What will I need initially do to this?

Community Playground Getting Started & Initial Setup
#1

I’m looking to incorporate a little automation into my home. Nothing too crazy initially.
Here’s my requirement list:

  1. Covert at least 3 existing switches with dimmable switches. Automation will be nice too.
  • The switches control recessed lights in groups of 5, 2, and 2 respectively.
  • Currently they use Halogen B30 bulbs. Seems LED might be something everyone will use in 5 - 10 years so a switch that can handle LED might be a good idea, but I rather like the light that the halogen bulbs give off and don’t plan on switching anytime soon.
  • The current switch(es?) have 4 wire connections in the back. I’m no electrical engineer but I think this means I have a ‘neutral’ wire?
  • There are is only 1 switch that controls the lighting for each respective area.
  • I’d like the switch to be dimmable and useable even without any z-wave/etc connectivity.
  1. Convert outdoor lights to connect to a VeraLite (or similar). Either with Z-Wave, Insteon, or whatever is recommended.
    Lights can be controlled with Vera based on time and/or motion.

Other non-immediate possible uses:

  • I plan on getting a Foscam to use as a baby monitor. Might be nice to use it for a driveway camera or security camera later since the driveway is not visible while inside the house.
  • I have ADT (newer wireless module). I actually think converting to a homemade system might save some $$ and still suit our needs.
  • Garage Door Automation. I have 2 Chamberlain Formula I openers. I don’t know if it’s possible (they are probably 12-13 years old), but it would be nice to have remote control of them. At the very least, some sort of alert to say if the doors are open. The garage is attached and temperatures can be -10 to -20F in the winter so pipes freezing when someone forgot to close the door is a possibility.
  • Setup a scene for the dedicated home theater in the basement

Current setup:

  • Home built in '99
  • Cable modem (Motorola Surfboard)
  • Wi-Fi via Apple Time Machine (2Ghz and 5Ghz)
  • Airport Express repeater. Not sure if it does much.
  • Sonos + Spotify for music (currently four Play5’s, three Play3’s, ZonePlayer connected to two Bose outdoor speakers)
  • Macbook computer (w/ Bootcamp Win7).
  • Android phone

Any recommendation on what I should go with as far as the controller, connectivity protocol, switches or advice?

#2

You will have a lot of fun…

I recommend Dimmer switches that have a Neutral Wire connection. They are the lease sensitive to the issues around LED lights (and it won’t be 10years to switch over, the government is making regulations that outlaw high energy options to LED’s).

All of the switches you buy will allow manual control, even the in-wall micro-switches.

there is a lot of talk on the Insteon versus ZWave, you can search that debate on the forum. Your Vera will handle either, or both.

Search the forum, there may be a device and plugin that will allow you to use your existing security system (yeas, that is way cool) to detect motion, detect doors/windows, and to Arm/Disarm your system remotely.

The garage door will easily be converted to ZWave, all you need is the old pushbutton on the wall. Once you locate the contacts where this wires connect to the opener, you hook up a Zwave relay (MimoLite or equivalent) and a door sensor and you are done.

You should consider your thermostats, you can ‘justify’ the expense of all this with money saved on Heat/AC.

There are also several choices for your home theater.

Yup, it will be a lot of fun.

#3

Adding to @Bulldoglowell’s recommendations, for dimmers, I would recommend:
Linear WD500Z Dimming Wall Switch
or the virtually identical
Evolve LRM-AS 500-Watt Wall Mount Dimmer
or the
Leviton VRE06-1LZ 600W Electronic Low Voltage Scene Capable Dimmer

For your outdoor lights, I presume that you want On/Off relay switches and not dimmers. For this I would recommend a:
Linear WS15Z Wall Switch
or the near identical
Evolve LSM-15 15-Amp Wall Mount Switch
or the
Leviton VRS15-1LZ 15A Scene Capable Switch.

For the garage door I would recommend a:
Schlage RS100HC Door and Window Sensor
combined with a
Remotec ZFM-80 Dry Contact Module
or a
Linear Z-Wave Isolated Contact Fixture Module
or the near identical
Evolve LFM-20 Fixture Module.

Linear has also announced, though not yet shipped a Z-Wave Garage Door Controller that would likely be a superior solution to the above relays.

For your Android smartphone I would recommend Authomation HD.

Though currently withdrawn due to Vera’s firmware version migration, I also recommend the Vera Alerts App in conjunction with the VeraAlerts Plugin.

Finally, for your Sonos system, the Sonos Plugin allows Vera to be even more flexible.

#4

The Leviton looks almost identical to some of the current Leviton VP00R-1L dimmers in the house.
So the benefit of going with the $180 Leviton vs the $40 Linear/Evolve is the better LED compatibility? It’s quite a cost difference…

I used to have several old SwitchLinc Rx PLC switches when I ran an X10 system many years ago and liked the ‘dim on’, ‘dim off’ feature and LED indicator. I presume the newer switches w/ Z-Wave will be even better. In hunting for these switches, I found a treasure trove of old X10 stuff.

Saving on heating would be nice. We spend around $3500/year and that’s with most rooms at 60F and the garage at 45F. With 6 zones it would also be expensive to replace all the thermostats. Maybe start small with the most used rooms.

For video, I’m looking at either the Foscam FI9821W at around $139 or the Foscam FI8910W at around $60. I’m still hazy on the differences between the 2. Will they both work well with Vera?

#5

Yes. There is also a feature in the Leviton called Instant Status. You can read up about it in the forums. It may be important to your application.

For video, I'm looking at either the Foscam FI9821W at around $139 or the Foscam FI8910W at around $60. I'm still hazy on the differences between the 2. Will they both work well with Vera?
[url=http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B006ZP8UOW/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B006ZP8UOW&linkCode=as2&tag=zwavec-20]Foscam FI8910W Pan & Tilt IP/Network Camera with Two-Way Audio and Night Vision[/url] is a 640x480 resolution.

Foscam FI9821W Indoor Pan/Tilt H.264 720p Wireless IP Camera is a 1280x720 HD resolution. This also requires more bandwidth to view. Appears to be on sale in a “Lightning Deal”(?) for the next couple hours.

I have not used either of these cameras with Vera, but they should both work.

#6

Yes. There is also a feature in the Leviton called Instant Status. You can read up about it in the forums. It may be important to your application.

For video, I'm looking at either the Foscam FI9821W at around $139 or the Foscam FI8910W at around $60. I'm still hazy on the differences between the 2. Will they both work well with Vera?
[url=http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B006ZP8UOW/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B006ZP8UOW&linkCode=as2&tag=zwavec-20]Foscam FI8910W Pan & Tilt IP/Network Camera with Two-Way Audio and Night Vision[/url] is a 640x480 resolution.

Foscam FI9821W Indoor Pan/Tilt H.264 720p Wireless IP Camera is a 1280x720 HD resolution. This also requires more bandwidth to view. Appears to be on sale in a “Lightning Deal”(?) for the next couple hours.

I have not used either of these cameras with Vera, but they should both work.[/quote]

Thanks ZWaver, just got a great deal!

#7

You’re welcome. I’ve never seen or heard of a Lightning Deal on Amazon before. It seems rather like the K-Mart Blue Light Special. Good price all the same.