Electrical and Home Assistant.
The electrical is closely tied to the Home Assistant home automation system. All of the light switches are connected to the Home Assistant computer via WiFi. One of the design principles is if the Home Assistant computer fails all the light switches still work. Even some of the enhanced features will still work. For example from the switch for the kitchen overhead lights not only turns on those lights if you press it once but if you double press it it will turn on the kitchen sink lights. Some of the nice things about having all the lights automated is that the porch lights go on at dusk and off at dawn but that can be changed. I have one command I can say when I come in the front door “Alexa turn on all the lights” and every light in the house comes on.
Installing the electrical.
There are 2 circuits in the kitchen. One labeled east and one labeled west. The east circuit goes along the kitchen wall from the refrigerator going east. It also goes to the island and powers one plug and the plug in the mixer cabinet. The west circuit goes to the stove, microwave, counter, and dishwasher.
I would have wanted to run more circuits but I am limited by the size of the service to the house and the size of the main breaker box.
All of the counter top outlets are sideways as this makes for a cleaner use of the outlets. You don’t have cords crossing each other. Also the are placed 6″ above the counter top.
Another part of the kitchen wiring are the LED overhead lights. I replaced the 3 can lights with 9 5000k Daylight Dimmable LED lights. This meant running wires to all the lights and back to the wall switch. Also I installed a wire and left it in the ceiling for a future light over the island.
Because the dining room is part of the kitchen I needed to replace the 3 can lights in that part of the house. I installed 6 of the same lights in the kitchen. With all these lights on the room is very light.
Now it is time to install window above the sink before closing up the walls.
