Author
Symmons Industries
Zip, Scan, Monitor!
So, you’ve received your Evolution® Essential Package and now it’s time to set it up in your building. It’s simple to install yourself in a couple of hours, just like many of the home wireless video doorbell and thermostat systems on the market today yet geared for commercial properties.
The real bonus here is that Evolution sensors are non-invasive, which means no costly contractors, no cutting pipes, no system shutdowns, and no annoyed guests or tenants. Evolution gives you everything you need in that one box. Essentially, if you have a smartphone and know how to tighten a cable zip tie, you’re good to go!
Let’s Get Going with the Essential!
Inside the box, you’ll find everything needed to install Evolution, regardless of your building’s piping configuration. There’s the cellular gateway, four wireless sensor modules, and your choice of four sensors, which can be any combination of temperature or leak sensors. The package also includes installation instructions and all the supplies you’ll need for mounting the sensors.
The Gateway to Easy Building Management!
We’ll start with the cellular gateway since it’s the heart of the Evolution system. When you plug it in, it immediately creates its own wireless network, so there’s no need to worry about a poor signal in your mechanical or boiler room. It also means it doesn’t rely on other Wi-Fi systems and there’s no need for any IT staff to set it up or manage it. Setting up the gateway is simple—plug it into a standard 110-volt outlet.
Keep Your Building’s Temps in Check
You’ll want to mount temperature sensors on the domestic hot water main supply and return lines that run to and from the mechanical room, and they should also be mounted on the outlet piping of hot water heaters and storage tanks. You can mount sensors on your HVAC cooling towers as well, and even monitor ambient temperature and humidity in sensitive areas around your building. Choosing the best location is important to get accurate information, and the installation instructions in the kit give you all the information you need to find the best location.
If you’re mounting temperature sensors to insulated piping, just use the coring tool for the sensor to access the surface of the pipe. Insert the sensor into the hole, push the spring-loaded probe tight to the insulation, and tighten the zip cable ties. Pretty easy, right?
Mounting to uninsulated pipe is even easier; skip the coring section and use the black foam ring around the sensor to mimic the insulation, and then follow the same steps. Once your sensors are mounted, just connect the opposite ends of the sensor lead cables to the sensor modules and secure them nearby with either screws or the long zip cable ties that are included with the kit.
The Next Generation of Leak Sensors
Evolution’s leak sensors are unique, in that they are long, flexible ropes that can be wrapped and extended into areas where normal fixed leak sensors just won’t go. Your new leak sensors can be located anywhere you feel there’s a risk of leaks or flooding, such as around storage tanks or near sump pumps. Just use the included alcohol wipes to clean an area for the mounting clip, stick the clip to the floor or overflow area, and clip the sensor rope in place. Then, just like the temperature sensor, connect the opposite end to one of the sensor modules and mount it nearby.
The Evolution App Does All the Legwork
Next, download the Evolution app and it will walk you through a simple setup process for your new system. The free Evolution app is available for both iOS® and Android™. Use the app to scan the QR code on each sensor module and Evolution does the rest! Your sensors will then send information wirelessly through the gateway to the Evolution platform, and you can view their data on a laptop, or through the Evolution app on your smartphone or tablet. Alert thresholds and rules are automatically set up through Evolution based on the asset you chose in the app (Water Heater, Recirculation Pump, Chiller, etc.), but of course, these settings are user-configurable.
Done… It’s That Simple!
Once you finish the step-by-step installation on the app, it will run through a series of configuration steps and then begin reporting your building’s temperature and leak data, along with SMS, email, and 24/7 call center alerts if Evolution senses anything wrong in your building! So, as you can see, not only is Evolution’s Essential Package the most affordable way to manage your building’s systems, it’s also the easiest to install!
To learn more about the Essential Package or any other offerings from Evolution, visit Evolution online or contact us at evolution@symmons.com.
