It would be easier to just start over. Lol.
well, it might bring up a lot of surprises like unsupported devices or significantly changed logic/UI, which won’t be welcomed by customers as well.
Mainly on mash WIFI and Zigbee for our battery-operated sensors. Even 150 devices in one facility without any issue.
It’s not an issue at all. we are using only 2 proven versions and our devices support it 100%.
As I have mentioned our system is fixed version and we’ll not release newer one before we fully test it for 100% compatibility. If we’ll use newer revision, we’ll make sure our devices FW can support it.
Our standard time to install and modify customer’s system for new device is 30 minutes.
So you’re going to prevent the customer from updating home assistant? What happens when an API is broken and REQUIRES an update?
So you have an exact replica of every device the customer will have connected? How do you do that?
Oh. So you’re forcing your customers to use ONLY your hardware and not allowing them to understand the full features of Home Assistant? That’s not right.
It sounds like you have no real experience with Home Assistant
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@missingegg is look for advice and I don’t think this “new” discussion is helpful.
No offense. There’s a “Share your projects” category for discussing where this thread has turned.
Please keep the discussion relevant to the topic.
Thanks
Actually I am responding to an “integrator” that has seemingly offered his services, but it appears he doesn’t know home assistant very well.
Never had broken APIs on an operational system.
Updating open source system it’s like taking an extreme war zone adventure. Why messing with perfectly working system of over 100 devices? The reality is that not all are DIY oriented, and quite happy with stable familiar system.
warranty can be existing only with maintainable systems. some clients want to explore farther flexibilities with their own devices, it’s ok but they are fully aware that no provider can support or deal with the consequences.
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So you’re not integrating home assistant with things like MyQ? Or Hue? Or Nest? Or a number of other integrations that change API whenever they feel like it?
You sound like it’s the fault of the open source nature, but the reality is that we have no control over the outside API that companies use.
Again, I think you don’t have any experience with home assistant
Because we can’t control others companies, we are using only our own devices, or others which allowing updates and cloud disable (like shelly).
Offering only OH systems. Just last week have installed HA in my house for test run. Maybe in a few mounts we’ll be able to offer also HA.
I can’t imagine that any competent electrician isn’t already doing this.
Have the installer run CAT6 and Low-Voltage wires to a low-voltage box next to most, if not all, 110V outlet locations. This is the ultimate future-proofing. (Though, the prior owner of my house did this when the house was built, except that the state of the art then was CAT3 and RG59 coax- almost useless to me now). But to keep things clean, tell the sheetrock contractor to cover the orange boxes. You can always cut the sheetrock to access them later. Take photos before the sheetrock goes up so that you will know exactly where the orange boxes are located. Don’t forget outdoor locations.
Cheap is relative. But I do like my Zigbee light switches. My Ikea lights are the least reliable in my system and my Sonoff devices are mostly reliable.
You won’t find Home Assistant in any “off the shelf” solutions or packages, precisely because it is so customizable. All OTS systems only work with a very narrow list of components because it’s simpler to install and maintain. But, if you do the above wiring tips, even if you do decide to go with an OTS system, you will be ready for any infrastructure the OTS system needs.
Seriously, I am no expert, but the good folks on this forum have patiently helped me get my stuff working with home assistant…
Don’t try to anticipate future wiring needs. Just run conduit to all device boxes and terminate conduit in an accessible location. Run conduit to each window frame in case you want to add sensors, etc. later. Run conduit to room corners ceiling with a spare device box in case you want to later add motion sensors, cameras, etc.
This is what I’m doing as I gut and rebuilt every room of my house. I terminate all conduits in a large box accessible to the room either in the attic, crawl space or simply in the wall (cover with picture or fake vent). This box also contains automation hardware for that room (ie. switch/relay controller, etc.). Adding new stuff is as easy as pulling new wires through the conduits.
Now it takes a lot of conduit…I have well over 100ft of conduit in my bathroom alone!
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It’s my impression as well that (at least for USA and Canada) ‘switch loops’ are no longer a common practice. I imagine ‘switch loops’ were employed to save a few yards/meters of wire when daisy-chaining several outlets/lights on the same circuit.
