Does anyone have information on a reference site on a relay-based home wiring system that used low-voltage switches at the wall plates? The house where I’ve found it was built in 1961, and the only other time I’ve encountered it (another sixties house), it gave continual problems. Are there better, solid-state relays available these days? Or is rewiring the only effective long-term answer?
Thanks
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My parents' house (1971) has that low voltage relay crap. Real disaster, you don't have usable switch legs, so the only solution is to tear the place apart and do it right. Can't even replace it with x-10 since there's no 120 VAC where you need the switches.
-- J.S.
Ya but think how safe it was as your toughts turned to steam.
There were at least 3 different systems manufactured, some parts are still available, I thinkf for the GE systems.
I see them about 5-6 times a year, thye mostly work.
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Dale Electric has replacement part.
http://tinyurl.com/2ezf8
I have about a dozen in my house and never had any problems. One is used several times each day. The others outdoors lights that are not used that often.
I doubt if there is any online refernce.
But what kind of questions do you have?
I have one of those systems...I have been here 30+ years and haven' t had to replace anything. I just moved a couple walls in the kitchen that had switches for lights. It was just moving the low voltage wire and switch to a new place. to move the lights if the wire is not long enuff , a j box is all you need.
If you hear something go bump in the night, a switch in the bedroom will turn on every light in the place. and no need to trip out to the garage to turn off the lights.
They were originally designed for office bldgs where they moved the walls around a lot..GE still makes all the stuff for them..Great stuff.
I agree, I was about 11 when Dad built the house and I wore out several 1/4" drills running low voltage switching wires. That was in the mid to late 50's. Light bulbs last forever (almost) and there are two of those rotary nine position switches that will light up the perimeter. I think almost every switch is still original and about 75% of the relays are original. Last time I bought one it was close to $20 bucks though.
The system is not crap, however some may have installed them to be such. You need a good roadmap to troubleshoot. Dad was pretty anal about marking j-box lids. He was an engineer God rest his soul. I found the hand drawn schematics a while back, but knock on wood have not needed any maintenance. It was kind of Studebaker design, ahead of it's time. Gee, first set of wheels was a 53 Champion so what do I know?
Bob
Switchplate was the brand. it may still be available.
As for solid state... Don't go there. Solid state switches are for fast acting circuits and generally for industry.
Why? well PIV is the base issue. Peak Interrupting voltage is the peak level a SS switch can withstand before it takes a dump. VFD's and all other solid state electronics are susseptable to the same flaw in design.
Ever unplug the Sony TV or the computer in an electrical storm? With SS switches you'd have to unplug the whole house. It won't go up in flames but lightening strikes can pull up to 500,000 volts Common is 200 to 300K. While the brunt of the power (remember volts & amps?) gets shunted by the reclosers or inline fuses on a power line, the volts sneak by on the "let thru" of the protection devices.
High quality VFD's use ss devices with 1800 volt PIV. Then they use silver filament fuses to protect the elements so the let thru is small.
The nut of it is lightening will over time degrade the ss switches in a house. Even with a surge arrestor in the load center there will eventually be damage to the switches.
Switchplate (I think that was the name) used a panel of Relays. Relays are cheap and really can take abuse from voltage spikes, inrush, and while they last only 300 thousand operations under load are meant for punishment.
I'll try to dig out the info on the company if you are interested.
Toss in some safety stock and you'll be ok.
As a funny aside... I Have a buddy that came home tanked in High school. He got caught when he hit his parents room light when he fat fingered it in the foyer. He wasn't fond of it either.
The one we have is called SurfacePack, and it really is crap. It's a toggling relay, each push of the MC button causes it to change from off to on or from on to off. The relays break down, and they've been out of business for years.
-- J.S.
The GE system used a latching relay and 3wire system with SPDT, center off monentary switches.
They had the advantage that you could drive them all (or selected ones) on or off as a group. Don't think that you can do that with the togglers.
Correct, the togglers were two wire, with no status data.
-- J.S.
Its called Touchplate http://www.touchplate.com/ Many systems were abandoned when the relays were stuck in the "ON" position and the relays were not enclosed in a metal box and caught on fire. Except for improper installation, the anoying "click" , lack of qualified installers, they do work fine.