Duco System C series User manual

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L1023004-D 14.07.2017
User manual
Duco's ventilation systems
L1023004-D
1A. Ventilation system operation
A Duco Demand-Controlled Natural Ventilation System (DCNVS) is a ventilation system that provides healthy air quality
automatically*. Sensor readings ensure that the building is ventilated only when it is required (= demand controlled). This
ventilation system operates on the system C principle, which means that polluted air is extracted mechanically (using a
central extract unit) and fresh air is supplied naturally via window ventilators.
Depending on the components installed, your ventilation system will:
→ Maintain CO2at an appropriate level
Excessively high CO2concentration is unhealthy and results in problems including lack of concentration and health is-
sues such as headaches and lack of sleep at night. CO2accumulates particularly when many people gather in one room.
As standard, ventilation operates only until the CO2(standard) concentration has dropped below 800 ppm (parts per mil-
lion) and remains below that level. By way of comparison: the CO2level of the air outdoors is between 350 and 450 ppm.
→ Maintain humidity at an appropriate level
Excessively high humidity can lead to moisture accumulation or mould growth and health issues such as eye, nose, and
respiratory tract problems. The ventilation system is geared (as standard) to 60% relative humidity, the optimum.
→ Exhaust unpleasant odours
Using presence detection in a toilet for instance, the ventilation system ensures that rooms smell fresh by exhausting
polluted air.
Summing up, your Duco ventilation system ensures a healthy as well as comfortable indoor climate.
* Exception: Duco C System
Duco C System
All Duco Demand-Controlled Natural Ventilation Systems feature an automatic setting which is controlled by one
or more sensors. A Duco C System does not include any sensors and hence no automatic setting, which means
the system requires wholly manual operation.
1 Introduction

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L1023004-D – User manual for Duco's ventilation systems
1B. Which system do I have?
The capabilities of your ventilation system will depend on the configuration of the system. Please contact your Duco installer
if you don’t know which ventilation system you have. A Duco Demand-Controlled Natural Ventilation System consists of the
following:
• Central extract unit
This unit extracts polluted air as required. E.g. a DucoBox.
• Air duct network (not a Duco product)
polluted air is extracted to the central extract unit via ventilation ducts to different rooms.
Note: depending on the configuration of your system, not every room will be ventilated directly. Rooms in which there
is no exhaust duct provided are ventilated via feed-through to other rooms. This can be done for instance with a window
ventilator in internal doors or an air gap under them.
• One or more sensors*
CO2and/or humidity sensors monitor air quality and detect presence. Sensors can be incorporated in a User controller
in the room, or built into air ducts.
• One or more User controllers
For manual operation of the ventilation system.
• Window ventilators
Fresh air is supplied via window ventilators incorporated in windows, window frames, a sliding door or an outside wall.
Your ventilation system may include manual and/or Tronic (= electronically controlled) window ventilators. Manual win-
dow ventilators require to be opened and shut by the user. Tronic window ventilators are electronically controlled window
ventilators which open and shut automatically as the system sees fit.
* Exception: Duco C System
You will need to leave manual window ventilators at least partially open in
order to guarantee automatic system operation.
CENTRAL OR ZONAL EXHAUST?
With central exhaust (= non-local exhaust), ventilation is provided across the entire system. The ventilation system will
therefore exhaust air from all rooms at all times, regardless of where the polluted air is detected or in which room the user
has operated the system. The system therefore has just one zone.
With zonal exhaust (= local exhaust), the system only exhausts polluted air in the zone where it is required. Accordingly, a
User controller will only control the relevant zone, unless the User controller is set to ‘master’ operation (= operating the
entire system). A zone may consist of one or more rooms (e.g. living room + kitchen).
Note: some settings (see below in this manual) apply only to the room in which the user is located. In central-exhaust sys-
tems, i.e. with just one zone, these settings apply to the whole system.

