Systel's PLC Communication Method vs. X-10
Comparison of a Building Energy Savings Lighting System (ESLS) using IDC2000 devices (Systel's application) with X-10 Control System
Specifications/ Features |
X-10 Control System |
Building Energy Savings Lighting Systems (ESLS) |
Power Line Communication Parameters |
||
Bit Rate |
120 bps |
2000 - 4000 bps |
Single Command duration |
91 ms (183 ms for one phase) |
16 ms |
Access time (command execution duration) according to network protocol |
X-10 protocol. Outgoing command + repeater response + acknowledge signal + repeater response: 360 ms (733 ms for one phase) |
Systel PLC-Link™ protocol. Outgoing command + acknowledge (repeater) response: 32 ms |
Communication reliability bit error rate (BER) |
BER not known |
BER = 3*10-10 for S/N = 6 dB; BER = 10-18 for S/N = 10 dB |
Transmitted signal level |
5V only |
1…5 V with step of 1V, according to requirements |
The minimum receiver input signal required for reliable communication |
100 mV |
20 mV |
System device communication capability |
Wall switches, receptacles, fixture relay modules, dimming fixture module have receivers only; Controllers and Programmers have bi-direction communication modems. |
All system devices including the ballasts using the IDC2000 controller have embedded bidirection communication modems |
Number of transmitters possible to be connected to one circuit |
4 |
64 |
Load control capability
|
||
ON/OFF function |
Wall switches, receptacles, fixture relay modules, dimming fixture modules: All these devices can control only one circuit connected to them. |
Ballasts and actuators: Single fixture ballast is able to control each lamp in fixture separately and all of them simultaneously. Multi fixture ballast is able to drive up to 8 fixtures and to control separately each fixture. |
Number of zones/device |
1 |
16 |
All light ON/OFF function |
The receptacles do not respond to this command |
Ballasts and actuators supply this function |
Light dimming function |
The Dimmable Wall Switches and Dimming Fixture Modules offer full range dimming for incandescent and magnetic low-voltage lighting loads only. Additional equipment and wiring (for example, Advance Mark X® Power line ballasts) is required for fluorescent lamps dimming. Separate control of fluorescent lamps is unavailable. |
The ballast may be implemented for any Fluorescent (linear, compact, electrodeless and others), HID, neon, LED incandescent and other lamps for building illumination. The dimming function is available for all of these lamp types. The dimming of all lamps in the fixture may be performed separately as well as simultaneously. The dimming law may be linearized for any kind of above lamp types during ballast configuration. The ballast reconfiguration may be carried out over PLC any time when required without uninstalling. |
Scene-Capability (preset levels) |
16 scenes of lighting are available. |
16 scenes of lighting are available and 32 different light levels. |
Additional ballast features |
None of the X-10 system devices have these features |
In addition to light management and PFC, Ballast performs other important functions Protection: • End of Life (EOL) of lamp. • Individual full lamp or fixture protection. If one fixture in a parallel topology or MFDEB is disconnected or faulty under unusual conditions, the others remain lit. • Cross conduction protection – designer can decide which outputs should not overlap. • Capacitive load protection by Center Tap circuit. • Every Current and Voltage sampled by the IDC can be monitored for minimum – maximum expected value and protected immediately, pulse by pulse. In the ballast this can be used for the Input voltage, DC Bus and PFC current limit. Lamp DATA storage and transmitting on demand: • A set of working parameters can be defined for storage during ballast configuration • A consumption statistic and current values can be requested any time. These features are very important for energy saving. The exclusive ballast’s properties which distinguish it from the existing dimmable ballasts are a very low noise level and rather high impedance at frequencies higher than 90 kHz. This allows connection of up to 64 such ballasts in one lighting branch without loss of communication reliability. |
Networking |
||
Address space |
256 addresses only |
65,000 per one Central Remote Control Unit (CRCU): 256 addressable devices per lighting circuit (branch) x 256 branches. Up to 2048 addressable groups of devices (zones) per branch may be defined. Each group can be comprised by one or more devices (even one individual lamp of a fixture or a sensor connected to a Multiple Network Sensor (MNS) device may be defined as an element of a group, and can be accessed by one single frame command). Each ballast and MNS may be a member of up to 16 zones at the same time. The ESLS has open architecture and can include more than one CRCU with all its address space. |
Query capability |
Limited by protocol and ballast design |
Unlimited. All information is available in IDC for transmission |
Communication Protocol type |
DALI |
PLC-Link™ Systel property - anti-collision type |
Error Code Correction (ERCC) NA |
N/A |
Yes |
Bit Error Rate @ S/N= 6 dB before ERCC |
N/A |
10-10 (for 64 ballast per circuit) |
Erroneous commands probability at S/N = 6 after ERCC |
N/A |
2*10-18 |
Local ID |
8 bits |
11 bits |
Message transmission time |
39.2 msec |
16 msec |
Execution time (search of 32 ballasts) |
10 Sec |
16ms x 32 = 0.5 Sec |
Query capability |
Limited by protocol and ballast design |
Unlimited. All information is available in IDC for transmission |
Lighting Control System configuration |
The ballasts are controlled by Master Unit only. |
All addressable units are able to be controlled by any of the Local Control Units installed at any convenient place and by RF remote control as well. |
Installation Pay Back time (approx.) |
> 5 years |
2 years |
Related Documents
|
SYTRL400-A PLC test report:
A test report presenting the characterization test results of the Power Line Carrier (PLC) Modem embedded in the IDC2000 ICs family. This report also includes the results of the communication test performed using the PLC transceivers in the wall control and the ballast reference designs of Systel's Lighting Evaluation Kit based on the IDC2000 ICs. This report also describes the test method applied and includes the Bit Error Rate (BER) versus S/N achieved in the communication test. Date: November 5, 2006 |
|
|
Application Note SYANL404:
PLC-Link™ Power Line Carrier Communication for a Building Control based on IDC2000 devices. |
The Digital Power Control Pioneers