In our efforts to retrocommission a few buildings on campus, we typically run across the decision to add or upgrade existing working, but obsolete, DDC controls. Perhaps a few of you have encountered this same decision. What was taken into consideration when making the decision to upgrade or keep the existing working controls?
I have investigated the matter a bit and see the need to address the knowledge base of the DDC Electricians actually performing the work. Further training is no longer being provided on obsolete equipment thus indirectly moving businesses to the new platforms. Also, there is the rising costs of replacement parts for obsolete equipment. However, the new controls are quite expensive with apparently minimal payback in actual savings vs. existing operating controls.
The challenge appears to be: If it is working and saving energy now, are there valid reasons and economic justification to swap out for newer and perhaps a different platform? Or, should the system remain and the funds dedicated to other energy projects?
I am curious as to what others have learned and experienced at their facilities.
Thank you.
Four Red Flags:
1.) If something breaks and you can't buy replacement parts. Talk to you control vendors. Keep up on EOL for equipment. Watch for the: New equipment isn't supported by your existing software even with upgades.
2.) You can find anyone who knows how to work on your exsting system.
3.) It cost more to fix it than a new equilivanent up-to-date system part for a new system would. If you're buying used parts on eBay, I'd say that is a sure replacement sign.
4.) You need things like "Energy Monitoring " or "Demand Control" that your old system can't give you.
To be sure, there are still buildings out there that run just fine on pneumatic controls.
With the electronic stuff I'd say 5 years is: Keep up-to-date with your vendors on a monthly basis, and ten years is: Living Dangerously with a bomb in the building.
Lastly platform standardization can be a two edge knife. Especially if the latest, greatest company is out of business in five years.
Ed Humble
I looked at your university facilities standards and got a handle on what you are dealing with.
You have a combination of Andover, Siemens, and Johnson. I have dealt with similar combinations.
Your best bet for future renovations and expansion is to use the Andover Continuum head end. Continuum offers the smoothest interoperability between all systems and has very little proprietary issues. Everything I have used worked very well with Andover, even Siemens which uses a difficult approach to interoperability can work.
In the field an Ethernet connection can be a future standard if you wish. You be unlimited in your choices in each instance. Be sure to have a static IP address assigned to your drop. DHCP should be avoided.
Workstations work best when they communicate with the server using VNC Viewer or Microsoft Remote Desktop Protocol. Traditional workstation configurations will initiate a data transfer on start up that can be as much as 50 MB. This causes slow logons and disconnects. Unhappy technicians, too.
Relieve your server of all minor duties by letting your “trunk traffic” report to an intermediate dedicated work station. This improves communication, troubleshooting, and general performance. I had five of these in one large application.
If possible VLAN a facilities private network switches cost around $800 and can be strategically placed. If your IT department is using the newer copper/fiber Cisco switches you can VLAN individual ports, a real infrastructure money saver.
Sometimes internal IT personnel get caught up in their own system. I hired a service manager from a location computer company that hosted servers as well as did sales. He surveyed my system on a four hour visit and thereafter was my right hand at IT/Facilities meetings. The $80 per hour he charged was worth every penny.
As far as the level of expertise for the electricians, we are dealing with black boxes with a power supply, inputs, and outputs. Put it in and let the BAC contractor program. If you find that programs are constantly being edited or modified something is wrong. HVAC is not that hard.
I replied to the forum because these are common issues. I am happy to help by email @ dailyops@frontiernet.net and I travel anywhere.