Low Voltage Deck Lighting Control

[pgreen]

So I am installing a new deck and finally adding in some low voltage deck lighting. I want to be able to control the lights with my ISY. I guess I am thiniknig there are two options.

1. Control the AC power to the low voltage transfor via the INSTEON Dual Band Outdoor On-Off Plug In Appliance Module. The whole system is outside in the elements inlcuding the -30C Ottawa Canada winters.

2. Run the low voltage lines out of the transform back into the house and control them via the INSTEON IOLinc Low Voltage Input Output Interface Module.

 

Thoughts on issues with either approach. Anything other ideas. Note the -30C requirement for Ottawa.

 

Thanks

Peter

[mwester]

Use the former method.  The IOLinc is unlikely to be able to handle the current on the low-voltage side.

[paulbates]

Hi Peter-

+ 1 for mwester's suggestion

 

I'm in Michigan, and have four outletlincs on the outside of the house and non-attached garage for low voltage yard lights. We get -20F /-30C in winter, and those work fine in the cold. I had an appliancelnc out there for a few years too and it also worked fine.

 

One note: I had problems with an older intermatic 80w low voltage transformer and the outletlinc. When that transformer was plugged directly into the outletlinc on a 6' cable, the line noise from the transformer would make the outletlinc "freeze up" and I had to put a filter linc in. I recently switched to led yardlights with 40w transformers, no problems with those, filterlinc not needed any longer

 

Paul 

[pgreen]

I have been successfull with the INSTEON Dual Band Outdoor On-Off Plug In Appliance Module. I have two that I use every winter. One for the block heater in the truck and another to control Christmas lights. So for sure it can control the deck lighting trasformer. Was looking reduce the number of things hanging off the outside AC plug.

 

Any thoughts on this device to the low voltage control?

 

http://www.fortrezz.com/io-modules

 

2x Relay Outputs

Connect any low voltage (up to 24VDC, 10Amp) device and control it via wireless comman

 

And most importantly is it controlable via ISY. I do have the zwave mode.

 

Peter

[TrojanHorse]

Here in MN cold winters with wind and snow I use the insteon outdoor on/off modules for Christmas lights and other things. No problems. I might suggest you try using this same outdoor linc if you can weatherproof the connection to the deck lighting transformer.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Scottmichaelj]

Heres my opinion. If you have an outlet by the house in a waterproof box just use the outletlinc and plug the transformer into it. Then run the low volt lines from it to the deck. I did this same thing in my previous home for my BBQ island lighting.

 

FWIW Unique Landscapes makes so seriously good stuff but its pricey. My transformer is 10 years old and runs strong. It runs every night all night. The leds last forever too. There is also VOLT lighting that is my second favorite that I use a lot.

[pgreen]

Thanks for the link to Volt Lighting. VOLT® Multi-Tap Low Voltage Transformers for Landscape Lighting looks very capable. I see that I can  do the simple thing and have the  INSTEON Dual Band Outdoor On-Off Plug In Appliance Module control all power to the transformer. However that does not allow me to control the individual low voltage light zones unless I have multiple transformers. Specifically, I want to control the follow zone separately, walkway lights, deck lights, BBQ zone lighting, SPA zone lighting. So am I see an industry gap with respect to zwave or insteon control of all the different low voltage zones that exist in outdoor living space? Thoughts?

 

Thanks

Peter 

[stusviews]

No matter the protocol, if you want to control four separate zones, then you need four separate controllers. Even HVAC works that way (i.e., a thermostat for each zone). Once that's done, then you can probably use one device to control each of the zone controllers, for example, a KeypadLinc.

 

An Insteon I/O Linc can control up to 30V @ 5 amps, but you'll need one for each zone.

[Scottmichaelj]

Thanks for the link to Volt Lighting. VOLT Multi-Tap Low Voltage Transformers for Landscape Lighting looks very capable. I see that I can do the simple thing and have the INSTEON Dual Band Outdoor On-Off Plug In Appliance Module control all power to the transformer. However that does not allow me to control the individual low voltage light zones unless I have multiple transformers. Specifically, I want to control the follow zone separately, walkway lights, deck lights, BBQ zone lighting, SPA zone lighting. So am I see an industry gap with respect to zwave or insteon control of all the different low voltage zones that exist in outdoor living space? Thoughts?

 

Thanks

Peter

Yes each zone requires a transformer. There is no workaround that I found. Maybe someone knows a transformer with zones but I havent seen one. I like a KPL with a button to control the zones too as mentioned. Just buy the smallest transformer you need for each zone. Most the spotlights run about 15W and 5W for path and stair/step lights.

 

I like the way Unique has the hubs. You run the main line to a hub and then each light off it. Keeps all voltage the same and none of that, "first light is bright and last light on the line is dim" causing the bulbs to burn out faster.

[apnar]

Could add relays after the transformer to each zone. Then flip relays with IO linc or GPIO pins on a Pi. Relays are likely good bit cheaper than transformer for each zone and then you also get around needing to handle switching actual voltage.

[stusviews]

The I/O Linc is a relay. There's no need for both an I/O Linc and a relay.

[apnar]

True. I was more thinking one pi and 4 cheap relays. Much less expensive than 4 IO lincs.

[G W]

Mummm. I love pi.

 

Best regards,

Gary Funk

[larryllix]

True. I was more thinking one pi and 4 cheap relays. Much less expensive than 4 IO lincs.

By the time you are done buffering them, enclosures, power supplies, four plug-in modules may be cheaper.

But you still need to protect them and their connections  from weather etc.

 

IO/Links are not dual band either.

 

One 12v 6A  power supply, four WiFi controllers and strip   LEDs may be cheaper yet and easier to interface to ISY.

[pgreen]

By the time you are done buffering them, enclosures, power supplies, four plug-in modules may be cheaper.

But you still need to protect them and their connections  from weather etc.

 

IO/Links are not dual band either.

 

One 12v 6A  power supply, four WiFi controllers and strip   LEDs may be cheaper yet and easier to interface to ISY.

Please tell me more about this WiFi controllers that you reference.

 

Thanks

Peter