Echoflex Controller Support For IECC Mesh Networks

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Question

What does IECC Mesh Network entail?

What Echoflex controllers support IECC Mesh Networks? How do they support this?

Answer

IECC Mesh Networks Overview

In compliance with the International Energy Conservation Code (IECC), Mesh networks allow Echoflex lighting controllers to communicate individual occupancy states between each other on the same mesh, allowing for zone level control of spaces based off states of individual controllers.

Controllers within the same mesh will dim to partial off when unoccupied if there exists a controller within the mesh with an occupied state. Once there are no controllers within the mesh which are occupied, all controllers within the mesh will proceed to turn off.

Mesh Network Set Up

Mesh Networks can easily be pre-commissioned with Garibaldi ahead of installs, or can be configured on-site if one can access each controller within the network. To pre-commission with Garibaldi, each controller within the same network should share the same Mesh ID value, where each other mesh network should utilize a different Mesh ID value. You can also specify a Mesh Timer value, which dictates the length of time between the last transition to vacant amongst controllers in the mesh and the controllers within the mesh all turning off. Mesh ID by default is 0, which disables the functionality. Mesh Timer defaults to 30 seconds.

To configure the mesh network onsite, you will need physical access to one controller, and the ability to set the remaining controllers intended for the mesh to learn mode. Holding clear and pressing learn button five times will cause a controller to send a Mesh-ID-share message. If a controller had a Mesh-ID of zero, before it sends its Mesh-ID-share message it will generate itself a pseudo-random Mesh-ID. Only controllers currently in learn mode will change its Mesh-ID to the Mesh-ID shared from the message. This means only controllers in learn mode will link their mesh to the one who shared its Mesh ID.

Typical Use Case

A floor of an office building is setup as a mesh, with 3 different ELED controllers controlling dimmable lighting fixtures over 3 different workspaces. Each ELED controller is linked to an occupancy sensor which detects occupancy within their respective individual workspace.

Initially, there’s one worker at each workspace, which means lighting fixtures are fully on.
Two workers then leave, which allows two of the ELEDs to transition to Partial Off, dimming the lighting fixtures of their workspaces to a pre-configured value. The remaining ELED is still fully on, as there is still an occupant within the workspace.
The final worker leaves, and the final ELED occupancy state transitions to unoccupied. The Mesh Timer begins.
Once the Mesh Timer expires, it is known that there are no occupied controllers within the office floor. Thus, all three ELED controllers open their relays at the same time.

Operational Logic

Occupancy status disable
If a controller's Mesh ID is set to 0, it will not send any occupancy status messages, nor will it act on any occupancy status messages it receives. IECC functionality is effectively disabled.

Occupancy status enabled
If a controller has a non-zero Mesh ID then IECC functionality is enabled. The controller will send occupancy status messages, and will act on occupancy status messages it receives so long as the Mesh ID matches.

Occupancy Status Message - Controllers with Occupancy status enabled will periodically transmit occupancy status messages. These messages will be sent on changes in occupancy state. Occupancy states are "occupied", "unoccupied", and "transitioning to relay open". The "transitioning to relay open" status message will include the time until the controller will open its relay.

Local transition to relay-open - If a partial-on is enabled the transition to relay-open will begin when the occupancy timer expires. If partial-on is disabled the transition to relay-open will begin when the grace timer expires. When beginning a transition to relay-open the controller's dimming output will go to its partial-off level. At this time the controller will send a "transition to relay open" status message. This status message will specify a transition time. The controller will also start a transition-to-relay-open timer for the transition time specified in the message. If, while this timer is running, the controller receives an 'occupied' occupancy status message from a controller with the same Mesh ID, the controller will stop its transition-to-relay-open timer and the controller will keep its dimming output at its partial-off level. If the transition-to-relay-open timer expires, the controller will open its relay, as the entire Mesh is now unoccupied.

Remote Transition to relay-open when occupied - If a controller is occupied and it receives a "transition to unoccupied" status message with a Mesh ID that matches the controller's Mesh ID, the controller will transmit an "occupied" status message after a pseudorandom delay that is not longer than half the time specified by the "transition to unoccupied" message. This will inform other controllers in the mesh that it is still occupied.

Remote transition to unoccupied when unoccupied - If a controller is unoccupied, its relay is closed, and it receives a "transition to unoccupied" status message it will start its transition-to-relay-open timer at the time specified by the status message. If, while the timer is running, the controller receives an "occupied" status message from a controller with the same Mesh ID, the controller will stop its transition-to-relay-open timer and the controller will keep its dimming output at its partial-off level. If the transition-to-relay-open timer expires the controller will open the relay.

Mesh ID sharing - Holding clear and pressing learn button five times will cause a controller to send a Mesh-ID-share message. If a controller had a Mesh-ID of zero, before it sends its Mesh-ID-share message it will generate itself a pseudorandom Mesh-ID. During normal operation controllers will ignore Mesh-ID-share messages that they receive. When in learn mode, if a controller receives a Mesh-ID-share message it will change its Mesh-ID to the Mesh-ID from the message.