Clipsal offers a cool control solution
Most ceiling fan manufacturers use capacitors to vary the speed of a fan by placing them in series with the switched active of the motor. By varying the capacitor value, the speed of the fan is then varied, giving a relatively noise-free method of speed control.
When a fan is installed this way, many integrators use a relay to switch power on or off, leaving speed control to the conventional controller on the wall. Some installers go one step further, installing a multi-tap capacitor – supplied with the fan controller – on multiple control relays in the electrical switchboard. Connecting to individual relays to obtain this level of control does work, but it requires customised programming to achieve the desired result.
The C-Bus ceiling sweep fan controller from Clipsal has been designed to take the manufacturer’s capacitor. This is used for controlling up to three speeds of the fan while providing simple termination of the capacitor block, wiring connection to the fan and programming configuration.
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The capacitor can be installed in a capacitor bay that is exposed when the hinged cover is opened. If the bay is too small for the block, several notches allow for the capacitor to be placed outside the bay.
The C-Bus fan controller, however, has been designed to fit into the electrical switchboard where the C-Bus equipment (dimmers and relays) are installed. Its three-module design means it can be placed next to a 12-module dimmer or relay unit in a 15-module enclosure.
Likewise, if multiple fan controllers need to be installed in the switchboard, they can fit nicely across 15-pole or 12-module boards.
The C-Bus fan control relay doesn’t require mains voltage to operate. An active and switch connection provide simple wiring, yet there is a provision to switch the neutral line, effectively offering double-pole switching. This has been provided for some international markets that mandate switching the active and the neutral conductors when controlling single-phase motors.
Retrofitting the fan control unit may mean there is not enough space in the switchboard. Placing control devices such as relay units in ceiling spaces can be problematic if they are not designed to handle harsh temperatures. The fan controller, with its high temperature rating, can be installed in a ceiling space using the optional purpose-built enclosure.
This enclosure includes a terminal block with an RJ45 adapter lead, so the installer doesn’t need to crimp RJ45 connections while in a ceiling space, thereby reducing installation time.
Mains voltage and C-Bus terminal areas of the enclosure are electrically segregated once the fan controller is installed, and tie points ensure strain relief on cables in these areas.
The front of the fan controller includes a manual override button that can be used for cycling through the fan speeds before the unit is programmed.
An optional ‘kick-start’ feature will run the fan at maximum speed for a configurable amount of time when lower speeds are selected from a dead-stop position. And an installer-configurable changeover delay option ensures that a speed relay has been deactivated before the next speed relay energises.
The installer is also able to configure the threshold at which the relays activate. This is useful if only two speeds are required.
When the C-Bus fan controller is used in an installation that includes C-Bus Dynamic Labelling Technology (DLT) switches, the installer-customisable label description (stored in the fan controller) is sent to all DLT switches controlling the fan.
The fan controller also works with scenes and can be programmed to activate (or deactivate) under certain conditions – such as when the security is armed, to prevent false triggering of alarm sensors.
Ceiling sweep fans are popular in economical climate control for residential and commercial installations. The C-Bus controller makes it much simpler to integrate them into a control system without the noise and uncertainty previously experienced.
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