My New Home has C-Bus – now what?
The phone rings. A voice on the other end sheepishly extolls...
'I just bought a home with C-Bus, and .....(eg. something unexpected is happening, not working etc)..............
...........We need to..................(to fix, upgrade, repair, re-program etc)' ............... Can you help me with that? .................. Yes we can.
New home owners are sometimes unexpectedly confronted by an electrical lighting system that’s alien to them running their newly purchased home. In most cases, it is anticipated as the home seller’s savvy real estate agent knows the value of highlighting any smart home automation systems in the sales process, often being one of the top 5 features noted on sales brochure, but not always.
What is this witchcraft? you may ask if you haven’t lived in a Smart Home previously. What can this C-Bus automation system actually do for me? How do I get C-Bus repaired? The hallway footlights come on in the middle of the night, is that normal? How do I stop them? etc and many other similar questions may get asked.
Be very careful in this initial time as we frequently hear stories of untrained (hopefully not unscrupulous?) sparkys being called and advising (tricking?) new home owners like you into scrapping, changing or cabling around perfectly functioning home automation equipment just to get a large job or through a lack of the required specific C-Bus home automation training. Resist these entreaties and get a second opinion from a C-Bus trained sparky or integrator.
Clipsal C-Bus is the market leading product in Australia for residential home automation systems. Any C-Bus system, whether 5 years old or 20 years old is still easily programmed to suit the new home owner’s desires, to have new more functional or stylish switches added, or have new features such as Smartphone home control, or even home voice control added. All for a relatively small investment compared to the original C-Bus installation’s cost value. It is also easily fixed or repaired by qualified personnel, like a C-Bus Approved Installer.
An important first step is to confirm that Clipsal C-Bus home automation is actually the system that you have installed. On the odd occasion, an unknowledgeable (or sneaky) real estate agent will call ANY automation system ‘C-Bus’ in their house ads as the market sometimes generically identifies with Clipsal C-Bus as being a smart home system. To check that you actually have C-Bus fitted to your new home, take a look inside your electrical or circuit breaker enclosures.
You will have modules that either look like this:
Clipsal C-Bus 2 modules or this: Clipsal C-Bus original modules
If the modules don’t look like these, you probably have a different automation system that is not C-Bus. If that is the case, you can email us here at Nous House with pictures of it, as we may have some local contacts in areas around Australia able to help you in resolving problems with some of those other systems.
OK, so if you’ve now read this far, you must have C-Bus. Feel comfortable in the fact that you have a reliable, robust, expandable, easily fixed and supported lighting home automation system. To make a change to your system, or even just to familiarize yourself with the system and it’s abilities, it is suggested that you now contact either an appropriately trained C-Bus Approved Installer (electrician / electrical contractor) or for a more integrated or advanced system, a C-Bus EcoXpert like Nous Hous to set you up and get you comfortable with the technology that will definitely enhance enjoyment of your new home.
If you wish to add to or update to more advanced features for your home you should look for a C-Bus EcoXpert which is a more senior expert that also has advanced integration skills with other systems such as alarms, AirCons, Intercoms, IT and Audio Visual systems.
Inexpensive Upgrades to your C-Bus
Smartphone Control 
Voice Control 
iPad or Touchscreen control 
New More Stylish Switchplates 
Energy Monitoring
Nous House are C-Bus Approved installers, C-Bus experts (Schneider Electric EcoXperts), enthusiasts, CBus specialists, consultants, contractors and designers based in Sydney, Australia. We are happy to help you with any questions and provide free advice on Home Automation. Email your questions to [email protected]
© 2019 Brad Merrick - Technical Director - Nous House