[TreyS]

I'm in the process of building a house and want to put the audio keypads in the same j-box (double gang) as the light switch for asthetic reasons.


Teleceom is my background and I would never run the phone or data lines next to the power feeds whenever possible and intersect them at 90 degrees when all else fails.


Is that the same school of thought for the keypads or will it not pick up noise from the light switch?



Thanks for the help!

 

[wiredhome]

I would hazard to say it is bad practice and that may well be a code issue mixing the low voltage wiring with 120vac in the same ganged box. Check your local regulations.

As far as interference goes, I know that it is a pretty standard disclaimer in most manuals in regards to the proximity to AC voltages. - It may not affect you, but it is a CYA for them.


Al

 

[Scott Tucker]

I would separate the ABUS from the other stuff. Better safe than sorry. It would suck to go through all the wiring and then have noise issues.


Scott

 

[TreyS]

Thanks for the replies.


Scott, did you run your keypads in seperate j-boxes for your setup?


Thanks again!


Trey

 

[Scott Tucker]

Yes.


Scott

 

[Satori84]

Carlon makes a double gang blue plastic j-box with an internal divider that makes it code legal in most jurisdictions to have both a high voltage and a communication or low voltage device in the same j-box (the back of the LV side is open, like their orange dedicated LV products). Part number is SC200DV, see brochure at http://www.carlon.com/Brochures/2F54.pdf I don't think it is available in an old work version.


They also make a slide-in divider that can adapt some of their multi gang j-boxes to accept mixed use: http://www.carlon.com/Brochures/7F71.pdf


That being said, if you are a purist you would probably want to keep the HV and LV devices further apart. But as a practical matter, and as you said for esthetic reasons, with proper wire dress behind the wall I doubt there would be any detectable interaction.


Mike

 

[TreyS]

Thanks alot!


http://www.smarthome.com/images/2544...ample2_big.jpg



vs this


http://www.smarthome.com/images/2544...ample1_big.jpg




Not bad for only $2.49 each

http://www.smarthome.com/2554.HTML

http://cache.smarthome.com/images/25445_sm.jpg

 

[Scott Tucker]

Keep in mind that the best place for a keypad/volume control isn't necessarily the same place as a light switch. I didn't put my keypads anywhere near any light switches. I didn't even consider aesthetics. Try to decide where you will be in the room when you want to play with the keypad. It would suck if everytime you want to adjust the volume from your easy chair, you have to get up and walk over to the lightswitch to get to the control. Plan those locations very thoughtfully. I thought I did, and still put a few things is less than desireable places.


Scott

 

[TreyS]

Good point Scott. I was thinking about the very same thing earlier.


I can only think of a couple of zones where the shared gang box would be ideal, for me, the dining room and the office. All the other zones will be using the single gang near the desired listening area.


Thanks again!

 

[Scott Tucker]

Quote:

Originally posted by TreyS Good point Scott. I was thinking about the very same thing earlier. I can only think of a couple of zones where the shared gang box would be ideal, for me, the dining room and the office. All the other zones will be using the single gang near the desired listening area. Thanks again!

No problem. This site is great you can learn from all of our mistakes. Good luck.


Scott