Lightolier Controls

Technical Overview

[Author's Note: Some of this information is inferred or obtained by testing in our lab. This section was written by HomeTech Solutions and, while we stand behind it, it is not sanctioned by Lightolier Controls Inc. It is presented here in order bring experienced users of powerline carrier equipment up to speed.]

Lightolier has been making hardwired lighting control systems for over 10 years. The kind of full-featured, rock-solid systems that are sometimes too expensive and too difficult to retrofit. But during those ten years of dealing withvery discerning and demanding customers, they've learned exactly the features customers and installers want, and how to deliver those features in the simplest, most intuitive manner possible, with an appearance that fits with any decor.

Lightolier wanted to use this knowledge to create a new line that was less expensive and easier to retrofit. Powerline carrier seemed the answer, but it has it's own set of problems. Unwilling to sacrifice rock-solid reliability, they held off creating a powerline carrier based product for themselves. Instead, they got their feet wet by contract manufacturing powerline carrier products for other companies.

While this was going on, they developedsolutionsto the reliability problem. Powerline carrier technology has come a long way since it first came out nearly 20 years ago. Nearly all manufacturers have increased transmitter strength, added collision avoidance/retransmission, and improved receiver sensitivity and noise rejection. But the problem still remained that a signal just might not get through, either due to signal attenuation, or interference. Other manufactures came out with devices to boost the signal and filter out noise. While these measures usually worked, they often had to be installed on a case-by-case basis, as the electronic equipment in the home changed.

Instead of the case-by-case approach adopted by other manufactures, Lightolier wanted a simple "do it this way and we guarantee it will work...and continue working" solution. This is what they did:

• Lightolier requires that all breaker circuits used for lighting go through a "firewall".
• Most of their controllers and modules are "two-way" and all commands are confirmed. Unconfirmed commands are automatically retried. Modules that are not two-way should be wired to the same breaker circuit as the controller that controls them.
• Due to Lightolier's sophisticated scene control, up to 640 devices can be controlled in one installation, without the addition of non-standard powerline carrier codes!

Firewalls

While retrofitting a firewall will take some work, it solves alotof problems. (Installing a firewall during new construction or a major remodel is easy.) Consider the implications and why it's worth the effort:

• If only lighting control loads are place on firewalled circuits, there is no opportunity for noise or signal attenuation to occur as electronic equipment is added to the home. (Such as a PLC based baby monitor!)
• Even if a problemdoesoccur on one circuit, the firewall limits the trouble to only that circuit. (Other schemes allow the trouble to affect the whole house!) The firewall will indicate, via a LED, the affected circuit.
• There is no opportunity for neighbors to control your home because of a duplicate house-code. The entire address space is your, and yours alone, forever.
• Powerline noise from the utility can't affect operation.
• Have more than one breaker panel? No problem, multiple firewalls (up to 8) can be linked with Cat 5.

We could go on and on about the benefits installing a firewall. For more information, click here.

Now comes the big question: What if I want to use the Lightolier controlswithoutinstalling a firewall? Our answer: Lightolier Compose PLC products are as good or better than other products on the market. (Better, if you count the two-way confirmation functions.) They will work as well in an installation as other products. They will work with existing bridges, amplifiers, and filters you may have installed. HomeTech will support small to medium installations just as we support other manufacturers' components. (We do not support large installations of other manufactures' products.) If signal strength or noise problems do occur, we'll try to help you troubleshoot them. (Just allow us to say "I told you so.") Lightolier, however, will not. The first question they ask will be "what does the firewall indicate?" If you don't have one, you are on your own. We, and Lightolier, will support large installations of Compose PLC...provided they are installed correctly, with firewalls.

Command Set

While the controllersdohave an "X-10 compatible" mode that changes a few minor details of operation, this mode is not supported by Lightolier and is for hard-core tinkerers only. Besides, we don't really see the need. All Lightolier Compose PLC products react exactly the way you would expect them to with standard X-10 commands while in "native" mode.

All switches (whether two-way or one-way, CI600, CI1000, CP600, and CP1000) respond to on, off, bright, dim, all lights on, and all units off. They also respond to 13 of the standard preset dim commands by going to one of 13 user-settable "scene" settings stored in each switch. Three additional preset dim commands are defined as "Fade Up", "Fade Down", and "Fade Stop". A transmitter can brighten or dim a switch (or switches) without continuously transmitting a command. This frees up the powerline for other commands and is a much needed change. Since the switches still respond to the old bright and dim commands, the change is fully backward-compatible. All switches are set to one house-code/unit code combination. Setting a scene couldn't be easier: Simple press the desired scene button on the scene controller, adjust the light to the desired level, and press the little button on the side of the face of the switch. All switches have a control wire for connecting in three- and four-way applications.

In addition, two-way switches (CI600 and CI1000) "echo" back all commands to the powerline for verification. They respond to Hail Request with a Hail Acknowledge. And they respond to a Status Request.

Scene controllers (CP5) are also two-way devices. They can send Off, five scene commands ("ON" is actually a scene command), and Fade Up, Fade Down, and Fade Stop commands (described earlier.) They can be programmed to transmit additional standard on or off commands for each scene. They echo nearly all commands they receive on their address. They are set to a single house-code,unit-code address. They contain an infrared receiver that works with Lightolier's IR remote control.

