Lighting and the Pathway Automation System
Pathway doesn't really care which lighting system is attached to it, just as long as it knows which circuit end's up where - it's happy. Pathway is designed to talk with 
Dynalite or CBus and it will cope with both systems in the same building if necessary. At the end of the day, Pathway uses the Lighting system as the interface between itself and the outside world. The lighting systems are already designed to handle the high voltage, high current world so why not use them the way they were intended. Add the fact that they have a wide range of cost effect eligent looking switches and button arrangements for control and feedback and we're onto a winner.
Lets start with a small lighting system to give you some idea of how it fits into Pathway - how about a Pathway 700 Kitset in a small apartment?
This particular lighting system has 4 dimming circuits, 4 x 10A relays and a number of 
keypads. Lets have 2 dimmer channels in the lounge, one in the hall and one in the bathroom. Why ever would I waste a dimmer channel in the bathroom you ask? Read On... Our apartment also has an Elite-S security system (which is part of the kitset) installed, 1 sensor in the lounge one in the hallway and one in the bathroom. Again you ask why the bathroom? Read on.
Under normal circumstances, a Lighting system is manually controlled from the buttons - it turns the lights on and off, or ramps them up and down. By adding a small Pathway Controller the operation chanages dramatically. Here are a few small examples of what Pathway has over a normal system.
Interested? got an idea or question on automation?
We're here to help - give us a call or drop us a line! :o)
Example - Front Door
Normal System
You arrive home at night, open the front door, fumble for the light switch and unset the alarm. Then walk through and turn on the other lights - like in one of those old fashion horror movies....
Pathway Managed System
You arrive home, open the door, and the lights automatically ramp up, you can see where you're going. You unset the alarm. Immediately, Pathway knows you're home, and wakes up the rest of the house as required - no sweat!
Example - Going to Bed
Normal System
It's time for bed. You walk around (admittedly this is a little apartment) and turn off all the lights and things that aren't required. Go to the bathroom, turn on the lights, brush your teeth, and go to bed. Oops for got to turn out the kitchen light - so up you get, turn off the lights and back to bed.
Pathway Managed System
You don't touch anything, you go to the bathroom where the lights automatically turn on before you get there, and you go to bed. The only button you have to touch, is the bedroom sleep button. Sadly Pathway can't ready minds (yet) so it doesn't know whether you are reading or want to go to sleep - but I'm working on that...... Pathway will deal with the rest of the lights once it's realised you no longer require them. If its around your normal sleep time they will turn off fairly promptly. If you're much earlier than usual Pathway will take it's que from the master bed room and put the place to sleep for you.
Interested? got an idea or question on automation?
We're here to help - give us a call or drop us a line! :o)
Example - Pit Stop in the middle of the Night
Normal System
All the lights are off and you wake up bursting! - you wander through the darkness, trip over the cat (oh yes - you have a cat in this apartment). Rrrr - you're fully awake now, you stroke the cat and apologise for disturbing it - now, back to the mission at hand. You know this part of the house well so you grope around in the darkness and complete the mission but where's the toilet paper? It would be useful to have some light - you press the button and BAM! there is light - far too much of the stuff... Ok mission completed, you turn off the light - hmmm where was the cat - can't see a thing here. You grope your way back to bed.... Not a pretty sight!
Pathway Managed System
All the lights are off and you wake up bursting - you wander through the darkness, Pathway see's you coming, and gently ramps the hall way lights to a dim 7%. Hmm, don't remember that stain on the carpet? Best not step in it, so you navigate around the stain which looks up at you - meow (in other words feed me). Pathway meanwhile wasn't sure where you were headed so temporarily ramped up the bathroom and kitchen lights (it's a small apartment). You head into the bathroom where theres just enough light to see the empty toilet roll and deal with the situation. Pathway, meanwhile has determined that you were only going to the bathroom and 30 seconds after turning the kitchen lights on, ramped them off again. You wander back to bed avaoiding the cat, and Pathway takes care of the lights. No problems.
Interested? got an idea or question on automation?
We're here to help - give us a call or drop us a line! :o)
