Add wireless to 6 year old C-Bus system

Hi, and Welcome.

Yes, there is no reason you can't do this yourself. 100 switches is quite a lot, so it probably means you have multiple networks.

You will need an interface into the system... if you have a touchscreen then there is one already, but since your installation is 6 years old then chances are it's the Mk1, so will need the serial programming cable for it.. it would have come with one, so hopefully the previous owner/installer left it with the system. You will also need this cable to reprogram your touchscreen. You also need access to the back of the touchscreen for this.. some installers fit the cable in the wall and mount the connector on a nearby wallplate for this reason.

Alternatively.. if you're thinking about getting a Wiser, this would give you an interface into C-Bus (you'll still want the serial cable to reprogram the touchscreen though).

Once you have an interface, you'll need the software, called Toolkit, which is free. You can download the latest version from the downloads page.

It should be quite easy to add more scenes in the touchscreen. You can then reprogram keys on your switches to trigger the scenes in the touchscreen remotely.

To create a touchscreen project, you need the PICED software (also free, download it from the same place as Toolkit).

PICED does take a little while to get the hang of.. because there's a lot you can do with it. There are heaps of example projects, templates etc, as well as extensive help files.

If you have the original PICED project files, then editing the project should be simple... if not, you can transfer the project back from the touchscreen (with the cable), but you won't be able to edit *everything* in the same way that you could if you had the original files.

If all you want to do is add a few scenes then this might be adequate... if you want to do more extensive modifications then you may find that creating your own project from scratch gives you a better result.

When you say "wireless control" I assume you mean control from a portable device like an iPhone or web tablet?

If so, you can quite easily add a Wiser, and it should be perfectly fine with your existing hardware. The Wiser comes with its own CNI, so you don't need a separate one.

Depending on the mobile device you want to connect with, it may or may not be supported. The native Wiser UI is via a web browser and requires Flash... if the browser/device doesn't support this, then it requires a dedicated app... there are dedicated apps for iPhone and various Nokia devices.

HVAC can be tricky, depending on the level of control you want. Probably a separate discussion.

Probably the best way forward from here is to just download Toolkit and PICED and have a play... then come back when you have more questions

HTH,

Nick

 

Hmm... good question... it's possible it was only ever provided with the touchscreen, so you may not even be able to order it separately.

The pinouts are listed here... if you want to try to make your own... the quickest way, if you have the right tools, would be just to buy a normal DB9 serial cable (probably < $10 at Jaycar or the like), cut the end off, and crimp on an RJ45.

It used to be restricted to pointOne integrators, however I have heard it is available more widely now... try asking your local electrical wholesaler. From memory the part number is 5200PG.

Nick