Lighting Sensor Configuration & Troubleshooting

Lighting Sensor Configuration & Troubleshooting

Overview

Since it's possible to connect multiple light fixtures to a single SCN or DLA sensor, Commissioner needs to understand what type of device(s) is (are) being controlled and metered. This step in commissioning is broadly referred to as Lighting Sensor Configuration (previously DLA Commissioning), and the procedure varies by sensor type and by what type of fixtures are connected.
DALI Sensor (eg. SCN-x-01)

If connected to DLA-CA(s) or DLA-FA(s):

0-10V characterization is required; select the Default DLA-CA or DLA-FA 0-10V characterization profile.

If you experience issues with dimming, follow the instructions to create a custom 0-10V fixture characterization profile.

If connected to DALI driver(s):

For D4i compliant drivers, all Lighting Sensor Configuration happens automatically.

Lighting Sensor Configuration also happens automatically for the following non-D4i drivers:
  1. PhilipsXitanium
  2. Osram OTi30DX
  3. Osram OTi50DX
  4. Osram OTi60DX
  5. Osram OTi60DXVaux
Otherwise, the user is prompted to enter power consumption data (in watts) for all drivers connected to a single sensor. If not known, any power calculations for the sensor will not be accurate.
Alert
If multiple fixtures are connected to a single sensor, only enter the power usage of a single fixture. Commissioner assumes all drivers connected to a single sensor are the same, and multiplies the power numbers accordingly.



Typical consumption numbers are noted below.
  1. Off (Standby): Usually 0.5W to 1W
  2. Min Brightness: 5-7% of nominal rated power consumption
  3. Max Brightness: nominal rated power consumption
Notes
Example 1: If 1 fixture is connected to the sensor and its power consumption at 100% brightness (Max) is 100W, then consumption when Off might be 0.7W and perhaps 6W at Min brightness.

Example 2: Expanding on Example 1, if 4 fixtures were connected to the sensor, power consumption at 100% brightness (Max) would still be entered as 100W, consumption when Off would be 0.7W, and 6W at Min brightness.

0-10V Sensor (eg. DLA-Vx-00 or SCN-x-00)

If DLA-V:

0-10V characterization is required; select the Default DLA-V or Default DLA-V-00-H-10 + characterization profile.
Alert
Commissioner auto-selects the correct default dimming profile based on the product revision number the device provides after its first sync. If the device hasn't been sync'd yet, be sure to select the correct profile based on the hardware revision of the DLA-V.

If you experience issues with dimming, follow the instructions to create a custom 0-10V fixture characterization profile.

If SCN-x-00:

Enter power consumption data (in watts) for all fixtures connected to a single sensor. If not known, any power calculations for the sensor will not be accurate.



Typical consumption numbers are noted below. If multiple fixtures are connected to a single sensor, remember to multiply usage numbers by the number of fixtures controlled.
  1. Off (Standby): Usually 0.5W to 1W
  2. Min Brightness: 5-7% of nominal rated power consumption
  3. Max Brightness: nominal rated power consumption
Notes
Example 1: If 1 fixture is connected to the sensor and its power consumption at 100% brightness (Max) is 100W, then consumption when Off might be 0.7W and perhaps 6W at Min brightness.

Example 2: Expanding on Example 1, if 4 fixtures were connected to the sensor, power consumption at 100% brightness (Max) is 400W, consumption when Off would be 2.8W, and 24W at Min brightness.

Instructions

  1. After completing a Sync, Commissioner will prompt you to complete Lighting Sensor Configuration when required. If you ignore this prompt, you can complete Lighting Sensor Configuration later by navigating to Map > Lighting Sensor Configuration
  2. Select the sensor devices to complete configuration, then click Next
  3. Follow the prompts, if applicable. Details about the information that may be required is listed above, in the Overview section
  4. Once programming is complete, click Done

Troubleshooting

If Power0 < Power1 < Power100 is not true, then Commissioner will report "Power numbers were inconsistent".

The Power0, Power1 and Power100 can be converted to the power consumption in Watts per the below process:
  1. Convert the Power0 value from hexadecimal to decimal using a Hexadecimal to Decimal Converter.  The preceding link also contains some background on the hex and decimal systems
  2. Divide the decimal value by 1000 to convert from mW to W
Notes
For Example, if Power0 is 3B4C in hexadecimal, this can be converted to 15180 in decimal number. 15180mW / 1000 = 15.18 Watts.

General Troubleshooting

Most Lighting Sensor Configuration issues are the result of wiring errors causing the attached fixtures to not dim or turn off properly.  The easiest way to test if fixtures are dimming properly is to use the Manual Control feature in Commissioner. The attached fixtures should turn off when the slider is moved to 0 and dim linearly from 0 to 100.
  1. Right-click the DLA which failed DLA Commissioning in Commissioner
  2. Select Advanced and then Manual Control

If the configuration process always skips a sensor, that sensor may be in Sensor Only mode. This mode allows a sensor to be Sync'd and operate with SiteWorx as an occupancy sensor for coordinated control, and alerts Commissioner that it has no fixtures attached to it that can be configured - as such, it is skipped and marked as fully commissioned. To disable Sensor-Only mode, right click the sensor and select Edit, then uncheck Sensor Only, then click Save.

If the configuration process completes successfully but there are issues with the dimming functionality, the sensor may be in Non-Dimming mode. This mode allows a sensor to be Sync'd and operate with SiteWorx as ON/OFF control only. If the driver and fixture support dimming and wiring connections are made properly, then dimming will be configured as normal (disregarding the Non-Dimming selection); but, if lighting sensor configuration fails only because of a dimming error, Commissioner will ignore the error and report the sensor as fully commissioned. To disable Non-Dimming mode, right click the sensor and select Edit, then uncheck Sensor Only, then click Save. Due to the potential for unknown wiring errors, non-dimming mode should only be enabled when a driver does not support dimming.

Troubleshooting Power0 >= Power1

Fixtures controlled by DLAs should turn off when the DLA is set to 0% output. When the DLA-CA is set to 0% output, then the DLA-V, DLA-CA or DLA-FA will unpower the switched AC by cutting power to the switched AC line.

If Power0 is greater than or equal to the Power1 value, then it is possible that the fixtures are being powered by line voltage and not the switched AC output.  This would cause the fixtures to remain powered even when the switched AC line does not have any power.

Notes
For example, say Power0 corresponds to 15.18 Watts and Power1 corresponds to 13.8 Watts.  As such, the next course of action would be to manually control the DLA to see if the attached fixtures dim properly and then check the wiring to the attached fixtures.

Troubleshooting Power1 >= Power100

If Power1 is greater than or equal to the Power100 value, then it is possible that the attached fixtures are not dimming. The likely cause is that the 0-10V dimming wires from the DLA-V, DLA-CA or DLA-FA are not attached to the connected fixtures.

Notes
For example, say Power1 corresponds to 257.1 Watts and Power100 corresponds to 256.8 Watts.  As such, the next course of action would be to manually control the DLA to see if the attached fixtures dim properly and then check the wiring to the attached fixtures.

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