Home Automation

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Home automation is the residential extension of building automation.

It is automation of the home, housework or household activity.

Home automation may include centralized control of lighting, HVAC (heating, ventilation and air conditioning), appliances, security locks of gates and doors and other systems, to provide improved convenience, comfort, energy efficiency and security.

Warning: Working with electricity can result in injury, property damage, or even death if it is not done properly. Please keep this in mind while assisting others. If you are not sure about what you are doing, hire a licensed professional.

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I am building a new house and I am trying to prewire as much as possible. If price was not an object what would you pre-wire? (alien.top)

submitted 1 year ago by [email protected] to c/[email protected]

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I am building a new house and I am trying to prewire as much as possible. If price was not an object what would you pre-wire?

Currently, I have my house being set up for Lutron RA2 lights

Putting 18/2 for speakers in each rooms

One cat5e by each room for a tablet/intercom

Cat5e for cameras

22/2 for Door/window contacts by all exterior doors and windows

smurftube by every room (where the intercom is for future growth).

18/2 by windows where I may want power shades.

What else am I missing?

Thank you

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[–] [email protected] 0 points 1 year ago

I networked my house back in 2005. If I did it again, I'd double, if not triple the amount of CAT5 in each room, and I thought I did a lot!

If I had my time again, all CATx cable would be armoured and shielded. I'd also route fibre to main rooms and break out with a managed switch in each area. I'd fibre to my main TV/AV area, my office, to my WiFi mesh system, the kitchen and the log cabin. I've jury rigged it for my office and WiFi.

I put power in a lot of places, including high up for equipment, but I didn't install enough. You'll never do enough. Also don't allow the electricians to pull/patch the networking, they don't really get it. I'd especially put power up by the windows so I could put in powered blinds/curtains easily. Power outside too.

I would make sure all light switches had a neutral and all wall sockets and light switches had deep (60mm) boxes. I might go for a star design rather than ring main so I could put automation in the fuse box.

I put coax in throughout, but haven't really used it except for DAB radio, probably wouldn't bother with it putting more CAT5 in instead.

My security cameras and devices are all wireless and battery operated, so they don't count.

All power sockets, everywhere, should also have USB sockets and have in-built home automation, eg z-wave or zigbee. Put the smarts in the sockets/light switch, not in th bulb.

Make sure you main network switch is easily available and make sure you can house other devices like a NAS close to the main switch. I have a 48port main switch with 4 fibre connections and half a dozen managed switches throughout the rest of the house. I have two broadband connections (Virgin and Plusnet) coming into a Draytek router with failover.

Hubitat is my home automation of choice.