage.
This also occurred when either of us went to the back yard. Another alert.

So I integrated HS with BI. I have roughly 62 sensors (gesture/water/door/etc). Now, when the garage door opens HS is aware and sends a notification to BI. Then when either of us enter or exit the garage BI records the event, but does not send me an alert. That was an awesome upgrade.

Same for the back doors (3). If they are opened then I don’t get an alert simply for one of us wanting to go out back and water the lawn.

I also have sensors on my fence gates. If it is opened an alarm sounds in the house for 1 second, then I get an IM, then HS turns on all the back yard cameras for 10 minutes (4 cameras). Of course if BI detects movement after that it will continue to record.

I have similar events in HS for the front door as well. The front door is a smart lock so HS knows if it was opened from the inside or outside. If from the inside, then all cameras in the front (3 cameras) turn on for 10 minutes. If the front door is opened from the outside, I just let BI do its thing as only my wife and I know the code to get in. So no forced recording. If the house cleaners enter their code, then all cameras activate inside (4) and outside for the duration of their stay.

Of course, basic stuff like lighting control are easy enough. Like when BI AI determines someone is at the front door when in the sleep/vacation profile, then I wait 8 seconds and then turn on the dining room light.

Anyway, in the end, if I get an alert I know to pay attention. No longer is it “just another alert, let me check it out real quick and see what the heck”. We are no longer numb to the “endless alert” syndrome that I lived by for 4 years before I got into BI/AI/HS.
The best part of my story is that now for the first time in many years, even my wife takes it seriously when we get an alert, which is not often, but we both take action and it is indeed gratifying.

One thing that control4 has going for it are the shiny displays you can locate around the house. I have toured a lot of high end homes and that was always an eye catcher. In a different thread I posted on this forum I think I have captured that look and feel, but don’t have to learn a closed system or hire someone to login and make changes for me. I like to admin my own equipment. Depending on others is not attractive to me, especially when their primary purpose is to constantly try to upsell me.
 

Mike A.

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HomeAssistant is popular as well, but scripting is pretty much another day in the life of an HA admin...
It's really not so much now. HS has come a long way as far as that goes over the past year or so. Much easier to do what most need to do from the interface now. But I'd agree that there's still a big first few steps up when going into it.
 
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thank you so much :)
The Automation Guy
DanDenver
Mike A.
TonyR

Just needed one more help, If possible can someone share a sample wiring diagram? I have seen guys running cat6/cat5e from touchscreen home automation controllers (correct me if I don't know the jargon) to "C-Bus" Clipsal by Schneider Electric.
 

DanDenver

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When our home was being remodeled I had Cat5e cables run to several wall locations where I believed I would want to run a monitor for my security camera setup.
For home automation control modifications, I do all that on my phone/tablet/pc. I only use wireless z-wave sensors. No wiring or wiring diagram possible for me in the home automation department.

I was always fascinated why Control4 needed ‘control modules’ throughout the house. Certainly looks cool. But 10 years later, having implemented HomeSeer now for about 5 years, I no longer like that approach of control modules located throughout the house. Seems pretty old school to me. Not to mention, again, that if you want to change any of the programming you have to call someone.
Besides all that, my life is through my phone/tablet. So it keeps the house clean by not having these ‘control panels’ strewn around. I would not use them any way. So I have no wiring diagram for my home automation control. It is all wireless.

For my home security cameras, the wiring is so simple I am not sure a diagram is needed. A Cat5e plugs into the POE switch then runs to wherever I want a camera or a monitor and plugs into that camera or monitor. For the monitors I use an adapter that goes from Cat5e to USB-C (for power and data).

Here is my 72U rack in the basement, or as I call it: "command and control".
I installed everything from the rack to the wiring. The rack includes a whole home sound system (top shelf) from HTD (Home Theater Direct) and all the usual trappings for a dedicated home theater (there is no hardware in the actual theater on the floor above - so it is a very clean look). On the backside of the rack are the Sonos Amps (not visible). I am moving away from HTD to Sonos (slowly as Sonos is expensive). I control HTD/Sonos via apps, so no need for control panels for that either.

I base a lot of success on my wife's usage. If she adopts/uses it, then it is a success. My first attempt at security cameras (NVR) she did not like. But with BI she uses the app daily. For the whole house system, she readily uses it. So I call those two systems a success.
The home theater is way to complex for her to even care about : )

You can see Blue Iris running on the monitor. The PC running Blue Iris is not visible and is located in a remote and secure location for home invasion concerns:
CommandAndControl.jpg
 

Vettester

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I've been doing home automation for 9 years and am currently running 3 different systems to fulfill my needs. First I'm using Hubitat for its radios to connect to all my zwave and zigbee devices. It also runs the majority of my automations. I also use Home Assistant for the feature rich add-ons it offers (Node-Red, MQTT, ESPHome, InfluxDB, Plex, etc, etc) and Apple's Homekit for presence and as my main UI. All these systems are integrated together seamlessly so everything just works.

Besides all the typical home automation stuff that one would expect, there is also a wealth of useful data that can be extracted for these systems. For example, I recently set up two cameras in BI for LPR, one to capture the plates and another as an overview so that I can actually see the make and model of the vehicle. This works well except it made me realize that there is a lot of traffic on my street. So I decided I wanted to capture the number of cars that drive by my house on a daily basis.

Using AI I setup my overview camera to trigger alerts in BI whenever a vehicle passes by. These alerts trigger a virtual switch in Hubitat which sends the data to an InfluxDB in Home Assistant. From there I use Grafana to pull the data into a nice looking dashboard and bingo, I now have the information I was looking for.

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