CAS Dataloggers Provides Comprehensive Monitoring Solution for Energy-Efficient Home

CAS Dataloggers has provided a datalogging solution for monitoring the energy efficiency in a display home. Thermally-efficient materials were used in the home and the manufacturer wanted to monitor the temperature in the home to demonstrate the cost and energy benefits of its materials.

CAS DataLogger used a dataTaker DT85 intelligent universal input data logger as the major component around which the complete solution was built. The DT85 features a rugged construction to withstand extreme conditions. It is designed to monitor both the external and internal environments. dataTaker CEM20 expansion modules were used to increase the analog inputs to 228. DT85 features smart serial sensor channels that have the capability of interfacing with SDI-12, RS232, RS422 and RS485 sensors.

Various other sensors located in rooms and on the roof, including Vaisala’s WXT520 weather transmitter, HMW40Y humidity transmitter and GMW116 CO₂ transmitter, and a Latronics energy meter were used. RTD temperature sensors were used for monitoring the conditions within rooms.

The dataTaker system also features Modbus slave and master functionality and provides USB memory stick support. The data logged in the system can be transmitted through an Ethernet connection. A FTP and web server allows users to access the data from remote locations.

The carbon dioxide (CO₂) transmitter provided the CO₂ levels within the home, which helped gauge the ventilation and the efficiency of sealing. For consumption of every watt-hour of electricity, the energy meter provided an output of a single pulse. The CAS DataLoggers turn-key solution allowed the manufacturer to validate the energy efficiency of the model home by analyzing the temperatures and their rate of change in external and internal environments.