Prewiring for future lighting automation

Oct 07, 2005 4 Replies
Prewiring for future lighting automation open original image

I'm in the middle of building a house and don't have time to figure out what I want to do for lighting automation. I am planning on running each light fixture and each switch to a junction box in the basement and do the interconnects there. Then, in a year or so when I can spend some time on the automation part and figure out the system I will use I'll have the circuits available for connecting/reconnecting.



The question I have is what, if any, control wiring to install to each fixture and/or switch location? Would cat5 or cat6 do? Or, would I need larger wires? Would control wiring to just the switches do?



Thanks, Greg


Thanks for the replies.

I've taken a quick look at some of the products and it looks like, at a minimum, cat5 to all switch locations.

On top of that I'll probably run a 2-wire or 4-wire cable to the switch locations for future audio.

I welcome more comments >

As I recall GE was selling centralized "modern day lighting control" in the

1950s although I don't think they offered dimmers then.

My list wasn't >I'm surprised that you didn't include

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After all, I think they're the ones that invented modern day lighting

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