Smart home – should you choose a PLC or an IB system to start with?

Hello

My colleague and I would like to learn how to get to grips with smart home systems; we’ve given ourselves a year to get to grips with the theory and gain some practical experience. As neither of us has had any experience with such systems before, we’re not quite sure where to start. To begin with, we’d like to learn about simple functions such as controlling lighting, gates, roller shutters, etc.

The options we’re considering:
- buying an affordable, decent (second-hand) PLC and getting stuck in – but which PLC?
- buying a controller from one of the IB system manufacturers – but which one…?
- simulating everything on a computer – which, as we know, doesn’t always match up with reality.

If we buy a PLC, we’re (I suppose?) cut off from proprietary solutions; if we buy a solution from a single company, we cut ourselves off from others… the simulation option appeals to us the least.

Our budget is modest, and training courses aren’t organised in our area at reasonable prices; for the time being, at least, we’re not planning to make money from this, so there’s no point in paying a fortune.

What do you think would be best?

Have a look online. There are forums dedicated to various smart home systems. You can find out what capabilities each system offers, what their limitations are, how much they cost, read the programming manuals for the various controllers, and find out how difficult they are to install. All this and more is available online, and you can use this information to choose the system that best suits your needs. Alternatively, you could simply try to get a job with a company specialising in this field and gain some practical experience under the guidance of more experienced colleagues.

I was in exactly the same boat – I didn’t have a clue about smart homes. This year, I did a short course on installation with F&Home – they’re the ones from F&F. It was just 1 km away from me, so I splashed out and thought, ‘I’ll pick up a bit of knowledge’. One day of all that talk about the system and other rubbish, and the next day was hands-on practice, fiddling about with installing systems and having a go at programming.
Maybe instead of just buying the kit and messing about at home, you could do a manufacturer’s training course – and you’ll get an installer’s certificate into the bargain.

Hello

Mate, you could put all the ideas you’ve come up with into practice and still end up with nothing to show for it if you don’t land a job in this field over the next few years.
It’s a very broad subject, and in truth, it largely depends on the client’s requirements and preferences; only then will you know which system will meet the order’s needs.

Have a look here too: www.nexwell.pl

Thank you for now to everyone who has shared their thoughts!

For now, we simply want to find out whether we can handle the subject, learn a bit about the theory and standards, and do some practical work on a living organism in the comfort of our own homes

If we’re confident we can manage it, we’ll think about what and how to invest in order to get further training

Start by visiting the manufacturers’ websites, download the user manuals – and any assembly instructions if available – then organise them and start reading through them.
Check the forums to see what people buy most often, take a look at those options, and then you can decide for yourself what to do next.
I had the chance to do a training course myself; I paid about 350 zł, but I had them right on my doorstep. Will it be useful to me? Probably not, as there aren’t any takers. I’ve prepared the installations for one client for the future – should the new owner, their daughter, decide to go ahead, then I’ll already have the wiring and cable routing sorted. Well, almost sorted. But I don’t know what will happen in two years’ time.
By the way, what do you mean by: ‘doing something on a living organism in the comfort of your own home’? You know how expensive those bits of kit are:D
Here’s a link to the assembly instructions for one of the systems: http://www.fhome.pl/centrum_pobierania/Instrukcje/Dokumentacja%20techniczna%20v1.9.pdf
It’s not compatible with other systems, but in a way it’s one of the cheapest in the country.

By ‘practising at home’, I meant a PLC (at a later stage) and programming it. As it doesn’t have to be new, the cost isn’t astronomical for two people, but we’ll plan everything out bit by bit

neo_dc wrote:

For now, we simply want to find out whether we can get to grips with the subject, learn a bit about the theory and standards, and do some practical work on a living organism in the comfort of our own homes

Then start with the KNX/EIB standard, which is currently the only one agreed upon by both standardisation bodies and a large group of leading manufacturers.
Konnex is the administrator of the standard, and it’s worth starting with them:
http://www.knx.org/pl/?no_cache=1

mar_cik wrote:

neo_dc wrote:

For now, we simply want to find out if we can get to grips with the subject, learn a bit about the theory and standards, and do some practical work on a living organism in the comfort of our own homes

Then start with the KNX/EIB standard, currently the only one agreed upon by both standardisation bodies and a large group of leading manufacturers.
The standard is administered by Konnex, and it’s worth starting with them:
http://www.knx.org/pl/?no_cache=1

It’s probably best to stick with KNX, and by that I mainly mean the initial budget... The devices are very expensive, training is costly, and it’s hard to convince the average person to install a KNX system; ‘bells and whistles’ that are pretty much standard in cheaper solutions cost a fortune in KNX [e.g. control via a tablet]... But assuming that the software – with certain limitations – is free, you could give it a go, for example, with some non-branded KNX devices... e.g. Intelektronik have a look...

To get you absolutely started, I’d suggest something really cheap with a comprehensive set of integrated features. For example, something like LAN Controller or a simple, fairly inexpensive model designed for home automation Sterbox .

Practise setting it up on a ‘live system’ at home... Get hold of professional accessories, such as a distribution box, sensors (relais, motion sensors, humidity and temperature sensors, binary inputs such as buttons, etc.) Practise controlling relays, electric locks, roller shutter motors, solenoid valves, LEDs… get everything working that your equipment allows.

…and then try to turn it into something sensible as best you can. Above all, do it properly and neatly, without cutting corners, with documentation and wire labelling, a well-organised distribution board, power supply calculations, etc…

lordpakernik wrote:

e.g. the EST3 programme

ETS3

neo_dc wrote:

Hello

My friend and I would like to learn how to get to grips with smart home installations; we’ve given ourselves a year to get to grips with the theory and gain some practical experience.

Have a read of this:
http://www.elkom.com.tw/m/PLC2011A0_PLC2011B0_PLC2011C0_circuits.pdf
http://www.elkom.com.tw/m/PLC2011A0_Instrukcja_polska.pdf

http://www.loxone.com.pl/ is compatible with the KNX standard.

Hello,

It’s best to get started with the professionals straight away. To see what that looks like, take a look here Link . It’ll be easier from there, and you’ll be able to tell the difference between the various offers on the market yourself.

All in all, when it comes to building control systems, it would be best to go with a specific company or standard. Creating bespoke PLC-based systems is a difficult and thankless task, and besides, they aren’t actually that much cheaper than dedicated solutions in the end. We all know what our colleague recommends. I’ll just mention two other fairly well-known options: XComfort and Vision. I suggest you have a read and decide on something