Background information:
EnOcean wireless technology
RF solutions offer many benefits in installation technology: for connecting sensors, such as switches, buttons, motion detectors, room theromostats and actuators, such as lamps, indicators, drives, etc. no signal cable is required. In addition to savings in cables, ducts and mounting materials, cable slits and cable troughs are eliminated as well as the associated wall repair and painting otherwise necessary when renovating or modifying an installation. Aside from the faster and more cost-effective installation process, RF technology opens up completely new, previously unthinkable design possibilities, such as switches on glass walls.
In spite of these advantages, wireless technology has found very limited use so far in installation technology, due mainly to two factors:
- Use of the popular 433 MHz band makes undisturbed data transmission practically impossible
- The transmitters have to be powered by means of batteries - rechargable or otherwise - or by a mains supply
Both drawbacks are eliminated by the use of EnOcean wireless components:
- Transmission is in the 868 MHz band, which is allowed only for intermittent transmissions.
More reliable transmission of the user data is assured by repeatedly sending the wireless telegrams at random intervals.
- The operating power for EnOcean sensors is obtained from the surroundings or from the observed process -
in the form of- light (solar cells)
- Heat
- Kinetic energy (e.g., using piezo elements)
- ...
This model of power supply results in completely maintenance-free and freely positionable sensors, relegating battery changes to a thing of the past...
EnOCean components
EnOcean-based components from installation and automation technology are now being offered by numerous companies. You can find an up-to-date overview of vendors with their respective products at the EnOcean Web site at www.EnOcean.com.
Sensors:
- Digital sensors
- Buttons and switches for surface mount
- Window/door contacts
- Motion detectors
- Analog sensors
- Temperature sensors
- Gas sensors
Actuators:
- Digital actuators
- Switching actuators as connecting plugs
- Switching actuators for recessed mount
- Switching actuators for ceiling installation
- Switching actuators for row mounting
- Analog actuators
- Dimmers for recessed mount
- Dimmers for row mounting
- Control valve regulators for row mounting
Visualization and control systems
The W&T EnOcean Com-Server works together with any software application for visualization and controlling which uses OPC as the software standard.
A less costly solution ideal for smaller applications, which we have tested together with the EnOcean Com-Servers, can be found in the "ShowIt" program developed and marketed by
Ingenieurbüro BAUERGüntherstraße 6
D-14612 Falkensee
Phone: +49 (0) 3322 / 21 21 103
Fax: +49 (0) 3322 / 21 79 75
E-mail: info@showit.de
www.showit.de
A free demo version of the program is available over the Internet, which is limited only by the period of use and which allows you to thoroughly test the software.