Hi everyone,
I’m planning a smart electrical installation as part of a flat renovation. I don’t want to overcomplicate or overspend, but I’ve been working with Home Assistant at my cottage for 8 years now, so I have a pretty clear idea of what I want. Still, I’d like to consult it with someone who deals with this kind of setup professionally and can point out anything I may have missed — or just share some real-world experience.
My main goals:
- Be able to turn off all lights at once
- Adjust lighting ambiance without getting up from the couch
- Integrate other smart devices (washing machine, dishwasher, speakers, etc.) into one app — this is where Home Assistant shines
- Avoid locking the apartment into one proprietary solution (in case we move out or just want to switch back to standard wiring)
My setup idea:
- Every light and switch will have its own cable to the distribution board, using standard electrical wires. This way, I can always revert to traditional wiring if needed.
- In the distribution board: Home Assistant + KinCony F16 (relay + input board)
- Standard rocker switches will be wired to inputs, KinCony will detect their state changes, and the logic will toggle relays accordingly.
- Power sockets will stay conventional — no need for remote control there.
- I’m not planning on shutters, irrigation, or other automation — this is an apartment. Maybe one day I’ll add motorized window vents over Wi-Fi, but that’s a low priority.
What I’m currently unsure about:
Wiring layout:
Is it reasonable to run something like CYKY 3×1.5mm² from the switch → distribution board → light for this setup, or is there a smarter way to wire this?
Relay/input hardware:
KinCony F16 seems like a solid choice — open, reliable, and easily integrated. Still, I’d appreciate any alternatives that are proven to be rock-stable in the long run.
I’ve also considered Shelly (more decentralized, but stable), and Loxone — but it feels overpriced, too closed, and I’d have to learn a whole new system, while I already know HA very well.
Which device to run Home Assistant on:
- Raspberry Pi 5 – flexible, easy DIN mounting, familiar ecosystem
- Home Assistant Green – plug-and-play, maybe even more stable?
- Synology NAS – not an option, I prefer to keep HA separate from storage
My goal is maximum reliability and minimum maintenance. I don’t need anything powerful — no NVRs or AI. Maybe someday I’ll run HA Voice with OpenAI, but that’s about it.
I’d really appreciate any feedback — whether it’s on wiring, relay hardware, or HA hardware itself.
Thanks a lot!
Hi,
I’d be surprised if there’s much overlap between a platform for certified installers, and one that started out for tinkers which is growing up.
The only Loxone coverage I’ve seen in the hobbyist area was Mark McCall’s selfbuilds on Automated Home but he handed the site over some years ago. Changes seemed to need pro software only available to those who had attended the installers course, but don’t really know much beyond the “special cable” requirement. KNX seems a lot more popular amongst HA users.
Radial mains cabling from fittings back to sub-main DBs is a simple way to hedge bets - any DIN rail devices can then be used (e.g. NOT ceiling rose loop-in, but ALL back to the DB).
What ever you use, the standard lesson learned is INSTALL MORE CABLE THAN YOU THINK, and then install some more! I wired at first-fix with Cat5e and that’s worked for most things - only 25 years later am I thinking a duct for fibre might be useful.
Don’t forget cabling for blinds, locks, external lighting, sensors, etc.
Mat Smith has a lot of self-build automation knowledge - not many videos, but interesting cabling advice:
If this helps, 
this post!
Thanks a lot! I’m sure there will be a lot of cables — that’s essential for any proper smart setup, right? (Well, maybe except for KNX.)
What worries me a bit is the irreversibility of a true smart installation. But maybe I’m just overthinking it and making things more complicated than they really are. I don’t know.
I’ll keep digging and see where the research takes me.
Thanks again for your input!
The most familiar approach for UK trades is to install controls in light fittings, or behind ceiling roses - all connections are there, unlike in Europe where they tend to be behind the switch.
Running triple and earth to switches (what used to be called “double red” cables) and using deep back boxes gives a lot of flexibility as most EU controls can then be used as there is a Neutral. This is very reversible - stick a Wago on the Neutral, and install a standard dumb switch plate.
Radial or “Home run” mains cabling back to a sub-DB can also be made “dumb” with a DIN connector block instead of a DIN-rail control module.
Expect a tech refresh every 5-10 years - indeed, plan for it. Leave space and access for a future replacement device.
I use a Yellow upgraded from a CM4 to a CM5 and it works well. The advantage is it has a decent SilLabs radio and everything is supported natively in HA. This may be less of a draw as the same radio is in the Nabu Casa USB Zigbee/ Thread ZBT-1 radio, and a USB Z-Wave radio is “coming soon”. When it does, my Aeotec Z-wave coordinator and annoying firmware update process will get in the bin!
I only upgraded to a CM5 due to a very complex ESPhome project that wouldn’t compile in 2Mb RAM - most of the time even the CM4 was lightly loaded with free memory.
The trick is not to get dragged into the Enterprise Smart Home Syndrome. Yes, you can use Ansible to deploy into Docker, but dedicated hardware is easier to maintain and keep a cold-spare.
If this helps, this post!
