How to 'option in' home automation in future?

[Andehh]

Despite being a bit of a nerd, I cant justify full home automation right now. Cost, complexity, other build worries to focus on etc jut mean I don't have the bandwidth to give it full attention. That being said, in future it is the sort of thing I am quite sure I would like to dabble in. Our project is a full build, and the roof is going on as we speak so I need to start making the call now on what we want as final electrical layouts.

 

In my mind, lighting systems & electric blinds are two areas worth trying it for, accepting that video, alarm, climate etc are all systems I am happy to keep as 'dumb' long term (CAT6 to all points gives a degree of options one day potentially).

 

Is there a relatively easy may to future proof lighting & blinds for future home automation? ie tri core cabling between lights & light switches? Are there any ecosystems worth exploring? ie; if for £1000 we could install a degree of centralised lighting controls it is something we would do! Any advice on how to check this?

 

In my mind, the furthest we would go is:

 

1) PIR in hallways & bathrooms

2) Automatic lowering of blinds at set times

3) Grouping of lights and diming of them

 

Many thanks

Edited July 23, 2022 by Andehh

[Pocster]

I use HomeSeer pc software to control z wave Qubino switches .

I also have z wave aeotec sensors ( so  pir , temp , light etc. ) .

One thing I have noticed is that pir over a large area is difficult ( say to keep lighting on ) . I’m going to change a pir to an ip camera . Then the theory is I can setup zones in blu iris for lighting rather than multiple pirs trying to cover an area .

[elite]

I struggled using pir for rooms where you might sit still for long periods, the best solution I've found is checking which wireless access point our phones are connected to, though obviously this requires you to have many access points. I manage it though openhab, but I'm sure possible with others

[Pocster]

1 minute ago, elite said:

I struggled using pir for rooms where you might sit still for long periods, the best solution I've found is checking which wireless access point our phones are connected to, though obviously this requires you to have many access points. I manage it though openhab, but I'm sure possible with others

Yeah that can happen also . Especially true for my bathroom . Pir turns lights on but if you are in the shower can’t detect you ! - so lights go off eventually. I did suggest to SWMBO a camera would solve it ; but she wasn’t sold on the idea ….

[kommando]

In my bathroom I added a Humidistat in parallel with the pir, so either motion or humidity will keep the fan going.  

[Pocster]

24 minutes ago, kommando said:

In my bathroom I added a Humidistat in parallel with the pir, so either motion or humidity will keep the fan going.  

Yeah I tried pir with humidity . It’s better . But if SWMBO has a real long soak in the bath ( and falls asleep ) lights can still turn off . I did suggest a camera but SWMBO ……

Edited July 23, 2022 by pocster

[wozza]

I have used Shelly Wifi Dimmers for my lights - does pretty much everything I want. Definitely worth a look and not expensive.

Edited July 23, 2022 by wozza

[MikeSharp01]

1 hour ago, kommando said:

keep the fan going.  

And presumably the lights on?

[kommando]

1 minute ago, MikeSharp01 said:

And presumably the lights on?

No, the lights are separate for now as the room is hardly used during non daylight hours and is bright enough in daylight. As it is the fan gets over ridden and turned off a lot too using battery-powered remote switch in bathroom and control box upstairs.

 

 

[Kelvin]

I am in the same quandary. I was going down the full Loxone install for building mgt and had budgeted for it but the only local Loxone partner near me have been utterly useless to deal with so sacked them and subsequently Loxone off. In the end I concluded that the extreme cost of the plumbed in systems doesn’t represent good vfm especially given that the heating and ventilation systems can have their own degree of automation depending upon what you buy and they are mostly fit and forget if installed well. What I really wanted was automated rooflights that opened and closed depending upon weather/rain with automated external blinds and I might still do that. We only have 5 of them so not necessarily massively expensive. 
 

That leaves lights and curtains and in terms of lighting it’s really the main areas you use and we plan to have few curtains in the house anyway. I’ve ruled out PIRs in big areas and main rooms for the reasons already stated. 
 

 

[joth]

Aside from CAT6 to obvious places you may need it, a few other future proofing measures:

- service voids that connect through to loft so you can pull new wires. we did this on all external walls which helps for blinds

- consider running all lighting circuits back to a central control closet ("node zero") where centralized dimming could be added if wanted in future

- CAT6 to light switches and probable motion sensor locations

- consider door sensors! I find this so useful for many automations. )wish my plan to hide them internally to all the internal doors had worked out; now I'm cursed with battery and wireless sensors)

- when selecting big ticket items like (motorized) rooflights, heat pumps, integrated blinds etc do due diligence in the integration possibilities of the model selected

 

[Pocster]

I still think cctv is the way to go as it solves many ‘pir’ issues .

Also future wise you could add face recognition and then “ emotion recognition “.

 

If SWMBO.location == lounge  

& SWMBO.mood == angry 

& SWMBO.carrying == knife 

then

lockdown()

 

Sad thing is I’m not joking ! - this is what I want to do . The fun will be endless 😁👍

THIS is future proofing!!