Category: electrics (Page 2 of 2)

Progress on the home automation

January 7, 2014 / stephen

While work is progressing on the first fix electrics in the extension, we are starting to terminate the cables for the lighting switches. All of the cables of the lighting and data will terminate in patch panel. This allows us to easily test all of the connectivity as well as being able to reconfigure the cabling at a later data.

There are 19 lighting switches in the older part of the building. The cables will terminate in a single 24 port patch panel. Patch leads will then connect the relevant port to the correct connection on the lighting computer.

The data connections will terminate in two 24 port patch panels since there are more than 24 data connections in this part of the building. These will be connected to a Netgear network switch that will be connected to the broadband route to provide wired Internet access into each of the rooms. There will be a second Netgear switch in the extension and the two switches will be connected together.

It will probably take a few days to get all of this connectivity working!

The top two consumer units house the Loxone kit – a server, 2 extensions and a dimmer unti. The bottom consumer unit contains the breakers and RCD. Underneath this there is a small data comms cabinet.

All of the Cat5 cables from the lighting switches terminate in this patch panel. There are 19 in this half of the building. There will then be a lead from the patch panel to the Loxone lighting computer which is housed above.

First fix electrics in the extension

January 7, 2014 / stephen

We are progressing well with the first fix electrics in the new extension. These will need to be completed before the plasterers can start in this part of the building. I reckon the first fix will be finished by the end of the week, leaving the building clear for the plasterers to start next week.

Although it was only a couple of months ago that we did the first fix on the older part of the building, I had forgotten exactly how much cabling is involved. The answer? Lots and lots. I was going to start counting exactly how much, but it was just too difficult.

There is Cat5 cabling for all the light switches, mains cabling for the sockets and power to the lights, cabling for the alarm PIR sensors, Cat5 (again) for the telephone and data points, co-axial for the TV and some Cat6 for satellite. There are also some odd cables around the place for things such as electric door latches, luminence sensors, temperature sensors (both indoor and outdoor) and some cables for thermostats (one in every room). Phew! That is a lot!

The other half of the lighting computer will be in the plant room along with the ground source heating pump. Hence all of the wires end up terminating here.

Bundles of wires waiting to be connected. Cat5 for all the light switches, mains cables for sockets and power to the lights, cabling for the PIR sensors for the alarms, Cat5 (again) for the telephone and ethernet. We haven’t pulled through the co-axial for the TV and the CAT6 for the satellite yet. It all adds up to a lot of cable.

These cables are waiting to be pulled through into the plant room and connected to the main distribution boards and the lighting computer.

Power cut

December 6, 2013 / stephen

The storms yesterday took its toll on our electricity supply. We seemed to be operating on a reduced voltage from about 3:30pm yesterday afternoon. By 6:30pm, we had lost power altogether. It was finally restored at around 2am.

In the meantime, the local pub is always a good refuge in a power cut. It must be what the pub was like a hundred years ago.

The only light is from the emergency exit sign, the open fire and a few candles. But the pumps still work!

New electricity connection

December 2, 2013 / stephen

We need three phase supply for our ground source heat pump. The supply was installed today and the existing overhead cables and the supplies to the two previous properties were recovered.

We dug the trench from the front to the rear of the property. Do make sure that you read the details carefully about how the trench – and the conduit – need to be laid. It took the best part of a day to pull the cable through, connect it to the supply on the pole and make the joint into the cable for the house.

We need a three phase supply for the ground source heat pump. Fortunately for us, the pole outside the property had a three phase supply.

Second fix electrics

November 30, 2013 / stephen

We are getting ready for the second fix electrics. The new three-phase supply is due to be installed next week, so there is a lot of work to do.

We need to put a three-phase distribution board in the extension and then connect this to a consumer unit in the older part of the building. This means that there are essentially two consumer units in the property enabling us to shut off the power separately in the two parts of the building.

The plan is to get these consumer units in place for when the new power supply is connected. If we don’t do this, we won’t have any power next week.

We are also installing the Loxone kit that will control the lighting, heating and some of the other features. There will be Loxone kit in both the new extension and the renovated part of the building. The mini-server will be installed in the renovated part and a number of extension modules will be installed in the extension. The Loxone kit is being housed in standard consumer units – there are relatively inexpensive and easy to source.

