Hi all,
I'm planning on building some home automation projects over the next few months. Initially multi-room audio and lighting control.
I live in Australia where we have some very strict laws surrounding electrical work. Because of this, I'm planning to keep 240v out of my projects and do all of the in-ceiling work at 12v (low voltage work below 50v is exempt from the requirement for a certified electrician to do all work, which is ironic because from an overall risk perspective, I think that high current 12v DC is probably more challenging than 240v ac).
My plan is to construct a distribution board which will carry a 240v ac to 12v dc transformer, appropriate fuses and microcontroller activated relays for energizing individual circuits.
I've built many 5v microcontroller projects, but never something this big. My main concern is the wiring requirements for high-ampage 12v applications - I don't want to have a roof fire!
Because of this, I'm planning on installing a busbar on the distribution board with relays controlling individual circuits going into the roof, rather than installing a 12v ring-main in the roof. Individual systems should be low power (less than 5 Amps) with no total circuit length of more than 40ft, so I figure that if I use 10awg wire with a 5a fuse on each circuit I should be safe from an electrical standpoint.
I'd appreciate any advice based on the above, and particularly any practical suggestions for the cable to use?
D
I'm planning on building some home automation projects over the next few months. Initially multi-room audio and lighting control.
I live in Australia where we have some very strict laws surrounding electrical work. Because of this, I'm planning to keep 240v out of my projects and do all of the in-ceiling work at 12v (low voltage work below 50v is exempt from the requirement for a certified electrician to do all work, which is ironic because from an overall risk perspective, I think that high current 12v DC is probably more challenging than 240v ac).
My plan is to construct a distribution board which will carry a 240v ac to 12v dc transformer, appropriate fuses and microcontroller activated relays for energizing individual circuits.
I've built many 5v microcontroller projects, but never something this big. My main concern is the wiring requirements for high-ampage 12v applications - I don't want to have a roof fire!
Because of this, I'm planning on installing a busbar on the distribution board with relays controlling individual circuits going into the roof, rather than installing a 12v ring-main in the roof. Individual systems should be low power (less than 5 Amps) with no total circuit length of more than 40ft, so I figure that if I use 10awg wire with a 5a fuse on each circuit I should be safe from an electrical standpoint.
I'd appreciate any advice based on the above, and particularly any practical suggestions for the cable to use?
D