Products

Systel PLC-Link™ Features and Specifications


PLC-Link is Systel's open protocol for power line carrier communications. In Systel's Energy Saving Lighting System (ESLS), all controllers and ballasts communicate using PLC-Link. Communications by PLC-Link has many advantages for building energy control, including:

  1. With PLC-Link, there is no need for rewiring control lines when doing building retrofits.
  2. PLC-Link has a large address space that provides a system level solution (as opposed to protocols such as DALI, which are limited by their address space to providing room-level solutions.)
  3. PLC-Link supports a DALI command set and is compatible with DALI-based software.
  4. PLC-Link is virtually error-free.

Systel PLC-Link vs. DALI


Parameter
DALI Protocol
Systel's PLC-link™
Physical layer
Two control wires
Power line carrier
Requires rewiring in retrofit
Yes
No
Communication method
Bi phase
Direct Series Spread Spectrum
Two way
Yes
Yes
Implementation
A stand-alone light control
system or a “room” level
component of a building system
Floor or wide area network of a BMS or as a stand-alone network for Light control, HVAC, Security, Fire protection and other environmental applications, as well as, for residential network control system for same applications.
Bandwidth
N/A
100 - 200 kHz carrier frequency
Bit rate
1200 bit/sec
2000-4000 bit/sec
Message length
16 bits
32 bits
Addressable ballasts
individually
64
256
Addressable zones
16
4096
Light scene storage
16 scenes per controller
16 scenes per zone
Broadcast addressing
Yes
Yes
Lighting curve
Logarithmic
Can be defined by customer
RF communication for remote control
By external add-on
Inherent in the controller
together with the PLC
Sensors connected to:
If connected to Main DALI Controller, require long dedicated wiring
Sensors connected to the nearest Local Control Unit (Wall Control) or to the nearest ballast that comprises Local Control Unit capabilities. This option also saves the installation of the Wall control
Bi directional protocol
Yes
Yes
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

IDC2000 Product Matrix 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.
 


Trademarks

ESLS

PLC Link

IDC2000 IC