For those unfamiliar with the practice, here is what you want:
[Mains]========[Switch]=======[Light]
Here is a ‘switch loop’ (also referred to as ‘no neutral at the switch’):
[Mains]========[Light]========[Switch]
Our home was built in the late 60’s and I’ve encountered, and remediated, several ‘switch loops’ (in order to install UPB dimmers). Anyone who has ever done this knows that it’s far easier to say ‘remediated’ than actually do the work needed to revise the circuit.
It used to be recommended to install extra-deep boxes in order to accommodate the larger size of smart switches and their related wire-nuts. However, I’ve found the standard-depth ones to be fine (at least with UPB dimmers which are fairly compact) if you neatly arrange the wires and wire-nuts.
Conduits are insurance for future projects. Make sure you have at least one that runs from the attic to the basement and be generous with its size. I added a 2" diameter conduit to my home for low-voltage cabling (network, alarm, etc) and it’s the kind of project that involves a fair bit of messy ‘surgery’ (opening a wall or two). Having this done at the time the home is being built is so much easier.
It’s entirely normal and usual to not have neutral to the switches in the UK. I actually bought a brand new house around ten years ago that physically had neutral wires dropping to all of the light switch backboxes but they weren’t connected to anything at either end and appeared to have been put there ‘just in case’ but were basically a waste of copper.
“Conduits are insurance for future projects. Make sure you have at least one that runs from the attic to the basement and be generous with its size. I added a 2” diameter conduit to my home for low-voltage cabling (network, alarm, etc) and it’s the kind of project that involves a fair bit of messy ‘surgery’ (opening a wall or two). Having this done at the time the home is being built is so much easier."
Outstanding idea. Just make sure you aren’t going through a load bearing beam. If it’s done before the sheetrock or insulation goes on, the additional cost should be nominal. I’ll remember this as we are planning to have our next house custom-built for us.
I completely agree. I can’t imagine a 3rd party’s maintaining an effective and reliable system for a homeowner, unless that 3rd party is able to dedicate a ton of time and the homeowner in turn is prepared to pony up a ton in support costs. Might just be my system - which I’d definitely call ‘comprehensive’ - but I’m constantly fixing/tweaking things that should work as expected - but don’t, because of new & unexpected conditions, rare issues in communication/connectivity, etc.
My suggestion to the homebuilder would be to either seek a commercial grade system that gives you the basics, or (presuming of course that you’re IT-inclined) make the necessary preparations as part of construction (run lines, have a dedicated closet, etc.), and wait until you have time to research & properly implement (and maintain) an open source solution like HA.
At one point in its travel, the conduit had to pass through one 2"x6" stud of a load-bearing wall. I reinforced it with a second equivalent stud then bored the hole through both. Making swiss cheese out of one stud won’t bring the house down but doubling it just seemed like the ‘pro’ thing to do.
In the spirit of sharing, this is not entirely related to the current subject but is in the same vein of “don’t compromise load-bearing walls”. There’s a home for sale in our neighborhood that’s identical to ours. We’re talking about a 60’s style suburban house with traditional, separated, living/family/kitchen/dining rooms on the ground floor. This other home was completely gutted and remodeled to be ‘open concept’ (and being sold for 40% more than the average asking price). Basically, the ground floor is now just the stairs leading to the second floor in the center of a vast open area. I know where the load-bearing walls are in this model of house … and this one no longer has them. So did they reinforce everything with engineered (or steel) I-beams … or not? I guess the new owner will discover the answer in a few years … 
I know next to nothing about the UK’s electrical code but what you described reminds me that we are talking about the birthplace of Lucas Electric …
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My comment was about the horizontal beams, but your discussion of studs is spot-on. One compromised stud is unlikely to cause structural damage. I have firsthand experience with this where the prior owner of my house in California overloaded the space over the beams in his garage and the result was a noticeable swayback of the garage roof. (About 6-inches across the length of the roof peak). I got the price of the home down by $20K to pay for the steel beam before the whole roof structure was beyond repair. I haven’t seen any of that in New England, but swayback garage roofs are fairly common in California. Probably because California homes don’t have attics or basements, so the space above the garage beams is the only storage space available. (That’s probably also why you see storage rentals every few blocks).
We will be looking for a new home, hopefully we will contract to build it to our specifications. But if we find the perfect home with the open concept that my wife wants, it will be evaluated by a home inspector before we even consider it. If you measure the floor to ceiling distance at the walls and the center of the room, there should be zero difference. If not, walk away.
I wish I had conduit to my window frames…