UPB Home Control Manual by Robert Bucceri

UPB Book Description:

UPB Home Control – System Design & Programming Manual is a complete, highly detailed and easy to follow publication that demonstrates to an installing contractor or end user how to design a state of the art Universal Powerline Bus Home Automation System. This book is a must for anyone taking a hands-on approach to automating any size new or existing home without having to pull additional wires. The reader will learn how to design, install and program a system that uses what is know in industry as the highly reliable UPB home control technology. By following the design concepts used in the Example House illustrated throughout this book, the reader will experience an abundance of examples to learn from and can easily apply this knowledge towards designing, installing, and programming their own personal systems.

This book was written by an Environmental Conditioning and Control System Design Engineer who has incorporated advanced design and engineering methods into both his systems and publications. He has also used his 21 years of experience designing and installing home automation systems for small medium and large residential property. In other words the Example House design illustrated in this book has been engineered and is displayed in an engineering format that is easy to follow by even the novice. The knowledge a reader will gain from this publication is why this book retails for more than the typical home automation book.

This design manual includes system design methods required to automate a variety of different types of interior and exterior lighting systems. The book also illustrates and describes how to automate both single and multi-zone air conditioning systems, ceiling fans, attic ventilation fans, motorized window coverings, pools and spas, multi-zone sprinkler systems, landscape water fountains, electric water heaters, hot water return circulation systems, water leak detection systems, garage doors, property access gates, security/hurricane shutters, motorized window coverings, central vacuum systems, automated door locks, security surveillance cameras, integrated security systems and much more.

Chapter One provides detailed information on what Universal Powerline Bus (UPB) home control technology is, how UPB technology specifically works and what makes this technology so reliable. This information will also provide you with an appreciation of why this technology virtually eliminates the need for an installing contractor to return to the automated home to solve operational problems. While UPB is highly reliable, the reliability of other types of powerlines based home control technologies are much more vulnerable to electrical noise and/or attenuation. Problems with other protocols often occur after a homeowner plugs in a new TV, a new computer, or other electrical device that generates a disturbing level of electrical noise or absorbs the majority of signal strength associated with the control communications.

Chapter Two provides a wide variety of Scenes. Scenes are described in detail and are used to control virtually any number of electrical loads all at once with the touch of a button. This can be accomplished in most cases without the need of a Central Home Controller. This chapter also instructs and illustrates how UPB Controllers, UPB Transceiver switches, UPB Receiver switches and Central Home Controllers are Linked together in order to provide the wide variety of Scenes for an end user to choose from. Some of the Scenes covered in detail include: ‘Leaving Home', ‘Arriving Home', ‘Good Morning', ‘Good Night', ‘Vacation', ‘Pool', ‘Spa', ‘Audio/Video Entertainment', ‘Party', ‘Panic', ‘Security' as well as others. Any Scene can control virtually any number of electrical loads all at once with the touch of a button. Scenes can also be initiated from the Internet, by phone, by voice commands and automatically based on time of day, at sunset or sunrise, and by a wide variety of conditions.

Chapter Three provides information on UPB Wall Controllers, plug in Controllers, Transceiver Switches, Lamp and Appliance Modules, 120V Receptacles, I/O Modules, Phase Couplers, Powerline Interface Modules, Central Home Controllers, Timed Event Controllers, Controller Scheduler-Timer, UPB Pocket Programmer and more. Information includes the type of electrical loads each UPB component is capable of controlling, detailed UPB component descriptions, component performance specifications, detailed component cad drawings, and installation wiring diagrams. This chapter also provides instructions and detailed wiring diagrams to use when an existing junction box for a UPB switch does not contain a neutral wire.

Two popular Central Home Controllers are used for example purposes throughout this book. This section of the chapter describes what advantages a Central Home Controller can provide. It also lists detailed Central Home Controller specifications, configuration procedures, detailed automation wiring diagrams, security-wiring diagrams, and how to create and program Scene control. This chapter also provides a list of the majority of Central Home Controllers that supports UPB technology.

Chapter Four illustrates the Example House plans of a fully automated home. Each Transceiver switch, wall Controller, plug in Controller, Receiver switch, Fixture Module, Lamp and Appliance Modules, I/O Module and other control components are shown and located throughout the Example House plans. Each device in the system is blown up in size to illustrate each and every pushbutton and rocker switch on each switch faceplate and describes what control function(s) they provide. Each pushbutton or rocker switch controls either individual loads or initiates specific Scenes.

The design of lighting systems include automatic lighting control to provide a high level of convenience and is used to save energy with the use of motion sensors and a Central Home Controller. The programming of each type of Example House central home controller is also included to make it easy to setup specific control functions and options. The plans of the Example House also ask the reader to refer to more detailed illustrations and subsystem descriptions in their specific sections of the book to teach the reader how to automate many other types of electrical loads.

Chapter Five covers virtually all of the water systems that can be found on residential properties. One of these types of automated systems control the swimming pool and hot water spa. Some of the individual electrical loads that are automated as part of this subsystem include: gas fired heaters, heatpump heaters, solar panel heaters, pool/spa control circulation pumps, pool/spa control valves.

