PCS PO-KPCW6 User manual

UPB™
6-Button Controller
User’s Guide
www.pcslighting.com
Powerline Control Systems, 19201 Parthenia Street, Suite J, Northridge, CA

The information contained in this document is subject to change without
notice. Powerline Control Systems provides this information “as is”
without warranty of any kind, either expressed or implied, but not limited to
the implied warranty of merchantability and fitness for a particular purpose.
Powerline Control Systems may improve or change the product at any time
without further notice; this document does not represent a commitment on
the part of Powerline Control Systems.
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All other product names and services identified in this document are
trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective companies and are
used throughout this document in editorial fashion only and for the benefit
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to convey an endorsement or other affiliation with Powerline Control
Systems.
© 2005 Powerline Control Systems, Inc.
All rights reserved. Printed in the U.S.A.
August 01, 2005

Chapter 1 About This Guide ..................................................................................................1
The Assumptions...................................................................................................................1
About UPStart .......................................................................................................................2
Chapter 2 About Your UPB 6-Button Controller.................................................................3
What is a PCS UPB 6-Button Controller?.............................................................................3
Pushbutton Switches..........................................................................................................3
LED Indicators ..................................................................................................................4
IR Remote Receiver...........................................................................................................4
UPB Communication.........................................................................................................4
6-Button Controller Connections...........................................................................................5
Connecting The WMC6 To The Powerline.......................................................................5
Connecting The DTC6 To The Powerline.........................................................................5
Chapter 3 Pushbutton Switches .............................................................................................7
Pushbutton Events .................................................................................................................7
Default Scene Lighting System .............................................................................................7
ON Button Default Operation............................................................................................8
OFF Button Default Operation..........................................................................................9
‘A’ ‘B’ ‘C’ ‘D’ Button Default Operation.......................................................................10
UP & DN Button Default Operation................................................................................11
Manually Adjusting The Preset Light Levels (Scenes) ...................................................12
Manually Unlinking A Wall Switch From A Controller Button......................................13
Manually Linking A Wall Switch To A Controller Button .............................................13
Using UPStart to Change Pushbutton Behaviors.................................................................14
What Can Pushbuttons Transmit?....................................................................................14
What Are Transmit Modes?.............................................................................................15
What Are Links?..............................................................................................................18
What Are Scenes?............................................................................................................19
Linking Pushbuttons To Dimmer Scenes With UPStart..................................................20
Configuring Bright/Dim Pushbuttons..................................................................................25
Using The Last Link........................................................................................................25
Configuring The UP And DN Pushbuttons .....................................................................26
Configuring Transmit Behaviors.........................................................................................27
Default Transmission Attempts.......................................................................................27
Changing Transmission Attempts....................................................................................27
Example - Changing To One Transmission Attempt.......................................................27
Chapter 4 LED Indicators ....................................................................................................29
LED Indicator Factory Default Behavior ............................................................................29
LED Group Behavior.......................................................................................................29
LED Tracking..................................................................................................................29
Keypad Backlight Feature ...............................................................................................29
Pushbutton Indicator Brightness......................................................................................29
Using UPStart to Change LED Indicator Behaviors............................................................30
Configuring LED Indicator Tracking ..............................................................................30

Configuring LED Group Behavior...................................................................................31
Configuring Pushbutton Indicator Brightness..................................................................32
Configuring the Keypad Backlight Feature .....................................................................33
Chapter 5 Functionally Testing the 6-Button Controller...................................................35
The Device Test Tab........................................................................................................35
Chapter 6 IR Remote Receiver.............................................................................................37
Chapter 7 Special Modes Of Operation...............................................................................39
Setup Mode..........................................................................................................................39
Entering Setup Mode .......................................................................................................39
Exiting Setup Mode .........................................................................................................40
Factory Default Mode..........................................................................................................40
Entering Factory Default Mode .......................................................................................40
Exiting Factory Default Mode .........................................................................................41
Chapter 8 Getting Help .........................................................................................................43
Our web site.........................................................................................................................43
Other considerations ............................................................................................................44
Technical support.................................................................................................................44

Chapter 1
About This Guide
This guide is intended for both the homeowner and the professional
installer.
In this guide we will explain the operation and configuration of the PCS line
of 6-Button Controllers. Among other topics we will cover:
• What is a PCS 6-Button Controller?
• Default operation of the 6-Button Controller.
• How to customize the pushbutton behavior.
• How to customize the LED indicator behavior.
• How to use 6-Button Controllers with PCS Wall Switch Dimmers.
We will use the UPStart setup tool to configure some example UPB
Lighting Systems
You may choose to install UPB devices and follow along with the examples
in this guide or you may simply read this guide to get an understanding of
the many things you can do with a UPB 6-Button Controller.
The Assumptions
For the purposes of this guide, we assume that you are familiar with the
basic operation of the UPStart setup tool. If not, please familiarize yourself
with it by referring to the UPStart User’s Guide.
We assume that a UPB network has already been created and the devices
have been added to this network using the techniques taught in the UPStart
User’s Guide.
Furthermore, for the purposes of the examples, we assume that the factory
default configuration information that is set inside of new devices has been
erased so that we are starting from “blank” (un-configured) devices.
The UPB 6-Button Controller User’s Guide 1

