Monitoring, Tracking, and Diagnostics

Sensi Predict smart HVAC maintenance solution (www.sensipredict.com, Emerson Commercial and Residential Solutions), primarily for residential installations but also being utilized for light commercial installations, uses sensors and fault detection technology to provide remote monitoring and diagnostics of the HVAC equipment and system operation.

It features 10 sensors which the contractor installs on a homeowner’s furnace and air conditioning equipment. The sensors are designed to look for inefficiencies, anomalies in system runs, failures, and potential performance breakdown in the homeowner’s HVAC. Data is transmitted from the SensiPredict Hub via WiFI to be analyzed by Emerson in real time, enabling the contractor to proactively address emerging and possible issues that are impacting or could impact efficiency and operation of the system and the comfort of the homeowner.  

The sensors, which take readings that check the entire running system during every run of eight minutes, 24/7/365, track 32 separate functions inside an HVAC system. The sensor monitoring includes temperature, air flow, voltage, and compressor operations.

The homeowner receives a monthly system performance report on connectivity, the heating and cooling system, and actual run-times translated into energy use estimating in months where no serious alerts occur. The report also highlights any loss in optimum performance based on the system and OEM standards.

When an immediate or potential serious system problem is detected, an alert is sent by email in real time to both the contractor and the homeowner. All communication to the homeowner, monthly reports, and any alert carry the contractor’s brand and contact information in the primary position. 

Sensi Predict enables a diagnosis before contractor leaves the shop. The contractor knows what the problem is before an employee arrives on site, helping ensure the right technician for the job is sent to the jobsite, with the needed replacement parts already in hand., possibly increasing the first-time fix rate and minimizing time on-site.  

Upon completion of the job, the technician can run Sensi Predict Performance Check to confirm the system’s proper operation. For a more in-depth report, a technician can activate the MeasureQuick functionality to maintain a complete record or provide a detailed report to the homeowner.

Sensi Predict can be installed, by trained authorized dealers’ technicians, as part of a new installation in a home or can be retrofitted to most existing traditional heating and cooling units (though not, currently, geothermal and proprietary systems). According to Emerson, installation of the sensors takes between 45 and 90 minutes. The contractor can run an installation verification report before the installer or team leaves the jobsite. Sensi Predict is compatible with most thermostats, including Sensi Smart thermostats and non-connected models.

Pricing: the Sensi Predict system hardware carries a purchase cost and there is an additional cost upon activation of a homeowner as well as a monitoring renewal fee after one year of service. 

iManifold Pulse! (North Park Innovations Group, Inc. www.imanifold.com/pulse) is a commercial HVAC monitoring product. Featuring a leave-behind analytics device that a technician can install on each HVAC unit, including rooftop units, iManifold Pulse! monitors temperatures, pressure, humidity, electricity, and real-time EER/COP (cooling energy efficiency rating and healing coefficient of performance) and sends an alert for maintenance to the contractor when necessary. The solution includes over 40 selectable refrigerants and equipment profiling options. Contractors can customize alert parameters.

The iManifold Pulse can be custom tailored for many common HVAC/R systems in the field. It is installed on a system before or after service. Once installed, the unit acts as a service tool via Bluetooth, sending data at one second intervals.

After the technician goes through all the check and testing, the data can be directed to the iManifold Pulse back end database and web-based portals for alerts, analytics, and presentation. The connection to the web is achieved vial Wi-Fi or ethernet.

How it works: A commissioning report is generated with the initial installation of the Pulse. Following that, a monthly health report is generated. In addition, each time a technician connects to the Pulse via the app, a report is generated describing the operations and a checklist of the work performed. The contractor or facility management can then direct the generated reports to up to five email addresses.

The Pulse requires a subscription in addition to the cost of the hardware. Since it is continuous monitoring system, the subscription includes fault detection and reporting plus a dashboard. The data is saved for 90 days at which point it can be downloaded to your files.

Parasense Refrigerant Tracking and Compliance Software (Bacharach, www.mybacharach.com) is a free cloud-based enterprise scale system to track refrigerant usage, leak inspections, and leak, along with providing compliance reporting for EPA 608, CARB, F-Gas, and GreenChill. Suitable for mechanical and refrigeration contractors who want to provide refrigerant management to multi-organizations such as supermarkets, food processing plants, data centers, hospitals, universities, and K-12 schools, the platform is accessible on phone, laptop, or desktop. (The software platform has a responsive design to accommodate various screen sizes.)

A Compliance Calendar (useful for contractor and facility management as well as corporate compliance) automatically schedules and reminds about compliance activities while a Regulation Workflow feature maps regulations into specific tasks to maintain compliance. The Compliance Score gives a visual indication of the state of compliance across the enterprise, regions, sites or assets. The Automatic Leak Rate Calculator provides a rolling 12-month view of refrigerant usage as a percent of system charge. 

Patti Feldman writes articles and web content for trade magazines and manufacturers of building products. She can be reached at [email protected].