CBUS domestic installation in Canberra

CBUS domestic installation in Canberra - Help please

Hi,

I have a CBUS system installed in my home in canberra ( Around 2001). Had some issues with Power supply about 15 months ago. Had one of the few CBUS domestic electrician come and replace one of the power supply - Don't remember the details of the electrician

Now am having issues with some of the lights not turning off and some not turning on at all. Initially turning off the power at the Junction box seemed to reset the lights but doesn't help anymore.

Can I please have some guidance / help please.

 

It is most likely a clock or a burden setting which has gone AWOL. It wouldnt take long to figure out by using the Clipsal CBUS test tool.

If you have a PC interface of some type download the free software and start to look at what the network is doing.

If you dont have a PC interface (as some installers keep it) then you could look to buying a used one online or a new one.

 

Are the power supplies the large cream box power supplies or are they the DIN-rail mounted ones? At that installation date they could be either. If you still have any of the old cream box power supplies then they would be my first suspicion.

There is a software utility called the C-Bus Diagnostic Utility. If you have physical access to a C-Bus PC Interface on your network you can use a PC to connect this to your network and run a couple of features called the Traffic Analyser and the Reliabilty Test. Both these will give some information as to the quality of your network.

As tobex says, you should also check your burden settings. Most C-Bus networks require 1 burden to be set.

 

Hello Nathaniel,

Might i suggest making contact with a CBUS accreditted electrician or integrator to come and have a look at your system for you..

They will most likely know what to look for and be able to find the source of your problem efficiently..

Also they might be able to show you some add-on products which can make your system even more functional as a lot has changed since 2001..

I know of CBS Automation and Smart Energy Solutions in Canberra who are both very good with CBUS..

Cheers..

 

Thanks for taking time to reply to my query. I tried to connect to the CBUS network using my computer but it doesn't seem to recognise the network.

I'll try one of the recommendations.

Just a tad concerned re my previous experience.

The first guy I called sent over an apprentice for 15 minutes and charged me $350 for just the visit without much resolution.
The second guy I used, Not sure about the name of the electrical company that I used but I was asked to supply a clipsal power supply ( Around $350) to add to network. Something was done and lights were working again.

I went up to the roof this week to see if I could try and figure something out and I believe they replaced it with something other powersupply and pocketed my powersupply plus paid them $500 to take away my brand new powersupply :0(

Hope I have better results this time around.

Thanks again for your help and recommendations...

 

This definitely needs to be confirmed. If there is any power supply on your network other than a C-Bus Power Supply your network will be unreliable at best and not operate at worst. The C-Bus power supply is very different to regular DC power supplies because power and data use the same wires.