Example Add an HVAC System

The Architecture of the HVAC System is shown at the right. The Domain Controller is connected to the 3rd Party HVAC controller via a serial cable. The HVAC Controller demands heating and cooling from the HVAC furnace and air conditioning system which has damper controlled ducts going to two or more zones consisting of one or more rooms and a Thermostat to set the desired temperature.

Run the Design Module

Click "Start", "Programs", "Destiny Networks", "Ubiquity 2.4", "Design Module"

Open the Project: Rooms edited.ubq

To open the project, select "File", "Open Config/Project"

You will get the following menu.

Navigate to "C:\Program Files\Destiny Networks \Ubiquity \Ubiquity3.1\Examples\Examples for the Manual"

You will get the following menu.

Click on the project "11 Add an HVAC System.ubq"

Click the "Open" button

The project will open.

Add a HVAC system with 3 zones

Select the HVAC Zones layer of the Design Module.

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

All 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.

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.

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.

Select RCS as the Manufacturer.

It's possible to have multiple RCS controllers in a house, and the multiple controllers can be wired to the same (RS-485) serial wire. If this was one of them, then you would need to indicate the "Controller Address" on RS-485 of this controller. However, our controller is on RS-232 so this field can be ignored.

The RCS HVAC controller can one or more thermostats connected to it. You must check the ID of the thermostat for this zone and enter it in the Zone ID field. We will assume this thermostat has a zone ID of "1".

Select the Serial Port to communicate with the RCS HVAC controller.

Select RS232 as the protocol (instead of RS-485).

Click OK

After clicking OK you will be ready to Construct another HVAC zone. The 2 rooms that were added to the Guest bedroom area are now gray indicating that they are part of some zone.

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

Click on the Master bedroom and Master 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 "Master bedroom area" as the name of this HVAC zone.

Click OK

You will get the "Commission a Thermostat" menu.

Select RCS as the Manufacturer.

We will assume this thermostat has a zone ID of "2".

Select the Serial Port to communicate with the RCS HVAC controller.

Select RS232 as the protocol (instead of RS-485).

Click OK

After clicking OK you will be ready to Construct the  last HVAC zone. The 2 rooms that were added to the Master bedroom area are now gray also indicating that they are part of some zone.

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

Click on all of the other rooms. They will all turn red indicating that they are all 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 "Living area" as the name of this HVAC zone.

Click OK

You will get the "Commission a Thermostat" menu.

Select RCS as the Manufacturer.

We will assume this thermostat has a zone ID of "3".

Select the Serial Port to communicate with the RCS HVAC controller.

Select RS232 as the protocol (instead of RS-485).

Click OK

Now all the inside rooms are part of some HVAC zone.

Check that the Browser GUI now has HVAC icons in all rooms

Click in the Living room to open the Room menu

Note the HVAC icon indicating that the HVAC is now Off

Close the room menu in the Living room

Open the Room menu in the Kitchen (part of the same HVAC zone), note it is off also

Check the other rooms

Turn the thermostat on to Heating in the Kitchen, note that it turns on in the Living room

Click on the HVAC icon on the Room menu to bring up the thermostat for the Living area

For the thermostat control in the Kitchen, click the “Heat” button, use the up arrow keys to set the "Target" temperature to 72 degrees, and click OK

Note the icon for the HVAC in the Room menu of the Kitchen is now showing “Heat” mode

Open the Room menu in the Living room, it is also now showing “Heat” mode

Check My Destiny now shows the commands that were sent to the RCS controller for the Living area