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L1023004-D – User manual for Duco's ventilation systems
2 Operation
2A. Settings
Your ventilation system includes four settings: one automatic and three manual settings. The next chapter describes the
possibilities for activating these settings.
AUTO
Automatic setting (= recommended)
The ventilation system is geared to obtaining good air quality automatically, based on CO2and/or humidity
readings. This is achieved as energy-efficiently as possible, by extracting polluted air only when necessary. In
zonal ventilation systems, this occurs only where required. Ensure that manual window ventilators are open.
Low setting
The system exhausts at 10%* of maximum capacity.
Tronic window ventilators will shut of their own accord.
Medium setting
The system exhausts at 50%* of maximum capacity.
Ensure that manual window ventilators are open. Tronic window ventilators will open automatically to 50%.
High setting
The system exhausts at 100%* of maximum capacity.
Ensure that manual window ventilators are open. Tronic window ventilators will open automatically to 100%.
* The stated percentages are standard and may differ in line with system settings.
The medium setting percentage can vary from one system to another. The ventilation system determines the optimum medium setting based on the type of
home and the number of occupants configured by your installer.
The ventilation system is never shut down completely, there is always a minimum amount of ventilation.
This is to prevent mould growth, among other things, in your home.
Nachtstand
If your ventilation system does not feature CO2sensing in the bedroom(s) – via a sensor in a controller or in the ex-
haust duct – then it is recommended that continuous medium setting ( )(= night setting) should be set on going
to bed. At this setting, the system will ensure that proper air quality is maintained in the bedrooms. The automatic
setting can be activated again on getting up.

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L1023004-D – User manual for Duco's ventilation systems
2B. Operation with Duco's User controller
The operation of the system is dependent on the type of User controller:
wired power supply (4 TOUCH buttons / LEDs) or battery power (4 PUSHbuttons + 1 LED).
Depending on the software version of the system and its components, some of the functions below may
not be available.
OPERATION WITH LIGHTEMITTING BUTTONS OPERATION WITH LED IN THE CENTRE
Touch button / LED
AUTO
Push button
LED
AUTO
Wired power supply Battery powered

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L1023004-D – User manual for Duco's ventilation systems
Temporary manual setting
A temporary setting is activated for the zone in which the user is located. The temporary setting has a standard duration of
15minutes* for zones without Tronic window ventilators and 8 hours* for zones with Tronic window ventilators. Pressing
2 or 3 times multiplies this time correspondingly. E.g. Pressing 3 times in a zone without Tronic window ventilators will
put the system in the high setting for 3 x 15 = 45 minutes. The system will revert to the automatic setting thereafter.
* The stated times are standard and may differ in line with system settings.
Note: In the medium and high settings, ensure that manual window ventilators are open. Any Tronicwindow ventilatorswill
open automatically.
These settings are permanent in a Duco C system.
In view of the fact that a Duco C system does not have an automatic mode available, the ‘AUTO’ button has the
following function: Press the button 1, 2 or 3 times to put the system in a temporary high setting for 15, 30 or 45
minutes* respectively. The system will revert thereafter automatically to the setting last selected.
* These times are standard and may differ in line with system settings.
In older systems, these times are 10, 20 and 30 minutes as standard.
AUTO
short-press 1/2/3
times
AUTO
Wired power supply
Short-press , or 1, 2 or 3 times, to activate the low, medium or high setting, respectively, for the zone in which the
user is located. The LED for the selected setting will briefly light up brightly as confirmation.
AUTO
short-press 1/2/3
times
AUTO AUTO
Battery powered
Short-press , or 1, 2 or 3 times, to activate the low, medium or high setting, respectively, for the zone in which the
user is located. The LED will light up green for 1 second as confirmation.
Depending on the software versions in the system, it is possible that the function for pressing 2 and 3
times is not supported.

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L1023004-D – User manual for Duco's ventilation systems
Permanent manual setting
A permanent setting is activated for the zone in which the user is located. This setting remains active until the user deacti-
vates it again.
Note: in a non-zonal system, the permanent setting applies to the whole system.
Depending on the software version of your User controller, the permanent setting may not be available.
In that case, the above actions will activate the unoccupied setting for the setting, and the temporary
setting for the and settings.
AUTO
approx. 5 sec
to
AUTO AUTO
Wired power supply
By long-pressing , or until the 4 LEDs light up briefly, the respective setting will be activated permanently for the
zone in which the user is located. The selected setting will light up magenta for as long as the permanent setting is
activated. Tap any button (at random) to deactivate a permanent setting.
AUTO
approx. 5 sec
to
AUTO AUTO
Battery powered
By long-pressing , or until the green LED lights up for 5 seconds, the permanent setting will be activated per-
manently for the zone in which the user is located. The battery-powered controller does not give any indication that a
permanent setting is activated. Tap any button (at random) to deactivate a permanent setting.

