Hello, is there a way to hardwire light switches to HE? This would be a new construction home. I'm just curious if this is even possible instead of using wireless z devices.
No, the hub can’t control lighting loads directly.
Before wireless automation for rooms that wanted central controls we would "home run" the power to a dedicated panel for individual outlets and light control with physical switches. It's not a very common practice anymore. We would then install a bank of dimmers and switches there and if they wanted scenes we would tread into the commercial grade gear.
I programmed Crestron lighting in the past with one of their installers doing most of the work at hour High School theater. There are also Johnson lighting controls which I have seen used in very high end installs.
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There are a couple Lutron systems that can directly control residential lighting loads. The hubitat Lutron integration is really great too. So that would be one way.
Is it fair to say the vast majority of the market is going towards wireless devices for both residential and commercial installs? I would think the higher end installs, both residential and commercial would desire non-battery powered devices for contact and motion sensors. Also curious if new construction builds are going with hardwired install or mostly wireless these days.
The builder and electrician I am partnered with lately has been moving way from spot solutions based on the vendors platform. Kohler Smart Connected bathrooms, Ring Doorbell, ADT security etc.
Since they build custom houses and retrofit large properties we have been working with folks that want total integration vs islands of automation. And each owner has different levels of expertise on how they want it controlled and supported. Wireless in my mind is the only solution. Wifi in many cases just doesn't cut it due to complexities of whole home coverage and dynamic nature of how devices can effect the performance. Z-Wave and ZigBee still are the top wireless in my mind that provide the reliability needed.
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Thanks Ron, very helpful. I'm assuming you run an installation company. Just curious, how's business in terms of distribution of work between new construction vs existing homes? Are you also an installer for commercial zoning? Are you using HE for the primary controller?
Not enough money to make automation my day job but I do contracts and one off consultations. Started before X10 became popular by working with friends from school that went into the trades while I pursued my computer science and electrical engineer degrees. We have kept and touch and though word of mouth when they would be called in for a contract on a new home or retrofit and the owner had unique needs they would ping me. Now I have become a consultative partner with two firms which understand this isn't my day job because the market has become so interested in integration as a selling point.
Lately I have been recommending HE as their central hub over SmartThings, stopped recommending Vera about 2 years ago but it was a hot item at one time. Never touched Wink, loved the StarGate X10 and RCS hardware. The large issue has always been about failure and recovery.
While I have seen X10 control devices last 20+ years and ran on dedicated hardware that was easy to replace and restore, the hub market devices are failing or becoming obsolete in a much shorter time period and also the market is moving where the hub's need to be swapped to keep up. HE ability to backup and restore and now with the radio stack configuration being restorable in the support services offering, I think HE is the platform that has the potential to live into the 20 year cycle.
Even Crestron has gone wireless. I do believe their wireless protocol is proprietary. Installed Crestron years ago. I am so thankful that HE doesn't program in C++
I think I will use Luxom io for my next house.
Although I do not think there is an integration get, it should be pretty easy to write an integration for Hubitat.
Is Luxom wireless or hardwired?
It is a hardwired bus system.
So basically you have all your switches and dimmers in your utility room, and run a bus cable to the switches.
Nothing that is worth retrofitting into an old house....
