GE Low Voltage Lightning System

Hardware
1

I have a house that was built in the 70s, and it has a GE Low Voltage system in it. I have a Sonoff 4ch R2 which I was thinking I could probably replace some of the old relays with, but I’m not really sure how to go about wiring it in.

I’m not really worried about having the old switches functional, as I have regular light switches close by that I can use to power wifi switches to replace them.

If anyone has any experience with wiring one of these systems and could give some advice it would be greatly appreciated. The only pros I can find are old school enough to know the low voltage system, or fresh out of the box so know the smart home stuff, but no-one seems to know both.

The only place I can find on the internet with any information about these systems is here: GE Low Voltage Lighting Troubleshooting Tips | Kyle Switch Plates There’s a wiring guide about halfway down the page.

1 Like
2

Interesting

Well we can write a whole thesis on what could be used, but lets break it down to the core. You basically havs to replace the core of the GE system with a more modern one thats controlled OR you need to do something to add controls to the endpoints.

If you’re not going to gut the system and start over youll need to look at the switches. Per that diagram you mentioned this is where you add that:

info-how-to-wire-ge-transformers-relays-switches-low-voltage-lighting

So basically you’ll need to replicate the functionality that low voltage switch provides with one thats controlled. Maybe an ESP32 with a MOSFET acting as a relay? (it may be able to handle it naturally I didn’t notice the exact specs) May have to make some custom plugs to replicate however the current switches plug in. But it doesnt look all that difficult.

Also if any of your ‘new guys’ dont recognize that as an option - dont hire 'em.

3

It may be easy to you, but that really doesn’t make much sense to me. I don’t even know what a MOSFET is, and after a Google search wouldn’t know what to do with it even when i do know what it is! Maybe I can make it make sense to an electrician…

Thanks for the information. I appreciate it, even if I don’t understand it.

4

Hi,
I have this same system and I am in the very early stages of making a controller to add automation/remote on/off facilities. It is going to be based on the OpenSprinkler Project and will be a drop in replacement for the RMS-4A master control switch.
Regards,
Tom

5

Did you ever build that GE motor master replacement? I have a house full of a mixture of GE low Voltage equipment, X-10, and Z-wave. GE has always been the most reliable, but I miss not being able to connect it to the other systems. I am very curious what you chose to do.

John

6

A bit late to this party but I built a custom system to tie into HA with my 12-channel GE Low Voltage Lighting System.

The main goal I had with it was to be completely independent of the in-wall switching system that was already in place. That is - I wanted all of the switches to continue to work without needing the smart system up and running.

Ended up using a raspberry pi to provide the REST interface that controls the relays via i2c controllers as well as a separate subcomponent that reads whether a given circuit is “on” via optocoupler.