Check Out My Mid-Installation Smart Home Wiring Project…

We bought a house 4 months ago and are installing all new wiring. I’m handling the installation myself and here’s a peek at my basement right now. All smart devices like temperature sensors and motion detectors are wired directly to my basement. No need for batteries. There’s still a few months of work left and I’m not an electrician.

Yikes

Orson said:

hawley said:
Albert said:
Yikes

On the bright side, the bad guys won’t know which wires to cut… either.

All of them.

That’s why you put one random high voltage one in there.

@GuardianGary
At least 408V

Collin said:
@GuardianGary
At least 408V

Where do you get 408v?

SecureNestNetwork said:

Collin said:
@GuardianGary
At least 408V

Where do you get 408v?

Normal three-phase power for like a stove is around 408V. Just need to pick two different phases.

@Diego
I’ve done a lot of stuff at 480V, including for ovens and stoves at commercial and school kitchens. Have never come across anything that’s 408V, even the oddball equipment from Europe we’ve put into medical labs.

Albert said:
Yikes

Not surprising. ‘Smart,’ huh?

Albert said:
Yikes

It can become really nice! Here’s a video for some inspiration https://youtu.be/fWcDT4JISn8?t=542

TechGuardTina said:

Albert said:
Yikes

It can become really nice! Here’s a video for some inspiration https://youtu.be/fWcDT4JISn8?t=542

Talking about the wiring mess!

Albert said:
Yikes

Security should be wired, everything else wireless.

Looks like a mess, chief

Lily said:
Looks like a mess, chief

Yeah, it’s a serious setup! Looks like a lot of work, but hope that the end result will be worth it.

As much as I like this idea, and love wired automations, I can’t help but say that I absolutely hate how that wiring looks. It’s best if you try to tidy it up as much as possible, now that you can. Maintenance on that thing is going to be a complete nightmare. Place tags on the wires and do tons of cable management, and you’ll be rewarded for it in the long term.

@ingosi
Clearly haven’t seen many real-world networking server racks then

Edward said:
@ingosi
Clearly haven’t seen many real-world networking server racks then

Oh I have… And oh boy I have worked on them too, on unimaginably bad ones too. But this happens because of people adding/removing/modding stuff all the time, and prioritizing being quick and effective, instead of tidy and thorough. You also (sometimes) don’t really care because the rack is already messy, and you probably won’t come back to it either. But when doing it at home, for your own enjoyment? Why not do it right? Just because a professional rack can look like a mess, doesn’t mean it’s an excuse for your own rack to look like a mess. There are other professional racks that look absolutely phenomenal. Try to copy those instead. Compare yourself to the best, not the worst!

@ingosi
I ran network cable through the trusses in my own attic for cameras, after spending years as a field service engineer, and before that an alarm tech. I found bridle lag screws, and they were installed on every other truss, just above head height, with wires secured to prevent being clotheslined, but accessible. You are spot-on!

@ingosi
Definitely tag every cable in the panel. I have a ‘smart’ home setup from the 70s with relays controlled by low voltage switches throughout the house and if the original owner hadn’t tagged, it would be nearly impossible at this point without doing a ton of point to point continuity testing while pulling fixtures and switches to figure out what everything is. I’d really like to tie into it with something modern at some point but that’s future me’s problem.

@ingosi
Hey! He’s trying really hard and it isn’t easy with sausage fingers! Also, don’t yell at my best friend about his messy wires! Some of us are sensitive Sir! Saying things like you did and in that tone, you’re going to make people an emotional train wreck!

@ingosi
I’m pretty sure I’ve seen something similar but much neater in a building that’s several decades old and has been retrofitted through several generations of cable/patch hardware options. If this is all new, it could be way more standardized.