Wireless Technology
Making the case for wireless technology
Wireless sensor technology has many benefits in both new build and retrofit applications as Sandy Damm (pictured), Managing Director of Sontay, explains.
W
e have fully adopted wireless technology in our homes; when setting up a sound system,
security camera or even a doorbell at home, we would not even consider using a wired system due to the disruption and inconvenience it would cause. We are also accustomed to communicating wirelessly with our TVs, fridge and even our central heating systems. However, we have only just started to embrace the power of wireless in commercial buildings. Contractors are keen to learn more about the latest innovations including wireless technology and electrical wholesalers are perfectly placed to educate their customers on the benefits of wireless.
Ease of Installation One of the key considerations when installing a control system is how long it will take, the disruption it could cause and the cost. By eliminating the need for structural cabling during sensor installation, wireless devices can greatly reduce engineering time and installed project cost. This enables faster and easier installation on new buildings and also opens up
18 | electrical wholesalerApril 2019
the opportunity for control specialists to retrofit energy efficient HVAC controls into existing commercial and public buildings. In projects which feature our SonNet family of wireless sensors, we are typically finding total installed cost savings of 30% and more over comparable wired sensor installations. At a time, when reducing costs are a priority on many projects, proven wireless technology can bring significant benefit.
Reliability Reliability is an important factor for specifiers and installers when considering a wireless system. No one wants a system that drops in and out and cannot be relied upon to give accurate and continual measures. SonNet comprises battery- powered sensor together with permanently powered network receivers and routers all built on a robust 2.4 GHz, 802.15.4 self-healing, wireless tree topology. This topology is significant because it eliminates concerns with reception and reliability often associated with existing ‘point-to-point’ wireless systems. If a sensor detects a problem with the signal, it will automatically re-route to find the strongest available path to the receiver. Interference with
other radio devices in the same frequency spectrum also been addressed through a proprietary algorithm which continually adapts to site conditions.
Something Smart Increased device-to-device communication is an important role within modern building management systems. Convergence is a hot topic and we are seeing a high number of devices and control systems using the internet protocol alongside traditional protocols for communication, such as BACnet and Modbus. Wireless variations of intelligent control devices are becoming much more readily available. This makes it easier to build, extend and increase the range and capabilities of a unified, integrated system. Having said that, it is not just about devices
working together, the ‘Internet of Things’ is also about the data that can be accessed. Here, sensors play the vital role. They are inherently smart, measuring, analysing and evaluating all sorts of building performance data and making this information available to the control system. By pulling together this information and using it to determine the actions of connected devices,
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