This is still work in progress and I reckon we won’t have this powered up until the middle of next week.

The new supply comes into a meter box on the opposite side of this wall. A cable will then come through the wall and feed this consumer unit. There is a feed from here to a second consumer unit in the renovated part of the property as well as a feed to the shed.

The top two consumer untis will house the Loxone kit. The bottom unit houses the breakers and RCDs.

Trench for water and electric

October 8, 2013 / stephen

We are going to be moving both the water and electric connections around to the new utility room. This was something that got missed off the original budget and can be a significant cost.

We have decided to dig the trench now. Once the new extension is built, the access would be severely limited by this trench. So we are going to do it now, lay the pipework and fill it back in before the porch is built.

We are also going to put connections into the outbuildings for both water (for the orchard and polytunnel) and electric for the sheds (lighting and power).

This was completed in a day. Probably another day’s work will get it to the utility (!) room. We will put a connection into the outbuildings for both water and electric.

The new water and electric connections will go in this trench. It is cheaper for us to dig it and put in the conduits rather than the utility companies doing it. The tarmac is cut with a floor saw and then a mini digger is used for the trench.

First fix – still not ready

October 1, 2013 / stephen

Well, there was a lot of work to be done in a short time, but the contractor was confident of getting it all done last week. Unfortunately, it looks like we should be ready by tomorrow lunchtime – 2.5 days late. As it happens, it shouldn’t cause too much of a problem. While the plasterers are due to start tomorrow, I suspect that they will spend most of the day getting the plasterboard to where it needs to be – we have just brought it inside the house (out of any potential weather), but will leave it to the plasterers to carry it up the stairs!

This is the cabling for the lighting, network, power and telephone. It all comes back to a central point in a cupboard on the top of the cellar steps.

This is a photo on the first floor. You can see the underfloor heating above the cables. Yellow cables are for light switches (Cat5e), black are co-ax for the TV/radio, purple are Cat6 network cables, white cables are for the alarm system and the grey round cables are for data/telephone. There are a lot of them!

First fix electrics – almost finished

September 30, 2013 / stephen

The first fix electrics were due to be finished last Friday. It looks as if the electrics will be finished tomorrow (Tuesday). This is just as well since the plasterers start on Wednesday. The plasterers will start by boarding and plastering the ceilings before moving onto the walls.

I have no idea how much cable we have used, but it seems like a lot!

First fix electrics are due to finish tomorrow. Just as well since the plasterers are due on Wednesday.

Light switches

September 26, 2013 / stephen

With the first fix well under way, we are looking to finalise much of the sockets and switches that will be used as part of the second fix.

We have decided to use Schneider flat plate screwless switches and sockets throughout the house. This product range has a full range which includes ethernet sockets, shaver sockets, etc. These come in a variety of different finishes. We have decided to used stainless steel with black inserts. These match the window and door furniture that we have selected to use elsewhere.

The front of the switches and sockets can be removed while the rooms are being painted and simply pushed into place once the paint has dried.

The majority of the light switches will be modified Schneider two button switches. The switches have been modified to use an RJ45 socket make them easy to connect to the Loxone lighting computer. Each of the buttons has an LED. These come in a variety of colours. We have decided to use ones with white LEDs.

This is a two way switch. It is from the screwless flat plate range from Schneider. The small circles at the top of each of the button are LEDs. They come in a variety of colours. We have decided to use white LEDs.

The black socket at the top of the switch is an RJ45 socket. We will use CAT5e cable to connect these switches to the lighting computer (Loxone).

First fix electrics start

September 23, 2013 / stephen

We have started the first fix electrics today. This means putting in all the cabling for the power, lights, data and telephone. Once the walls have been plastered, we will do the second fix which involves fitting all of the switches and sockets.

We need to get the first fix completed before we can start on the plastering. We are due to finish the first fix electrics this week. This is just as well since the plasterers start next Monday. We are pushing ahead with the plastering and electrics in the renovation while the new extension is being built. Today we started on the power sockets downstairs.

As we are working through the first fix, we are finding that some of the sockets, light and switches aren’t quite in the right place. We are “ironing out” these issues as we go. At the end of the first fix, we will be able to update the spreadsheet which list the sockets and switches that we require for the second fix.

We have started on the first fix electrics today. We should be done by the end of the week. Which is just as well since the plasterers start next Monday.