“There is nothing good, unless one does it,” thought Pastor Martin Baltzer, when he also changed the lighting of the old church. The magnificent Gotteshaus is located in the municipality of Bergenhusen, just under 70 kilometers from the Danish border in northern the United States. Although only 700 people live in the small village, it is known among stork friends across Europe: it is said to be home to one of the largest colonies of the continent.
No new cables
Also the Bergenhusen Saalkirche is unique: the Baroque building was built in 1712 on the ruins of a rock chapel and is under monument protection. When the renovation of the ancient church ship was due to a stagnant roof-chair and damp walls, the electrical system should be brought to Vordermann.
No house without bus
It was precisely here that the problems of Pastor Baltzer began: on the one hand, it was to become a modern lighting system, which could be more than just turning on or off all lights, and on the other hand he wanted to fulfill all the requirements of the monument protection. And finally the budget of the church community was limited to the project.
Long line
The solution was found by electrician master Volker Lorentzen in the form of the new automation system digitalSTROM of the Swiss company aizo. The name confuses something, because the stream is not digitized, but by the clever patent controllable. The highlight is the intelligent control system, which can be used in classical electrical installations by transmitting the control signal in a piggyback manner. So you do not have to pull any new strippers.
Surfing in the home network
It was the decisive criterion for the municipal administration. Ceiling paintings and wall paneling did not allow complex installation work. On the other hand, the over 100 lamps were already electrified and only had to be retrofitted.
Thus the organ, the chandelier, the font and the bank rows got separate controls, which can be controlled on an Apple iPad. This ensures that not only the pastor, but also other community members can control the system. In addition, the old buttons continue to operate and allow manual operation.
The digitalSTROM idea was born out of the necessity of shortening time-consuming installation times. This is exactly the area in the electrician trade, which goes right into the money, because laying cables takes a long time: There are slits to knock or cable ducts. By the way, they are works which are not compatible with the protection of the historical monuments.
To explain the exact functioning of digitalSTROM, an excursus into the topic bus systems is necessary. The current flows on the line - the expert speaks of phase - through the light switch or it is interrupted by it. This makes a change of the circuit cumbersome, especially in large installations. For example, if you want to place a second light switch in the room, the installer must partly tear the old cables and pull new ones.
On the other hand, a bus system relies on the division of forces: sensors and actuators. Sensors can be sensors for temperature, humidity or light intensity as well as buttons or touchpads.
Actuators, on the other hand, switch the loads on and off or, if necessary, regulate them infinitely (dimming). All cables are connected in a central station. It controls all connected loads on the basis of the incoming sensor data and the previously defined programming. This approach also makes the upgrading and conversion easier.
To take the example with the light switch: A second switch can be easily installed in a bus system. The electrician installs it at the desired location, establishes the necessary connection to the central unit, and informs him of the space for the new button.
The existing trigger as well as the lamp itself remain interconnected as they are. This is much easier and faster. However, a bus system does not pay anywhere. Small installations in particular are often installed and converted more quickly in conventional technology.
But back to the bus system: For actuators, one needs strong cables in principle, in order to be able to transmit enough current. The signals from the sensors, on the other hand, can be realized with low-voltage cables. The widely used KNX, for example, requires only one call wire. Since even this must be routed, retrofit bus systems for home automation try to transmit the control signals in a different way. In many cases these are radio channels.
What is the cost of the system?
DigitalSTROM, on the other hand, transmits the sensor data simultaneously with the current via the same line. The aizo patent therefore uses the power cable itself for data transport - similar to the known Powerline adapters - but for a different principle.
The backbone of the digitalSTROM system, DSM11, is installed in the control box. The so-called digitalSTROM-Meter (English for measuring instrument) has several tasks. It controls the communication with the downstream components, measures the energy in the line, and passes on the statuses to the central server. A total of 62 DSM modules can be grouped together and managed via a server.
The Blessings of the Modern Age
Each module is switched behind one of the backup devices. Sophisticated filter circuits ensure that only devices within this line are addressed and that no communication data is entered into the public network. As a master in the system, they command the small digital current terminals (slaves), which disappear into under-sockets and light fixtures to build the system.
If the electrician engages one of the terminals, the DSM module immediately identifies the DSM module to a unique ID and automatically assigns them to the eight functional groups. The installer can assign up to 128 digitalSTROM terminals to a metering module. In addition to the terminals in the size of a luster terminal, which operate as actuators, there are also the push-button terminals. They are installed as sensors in the flush boxes of the buttons. You register the user inputs at the place of the action.
Aizo has developed a special control system for the switches. Simple pushbutton switches the load, repeated pushing of the button causes special functions to switch around moods or to switch to the dimming mode. If the builder can also install a server (DSS), he can control all actuators without the existing buttons. The server has the guard over all DSM in the system and forms the link to the WLAN or Internet.
Via a browser, the user can access the built-in configurator himself and set up the system. Using the configurator, he can also assign the building blocks to the rooms, change the setting of the devices, install additional apps, update the firmware of the individual components, and evaluate the data.
The clear interface can also be used by beginners for some familiarization. It is structured in tabular form and divided into rooms. Here, the user also sets the lighting mood: from on / off via a single reading lamp to subtle TV lighting. Since a digital current meter belongs to each circuit, the current power is always displayed in the web interface.
For the program, it is easy to calculate the energy demand from the year. This way energy guzzlers can be quickly unmasked. It also quickly finds out if something is wrong. A lamp that does not consume power when it is turned on must be defective.
Security was also provided. So that not everyone with the free digitalSTROM app can hijack their own network, the smartphones or Tablet PCs must be registered in a submenu. This can be done via Username / Password or via an individual key (Token). A list of authorized smartphones is then stored on the web interface.
As with any intelligent automation software, the coordinates can also be entered. It calculates the times for sunrise and sunset. Depending on the programming, the customer can adjust his outdoor lighting for the winter. You can light the lamps from sunset to 10 pm and from 6 am to dawn.
As a retrofit system, digitalSTROM saves considerable installation costs, but the sums for the switching and metering components required for this are included as a penalty in the final calculation. The button inserts also belong to the list, since the blocks react only to individual pulses. If switches are still installed in the system, they must be replaced by buttons of the same series. However, the owner can reuse the appropriate buttons for the buttons.
By way of example calculations, the costs can be cut down into current profile constellations: the one-room apartment with three luminaires and a wall switch is about 550 euros. A four-bedroom apartment with components for light, security and bells costs about 3.500 euros.
For a house with seven and a half rooms, which besides a typical components still a roller shutter control brings, the total package is at 8,500 euros. This should correspond, for example, to the extra charge a house owner has to charge for a cable-bound bus system. The big difference: With digitalSTROM, this can also be done retroactively and without dirt and dust.
The citizens of Bergenhusen can now enjoy a renovated Gotteshaus with the most convincingly staged events. Especially in a spiritual place, it is important to create the right atmosphere for the occasion. Gone is the time when the bright light in the middle of the Christmas worship service destroyed the homey atmosphere.
The pastor now provides for appropriate lighting moods. To the Biblestelle he sets light scenes by illuminating pictures or holy figures. The iPad is next to the prayer book on the altar - almost strange in the historical setting.
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