Other types of water systems controlled are multi-zone sprinkler systems, landscape water fountains, water leak detection systems, electric water heaters, and hot water return circulation systems. This chapter also teaches the reader how to size motor starters and control relays used to support these control systems. Additional information includes the programming lines of a Central Home Controller used to automate the verity of water systems mentioned above.

Chapter Six covers a variety of methods used to automate motorized systems that include: garage door openers, property access gates, motorized window coverings, security/hurricane shutters, central vacuum systems, automated electrical door locks, security surveillance cameras, ceiling fans, bathroom exhaust fans, attic ventilation fans and any other type of motorized device.

Information that is also included is the process of sizing motor starters and control relays used as auxiliary equipment to control these particular subsystems. The programming lines of a Central Home Controller used to automate the verity of motorized systems mentioned above are also included in this chapter.

Chapter Seven covers automation methods used to control single and multi-zone heating and cooling systems and the sequence of operation of a typical Central Home Controller used to automate some of the more advanced control functions of these systems. This section of the book also shows the reader how to incorporate motion sensors to automatically control zone temperatures as needed to provide both convenience and energy savings.

This chapter also describes and illustrates how to automate an ambient electric fireplace, which includes detailed wiring diagrams.

Chapter Eight provides a step-by step approach on how to use the UPStart setup tool that will allow all of the powerful hidden features to be exposed for use in a UPB home control system. This programming tool shows you how to create UPB Networks, creating Links and Scenes, adding and deleting system components from the system and exporting the network database. It also tells you how to setup network devices, how to run network communication tests and how to perform a functionality test for all UPB devices. Other information includes how to use the UPStart tool in the offline mode.

This section of the book also lists and describes all transmit modes, how to create Links and Scenes using UPStart, how to manually Link UPB devices and much more. The bottom line is that this chapter will make it easy for you to setup your UPB system.

For the approximate price of a UPB switch, you can now have a publication that provides all the information you will need to design, install and setup your system. This book will get you up to speed quickly and will pay for itself many times over.

Editorial Reviews:

Ken Kerr, Home Control, Inc. May 20, 2006:
The New UPB Home Control – System Design & Programming Manual is a book that the industry has desperately needed for some time now. It is both informative and complete and is the only book on the market that can provide you with the information you will need to design the most reliable powerline based home control system on the market.

Brad Cone, Simply Automated, June 27, 2006:
The UPB Home Control Manual is a book that our customers have needed since we came out with our product line. It provides all the information the reader will need to design a highly versatile and reliable residential system.

From the Publisher:
The UPB Home Control - System Design & Programming Manual provides the reader with everything they need to know to design, install and program a highly reliable whole house residential automation system. It is the only UPB book on the market, which makes it an invaluable commodity and is authored by one of the leading authorities of home control systems.

From the Author:

The primary purpose for writing the UPB Home Control - System Design & Programming Manual is to provide the reader with a complete publication on how to automate their residence using UPB technology. This is the only UPB Book on the market. In this publication, I demonstrate how to automate each an every electrical load that can be found on the interior and the exterior of a home. I have incorporated an Example House in the book that is used to demonstrate design, installation and programming techniques. I have found that using an example approach to teach just about any subject is the best method because it allows the reader to quickly learn and apply the information to their own personal projects.

Education and Practical Work Experience:

I have a Bachelors of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering. I have worked as an Environmental Conditioning and Control System Design Engineer for an aerospace company for the past 24 years and my back ground includes extensive experience with (DDC) Direct Control Systems used to control industrial environmental mechanical systems.

I became interested in residential automation systems in 1985 and I have been researching this industry ever since. I designed my first residential automation system for my own home in 1987 and after automating the majority of electrical loads in the home, I continued to gain hands on experience by automating the homes of family members and friends. After a number of years it became second nature for me when it came to designing and installing these systems. This allowed me to venture out into the real world and design numerous whole house automation systems for high-end homes during the mid 1990s and have continued to do so during the more recent residential building boom. I continue to research the industry for new and reliable control technologies alone with the latest design and installation methods. I use this information to periodically up date my publications and will continue to do so for many years to come.

Excerpt from the UPB Home Control - System Design and Programming Manual by Robert N. Bucceri. Copyright © 2006.

When designing a home control system it is desirable to minimize the number of UPB Transceiver switches and Receiver switches that are readily visible on the walls of the home. This will provide the homeowner with a much cleaner looking installation. This is accomplished by using a Transceiver switch wired to an electrical load to control its load while also having additional rockers or buttons on its faceplate to send a number of ‘Links'. These ‘Links' are used to control other UPB Receiver switches that are hidden away out of sight. These UPB Receivers are generally Fixture Modules and I/O Modules; however, they can be other Transceiver switches as well. These UPB devices are installed in standard single and multiple gang switch boxes or plugged into standard 120 VAC receptacles located in an equipment room. They can also be installed under a stairwell, in closets and maybe even in the garage. In some cases a whole bank of UPB Transceiver switches and Fixture Modules are installed in a PCS PulseWorx Lighting Control Panel in the same locations of the home previously mentioned.