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L1023004-D – User manual for Duco's ventilation systems
Unoccupied setting
The unoccupied setting puts the whole system in the most energy-saving setting. This setting is suitable for when you are
on holiday, for example. The unoccupied setting remains active until the user deactivates it again.
Note: in a non-zonal system, this setting is the same as a permanent low setting.
AUTO
approx. 5 sec
to
AUTO AUTO AUTO
approx. 5 sec
to
AUTO AUTO
Wired power supply
Long-press until the 4 LEDs light up briefly to activate permanent low setting. The low setting will light up magenta.
After that, long-press until the 4 LEDs light up briefly to activate unoccupied setting. The low setting will light up
cyan. Tap any button (at random) to deactivate unoccupied setting.
AUTO
approx. 5 sec
to
AUTO AUTO
approx. 5 sec
to
AUTO AUTO
Battery powered
Long-press until the LED lights up green for 5 seconds as confirmation. After that long-press again until the LED
lights up green for 5 seconds as confirmation. The unoccupied setting is now activated. Press any button (at random) to
deactivate unoccupied setting.

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L1023004-D – User manual for Duco's ventilation systems
2C. Alternative control methods
3-position switch
If, in addition to one or more of Duco's User controllers, your ventilation system is also equipped with a 3-position switch
(through Perilex) the last operation on any controller will always take precedence. The ventilation position on the 3-position
switch can therefore be overruled by another User controller, such that an incorrect ventilation position will be visible on the
3-position switch.
The Duco User controller (with wired supply) always indicates the correct ventilation setting.
high setting
medium setting
low setting
Building management system / home automation / etc.
Your system may be linked to an external system. Please refer to your installer if the ventilation system requires to be oper-
ated via this method.

3 LED indications
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L1023004-D – User manual for Duco's ventilation systems
3A. Meaning of LED colours
The LEDs on a User controller with a wired power supply indicate the active setting or status of the system. There is no
indication of status on a battery-powered controller.
Temporary manual setting
Permanent manual setting
Unoccupied setting
AUTO Automatic setting
AUTO Preheating in progress in ClimaTop 60 window ventilator
AUTO Please wait, initialising in progress (after system restart)
Flashing LED(s) There is a problem with the component network.
Please contact your installer.
3B. Switching LED indications on/off
A controller with a wired power supply always shows the active setting by lighting up the LED for this setting. If you find
this annoying, in a dark bedroom for instance, you can switch off the LED indication on the User controller. The LEDs on a
battery-powered controller do not light up anyway, so this does not apply.
AUTO
approx. 5 sec
to
AUTO AUTO
Wired power supply
Long-press ‘AUTO’ until the 4 LEDs light up briefly to confirm the action, in order to switch the LED indications ON or
OFF.

4 Maintenance
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L1023004-D – User manual for Duco's ventilation systems
4A. General
A ventilation system must be maintained in order to maintain proper operation. Refer to the document
Onderhoudsinstructies Duco Ventilatiesystemen (L8000013) on www.duco.eu for detailed instructions.
4B. Battery-powered controller
The battery in a battery-powered controller lasts 3 to 5 years in normal use. Battery type: CR2430 – 3 V
Unscrew the controller from the wall and rotate the cover on the back to open it in order to replace the battery.
See also videos at duco.tv.
CR2430 – 3 V

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L1023004-D – User manual for Duco's ventilation systems
5 FAQ
How do I shut the ventilation system down completely?
The system cannot be shut down completely, this is to prevent mould growth in your house, among other things. The system
can, on the other hand, be switched permanently to the low or unoccupied setting for maximum energy saving.
I can’t hear the ventilation system, is it actually working?
Duco’s ventilation systems are whisper-quiet. You can check whether the system is working by switching the system (tem-
porarily) to the high setting and feeling an exhaust vent.
What happens if there is a power failure?
You don’t need to do anything: the system will restart automatically and operate correctly. During this restart the LEDs on
controllers with light-emitting buttons will light up yellow momentarily. This can take a few minutes.
How much energy does my ventilation system consume?
The central extract unit's energy consumption will depend on the number of rooms being ventilated. Energy consumption
will be reduced to a minimum by using pressure-controlled fans.
Do I need to maintain the system?
Yes, please contact your installer for annual maintenance.
A LED is flashing on the controller
There is a network problem, refer to your installer for a remedy.
Can I switch off the LEDs on the controller?
Yes, long-press ‘AUTO’ to switch the LEDs on and off.
The system is very noisy. What is happening?
If the noise occurs suddenly, then it may be the case that the ventilation system is restarting, after a power cut, for example.
The LEDs on any controllers with light-emitting buttons will light up yellow in that case. After a few minutes, once the LEDs
indicate the normal situation again, the central extract unit will slow down and the system will revert to quieter operation.
If the system starts making more noise gradually, it may be the case that the central extract unit is coming up against
increased resistance, due to clogged exhaust vents for instance. Check the exhaust vents in each room and clean them as
necessary. Please contact your installer if the problem persists.