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1. The SPI fluorescent lighting Ballasts must be connected Phase to Neutral.
2. The branch lighting circuits to which the SPI Ballasts are connected should be used only for powering equipment that has been tested for compatibility by SPI. There must not be any equipment connected to these circuits that requires the circuits to be turned off, or that generates interference at PLC frequencies, or that does not function properly in the presence of PLC signals, or that significantly lowers the branch lighting circuit shunt impedance at PLC frequencies or that provides a DC or PLC current path to ground.
3. All Ballasts connected to a branch lighting circuit to which the SPI ballasts are connected must be supplied by SPI. Other ballasts are not compatible.
4. Circuit Filters supplied by SPI must be installed between the circuit breakers and the PLC controlled branch lighting circuits.
5a. If there is absolute certainty that there is not and never will be any other PLC equipment connected to the same power distribution transformer secondary and if the branch lighting circuit length is less than 200 metres, and if the maximum broad band noise amplitude at 127 kHz is always less than 100 mV rms / (30 kHz)^0.5, then a Standard Circuit Filter can be used.
5b. If there is or may be other PLC equipment connected to the same power distribution transformer secondary, that transmits at less than 3.6 V rms, and if the branch lighting circuit length is less than 200 metres, and if at 7.12 kHz the maximum broad band noise amplitude is less than 3.87 V rms / (4.78 kHz)^0.5, then a Premium Circuit Filter should be used. Note that SPI is not presently aware of any FCC approved PLC signal sources that transmit at greater than 3.6 V rms.
5c. If there is or may be other PLC equipment connected to the same power distribution transformer secondary that transmits at more than 3.6 V rms, or if the branch lighting circuit length is greater than 200 metres, and if at 7.12 kHz the maximum broad band noise amplitude is less than 3.87 V rms / (2.39 kHz)^0.5, then a Super Premium Circuit Filter should be used.
5d. SPI does not recommend its equipment for application to branch lighting circuits that are longer than 300 m or where the broad band noise amplitude measured at 7.12 kHz exceeds 3.87 V rms / (2.39 kHz)^0.5.
6. Each branch lighting circuit should be entirely enclosed in a continuous metal shield. Usually this construction involves 3/4" diameter EMT conduit for the backbone lighting circuit and 3/8" flexible metal conduit or metal armoured cable drops to the Ballasts, Sensor Units and Control Units. The grounds at all conduit junctions must be electrically continuous.
7. For new construction the backbone conductors of the branch lighting circuit should be #12 AWG copper and the drop conductors to the Ballasts, Sensor Units and Control Units should be #14 AWG copper. The conductor insulation should be PVC 600VAC 90 degree C rated.
8. There must be no ground faults in the branch lighting circuits. Before a PLC lighting control system is implemented in an existing building the neutrals from the lighting panel to the branch lighting circuits must be disconnected from the lighting panel and tested for ground faults. All ground faults must be eliminated before any attempt is made to install the Lighting Control System.
9. For 120V branch lighting circuits fed by 15 amp breakers the minimum permitted number of connected two lamp ballasts is 3 and the maximum permitted number of connected two lamp ballasts is 21. For 120V branch lighting circuits fed by 20 amp breakers the minimum permitted number of connected two lamp ballasts is 3 and the maximum permitted number of connected two lamp ballasts is 28.
10. For 240V, 277V and 347V branch lighting circuits the present minimum permitted number of connected two lamp ballasts is 3 and the present maximum permitted number of connected two lamp ballasts is 28. However, the maximum number of connected two lamp ballasts per branch lighting circuit will likely increase in the future due to anticipated equipment design improvements.
11. Although it is technically possible to apply the SPI PLC Lighting Control System to branch lighting circuits that are more than 300 m long or that contain more than the aforementioned numbers of two lamp ballasts, SPI does not presently recommend its equipment for such applications because of the increased technical skill required to design, program and service the system once these limits are exceeded.
12. Illumination zones must be defined such that dimming of all the fixtures within an illumination zone can be controlled via a single ceiling mounted illumination sensor located within the zone.
13. Until the LCS-4 panels are available there is an additional constraint that all the Sensor Units, Control Units and Ballasts related to a particular lighting zone must be connected to the same branch lighting circuit.
This web page last updated September 20, 2005
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