[ Spotlight: Wiring solutions ]


Jung’s KNX hotel control system provides integrated lighting, temperature control, audio-visual and blind controls


Hager puts you in the loop


Wiring accessories may be mature products, but it would be wrong to assume that there is nothing left to innovate in terms of ease of installation. Hager claims to be the first, with its sollysta light switch, to address the issue of the neutral loop terminal in domestic lighting circuits. Such circuits have for many years been connected using the three-plate method where the loop terminal is at the ceiling rose. Today it is increasingly likely that there is a decorative light fitting, or even downlighters, fitted in place of a standard pendant. These fittings are rarely provided with a neutral loop terminal. It has also become more popular to make the loop


integration within the home,’ says Schneider’s Michael Bancroft. ‘Contractors must continually sharpen their knowledge through training courses and industry events. At Schneider Electric, we offer our Energy University, a free, online training community which offers more than 50 courses containing expert advice on best energy practice and latest innovations.’ Legrand reports a very busy training schedule for its Arteor


range. ‘We are running training courses every week at the moment out of our Birmingham offices for those looking to become smart electrical contractors,’ says Hayward. He stresses that the ease of programming is one of the strong points of the product and contractors should not see this aspect as a dark art. Aesthetics and, importantly, costs will also play a part


of course. ‘The twisted pair wired solution is very much a commercial product,’ says Jim Currie. ‘We haven’t seen that penetrating widely into the residential market partly because of costs. A better solution, particularly in the refurbishment market is to go for a wireless system.’ Indeed, Siemens has gone into partnership with retailer B&Q to introduce a low-cost wireless solution that is aimed squarely at the mass market.


Wireless Most manufacturers have wireless versions of their ranges available, using RF technology, with some operating on accepted open protocols such as ZigBee. ‘Fundamentally, wireless for refurbishment is a much quicker option, requiring less disruption and installation work, making it more preferable for residential applications,’ says Michael Bancroft. ‘Alternatively, two-wire bus is more secure and doesn’t have the inherent issues associated with wireless installations. However, as it entails a higher cost, it is much more widely used in commercial applications.’ ‘Nobody can achieve the level of control with wireless


that you can with a two-wire bus,’ says Legrand’s Richard Hayward. ‘If you can’t afford that, then you can still achieve a lot wirelessly. But it’s wrong to say that this technology is too expensive for the mass market. We are very competitively priced with Arteor.’ Wired or wireless, open or closed protocol, the choice is


yours but it is clear that this is a market where things are happening. The wily electrical contractors are already getting involved. Are you?


November 2011 ECA Today 29


One of the challenges we face is to convince the market that such systems are the way forward


connection at the switch. This has the advantage of the connections being accessible and at a more convenient working height where installation will be safer. However, this leaves the problem of terminating the


neutral conductor. One solution is to connect the neutral to a connector block inside the wall box, but this takes up extra space. Another is to use Hager’s sollysta light switch, which has what the company claims is a unique neutral loop terminal. ‘We have found that many decorative ranges are not


the easiest to install and don’t have all of the features found in white moulded wiring accessories, says Hager’s product manager Jane Yorke. ‘Our new range of sollysta accessories has been designed with both the installer and the end user in mind.’ With consumers often preferring flat metal plate


accessories over white moulded devices, this should be good news for hard-pressed contractors. With the flat plate sollysta, sockets project just 15mm back from the faceplate and the wall switches by just 10mm. This extra space makes the installation both simpler and safer, since there is plenty of room to bend wires and unsheathed conductors will not inadvertently touch the back box. Behind the faceplate the terminals face in the same


direction with lead ins for wiring, backed off screws held captive to prevent loss, wire end stops and clear white labelling off a dark grey background. The back of the wiring accessory faceplate features a spongy gasket making it easier to fit the flat plate flush against the wall, even if the surface is not perfectly smooth.


Hager’s sollysta light switch


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