This article gives an exciting look at a current project in which both the depth of planning and the requirements for reliability and system integration are particularly high.
Electrical planning and installation for high-end and exclusive properties is often about more than just standard solutions. Precise planning and implementation of the distribution board as well as complete documentation are crucial.
This article describes a project planned by LEADS elektro and implemented by Elektro Niese und Heinrich.
The distribution board diagrams and wiring diagrams for this property were created using wiring-diagram.com.
Project overview: High requirements for electrical engineering
Anyone building a high-end house has clear expectations. In addition to elegant design and high-quality materials, there is another key requirement: having an electrical installation that can continue to operate in large parts even in the event of a fault, while at the same time offering the convenience of a fully networked home.
Structural conditions (it is not a new building after all) require the installation to be divided into several distribution boards. The two largest distribution boards are responsible for the basement, ground floor, two further floors, terraces and outdoor area.
The distribution boards are wired directly on site. The photos show the current interim status, the installation is not yet complete.
Here you can see the planned structure and (the interim status) of the subpanel for the upper floors and terraces.
Particular features of the project
Fail-safe due to type F RCBO
To maximise operating safety, each circuit is protected separately by a type F RCBO. That means an impressive 179 of these all-in-one boards for the basement, ground floor and outdoor area alone (see below), supplemented by a further 75 for the first and second floors.
This redundancy ensures that the failure of a single circuit does not have far-reaching consequences for the entire system.
Decentralised KNX structure
The KNX structure was designed in such a way that future extensions are also possible and partial failures can be compensated for.
More specifically, two KNX lines are provided per floor, plus one line per floor for the outdoor area and one line in each sub-distribution board for the distribution components.
The KNX backbone is entirely Ethernet-based.
The picture shows the basic structure of a line, consisting of power supply for the auxiliary voltage, KNX bus voltage supply, surge protection and KNX IP router.
Perfectly synchronised external venetian blinds with SMI
To ensure that the façade always looks uniform, the external venetian blinds are controlled via SMI (Standard Motor Interface). This allows for precise positioning and ensures that all external venetian blinds are synchronised. This ensures a uniform and aesthetically pleasing overall appearance from the outside.
Integration of existing windows
In addition to the underfloor heating and air conditioning, around 26 electric tilt windows contribute to the cosy atmosphere. As this was an existing window system, KNX blinds actuators had to be integrated without a corresponding window bus system.
One interesting feature is how each room has its own power supply to increase the reliability of the window automation system.
In the picture you can see the power supplies and corresponding blinds actuators.
Flicker-free dimming with DALI
Lighting is controlled via 30 DALI lines (Digital Addressable Lighting Interface).
The entire ground-level lighting is designed with constant current-controlled luminaires to ensure absolutely flicker-free dimming from 0.1 to 100 per cent.
The colour rendering value of all luminaires is consistently 98 % of daylight quality.
Heating control
The underfloor heating control is done entirely with motorised KNX actuators in order to detect and react to valve faults in the heating circuit.
More details
In addition to the highlighted systems, the following systems were also seamlessly integrated into the building automation system.
- Air conditioning
- Electric curtains
- Security systems
- Door communication
- Keyless access
- Irrigation
- Electromobility
Why LEADS elektro works with stromlaufplan.de
Detailed planning and the need to be able to react quickly to changes make documentation a critical factor.
“In our industry, speed and consistently high quality are the critical factors. By parameterising – instead of drawing, wiring-diagram.com enables us to configure even complex distribution boards with enormous speed and high repetition accuracy and to react to changes.
By sharing the diagrams, we can also keep our partner company Elektro Niese & Heinrich continuously up to date and move parts of the workflow, e.g. the export of labelling marks, to the right place. The unlimited number of planning statuses also provides the documentation transparency we require.
In the future, we would also like to see an integrated product database to speed up the procurement process, as well as integrated change management to facilitate completely digital communication between the construction site and the office.”
(Fabian Fischer, business owner – LEADS elektro)
By the way: the project generates more than 160 pages for the wiring diagram for each distribution board. These diagrams can also be displayed in a browser in just a few seconds.
This project is a good example of how even very demanding projects can be implemented efficiently and precisely with structured planning and suitable software solutions. It demonstrates that proper documentation is not just an obligation, but is an essential component for the success of the project and subsequent maintenance.
If you are interested in more real-world examples, check out:
Another real-world distribution board (incl. wiring diagram)
