I’m just wiring up a shop and was looking for an easier way of connecting all the lights/fans/outlets/air compressors etc. and was wondering if there’s a solution at or in the breaker box. This is literally just me being lazy and since I’m not going to use any dimmers, just on/off, a way to control the entire shop in one location is appealing. A z-wave breaker would be ideal but i’ve never seen one.
I believe you wish to use the in-wall z-wave modules directly at breaker box.
While this looks to be a good and why not, clean, idea, especially if this would be new wiring, z-wave radio will never be able to pass through the metallic breaker box. Unless you decide to go with a plastic one.
OTHER CONS: You might also consider to place the controller nearby as the z-wave routing will be basically useless in such a scenario, and all modules will connect directly with controller. If you would have further away battery operated devices, these will also have issues reaching controller.
So this would be feasible if ALL z-wave modules are in the same place (breaker box), you don;t have other remote battery operated devices, breaker box is plastic.
Hope this helps in taking a decision.
Not sure how many devices you’re planning on or loads. But you could use something like this for each circuit.
or
or
Or use a cheap switched outlet (TP-Link/Wemo/Z-Wave) as the coil on a high amp relay? (Heavy Duty Relay/Contactor - ELK Products)
I just bought a handful of these that I’m going to hack (can flash different firmware on the chip) and use for random.
https://www.itead.cc/sonoff-wifi-wireless-switch.html ← These are 10A rated ~$5
https://www.itead.cc/sonoff-pow.html < 16A Rated ~ $11
Just tossing out random thoughts.
You do not say if you the current box is equipped with DIN rail?
If it is, then I’d be looking at a combination of Insteon DIN breakers to control your primary electricals. Vera should still be able to communicate with the Insteon side of things through X10 and remain the primary controller.
I am not sure how practical this is …
One lighting circuit can control a LOT of lighting with LED fixtures.
Do you want all on/off at the same time ?
Also many breaker boxes do not have a lot of extra room for Z-Wave modules scattered about.
Also these Z-Wave modules tend to need white (neutral) wire and they are not very long, complicating their placement options in an already congested box.
At the expense of wire … you could run one line for each lighting circuit back to a central place near the breaker and install a z-wave module in each lighting circuit. I have actually seen this done in a small business office (A dozen people).
But controlling was done with Scene controllers in each room … the Scene controllers were always acting up.
An Alexa or Google Home in each room might make this practical.
You could add aeotec microswitches in line with the circuits. Odds are you could fit six microswitches in a 3 gang box close to the breaker panel without too much effort.
i just use an enclosure with a contactor rated for that load with a 110 volt coil conected to either an appliance module or a zwave relay such as a zl7432us (number for the dual one which will control two different contactors ) i use this for my hight bay lights my water heater and also for my hot tub or you can by the zwave relay box by ge but they are very pricy