this post was submitted on 27 Nov 2023
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Home Automation

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Home automation is the residential extension of building automation.

It is automation of the home, housework or household activity.

Home automation may include centralized control of lighting, HVAC (heating, ventilation and air conditioning), appliances, security locks of gates and doors and other systems, to provide improved convenience, comfort, energy efficiency and security.

Warning: Working with electricity can result in injury, property damage, or even death if it is not done properly. Please keep this in mind while assisting others. If you are not sure about what you are doing, hire a licensed professional.

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Poke holes in my plan! Nutone Intercom Replacement (alien.top)
submitted 11 months ago by -SavageSage-@alien.top to c/homeautomation@selfhosted.forum
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Currently I have an old Nutone Intercom System IMA-4406 with intercom units in each of my 6 bedrooms and the main unit in my grand room.

https://preview.redd.it/h4r09fpdyr2c1.png?width=819&format=png&auto=webp&s=65266272913a8c4e19e4d475b9c96a925da252bf

It's old and doesn't work well anymore. The CD player doesn't play, the intercom units can't call back... It's on it's last leg. It's time for an upgrade.

So given the Cyber Monday deals, here is my plan. I plan to buy the $40 echo show 5 deals for each bedroom, along with flush mounts and PoE adapters, and install that in each room running back to a PoE switch in the wall box where the Nutone controller currently lives.

I'll be reusing the existing IW6 cabling, which is 3 twisted-pair, similar to Cat-5e, but only 3 pairs instead of 4, so this can easily be terminated into an RJ45.

To control the system, I would install one of the new Echo Hub devices flush mounted.

My Ring doorbell is currently integrated with the Nutone Intercom. So once I pull it out, I will need to get a new doorbell transformer/chime unit. That doesn't have to live in the wall box, but since the doorbell is currently there, it's in the drawing.

https://preview.redd.it/jc1kw8heyr2c1.png?width=819&format=png&auto=webp&s=5812612bafc7d5b2ff1ad670f1b44f456302a57b

So help me out... Poke holes in my plan. My biggest concern is the IW6 cabling. It's 22 gauge vs 24/26 that ethernet cabling typically is, and I don't know what it's rated for concerning heat. I'm hoping the PoE+ wouldn't cause any overheating, but I really just don't know and from what I can tell that's the biggest concern I have. There's no way I can run new cabling, so I'm working with what I've got.

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[–] Brkdncr@sh.itjust.works 1 points 11 months ago

Will that cabling even work? Poe and 1000gb I’m pretty sure needs all 4 pairs. Cat5 and 5e both use 4 pairs, so what you have is closer to cat3. This likely won’t work, and if it does, you’ll run into issues eventually.

I once was troubleshooting issues with a group of machines and it turned out to be the cabling in the ceiling was only cat3. It looked fairly new. Slow, occasional delays and drops. Replaced it all with car5e and all was good.

[–] kgjulie@alien.top 1 points 11 months ago (1 children)

I also have one of those whole-house intercom systems and I've wanted to do something like this since we moved in. Please post progress and follow-ups!

[–] -SavageSage-@alien.top 1 points 11 months ago (1 children)

Please post progress and follow-ups

I have officially pulled the trigger and ordered the Echo show 5's. I had to use two separate amazon accounts to get enough of them with the cyber monday deals. I was limited to a total of 4 on one account.

I ordered a Legrand OnQ Media Enclosure to replace the Nutone box with something a bit nicer. It will ultimately get covered by a photo and the Echo Hub will go to my kitchen rather than where the nutone controller is at.

I also ordered a Cudy 8-port unmanaged PoE+ switch that has a 120w budget but with up to 30w going to each port. This should be plenty of power to each show.

Then, of course, the PoE adapters.

Total for this came up to $462, which includes two blink cameras and two hue light bults included in bundles. This cost does not include the Echo Hub, which is not yet available for order, but should be in the next couple of weeks.

One kicker that I discovered was that the mount that I found for the echo show 5 was only for 1st and 2nd gen. The 3rd gen echo show 5's are slightly different dimensions and don't fit. Nobody has created a mount for it yet. So my plan is to take out the intercom speakers and basically just build a little in-wall shelf for the echo show 5's. I have two 3d printers, but I'm not very good at modeling, so this isn't something I want to take the time trying to figure out. Plus, the shelf gives me the ability to easily replace these devices 5 years down the road when they are obsolete. Just pick it up and replace it. No need to tear out and rebuild the wall again after that.

[–] kgjulie@alien.top 1 points 11 months ago

This is giving me ideas. I look forward to your next update.

[–] -SavageSage-@alien.top 1 points 11 months ago

UPDATE - so before checking out on amazon I realized the wall mount I was going to use for the echo show 5's is only for 1st and 2nd gen echo show 5's... Not the 3rd gen, which is what is currently on sale on amazon for $40 each.

This kind of kills my plan because the 2nd gen is twice the cost per unit, plus it's the older model which means EOL sooner.

Back to the drawing board?

[–] ClerkofCourts@alien.top 1 points 11 months ago

Following. Super annoyed with bugginess Alexa speaker groups right now and the nutone wires are still throughout the house.