The 8 button controller (CM8) can be used as an extended scene controller. It is usually placed next to a CP5 scene controller and transmits 8 additional Preset Dim commands. (With the five scene commands generated by the CP5, this accounts for all 13 scenes stored in each switch.) The CM8 echoes these 8 scene commands. It is set to the same house-code/unit-code as the CP5 it is associated with.

Whole-House Scene Controllers (CM6 and CM8) are two-way devices. When in the "whole-house" mode, they transmit "On Scene" and Off commands for that room (house/unit-code.) Each button can also be programmed to invoke scenes (including different scenes in different rooms), and as a "panic" button that sends all on of all off to up to 16 house-codes.

Two-Way Communication

Historically, two-way switches were not the panacea they were professed to be. The obvious advantage of a two-way switch was the ability to verify commands, thus improving the reliability of PLC signal transmission. But none of the controllers on the market could make use of this ability! Only a computer connected to a powerline modem with special software could send and verify commands. Two-way was only half the solution. By introducing controllers that wait for a return confirmation and retransmit a missed command, Lightolier really did improve the reliability of PLC communication. Plus, this allows the whole-house controllers to have indicator lights thatactually represent the current state of each room or light.

Up to 640 Devices?

The historical limit of PLC devices on one breaker circuit is less than 10, since each device "saps" some of the signal. Too many devices on a breaker circuit (transmitters and receivers) and the device at the end of the run doesn't get enough signal. Lightolier gets the total up to 10 because the firewall transmits at a full 7 volts. The larger firewall supports 8 breaker circuits. And there can be a maximum of 8 interconnected firewalls in an installation. 10 X 8 X 8 = 640.

But there are only 256 addresses in the industry standard PLC protocol. How does Lightolier get around this? Firstly, the firewall helps again because it guarantees that all 256 addresses are reallyyours. You don't have to share addresses with your neighbor since the firewall prohibits outside interference. Secondly, Lightolier makes extensive use of scenes. Instead of each device being a separate address, eachroomis assigned a unique address. Rather than controlling individual devices in the room, you invoke one of 13 easily settable scenes in the room. (Should be enough for just about anybody.) With this in mind, Compose PLC products can support up to 256rooms!In practice, there will be plenty of addresses left over for regular PLC devices for things like drapery control, sprinkler control, HVAC control, etc.

Not convinced yet?

• All settings to all switches and controllers are madewithout toolsand without even removing the faceplate or paddle from the front of the device.
• All settings can be "read" from the device via the built-in indicators.
• All switches have a mode that displays signal strength and integrity.
• All dimmer switches have programmable fade rates: From 1.5 seconds to 60 minutes. Each scene can have a different fade rate.
• The firewall has several display modes that can display signal activity, which breaker circuit is having trouble, decoded signals, signal strength, and more.
• All switches have "bar graph" LEDs along the side that indicate both the current level (bright LED) and the current "saved" level. (The level the light will go to if the switch receives a simple ON command.) All switches also have a "locator" LED at the top that is on whenever the light is off.
• Custom laser-etched engraving is available for the controllers. This service is simple, quick, costs less than $50, and a printed "customer approval" form showing the exact layout is automatically generated before the order is processed.
• All five button controllers have a built-in infrared receiver allowing you to use Lightolier's credit card style remote control (which looks just like the face of the five-button controller.) Plus, the remote control can control up to four different controllers.

Compose PLC Design and Installation Rules

1. Make sure the switch you specify matches the load it is to control. All switches are capable of controlling inductive loads, but use a "ND" (non-dimming) switch for motors, fluorescent lights, and other devices you shouldn't dim.
2. All devices require a neutral connection.
3. In each room that has a single "wired in" lighting circuit, use a CI600 or CI1000 switch.
4. In each room that has multiple lighting circuits, specify a CP600 or CP1000 (as required) for each lighting circuit, one (or more) CP5 scene control keypads, and a CM8 for each CP5 if more than 5 scenes are desired.
5. Provide whole-house control in several strategic locations in the home, like main entry, garage entry, and master bedroom. Each location should have a CM5 for some whole-house scenes, and one CM8 for each eight rooms.
6. If a switch location has room controls (CI or CP switches/controllers) and whole-house controls (CM) in the same location. Mount room controls at standard switch height, and mount whole-house controls a few inches above.
7. Connect a maximum of 10 devices (switches and controllers) to a single breaker/firewall circuit.
8. Install a firewall for every four or eight breaker circuits that are to be used for lighting control.
9. Do not share a breaker/firewall circuit with both lighting controls and general purpose outlets or other non-Compose PLC equipment. If non-Compose PLC equipment is to be used, wire those to one or more dedicated breaker/firewall circuits. (This minimizes potential problems.)
10. Connect multiple firewalls with 4-pair Category 5 cable.
11. One-way switches (CI600's and CI1000's) and the scene controller(s) that operate them (CP5 and CM8) must be connected to the same breaker/firewall circuit and are all set to the same address. (Often they are in the same ganged box.)