We would like to install a few stairway spotlights and are wondering about the best way to control them. Should they be switched manually with two-way switches at the top and bottom of the stairs, or with motion sensors or presence detectors?
With our floor plan, it wouldn’t be a problem to install three separate light switches at both the top and bottom of the stairs (one for the main light upstairs, one for the stair spotlights, and one for the light downstairs—all wired as two-way switches), but is that practical? Or would it be better to control the stairway spotlights with motion or presence sensors?
With our floor plan, it wouldn’t be a problem to install three separate light switches at both the top and bottom of the stairs (one for the main light upstairs, one for the stair spotlights, and one for the light downstairs—all wired as two-way switches), but is that practical? Or would it be better to control the stairway spotlights with motion or presence sensors?
Mycraft schrieb:
You think a conventionally wired house is simpler? What does a guest do in such a case? No bus system, everything conventional — a typical installation in new builds nowadays:
The top roller shutter switch is either on the far left or right side of the room. The rest are arranged around the room in the same sequence. Once you try it, you’ll understand how it works.
With the lights, you figure it out after just one click. As for the tablet, my father would first have to find his reading glasses. He doesn’t even carry them everywhere...
S
Sebastian7926 Aug 2016 14:01@Mycraft:
Yes, those confusing switch setups do exist – I made sure we don’t have anything like that and arranged the switches logically wherever possible.
In the end, I don’t really care if a guest operates something “wrong” – usually, I’m the one managing the house and I know how everything works. A guest might make a mistake, but nobody really thinks long-term, “Ugh, annoying – I wish they had a bus system!”
These are just theoretical issues – a sophisticated bus system is great, but living conventionally isn’t any worse for the resident.
And this applies to you too, Grym; you’re also being quite negative about bus systems – nobody is talking about saving an extra few seconds of life here.
Yes, those confusing switch setups do exist – I made sure we don’t have anything like that and arranged the switches logically wherever possible.
In the end, I don’t really care if a guest operates something “wrong” – usually, I’m the one managing the house and I know how everything works. A guest might make a mistake, but nobody really thinks long-term, “Ugh, annoying – I wish they had a bus system!”
These are just theoretical issues – a sophisticated bus system is great, but living conventionally isn’t any worse for the resident.
And this applies to you too, Grym; you’re also being quite negative about bus systems – nobody is talking about saving an extra few seconds of life here.
This is not about KNX.
You asked about switches or motion detectors in the stairwell. I replied about motion detectors and also how to avoid false triggers caused by pets.
This way, you can avoid triple wiring and two-way switches, which has a positive effect on the total cost at the bottom right. All without KNX.
You asked about switches or motion detectors in the stairwell. I replied about motion detectors and also how to avoid false triggers caused by pets.
This way, you can avoid triple wiring and two-way switches, which has a positive effect on the total cost at the bottom right. All without KNX.
Yes, we could set up the stair lighting with motion sensors. Not the hallway lighting, though, because for me it’s part of the comfort to decide when it turns on.
But back to the construction. Using reading glasses and a tablet is actually not that unusual. Without reading glasses, you’re really at a disadvantage without conventional switches.
But back to the construction. Using reading glasses and a tablet is actually not that unusual. Without reading glasses, you’re really at a disadvantage without conventional switches.
You also need to let go of the tablet sometimes, as the glossy brochures often show house controls that don’t necessarily reflect reality. It’s just one possible way to control things and by no means the only one. For quickly turning lights on or off or raising/lowering shutters, I don’t need a tablet—that would be a loss of comfort rather than a gain.
For example, in my kitchen I have a wall-mounted switch (90 x 120 mm (3.5 x 4.7 inches)) with 4 rockers and 17 functions that can be operated manually (without reading glasses). Additionally, every time a button or rocker is pressed, the display shows what function is being activated to assist the user.
In practice, only about 7 of these functions are manually operated occasionally; the rest are automated so that no intervention is necessary, though the option remains available. (15 functions are used daily.)
For example, in my kitchen I have a wall-mounted switch (90 x 120 mm (3.5 x 4.7 inches)) with 4 rockers and 17 functions that can be operated manually (without reading glasses). Additionally, every time a button or rocker is pressed, the display shows what function is being activated to assist the user.
In practice, only about 7 of these functions are manually operated occasionally; the rest are automated so that no intervention is necessary, though the option remains available. (15 functions are used daily.)
T
toxicmolotof26 Aug 2016 22:24So, we have push buttons installed throughout all hallways and the staircase that activate a relay timer located in the utility room. This timer then switches on the spotlights, which automatically turn off after 30 seconds (or a longer adjustable period).