Chapter 1— About This Guide
About UPStart
UPStart is a Windows® based software application designed by Powerline
Control Systems (PCS) that provides the ability to easily setup and test your
UPB devices. Using UPStart, you are able to unlock the hidden potential
inside your UPB devices and design a custom lighting and control system
that is tailored to your needs and desires.
Not only are you able to configure your lighting and control system but,
with UPStart’s powerful test capabilities, you are also able to test your
powerline for noise, measure communication signal strengths, and
functionally test your UPB devices. All this gives you good confidence that
once you are finished installing and configuring your UPB lighting and
control system you will never have to worry about coming back later to fix
or “tweak” the system.
UPStart is designed to interface to the powerline through a special device
called a Powerline Interface Module (PIM). The PIM plugs into any
standard electrical wall outlet and connects to your PC or laptop computer
via either a serial or USB cable.
The main purpose of the UPStart is for configuring UPB devices. We can
use UPStart to customize the many features built into our UPB devices to
the exact way we prefer them to be set. We can use UPStart to configure
which pushbuttons control which devices. We can use UPStart to build and
configure dramatic lighting scenes that are activated by a single press of a
pushbutton. We can use UPStart to configure LED feedback. We can use
UPStart to configure the devices to interact with home automation
controllers.
2 The UPB 6-Button Controller User’s Guide

Chapter 2
About Your UPB 6-Button Controller
What is a PCS UPB 6-Button Controller?
PCS 6-Button Controllers are pushbutton devices capable of transmitting
Universal Powerline Bus™ (UPB) Commands onto the 120VAC powerline
to remotely control other UPB Lighting System devices. They also have
LED backlight indicators that give system feedback and status information
and also can be used as a nightlight.
6-Button Controllers come in both wall mounted
(WMC6) and desktop (DTC6) versions. For the
purposes of this guide, unless otherwise stated, we
will treat both versions the same and refer to them as
the WMC6.
The WMC6 contains eight pushbuttons, six LED
indicators (behind the horizontal pushbuttons), and
an IR remote receiver. The six pushbuttons are
labeled ON, OFF, A, B, C, and D, as well as a bright
(c) and dim (d) button.
Controllers spread throughout your house can remotely command your Wall
Switch Dimmers (and other UPB devices) to go to different light levels (or
states) at different fade rates. Because it communicates on the powerline,
no new wires are required to install this device.
Pushbutton Switches
The WMC6 has a total of eight momentary pushbutton switches grouped as
follows:
• Two large horizontal pushbuttons: one at the top referred to as the ON
Button and one at the bottom referred to as the OFF Button.
• Four small horizontal pushbuttons referred to as Button A, Button B,
Button C, and Button D. Together, these pushbuttons are referred to as
the middle four pushbuttons.
• One vertical pushbutton split in two halves: the top is referred to as the
UP Button and the bottom is referred to as the DN (down) Button.
The UPB 6-Button Controller User’s Guide 3

Chapter 2— About Your UPB 6-Button Controller
LED Indicators
The WMC6 has a total of six LED indicators that it uses to indicate its
current status. The six LED indicators are placed behind the six horizontal
pushbuttons (ON, OFF, A, B, C, and D) and each illuminates its pushbutton
when it is turned on. The LED Indicators can be set to one of four different
brightness levels or off. They can also be used as a nightlight to help find
the keypad in the dark.
IR Remote Receiver
The WMC6 has an Infrared (IR) Remote Receiver that it uses to receive
Infrared messages from an (optional) IR Remote Control.
UPB Communication
Universal Powerline Bus™ (UPB) communication is a method of reliably
communicating command, control, and status information across an
electrical AC powerline. Because of its low cost and high reliability
characteristics, the UPB communication method is ideally suited for
command and control applications in both the residential and commercial
markets.
UPB Receiver
The WMC6 has UPB Receiver Logic capable of receiving UPB
Communication Packets from the powerline.
UPB Transmitter
The WMC6 has UPB Transmitter Logic capable of transmitting UPB
Communication Packets onto the powerline.
4 The UPB 6-Button Controller User’s Guide

Chapter 2— About your UPB 6-Button Controller
6-Button Controller Connections
The 6-Button Controller is easy to install. Just connect it to the existing
powerline. Since it communicates over the powerline no extra
communication wires are needed to be run throughout the house.
Connecting The WMC6 To The Powerline
The PCS 6-Button Wall-Mount Controller (WMC6) has two wires that are
used to connect it to the powerline: the black one is for line voltage (120V
AC 60Hz) and the white one is for neutral. Figure 1 shows how the WMC6
connects to a typical UPB Lighting System.
WMC6
120VAC 60Hz Powerline
ON
A
B
C
D
OFF
Figure 1: WMC6 Connections To A UPB Lighting System
Note: Please refer to the 6-Button Controller Installation Manual for
exact instructions on installing and wiring your WMC6 6-Button
Controller.
Connecting The DTC6 To The Powerline
The PCS 6-Button Desktop Controller (DTC6) has a standard two-prong
electrical cord for plugging into any standard 120VAC 60Hz electrical
outlet.
The UPB 6-Button Controller User’s Guide 5

