RCS Thermostat

Residential Control Systems (http://www.resconsys.com/) makes a communicating thermostat that can directly control an HVAC system or that can connect through a Zone Controller Board to the HVAC system. Both architectures are supported by the Domain Controller and the Ubiquity software.

This feature is now supported on the Domain 3000 in the 3.0 release for an additional software charge. Please email support@destinynetworks.com to receive the key to turn on this layer. This feature is not supported on the Global Cache GC-100 in the Ubiquity 3.0 release.

 

 

Thermostat to HVAC System RS-485

RCS TR16-485 communicating thermostat

In the picture at the right, there are 2 HVAC systems in the house (perhaps one for the 1st floor and one for the 2nd floor). Each HVAC system has an RCS TR16-485 or RCS TR40-485 communicating thermostat directly connected to it (the red wires). In addition, the thermostats are connected to a Domain Controller via an RS-485 bus (the gray wire).

 

 

 

Domain 5000 Wiring

Wire two of the twisted pairs of a Cat 5E wire to the RCS TR16-485 or RCS TR40-485 thermostat and the other end of the Cat 5E to the 6-pin Phoenix connector of the Domain 5000 as shown.

Proceed to Software.

 

 

Thermostat to HVAC System RS-232

RCS TR16-232 communicating thermostat

In the picture at the right there are 2 HVAC systems in the house. Each HVAC system has an RCS TR16-232 or RCS TR40-232 communicating thermostat directly connected to it (the red wires). In addition, the thermostats are connected to a Domain Controller via individually connected RS-232 wires (the gray wire).

 

Domain 5000 Wiring

Wire two of the twisted pairs of a Cat 5E wire to the RCS TR16-232 or RCS TR40-232 thermostat and the other end of the Cat 5E to the 6-pin Phoenix connector of the Domain 5000 as shown.

Proceed to Software.

 

 

Thermostat to Zone Controller Board

RCS ZC6R 6 Zone Controller Board with 2 to 6 RCS TR16-232 or RCS TR40-232 thermostats

In the picture at the right there is one HVAC systems in the house, but it has 2 damper-controlled zones. Each zone of the damper-controlled system has an RCS TR16-232 or RCS TR40-232 communicating thermostat connected to the ZC6R 6 Zone Controller Board (the red wires). The ZC6R 6 Zone Controller Board is connected to a Domain Controller via an RS-232 wire or RS-485 bus (the gray wire).

Note that if the Domain Controller is connected to the Zone Controller Board via RS-485, then more than one Zone Controller Board can be connected on the same bus.

 

 

Domain 5000 Wiring

There are two wiring options:

  • The RS-232 version of the RCS ZC6R 6 Zone Controller Board (shown at the right) and

  • The RS-485 version (shown below).

 

 

The RS-485 version of the RCS ZC6R 6 Zone Controller Board is shown at the right.

Note that if the Domain Controller is connected to the Zone Controller Board via RS-485, then more than one Zone Controller Board can be connected on the same bus.

 

 

Software

The same software configuration applies to both architectures above. However, there is a minor difference between the RS-232 version and the RS-485 versions to deal with.

Start by selecting the "HVAC Zones" layer of the Design Module.

 

 

You will get a window like the one at the right.

All of the rooms are blue indicating that none are in an HVAC zone yet.

Click "Construct a new zone" on the HVAC zones menu in the upper left corner.

 

 

Directions will pop up at the top of the menu telling you to click on the rooms that are in the HVAC zone that you are constructing. Note that each HVAC zone will have its own thermostat.

For example, click on the Guest bedroom and Guest closet. Both will turn red indicating that they are selected for the HVAC zone being created.

Click "Done" on the HVAC zones menu in the upper left.

 

 

You will get the "Add Zone" menu.

Type in "Guest bedroom area" as the name of this HVAC zone.

Click OK

You will get the "Commission a Thermostat" menu.

Choose your architecture:

 

 

RS-232 directly to the thermostats

Manufacturer: select RCS

Controller Address: not applicable (this applies to Zone Controller Boards)

 Zone id: not applicable (this applies to RS-485 based thermostats).

Serial Port: select any RS-232 serial port.

Protocol: select RS-232

Note the serial set up of the RCS thermostat is 9600 baud, no parity, 8 bits, 1 stop bit, no flow control. The Ubiquity software knows this. You do not need to do anything to set it up.

Click OK.

 

RS-485 directly to the thermostats

Manufacturer: select RCS

Controller Address: not applicable (this applies to Zone Controller Boards)

 Zone id: Please consult the RCS Installation Manual to determine and set the thermostat address. Then enter that address in the Zone id dropdown box.

Serial Port: select an RS-485 serial port such as port 9 or 10 on the Domain 5000.

Protocol: select RS-485

Note the serial set up of the RCS thermostat is 9600 baud, no parity, 8 bits, 1 stop bit, no flow control. The Ubiquity software knows this. You do not need to do anything to set it up.

Click OK.

 

RS-232 to a controller board

Manufacturer: select RCS

Controller Address: not applicable (this only applies to Zone Controller Boards connected to the Domain Controller via RS-485)

 Zone id: Enter the port on the Zone Controller Board that this thermostat is connected to. For the ZC6R 6 Zone Controller Board, the options are ports 1 to 6.

Serial Port: select any RS-232 serial port.

Protocol: select RS-232

Note the serial set up of the RCS thermostat is 9600 baud, no parity, 8 bits, 1 stop bit, no flow control. The Ubiquity software knows this. You do not need to do anything to set it up.

Click OK.

 

RS-485 to a controller board

Manufacturer: select RCS

Controller Address: Please consult the end of the RCS Installation Manual to determine and set the controller address for this Zone Controller Board. The options are addresses 1-15. Then enter that address in the Controller Address dropdown box.

Zone id: Enter the port on the Zone Controller Board that this thermostat is connected to. For the ZC6R 6 Zone Controller Board, the options are ports 1 to 6.

Serial Port: select an RS-485 serial port such as port 9 or 10 on the Domain 5000.

Protocol: select RS485 Full Duplex

Note the serial set up of the RCS thermostat is 9600 baud, no parity, 8 bits, 1 stop bit, no flow control. The Ubiquity software knows this. You do not need to do anything to set it up.

Click OK.