[share_ebook] Build Your Own Smart Home (2003)

图书介绍

Not so long ago, the majority of homes were wired with little more than the AC electrical powerlines, a few phone lines, and a few TV cables. Times have changed. Electrical and security system contractors routinely install low voltage communication cabling for a wide range of smart home systems. Of course, the new technology does still, for the most part, require connection to the same old AC powerline; but some unique and highly specific requirements must also be met.

The term 'prewiring' refers to the installation of cables and wires during a new home's construction. It includes the AC electrical wiring, as well as the low voltage, home systems cabling. The book, Structured Wiring Design Manual, by Robert N. Bucceri, is an excellent source of information for prewiring, and will also introduce you to the smart home systems for which the prewiring is installed.

If you're considering opting out of prewiring based on the wide availability of wireless devices today, remember that, despite industry pushes toward standardization, many wireless devices still use proprietary communication protocols, making them incompatible with other manufacturer's products. Partly for this reason, most home systems products are designed with structured wiring in mind. Remember also that prewiring is a permanent upgrade to your home, increasing its value at sale time.

Some of the home systems that require prewiring are security; home theater and entertainment; phones, door-phones and intercoms; PC and internet networks; surveillance cameras; driveway vehicle detection; communicating thermostats; motorized window treatments; entry systems; and irrigation systems. In addition to installing access ports for these systems, you should (remove 'also') decide upon at least two locations for centralized controls, i.e., one in the living room and one in the master bedroom.

The Prewire Planning Guide below is intended only as a general frame of reference, and should be altered to meet your specific requirements. It's a good idea to keep such a document as talking paper for discussions with your contractor. A written specification ensures that all contractors are bidding on the same effort. Discuss your requirements with each contractor and request that they include the details of their work plan in their proposals. Have them take the time to write up a scope-of-work and, if possible, to accurately markup the builder's floor plans. Specify where in each room you want the cable terminations, as well as the type of jacks and wall plates to be used at each termination. All cables running into the home control distribution center should be labeled with a room name and function. Lastly, all cables should be tested for continuity to ensure there are no shorts, opens, mislabels, or incorrect runs.

The prewiring of an average size home entails the running of miles of cables and usually requires several days for two installers to complete. The cost of low voltage prewiring varies, depending in some measure upon the number and length of cable pulls, as well as the number of terminations, but you can expect a range of between $2000 to $7500 for medium size homes, to well above that for larger homes.