On January 17, 2019 at 10:33, SWOInstaller said...
This would be a much better solution than replacing a switch.
The difficulty in replacing the switch with a C4 device (Or any control system switch) is that you require 120V and also a relay which will not fit within a single gang box as they are tight enough with just your switch installed.
Aren't 12 volt relays available? What is it about C4 that 120 volts is required?
Since the relay requires 120V to be triggered it always has to be accessible as per Electrical code so finding a place to locate this and within a box large enough to house the relay usually becomes difficult.
This is why you use a 12 volt relay. Heck, in one customer's house I use one of the relays in a Xantech CC-62, which is six 12 volt relays in a box.
What we tend to do during prewire is ensure that we have a low voltage line (usually station wire) pulled to the fireplace which ensures that we have control of it if required from the control system.
Yes.
The bigger issue I have come across with fireplaces is that they are becoming "smarter" (I use this term very loosely) and the manufactures are designing them to have proprietary remotes and switches (for lights and temperatures and flame heights and so on) and no longer allow for basic contact closer control.
The bigger issue, as I ran into it, is that the client buys a fireplace installation that comes with a control system included. The last one of these I did had a proprietary RF control and I had to remove it and replace it with a 12 volt relay. I saw the client's invoice for the entire installation and he had paid about $300 for the RF control, which turned out not to be needed.
