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Energy saving

The Energy saving function allows you to reduce the consumption of the lighting system by exploiting, when available, natural light coming from outside.

The purpose is simple: if during some hours of the day the sunlight entering through the windows is sufficient to illuminate the room correctly, it is not necessary to keep the system lamps on.

The function does not change the daily sunrise and sunset schedule. The program remains the one chosen by the user; energy saving occurs only when the system can avoid using artificial light.

There are two main modes available:

  • hourly energy saving, without sensor;
  • energy saving with brightness sensor, if provided for by the installed version.

Menu path​

Route:

MENU -> Savings -> Energy

Screens displayed:

  1. Energy / Saving
  2. Energy saving

The Energy saving screen may show:

  • Disabled
  • No sensor
  • With sensor

With UP and DOWN you change the mode. With ENTER it is confirmed.

Disabled​

With Disabled, SOL-7000 only follows the selected light program.

Use this mode when you do not want any additional shutdown.

Savings by the hour​

No sensor mode does not require any light sensor.

The user sets a period of the day during which he knows that the room normally receives a sufficient amount of natural light.

Example:

  • the daily program foresees dawn starting at 06:30;
  • sunset is expected at 21:00;
  • the room is well lit by the windows between 11:00 and 14:00.

In this case you can set 11:00 -> 14:00 as the energy saving period.

During this interval SOL-7000 turns off the system lighting, avoiding consumption when artificial light is not necessary. Once the interval is over, the programmer automatically resumes the normal management foreseen by the daily program.

This solution is indicated when the natural light in the room is predictable and fairly constant.

Screens displayed:

  1. Turn off lights / From time:
  2. Turn off lights / Up to hours
  3. Turn-oFF Turn-ON / Gradual :

From hours​

Set the shutdown start time.

Commands:

  • LEFT increases hours;
  • UP increase minutes;
  • ENTER confirms.

Until hours​

Set the end time for switching off.

Commands:

  • LEFT increases hours;
  • UP increases minutes;
  • ENTER confirms.

Gradual​

Values:

  • YES
  • NO

With YES, switching off and on again occurs gradually. With NO, the transition is direct.

Savings with brightness sensor​

The With sensor mode allows the programmer to automatically decide when the natural light present in the room is sufficient.

SOL-7000 can use:

  • the integrated sensor, available on the SOL-7000;
  • the external photocell, available as an optional Season Generator kit.

Screens displayed:

  1. Sensor limit
  2. Sensitivity
  3. Turn-oFF Turn-ON / Gradual :

Integrated sensor SOL-7000​

When the built-in sensor is used, the position of the programmer is very important.

The control unit must be installed outside the room, or in a position where the sensor is not illuminated directly by the lights controlled by the system.The sensor must not directly read:

  • the light of dawn;
  • the sunset light;
  • the main light or neon.

If the sensor is hit by the same lamps controlled by the programmer, a conflict is created: SOL-7000 is no longer able to correctly distinguish the natural light coming from the outside from the artificial light of the system.

The position of the control unit must therefore allow the sensor to evaluate the natural brightness available in the room.

External photocell​

Alternatively, it is possible to use the external photocell, available as an optional kit.

The energy saving photocell is not equivalent to other sensors or buttons used for different functions and must not be self-built by the user.

The kit must be purchased from Season Generator, connected according to the instructions provided and calibrated after installation.

Threshold calibration​

Calibration allows you to indicate to the programmer which level of natural light should be considered sufficient.

Recommended procedure:

  1. wait for a time of day when the natural light coming from the windows illuminates the room satisfactorily;
  2. access the threshold setting function;
  3. read the level detected by the sensor;
  4. when the present brightness corresponds to the desired condition, confirm with OK;
  5. save the value as a reference threshold;
  6. choose whether the shutdown should be immediate or gradual.

Sensitivity​

Sensitivity sets the margin used to avoid continuous switching on and off when natural light is close to the threshold.

Automatic operation​

After calibration, operation is automatic.

SOL-7000 compares the brightness detected by the sensor with the set threshold. When natural light reaches or exceeds the threshold, the programmer considers the room sufficiently illuminated from the outside and intervenes on the artificial lighting according to the chosen mode.

When natural light is no longer sufficient, the system returns to the normal lighting management provided by the program.

In this way the lamps remain on only when they are really necessary, reducing consumption without changing the sunrise and sunset programme.