It’s quite surprising that in this era of advanced computers, smart phones, and self-driving cars, the electrical systems in our homes and workplaces still adhere to the same principles established during the times of Edison and Tesla, over a century ago.

To align our homes with modern technology, it’s advisable to lay down an appropriate infrastructure during the construction of any new building. This way, we can ensure that the building is future-proof and can be upgraded to meet the latest technological standards, even years after its completion. This approach allows us to keep pace with technological advancements and adapt to new requirements as they emerge.

What does the typical electrical infrastructure look like today?

In present times, the electrical wiring in most older homes is constructed in a sequential or daisy-chain fashion. This means that an electrician would typically run a main conduit to a central area, such as the living room, and then connect all the lights in a series from there. The electrician would then continue this chain of connections to other areas, often extending it to include outlets as well.

This approach comes with a number of significant drawbacks:

• If a short circuit occurs in one of the outlets, the building’s lighting also shuts off, potentially leaving us in total darkness.
• When a malfunction arises, pinpointing the root cause can be extremely challenging, if not outright impossible.
• The system lacks flexibility for modifications, enhancements, or upgrades. For instance, if we currently have a single-phase air conditioner and stove and wish to incorporate three-phase wiring in the future, this is unfeasible with older systems.
• With the traditional electrical piping technique, setting up a quick charging station for an electric vehicle, which typically requires high power, is difficult or even impossible.
• The antiquated piping method does not accommodate future additions or alterations.

What’s the answer? And how do we set up a smart home infrastructure?

The solution, irrespective of the smart home system manufacturer, involves installing piping in a star configuration. This means that from each light fixture or group of light fixtures, or any electrical load, a pipe should be drawn to a central point or the main electrical panel. This allows for the individual control and separation of each light fixture or electrical load.

With this approach, if we want to switch, for instance, the oven outlet to a three-phase outlet in the future, it’s simply a matter of changing the wires in the pipe without the need for wall demolition. Similarly, as we can’t predict the future requirements of electric vehicles, we can adjust the wiring as needed.

We’ll also wire the circuit breakers in a similar star configuration. Unlike in the past, all wired systems today use low voltage to control the switching on and off of light fixtures. It’s advisable to route the circuit breakers’ piping to the network cabinet area in the building. The network cabinet is typically where the internet router, cables, alarm system, and more are housed.

For more details, contact us