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Energy Saving

Introduction​

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

The purpose is simple: if during some hours of the day the light entering through the windows already illuminates the room correctly, it is not necessary to keep the artificial lamps on.

SOL-LED+ can work in two ways:

  • timed, when the user already knows the period of the day in which the room receives enough natural light;
  • with sensor, when you want the control unit to decide based on the detected brightness.

At the end of the savings band, or when natural light is no longer sufficient, the control unit automatically returns to the management provided by the sunrise and sunset program.

On the display the function is shown with the screens:

  • Energy / Saving
  • Energy saving

The main parameter selects one of the modes available for the active room.

Actual menu path​

Route:

MENU -> Energy Saving

In the real menu loop, Energy Saving comes after Room relay and before Night Light.

Screens displayed:

  1. Energy / Saving
  2. Energy saving

Available modes​

The Energy saving screen shows one of the following values:

  • Disabled
  • No sensor
  • With sensor

The With sensor mode allows you to use the brightness sensors connected to the S1 and S2 terminals.

Real commands:

  • UP scrolls forward through modes;
  • DOWN scrolls back through modes;
  • ENTER confirm;
  • MENU switches to Night Light.

Disabled​

With Disabled, the control unit cancels the energy saving:

  • no scheduled shutdown;
  • no sensor intervention;
  • no night light inhibition linked to savings.

The light follows the selected program without energy saving interventions.

No sensor​

With No sensor, the control unit uses a shutdown time slot.

This mode is useful when the natural lighting in the room is predictable and fairly constant. For example, if the program predicts sunrise at 06:30 and sunset at 21:00, but between 11:00 and 14:00 the room is already lit by the windows, it is possible to use that period as an energy saving period.

Screens displayed:

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

Dto ore:​

Format:

HH:MM

Real limits:

  • hours: 00 - 23
  • minutes: 00 - 59

Real commands:

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

Up to hours​

Format:

HH:MM

Real limits:

  • hours: 00 - 23
  • minutes: 00 - 59

Real commands:

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

Gradual:​

Actual display values:

  • YES
  • NO

Real behavior:

  • NO: switching off and on again is immediate;
  • YES: switching off and on again follows the ramps.

During the configured interval the control unit turns off the light.

With sensor​

With With sensor, SOL-LED+ uses the active room's external light sensor.In this mode the control unit compares the detected brightness with the set threshold. When natural light is sufficient, artificial lighting can be turned off or reduced according to the chosen setting; when natural light decreases, the program resumes normal room management.

Links:

  • room 1: brightness sensor between S1 and GND;
  • room 2: brightness sensor between S2 and GND.

See the OPT-OUT accessories diagram to recognize the terminals and connect the two sensors.

The sensor must be positioned in the point where you want to measure natural light, for example near a window, but it must not be illuminated directly by the bars or other lamps controlled by SOL-LED+.

If the sensor receives artificial light from the same system it is supposed to control, the reading can become unstable: the control unit could turn off the light, immediately detect darkness and turn it back on repeatedly. Then position S1 and S2 so that they primarily represent the natural light available in their respective rooms.

Screens displayed:

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

Sensor limit​

Sets the detected brightness threshold.

Display values:

  • OFF, if the value is 0;
  • percentage, if the value is greater than 0.

Real limits:

  • minimum: 0 % (OFF)
  • maximum: 100 %

Sensitivity​

Sets the hysteresis/sensitivity used after the threshold is exceeded.

Display values:

  • OFF, if the value is 0;
  • percentage, if the value is greater than 0.

Real limits:

  • minimum: 0 % (OFF)
  • maximum: 20 %

Gradual:​

Actual display values:

  • YES
  • NO

Real behavior:

  • NO: switching off and on again is immediate;
  • YES: switching off and on again follows the ramps.

Real behavior with sensor​

When With sensor is active and Sensor limit is greater than zero, SOL-LED+ compares the detected brightness to the set threshold.

If the detected brightness exceeds Sensor limit, SOL-LED+ may turn off the main room light even if the program would be turned on. In this way natural light can temporarily replace artificial lighting.

If Sensitivity is greater than zero, the control unit uses a return threshold equal to:

Sensor limit - Sensitivity

When natural light drops below the return threshold, the system can turn back on following the program and the Gradual: setting.

The sensitivity avoids continuous switching on and off when the brightness is close to the threshold.