FAQs: Sales page How are thermostats powered? There are three methods of providing power to the thermostat. The first two methods are done by passing power to the thermostat via the Ethernet cabling. The Basic series (NT10e/NT20e) require use of a Proliphix power injector known as a EPA-20 or EPA-60. The Professional series (NT120e,/NT130e/etc.) and Thermal Management series (TM220e/TM250e) can use an EPA or it can be powered via Power over Ethernet (PoE) equipment. The third method is using the HVAC power supplied by the HVAC wiring; this method is required for “h” powered thermostats in the Professional series (NT120h/NT130h etc.) You must have not only the 24v source (usually a red wire) but also the "common" which is the other connection from the same 24v transformer on your HVACc system. the "common" is often times a black or blue wire. Remember that wire color is no guarantee of the function of the wire. For testing purposes of powering an "h" model thermostat, you only need the 24v source and common to power up the thermostat. “e” and “h” suffixed units are not interchangeable and you must use the correct series to match the power source. Back to top What is an EPA-20/EPA-60 and why do I need it? EPA is an acronym for Ethernet Power Adapter. The EPA is a power injector and patch panel in one. The EPA injects power onto the CAT5 unused pairs to the “e” suffixed thermostats. Without the EPA there is no power to the Basic series thermostat. It also provides a patch panel from the thermostat to your Ethernet switch or router for network access. The EPA-60 is capable of powering up to 6 basic series thermostats while the EPA-20 can work with up to 2 units. Note: EPA’s are not used when working with models with the “h” suffix. Back to top What material do I need in addition to the Proliphix thermostat? First you should review the documentation on the Proliphix web site to become familiar with the installation and how to configure and access the thermostat. The following is not included with the thermostat: - Philips screwdriver and drill (for optional wall mounting)
- CAT5 or CAT5e Ethernet cable unterminated to connect the thermostat to the EPA-20/60
- Punchdown tool for a 110 connector to install CAT5 cable onto the EPA-20/60
- CAT5 Ethernet cable terminated with RJ-45 connectors to connect the EPA-20/60 to your Ethernet router or switch
- DHCP server residing on either a router or PC
- A PC to be connected on the same network as the thermostat for configuration of the thermostat
In addition to the above material if you are replacing an existing thermostat it will be necessary to pull CAT5 from the thermostat location to your EPA-20/60. This may require pulling CAT5 cable through the walls. Back to top Why do I need a CAT5 cable in addition to the HVAC cable? The CAT5 cable provides Ethernet connectivity between the thermostat and your Ethernet switch or router, the Basic series, the Professional series and the Thermal Management series units require an Ethernet cable. Thermostats with the “e” suffix also use the CAT5 cable to carry power to the thermostat. Back to top What is PoE? PoE (Power over Ethernet) is an IEEE standard (802.3af) which provides a mechanism to distribute power over CAT5 cabling to PoE devices. PoE routers, switches or midspan devices provide power to the device at the other end of the CAT5. However they cannot just supply power unconditionally since the device receiving the power may not be a PoE device. So there is a protocol to determine if the receiving device is PoE. If not, no power is supplied. If so, power is supplied to the device at the other end of the CAT5. The difference between an EPA power injector and a PoE router or switch is the EPA supplies power unconditionally. The EPA is a CAT5 power injector not a PoE compliant device. Back to top Does your product support Fahrenheit and Celsius? Yes, our product line of network thermostats have support for both Fahrenheit as well as Celsius. Back to top Are your thermostats UL approved? The entire product line of products are CSA approved which also covers UL. Back to top What is the maximum length Cat5 cable the can be used? The maximum length from the thermostat to the switch/hub/router is 100 meters (330 feet). Back to top Do I need a static IP address from my Internet provider to use the Proliphix Remote Server? No, you do not need a static address from your ISP. In a typical network configuration, you have a router which is the connecting point of two separate networks. The public network (Internet) is on the WAN (Wide Area Network) side of the router and your private network is on the LAN (Local Area Network) side of the router. When we recommend that you set your thermostat to a static IP address it is because you need to have the thermostat always at the same address so the port forward entry in your router will always match the thermostat IP address. There is more detail on Port Forwarding in the Remote Access FAQ section. On the WAN side of your network, we don't care if it is static or dhcp, because when you use the Proliphix Remote Server, we continually are updated with your WAN address when the thermostat contacts the server during its periodic update. Back to top
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