Installation Guide

Supported model
• C4-C A1 Automation Controller, CA-1
Introduction
The Control4® CA-1 Automation Controller enables control of lights, security
systems, sensors, door locks, and other devices controlled by IP, Zigbee, Z-Wave®,
or serial connections. The controller has a fast processor, external antennas for Wi-
Fi and Zigbee® radios, an internal slot for a Z-Wave™ module (sold spearately), and
can be powered by PoE. This controller is perfect for home, apartments, and other
installations that do not require IR control or audio streaming.
After you install and configure the controller with other Control4 devices, your
customers can control their system using the Control4 apps, system remote
controls, touch screens, or other Control4-supported interface devices (sold
separately).
Box contents
• CA-1 Automation Controller
• External power supply with international plug adaptors
• Antennas (2)
Accessories available for purchase
• Z-Wave Module - Region H (C4-ZWH)
• Z-Wave Module - Region U (C4-ZWU)
• Z-Wave Module - Region E (C4-ZWE)
Warnings
Caution! To reduce the risk of electrical shock, do not expose this
apparatus to rain or moisture.
AVERTISSEMENT ! Pour réduire le risque de choc électrique, n’exposez
pas cet appareil à la pluie ou à l’humidité.
Caution! In an over-current condition on USB, the software disables
the output. If the attached USB device does not appear to power on,
remove the USB device from the controller.
AVERTISSEMENT ! Dans une condition de surintensité sur USB le
logiciel désactive la sortie. Si le périphérique USB connecté ne semble
pas s’allumer, retirez le périphérique du contrôleur.
For more information, visit the Products pages at dealer.control4.com.
Requirements and specifications
Note: We recommend using Ethernet instead of Wi-Fi for the best
network connectivity.
Note: The Ethernet or Wi-Fi network should be installed before starting
the CA-1 controller installation.
Note: The software required to configure this device is Composer Pro.
See the Composer Pro User Guide (ctrl4.co/cpro-ug) for details.
Specifications
Model number
C4-CA1
Connections
Network
Ethernet—10/100BaseT compatible (required for controller
setup)
Wireless
Wireless N (2.4GHz, 802.11n/g/b)
Wireless security
WEP, WPA, and WPA2
Wireless antenna
External reverse SMA connector
Zigbee Pro
802.15.4
Zigbee antenna
External reverse SMA connector
USB port
2 USB 2.0 ports-500mA
Serial out
1 serial out RJ45 port (RS-232)
Z-Wave
Integrated Z-Wave slot accepts Control4 Z-Wave modules
(sold separately)
Music services
Requires Triad One for audio output. Does not support
Spotify Connect, ShairBridge, or My Music scanning.
Power
Power requirements
5VDC 3A, external power supply included
Power supply
AC power supply accepts 100-240V ~ 50-60 Hz (0.5A)
PoE
802.3af (<13 W)
Power consumption
Max 15W (51 BTU/hr)
Miscellaneous
Operating temperature
32˚ - 104˚ F (0˚ - 40˚ C)
Storage temperature
4˚ - 158˚ F (-20˚ - 70˚ C)
Dimensions (L x W x H) 5.5" × 5.5" × 1.25" (14 × 14 × 3.8 cm)
Weight
0.65 lb (0.3 kg)
Shipping weight
1.5 lb (0.68 kg)
Additional resources
The following resources are available for more support.
• Control4 Knowledgebase: kb.control4.com
• Dealer Forums: forums.control4.com
• Control4 Technical Support: dealer.control4.com/dealer/support
• Control4 website: www.control4.com
• Composer Pro documentation in online help or PDF format available on the
Dealer Portal under Support: ctrl4.co/docs
• Z-Wave documentation: ctrl4.co/z-wave
Front view
A Status LED—The RGB status LED gives system status feedback. See
“Troubleshooting” in this document for LED status information.
B Z-Wave port—Removable plastic cover on top of the controller with a Z-Wave
port underneath for a Control4 Z-Wave module.
