PulseWorx UPB Split-Phase Repeater (SPR) — Description & Installation

Description and installation guide for the PulseWorx (Powerline Control Systems) UPB™ Split-Phase Repeater (SPR) — a device that boosts UPB powerline communication reliability across a residential split-phase electrical system.

Overview

The Split-Phase Repeater is a small electronic device designed to enhance communication reliability between PulseWorx/UPB devices on a typical 120/240VAC residential split-phase electrical system. It takes UPB messages transmitted on one phase (leg) of the electrical system and strongly re-transmits them onto both phases (legs). It's available in wire-in and plug-in models.

Why You Might Need an SPR

In most homes you don't — UPB signal strength (typically 50V peak) is usually strong enough to travel throughout a home's electrical system without issue. The SPR solves three overlapping problems that can occasionally degrade UPB reliability:

• Line attenuation — other electrical appliances on the powerline and long wire runs weaken the UPB signal as it travels.
• Cross-phase attenuation — signals sent from a device on one electrical leg to a device on the other leg must pass through the home's transformer, which weakens them. (PCS's separate Passive Phase Coupler (PPC) line also addresses this, with less attenuation than going through the transformer.)
• Powerline noise — appliances like microwave ovens, plasma TVs, transformers, and fluorescent ballasts generate electrical noise that can mask the UPB signal.

When these problems combine at a severe-enough level, UPB communication can experience failures. The SPR actively re-transmits the full received UPB message onto both legs of the powerline, resulting in very strong signals on both legs — more effective than a passive coupler, which only lets signal pass through with some loss.

It's also reasonable to install an SPR proactively in a problem-free home to guard against future attenuation/noise issues.

When Can You Use an SPR?

Any home using standard 60Hz split-phase 120/240VAC power. The SPR is a Generation II UPB device that relies on a mechanism called multi-packet messaging (see below). It's plug-and-play — no special setup is required to begin using it.

When Can't You Use an SPR?

• Generation I UPB devices don't fully support multi-packet messaging — they only support it for one-way communication. The SPR can still improve reliability for one-way command transfers with these older devices (many/most Gen I systems only send commands one-way anyway).
• Generation I UPB controllers/home automation controllers need to be upgraded to Generation II support (usually a simple firmware/software upgrade) to make full use of the SPR. Check your controller manufacturer's documentation.

Installation Instructions

Wire-In SPR

Best installed in or near the main circuit breaker panel. Comes with a plastic nipple designed to fit a standard ½" knockout for mechanical support. The wire-in SPR provides two black wires and one white wire:

• Connect one black wire to one of the two 120VAC 60Hz phases of the powerline.
• Connect the other black wire to the other 120VAC 60Hz phase.
• Connect the white wire to the neutral bus.

Note: If the SPR is wired incorrectly, its Status LED will not stay lit.

Plug-In SPR

Plugs into a standard 240VAC electric clothes dryer (or electric stove) outlet — available in both 3-prong and 4-prong configurations. It has a pass-through outlet so the dryer/stove still receives power while the SPR is plugged in.

Using Your SPR

The SPR is plug-and-play — install it and it automatically repeats all multi-packet messaging transmissions it hears, enhancing UPB communication reliability. All PulseWorx devices (and most other UPB devices) are pre-configured at the factory to use 2-time multi-packet messaging.

• With UPStart: By default UPStart doesn't use multi-packet messaging (to remain compatible with older Gen I devices). Add the SPR to your UPStart network file (same as any other UPB device) so UPStart can use multi-packet messaging with Gen II devices, avoid repeating a neighboring network, run communication tests, and adjust the SPR's configuration.
• With home automation controllers: By default these also don't use multi-packet messaging. Consult your controller's documentation on how to enable multi-packet messaging to take advantage of the SPR.

Diagnostic LED Indications

Adjusting Receive Sensitivity

The SPR ships from the factory set to its HIGHEST receive sensitivity, which works well for most residential environments. If your home has particularly severe powerline noise, you can lower the receive sensitivity to reduce noise pickup (at the cost of also reducing signal strength). There are four settings: 1=Low, 2=Medium, 3=High, 4=Highest.

Adjusting via the Pushbutton

Alternatively, sensitivity and other settings can be adjusted via the UPStart software's "Advanced" tab in the SPR's Edit Device dialog, including UPStart-to-Device and UPStart-to-SPR transmission counts.

Adding the SPR to UPStart

Select Device → Add, and put the SPR into Setup Mode by tapping its pushbutton 5 times. UPStart will find the SPR and let you name it, then add it to the configuration file with your designated Network ID and Network Password.

About Multi-Packet Messaging

Multi-packet messaging transfers the same UPB command/report 2, 3, or 4 times in a row, split into numbered "sections" (1 of 4, 2 of 4, etc.), increasing the odds that at least one transmission gets through cleanly even if powerline glitches corrupt part of the message. All PulseWorx devices default to 2-time multi-packet messaging. The SPR transmits the trailing sections of a multi-packet overlapped on top of the originating transmitter's sections, producing a very strong signal on both legs — enough to get information through even in tough powerline environments.

Manufacturer

Powerline Control Systems, Inc., 19201 Parthenia Street, Suite J, Northridge, CA 91234 — P: 818.701.9831, F: 818.701.1506 — sales@pcslighting.com, www.pcslighting.com