A Lighting Control Rescue Story: Process Dealer Services Group

We have identified four distinct phases within the discipline commonly referred to in the lighting control space as programming. These phases include: Engineering, Programming, Commissioning, and Tuning.

For efficiency, it is best to perform as much of the work in these four phases off-site, before wiring is installed. With an accurate lighting plan for a project, our standard operating procedure is to perform all of the work in Engineering and Programming categories without going on-site.

Plan B

The lighting control system on this project was already terminated, addressed, and commissioned, so the new program would have to follow the existing device addressing and load wiring assignments established in the original program file in order to avoid any rewiring and readdressing of installed equipment.

Our standard process of engineering the lighting control system off-site using the lighting plan would not work, so we crafted an alternate plan and proposed to the owners a phased approach and a fixed fee for the rescue of their lighting control system.

Phase 1 - Engineering

• On-site audit and verification of all lighting control devices and load assignments
• On-site development of new lighting control program using Process DSG standards within the current version of lighting control system manufacturer software
• On-site review and documentation of client requested whole house scenes, pathways, and timed events for use in initial program development

Phase 2 - Programming

• Off-site development of initial program within current version of lighting control system manufacturer software, based on Process DSG standards and client requests determined in the phase 1 client review

Phase 3 - Commissioning

• On-site upload and testing of initial program
• On-site revision to initial program after testing
• On-site client review of controlled lighting levels scenes, pathways, whole house scenes, and programmed events, limited to the specifications defined in Process DSG standards
• On-site revision to program after client review session

Phase 4 - Tuning

• One on-site client review session for revisions to lighting level adjustments and button assignment changes prior to issuance of control point button engraving schedule
• Submission of control point button engraving schedule to electrical contractor for procurement and installation of engraved control point buttons
• Phase 4 to be performed within 30 days of Phase 3 completion.

Phases 1-3 were performed during a ten day window with five days between the commencement of Phase 1 and the completion of Phase 3.

During the audit we performed in Phase 1, we corrected some minor addressing and device wiring errors that we discovered. Thirty days after completing Phase 3, the clients requested that no changes be made to the programming that we implemented.

We were able to submit the engraving schedule and omit billing the client for Phase 4, which was approximately 10 percent of our total fee to rescue this project.

We attribute the client's high level of satisfaction with the system functionality to our preparedness, our communication with the client, and the standard methods we have developed for baseline programming of simple to use lighting control systems over the past 15 years.

Kevin Mikelonis is Owner and General Manager of Process Dealer Services Group. Process DSG delivers unsurpassed Lighting Control Engineering, Programming, and Commissioning Services to Digital Home Technology Integrators, Electrical Contractors, Architects, and Homeowners world-wide. Process DSG is a Lutron Homeworks Authorized Programmer, D-Tools Certified Partner, and CEA-CompTIA DHTI+ Certified.