A
B
4 Connect the power cord to the controller’s power port and then into an
electrical outlet (if the controller is not powered by PoE).
Connecting the serial port (optional)
The controller includes one RJ-45 serial port that can be configured for RS-232
serial communication.
The following serial communication configurations are supported:
• RS-232—Hardware flow control, up to 115,200 Kbps.
(TXD, RXD, CTS, RTS, GND)
To set up the serial port:
1 Connect a serial device to the controller using Cat5/Cat6 cable and an RJ-45
connector.
Important: The serial port pinout follows the EIA/TIA-561 serial wiring
standard. Use the wiring shown in the diagram below. Many pre-built
DB9 to RS-232 cables, including network switch console cables, will not
work.
2 To configure the serial port settings, make the appropriate connections in
your project using Composer Pro. See the Composer Pro User Guide for
details.
Note: Serial settings are defined in the device driver in Composer. Serial
settings (baud, parity, and serial port type) are automatically configured
when a device driver is connected in Composer Pro to the serial port
connection of the CA-1 driver.
Serial port pinout and wiring recommendation
9 8 7 6
1234
5
ETHERNET
ZIGBEE
WIFI
Pin 4 SG
Pin 5 RXD
Pin 6 TXD
Pin 7 CTS
Pin 8 RTS
Pins 1-3 not used
EIA-561 wiring recommended
DB9 rear view
RS-232 pinout
Back view
A Zigbee—External antenna connector for Zigbee radio.
B Power port—Power connection for external power supply.
C ETHERNET (PoE)—RJ-45 port for 10/100BaseT Ethernet network connection.
Network connection used for configuration and device control. Supports PoE.
D SERIAL—RJ-45 port for serial communications. Can be used for RS-232
communication for device control.
E USB—Two USB 2.0 ports for external USB drives (e.g., FAT32-formatted
devices). See “Setting up external storage devices” in this document.
F ID / RESET buttons—Buttons used to identify the device in Composer Pro and
reset the controller. See “Troubleshooting” in this document.
G Wi-Fi—External antenna connector for 2.4 GHz 802.11n/g/b Wi-Fi radio. Wi-Fi
connection can be used for device control, but controller must have a wired
connection for initial setup.
Installing the controller
Requirements:
• Ensure that the home network is in place before starting system setup.
• A wired connection to the network is required for initial controller setup.
• The controller requires a network connection (Ethernet is recommended or
Wi-Fi) to use all of the features as designed. When connected, the controller
can communicate with other IP devices in the home and access Control4
system updates.
• Composer Pro software version 2.10.0 or newer is required for configuration.
Mounting options:
• On-wall—The controller can be mounted to the wall using screws. Remove
the rubber feet, measure the distance between them, and insert 2 screws into
the wall so that the heads are about 1/4 to 1/2 inch from the wall. Position
the holes on the back of the controller over the screw heads and slide the
controller onto the screws.
• DIN rail—The controller can be mounted to the wall using a section of DIN rail
channel. Mount the rail to the wall, and then attach the controller to the rail.
Important: The CA-1 is not rated to be installed inside an electrical
panel. DIN-rail installation is only intended for a wall-mount or other
section of DIN rail outside of an electrical panel.
Connecting the controller
1 Connect the controller to the network.
• Ethernet—To connect using an Ethernet connection, plug the data cable
from the home network connection into the controller’s RJ-45 port
(labeled “Ethernet”) and the network port on the wall or at the network
switch.
• Wi-Fi—To connect using Wi-Fi, first connect the unit to Ethernet, attach
the Wi-Fi antenna to the controller, and then use Composer Pro System
Manager to reconfigure the unit for Wi-Fi.
2 Attach serial devices as described in “Connecting the serial port.” Serial
port is only used for controlling external devices, the controller must be
connected over Ethernet or Wi-Fi to set up the Control4 programming.
3 Connect any external storage devices (USB) as described in “Setting up
external storage devices” in this document.
BA C D
E
F
G
CA-1 Automation Controller
Installation Guide