A few weeks ago, I wrote a blog post about two of our UL924 Emergency Lighting Bypass / Shunt Relays (models ESRB and ESRN). This week I want to focus on a specific application for them; one which shows up frequently. The ESRB and ESRN can be used in conjunction…
I recently had a customer call into our Technical Support team with a unique fountain pump application problem. After he explained his needs, I was confident that a configuration of our products would solve his issue. The Problem Fountains use pumps to pull water and shoot it up into the…
Wireless technology is a fantastic thing. It allows people to control devices that are hundreds, if not thousands, of feet away. But what if wireless isn’t reliable enough? What if wireless is too expensive? What if you want a hardwired solution? No one wants to run thousands of feet of…
Building automation controllers can be quite expensive, and purchasing one just to add a couple more points on the network may not be ideal. Luckily Functional Devices has a solution for these cases – using BACnet® compatible RIB® Relays! Our selection of BACnet® MS/TP Network RIB® Relays can be powered…
Recently I received a few questions about whether our RIB® current sensors work well with variable frequency drive (VFD) motor controllers. The short answer is yes, but there are a couple key points worth noting. Determining Sensor Placement When using a RIB® current sensor to monitor the status of a…
Functional Devices knows that versatility is a big benefit when it comes to products for the engineering, installation and maintenance fields alike. For the engineers writing the specs, having one go-to product for a vast array of applications is a must. As an installer, having the flexibility to change the…
The RIBMN24Q Series of I/O Expanders and Sequencers can be very useful. I would like to focus on the RIBMN24Q4C-PX today. This device is the coolest of them all from this series, in my opinion. Features: 0-10Vdc Analog Input Control Four (4) SPDT 15A relays Real-time Analog Input Voltage Display…
Problem With Zone Valves Recently, a contractor called into tech support looking for help to get his customer’s new heating system up and running. The customer had a hydronic heating system that consisted of a boiler and circulator in a mechanical room. Within were nine zone valves, which were split…
Many of our past Tech Tuesday blogs have featured different RIB® relays that we produce. From the simple to the more “smart” relays, we offer quite a variety! Maybe you’re asking yourself: “Does Functional Devices make more than RIB® relays?” That’s a great question because we do! This week I…
Whether it is for environmental or monetary reasons, many people are looking for energy saving applications. I am one of those people, and I have implemented many energy saving technologies in my own home. I have automated lighting, a smart thermostat which controls a high efficiency heat pump, and many…
The devices that we make are not always prepackaged in gray plastic enclosures. In order to make our products more panel friendly, we have developed track mount versions of our popular RIB® relays and other devices. A panel builder or panel shop can effectively utilize the valuable space by grouping…
I want to spend this week discussing the role of our Engineers here at Functional Devices. We will focus on the relation to our customers. If you have been reading our blog posts over the past few months, you may have noticed that there are three of us who are…
Problem: When a customer calls into Technical Support and starts to ask me questions about our latching relays, I know the question that they are usually working up to. “I see you have latching relays with 12 Vac/dc and 24 Vac/dc coils. I do not see any with a higher…
Many technical calls that I have answered have been in regards to our RIB® current sensors and the different features these popular little devices have. In this week’s Tech Tuesday blog entry, I would like to give a general overview of the RIB current sensors and include an explanation of…
Problem: This past week, I had two customers call in for help using an RIBU1C to control a closet light. That is a legitimate question! After all, the device between a low voltage switch and a high voltage load is commonly a relay. The problem is that using an RIBU1C…
Problem: Our customer needed a bathroom exhaust fan to come on when the light turned on. Simple enough, right? However, they wanted the fan to continue operating for a time after the light was turned off. Solution: Use a RIB® Current Sensor and Delay on Break (DOB) Time Delay Relay…
I consider frogs to be rather intelligent creatures. Ask one how to activate a flood light when a garage door opens, and it will respond “RIB-it.” Ask another how to activate a damper when a hood fan is energized, and yet again, the response is “RIB-it.” Seems we could learn…
