heritage style

I have just had a look at a project that i am pricing to install cbus into a 'old world' style home and the client wants to use the heritage range gpo's switches etc. obviously one way would be installing a bus coupler at each switch and variable resistor pots for dimmers feeding back to a general input unit. Is there a better way?

 

The C-Bus 30 Mech switch will fit into heritage switches. It would be push-button dimming, not rotary knob dimming, but that might be good enough? It would save quite a bit of mucking about.

Alternatively, rather than using rotary knobs connected to something else then connected to C-Bus you could use the spring-loaded heritage switches connected directly to the bus coupler for dimming.

 

30 Mech in black or dark brown would look nice against polished brass heritage fittings. It would look great on metal plate, but might look odd under the circular heritage cover.
I think the bell-press return would look more traditional. Dimmer knobs seem to me to be out-of-place in a heritage (1920) plate.
I'm not sure if you can get a bell-press return pull-switch, but a pull-switch with a tassel about an arm's reach over the bed head would be a nice way to dim the bedroom lights or control a bedroom fan, and would keep with tradition. This could work well with a bus coupler.

I would avoid using pots, etc., because then multi-way dimming which is normally easy with C-Bus, becomes more difficult.

 

That sounds like a great soultion. Will pass that one on.

I agree but I dont think its all about 'keeping it real' for this client. More the fear of having a 1920 style home and furniture with either neo or saturn range electrial gear.

Love this suggestion. Much appreciated.

Thanks for the heads up on this one too Don. I did comment to the customer about this problem but with what we discussed about the layout of the house it wouldnt be an issue as there are only 4 groups that would be dimmed.

Thanks Nick. I checked my new Clipsal bible when I heard about the C-bus 30Mechs all excited, but as you say, the white switch with a blue LED and a brass surround on a wooden plate may stretch the not keeping it real statement before.


Thanks for all the comments gents. Gives me some great things to take back to the client.

Cheers.

 

LED colour on 30 Mech switches is configurable as either orange or blue, just like a Neo. In heratige switches I'd set it to orange and turn the brightness right down low so it gives only a very subtle indication. Can't help you on the colour of the plastic though!

 

Maybe time for the Crayola's to come out and get the kids to colour the Mechs for me. Hey, its only slave labour if you get caught.

Thanks Newman.

 

They say money talks, if your client really wants c-bus with heritage switches i'm sure Clipsal can do a special order for the right price

 

I hear you but its not something I would call even close to a large enough install for me to even temp clipsal.


Just out of curiosity, how hard and firm is the 1 metre fly lead between switch and bus coupler? Only reason I ask is some walls a double brick but the entire house has been wired from under the floor. Switches are at 1.4 meters high so I was going to just cut the twin where and tap it into the coupler where it comes through the under the floor for each existing switch. Would this pose a problem?

 

The reason for the length limit is that any cabling connected to a bus coupler is introducing imbalance into the C-Bus network. The more cable that is connected, the more imbalanced the network becomes, and the more susceptible to electrical interference the entire installation becomes.

If you're going for "approved install" status on the site you may have issues with longer runs on the bus couplers.

The proper way to do is is to use Auxiliary Input units, where all inputs are strongly isolated from C-Bus.