Solar Smart Automated Window / Skylight Operator-with Mimolite and PLEG control

Other Devices & Integrations Climate Control & Temperature Sensors
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Four years ago, we began a journey to create as close to a net zero operation as possible at Cinevate. We purchased an empty warehouse, gutted it, and installed new mechanical, electrical and serious envelope efficiency updates. It was also windowless, so we did solar modeling to maximize interior natural light, and installed various features, like a central clerestory to bring in light, and help with natural convective cooling.

The building was missing essential automation components which is where the Vera Edge, EVL4 (for security system integration), and nine Ecobee3 thermostats came in over the last few months. The DSC security system and Watou’s Ecobee plugin have worked flawlessly for us on the Vera Edge. We’ve dropped our natural gas use for heating 25%, and electrical costs another 12%, from levels already less than 50% of what a typical 9000 sq/ft building would use.

The issue with a very efficient building is that once temps start hitting 55F outside, we need to think about cooling. We try and stay off AC as much as possible, so natural cooling becomes important. Opening main floor windows turns off the Ecobee3 cooling modes, based on triggers read from the window security sensors, controlled by the Vera Edge controller.

We’ve been using a very cool solution for the clerestory windows using openers from Solar Smart. These devices are solar charged, have a wireless remote and can be controlled by temperature levels programmed on the wireless remote. Windows can be zoned in up to 9 groups of nine windows each.

I’ve been using two of them for the last four years with zero problems in our clerestory to make use of convective cooling. The on board lithium cell has kept itself charged up, and the windows have required zero service since installation. You can zone windows and therefore control them independently or in any groups you desire.

[url=http://solarsmartopener.com/_images/solar-smart-sensor.jpg]http://solarsmartopener.com/_images/solar-smart-sensor.jpg[/url]

This is the clererstory we added in to the new office space. We modififed a few trusses and extended the roof to create this south facing feature…my favourite in the building.

The Solar Smart Window Openers are used to operate these windows.

[url=http://www.cinevate.com/images/clere2.jpg]http://www.cinevate.com/images/clere2.jpg[/url]

We’ve been using the temperature driven open and close feature that can be enabled in every one of the wireless remote units. The temp sensor is housed in the remote itself. You can set up the Solar Smart operator to open the windows at 75 F, and they automatically close at 5 degrees cooler (70 F in this case). This however may not be ideal when using AC, or when outside temps are much higher. I spoke with the company 4 yrs back about this and they came up with a solution, a new remote, pretty much designed to integrate automation.

[url=http://www.cinevate.com/images/eci-remote.jpg]http://www.cinevate.com/images/eci-remote.jpg[/url]

I ordered up two more window units after testing the effectiveness of night time pre-cooling of our building, about 9000 sq/ft. Pre-cooling dramatically drops our AC requirements.

The LFM20 relay on the left allows control of our commercial Venmar HRV ventilator located right above it. It’s a simple Zwave isolated relay. The MimoLight units are also relays. One is used to open the windows, the other to close them. Each MimoLite has a signal input so I’m using this to indicate the windows current state (open or closed). Mimolites are often used to control garage doors. The ECI remote for the windows uses simple dry contacts (open/close) to send wireless commands to the windows. Fortrezz has a new product, the Mimo which is not available yet, but has dual relays…perfect for this job.

[url=http://www.cinevate.com/images/mimo1.jpg]http://www.cinevate.com/images/mimo1.jpg[/url]

This Leviton Z-wave switch allows both manual and automated control of our workshop exhaust fan. It moves 1500 CFM or so, and works well when run at night to force cool air through the building.

This is the fan, normally used to depressurize our work room. In winter, a removable door on the inside cuts heat loss when not in use.
[url=http://www.cinevate.com/images/mimo3.jpg]http://www.cinevate.com/images/mimo3.jpg[/url]

The end result of all of this is the ability to open windows, run the building fan, run the HRV, run any of the air handler fans (connected to Ecobee stats) and control them via the temperatures indicated at the 15 or so Ecobee3 temperature sensors at night when temps here are almost always below 68F.

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I’m posting up a few of the requirements to configure and control the Solar Smart Window openers using the Vera Edge controller and MimoLite relays. I was stumped on a few of these so had to make a few calls. Posting them here for reference as I’ll be doing a better review of the window openers. I should mention that these openers would work pretty much on any crank out skylight or windows. I’ve removed the window manual cranks, and installed the Solar Smart openers in their place.

Step one is to install the free Mimo plugin on your Vera box:

Go to Apps → Install Apps
? Login if needed
? Search for “MIMOlite” and install it
? After the plugin is installed a new generic device will be installed

You can go ahead and include the MimoLite Zwave devices to your Vera hub now, adding them as a “Generic Device”. Then fire up the plugin and enter the MimoLite device ID’s. You can find the device IDs by checking the MimoLite (will show up as an On/Off switch) devices under the “Advanced” tab. The device ID on UI7 will show up at the top of the screen. Once you enter the device IDs into the plugin, (save, and wait for a few minutes) it will create child devices as shown below. The extra child devices monitor the Signal Input on the MimoLite relay…this is what makes the MimoLite as versatile as it is. Many use this input on a garage door sensor for example so you know when it is closed or open.

[url=http://www.cinevate.com/images/veramimo1.jpg]http://www.cinevate.com/images/veramimo1.jpg[/url]

These parameters configure the MimoLite relays to act as momentary switches, staying open for .5 seconds. The ECI Solar Smart window remote in turn needs its dry contacts operated in this manner to open and close the windows. By default the MimoLite relays “latch” on or off…and this won’t work for garage doors, the ECI remote etc.

[url=http://www.cinevate.com/images/veramimo2.jpg]http://www.cinevate.com/images/veramimo2.jpg[/url]

[url=http://www.cinevate.com/images/veramimo3.jpg]http://www.cinevate.com/images/veramimo3.jpg[/url]

[url=http://www.cinevate.com/images/veramimo4.jpg]http://www.cinevate.com/images/veramimo4.jpg[/url]

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reserved for future pics

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This is more or less what I’ve ended up with, using PLEG. The system is working extremely well.

Rather than trying to figure out when or not to run the building night cooling routine, I focused on the windows themselves. I look at the difference between inside temp and inside set point, inside vs outside temp, the forecast high temp for the day, and if the Ecobee3 stat is in cool mode or heat mode. These factors determine if windows should be open or closed. The night cool logic just runs off the state of the window_open conditional…if the windows are open, it runs. If they’re closed, night cooling does not run. It was simpler to work out the logic this way.