Installation preparations for bus wiring
Follow the guidelines below when installing Niko Home Control with a connected controller.
Bus cable guidelines
- Use a bus cable with at least two wires. Choose two wires (two colours) and use these throughout the entire installation. The bus cabling used for connecting the control elements is non-polarised.
- The copper diameter of each wire should be between 0.5 to 1 mm. The cross-sectional area of the copper wire selected will determine the maximum permitted cable length between the connected controller and the furthest control element.
Copper diameter | Cross-sectional area of the copper | Maximum permitted cable length to the master |
|---|---|---|
0.5 mm | 0.20 mm² (e.g. UTP, FTP, STP, at least AWG24) | 100 m |
0.6 mm | 0.25 mm² (e.g. TPVF) | 150 m |
0.8 mm | 0.50 mm² (e.g. SVV, JYSTY) | 250 m |
- The bus cable to the control points has a free topology. This means that bus cables can be laid out in a star or in a bus topology, or in a combination of both. The rule of thumb is that, per power supply or per connected controller, at least two bus cable wires must be used between the electrical cabinet and the control points. Do not loop cables.
- The total length of the bus cable used in a single installation should not exceed 1000 m.
Control point guidelines
- Push buttons with or without status LED:
- to be installed at 90 to 110 cm above floor level.
- to be mounted onto a single or multiple wall-mounted printed circuit board (one flush-mounting box will suffice for a multiple wall-mounted printed circuit board).
- to be connected to a two-wire bus cable.
- Push buttons with display (thermostat, HVAC thermostat, mood control, eco-display):
- to be installed at 120 to 150 cm above floor level.
- to be mounted onto a standard single flush-mounting box.
- to be connected to a two-wire bus cable.
To function properly, it is recommended to limit the number of buttons with display to a total of 20. Per installation a maximum of 20 (HVAC) thermostats and five eco-displays can be installed.
- Indoor motion detectors:
- to be installed at 90 to 110 cm above floor level.
- to be mounted onto a standard single flush-mounting box.
- to be connected to a two-wire bus cable.
- Touchscreens:
- to be installed at eye level.
- to be mounted onto a standard single flush-mounting box.
- to be connected to an IP cable (twisted pair) that may also provide power (with a Power-over-Ethernet power supply). Or on an IP cable and a 26Vdc power cable.
- A total of 10 IP devices which are active at the same time, can be used per installation.
- Digital black 24 V
- see the specific installation guidelines
Electrical cabinet set-up regulations
- The standard Niko Home Control installation includes one connected controller. Other modules are available separately.
- The internal layout of the electrical cabinet uses a left to right assembly system. Install the connected controller first. Then mount any other Niko Home Control modules onto the DIN rail and interlink them using a sliding contact. Do not place any dimming modules immediately next to, above or below the connected controller.
- A maximum of 12 Niko Home Control modules can be interconnected per DIN rail.
- A maximum of 20 DIN rails can be used per installation.
- A rail coupler, or a second power supply if needed, should be used first on every new DIN rail. Connect all four connection terminals (+, –, B1, B2) to the corresponding connection terminals of the rail coupler or the power supply on the previous and next rails.
- A maximum of two power supply modules can be used per installation. To calculate how many extra power supplies you need, see Additional power supply unit.
- One installation may include several electrical cabinets. Connect the electrical cabinets in the same way as the rail couplers or power supply modules inside the cabinet, i.e. using four wires. If the cable length between the electrical cabinets exceeds 20 m, a power supply must be used for the second cabinet.
- Make sure that low-voltage signal cables, such as the bus cable, the IP cable and any cables connected to SELV components are kept separate from 230V cables. This prevents crosstalk and malfunctions.
Programming guidelines
- Program the installation via computer. The software is compatible with PC and Mac.
- The diagnostics page can be consulted via the programming software and allows you to make a quick analysis of the set-up and functioning of the installation.
Surf to www.niko.eu. Select Help and Advice at the top and go to System Manual to view the Niko Home Control System Manual. This online guide provides additional assistance with the programming of the Niko Home Control installation, both at the construction site itself and at home when you prepare the installation. With a user-friendly search function, you can easily navigate to the information necessary in order to program the installation in a customized manner for each customer: ranging from the programming of basic functions and frequently used scenarios with regards to cabinet lay-out and realisation to frequently asked questions. The system manual is permanently updated with new functionalities and scenarios. You can always find the most recent version online.