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Honeywell Controller now provides low cost installation through LonWorks

Honeywell’s Excel 500 controller is one of the crucial elements of the company’s global Excel 5000 building management system. Modular in design, Excel 500 provides the required capabilities for wide ranging applications - from offices and hospitals to schools and shopping centres.

To facilitate reduced total installation costs, Excel 500 is now available with distributed input/output modules using LonWorks technology - the open communications standard established by the Echelon corporation and supported by major companies both in the HVAC and other industries. Honeywell is an official LonMark sponsor and is using the LonWorks technology to establish simple, inexpensive and future-safe communication between I/O modules and the controller.

Excel 500 can seamlessly combine traditional modules installed in the controller housings with the new distributed I/O modules based on LonWorks technology. “This means that even though there is a new operating platform available for our system, previous Excel 500 systems will not be obsolete and can easily be integrated and upgraded to offer users the latest field bus benefits,” comments Steve Shannon, division manager of Honeywell’s Home and Building Controls Division.

The new LonWorks distributed I/O modules reduce wiring time and costs as each module is equipped with field terminals which use common LonWorks wiring to communicate with the controller. Further, total space required for the cabinets is significantly reduced as the modules can be placed directly in the power cabinets. Further savings can be achieved by placing the modules close to the field devices. Communication from the modules to the controller is then handled through the two wire LonWorks bus, which is commonly used by all modules.

Excel 500 provides users with easy to understand information on user addresses, status or alarm texts. Built-in self-adapting heating curves, identification of time constants and optimisation of switch-on/switch-off time points, ensure easy and effective energy management. Excel 500 also offers point trending and alarm handling capabilities which will alert the operator to maintenance, limit values, status changes or system malfunctions. The system’s flash memory is also a key feature which preserves the controller database and operating system for an unlimited period of time.

Honeywell believes that the LonWorks technology availability on the Excel 500 modules facilitates ease of installation, operation and maintenance, whilst ensuring that the system is open to grow to meet future needs. With over 200 manufacturing companies, ranging from lift manufacturers to security panel manufacturers, currently investing in the LonMark Open Protocol, Honeywell is confident that an investment in LonMark today will reap benefits in the years to come.

For details contact Steve Shannon, Manager of Honeywell’s Home & Building Controls Division, on tel: (011) 805-1201.

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