Frequently asked questions, with answers

Inputs, outputs and devices

General

Credits

Alarm reports


How many devices does a single controller manage?

The eZEio controller can manage up to 20 "devices." A "device" is specified in the configuration tab and can be attached to the ModBus port or the Microlan port. A device may be an expansion module, a Microlan temperature probe, a ModBus Wattmeter or a thermostat. An expansion module is a single "device" that contains either four inputs or four outputs.

How many inputs?

The eZEio supports up to a maximum of 40 inputs.
There are four (4) physical inputs on the eZEio controller. Additional inputs can be added through MicroLan (temperature sensors/input expanders) or Modbus (Wattnodes/Thermostats). Note that the Microlan and ModBus ports can support a maximum of 20 devices each.

How many outputs?

The eZEio supports up to a maximum of 40 outputs.
There are two (2) relay outputs on the eZEio controller. Additional outputs can be added through MicroLan (output expanders). Note that the Microlan port can support a maximum of 20 devices.

How many Wattmeters?

Since each ModBus Wattmeter is a "device," the general answer is 20. However the Wattmeters shown on this site can give multiple inputs, including power, energy, powerfactor, voltage, amperage, apparent power,  reactive power and frequency for each of three phases the each Wattmeter can fill up to 29 inputs. Most cases will not require all these parameters as inputs: a more typical installation might give total net energy (three phase kWhrs) and total power (three phase Watts) for each would mean that 20 Wattmeters could be hooked up to the ModBus port.

How many Thermostats?

As with the Wattmeters, 20 are allowed on the Modbus port. A total of four thermostat schedules (daily four times) with alternates (linked to any combination of other inputs, outputs or timers) can be set into the eZEio database. Up to eight thermostats can run on a single schedule.

What about pulse type wattmeters?

Pulse type wattmeters with an S0 compliant pulse are supported with the eZEio controller base module. Expansion modules do not support S0 pulses due to the short duration of the pulse. A counter is automatically engaged with each pulse input in order to store the accumulated value in a non-volatile memory.

What about gas and water meters?

These work the same as pulse type wattmeters. With the counter you can read both the rate and the accumulated value for usage.

Can you give an example of how inputs/outputs are counted?

Example one:

An eZEio controller is configured with 9 input expansion modules and 9 output expansion modules. Each input expansion module adds one "device" to the list.  This would give you 9+9=18 devices. There are 40 inputs, 38 outputs and room for two more "devices," such as thermostats.

Example two:

An eZEio controller is configured with 4 Wattmeters, each measuring total net energy and power. That would be four devices and 8 inputs. You could add an additional 12 Microlan temperature probes to get to 20 devices, but this would only give you 28 inputs. You could then add three more inputs to each wattmeter to get to the 40 input limit. For example you could measure power factor, volts and amps on each meter.

What kinds of sensors are supported?

The eZEio inputs can be configured for:

  • Voltage (0-10V with 10mV resolution)
  • Current (0-30mA with 30uA resolution)
  • Resistance (0-200kOhm)
  • Switches (on/off)
  • Pulse (S0 pulse, down to 10ms)

Note that only the four inputs on the eZEio controller support pulse input. Input expanders do not support pulse.

0-10V and 4-20mA current loop are common industry standards, and most analog sensors can be adapted for one of these standards using a signal conditioner or amplifier if necessary. For temperature measurement we recommend using MicroLan sensors as they are already calibrated for our system.

What are the monthly fees?

The cost of using the eZE on-line services depends on the configuration of each eZEio controller.
You pay for credits, that are shared between all the controllers on your account. The controllers will consume these credits according to how they are configured. A more detailed summary of how this works is available here. We also provide an interactive tool to calculate the actual cost of the different configuration options.
.

What is the warranty on the eZEio?

We offer a two (2) year warranty on the eZEio hardware, that covers manufacting defects. Warrantees on other items are from their manufacturers, for example the Wattmeters have a two year warranty, while the thermostat carries a three year warranty.

Is the controller compatible with my Wi-Fi (802.11) Network?

Yes, simple attach a bridge capable Wi-Fi router or access point to the input of the eZEio controller. Make sure that DHCP is enabled and remember to change the security key on the router if the network key ever changes.

Is a monthly fee required?

No. There are no monthly fees unless you use our Internet services.

What types of messages can the eZEio send?

The eZEio can send messages to email, Twitter, phones (voice messages) and to web servers using an http POST.

 

If you can't find the answer to your question on this page, please feel free to enter it as a new FAQ, or contact us directly.


^ Top

Previous: Support | Next: Files and documents