Chapter 2— About Your UPB 6-Button Controller
6 The UPB 6-Button Controller User’s Guide

Chapter 3
Pushbutton Switches
The WMC6 has a total of eight momentary pushbutton switches that it uses
to transmit configured UPB commands to your other UPB devices. Each
pushbutton switch can be configured (using a UPB Setup Tool) to transmit
a different set of UPB commands. This chapter describes the factory
default operation of the pushbutton switches as well as how to re-configure
them to do many other things.
Pushbutton Events
The WMC6 is capable of detecting any of the four types of Pushbutton
Switch Events (defined in Table 1) on any of its Pushbutton switches.
Pushbutton Event Definition
Single-Tap The switch is pressed for a short time and then
released.
Double-Tap The switch is pressed for a short time and then
released and then quickly pressed again for a short
time and released.
Hold The switch is pressed and held for at least ¾
seconds without being released.
Release The switch was released after a Hold event.
Table 1: Pushbutton Switch Events
Each pushbutton switch event can be configured (using a UPB Setup Tool)
to transmit a different UPB command to control your UPB devices. This
makes the WMC6 into a very flexible lighting system controller.
Default Scene Lighting System
Each WMC6 has been pre-configured at the factory in such a way as to
control PCS Wall Switch Dimmers as a simple scene lighting system. This
default scene lighting system is perfect for controlling all of the lights in a
single room (or small house). This section will describe the operation of the
default scene lighting system and what you can do with it.
The UPB 6-Button Controller User’s Guide 7

Chapter 3— Pushbutton Switches
ON Button Default Operation
In the default scene lighting system, the ON Button of the 6-Button
Controller will control all of the Wall Switch Dimmers that are connected to
your powerline and set to their factory default configuration. The ON
button will control the Wall Switch Dimmers as described in the figure
below.
ON
A
B
C
D
OFF
ON Button Default Operation 100%
100%
100%
Single-Tap = Fade* to 100%
Double-Tap = Snap to 100%
Press & Hold = Fade* to 100%
*Fade Rate = 3.3 seconds
As can be seen, the ON Button is used to turn all of the Wall Switch
Dimmers on to 100% at the 3.3-second fade rate. A double-tap of the ON
Button will cause the Wall Switch Dimmers to “snap” to 100%.
8 The UPB 6-Button Controller User’s Guide

Chapter 3— Pushbutton Switches
OFF Button Default Operation
In the default scene lighting system, the OFF Button of the 6-Button
Controller will control all of the Wall Switch Dimmers that are connected to
your powerline and set to their factory default configuration. The OFF
button will control the Wall Switch Dimmers as described in the figure
below.
ON
A
B
C
D
OFF
OFF Button Default Operation 0%
0%
0%
Single-Tap = Fade* to 0%
Double-Tap = Snap to 0%
Press & Hold = Fade* to 0%
*Fade Rate = 3.3 seconds
As can be seen, the OFF Button is used to turn all of the Wall Switch
Dimmers off at the 3.3-second fade rate. A double-tap of the OFF Button
will cause the Wall Switch Dimmers to “snap” to off.
The UPB 6-Button Controller User’s Guide 9

Chapter 3— Pushbutton Switches
‘A’ ‘B’ ‘C’ ‘D’ Button Default Operation
In the default scene lighting system, the ‘A’ ‘B’ ‘C’ ‘D’ Buttons of the 6-
Button Controller will control all of the Wall Switch Dimmers that are
connected to your powerline and set to their factory default configuration.
The ‘A’ ‘B’ ‘C’ ‘D’ buttons will control the Wall Switch Dimmers as
described in the figure below.
ON
A
B
C
D
OFF
'A' 'B' 'C' 'D' Button
Default Operation 80%
80%
80%
'A' Button = Fade to 80%
'B' Button = Fade to 60%
'C' Button = Fade to 40%
'D' Button = Fade to 20%
*Fade Rate = 3.3 seconds
As can be seen, the ‘A’ Button is used to turn all of the Wall Switch
Dimmers on to 80% at the 3.3-second fade rate. The ‘B’ Button is used to
turn all of the Wall Switch Dimmers on to 60% at the 3.3-second fade rate.
The ‘C’ Button is used to turn all of the Wall Switch Dimmers on to 40% at
the 3.3-second fade rate. The ‘D’ Button is used to turn all of the Wall
Switch Dimmers on to 20% at the 3.3-second fade rate.
10 The UPB 6-Button Controller User’s Guide

Chapter 3— Pushbutton Switches
UP & DN Button Default Operation
In the default scene lighting system, the UP & DN Buttons of the 6-Button
Controller will control all of the Wall Switch Dimmers that are connected to
your powerline and set to their factory default configuration. The UP & DN
Buttons will control the Wall Switch Dimmers as described in the figure
below.
ON
A
B
C
D
OFF
UP & DN Button Default Operation
Press and Hold:
UP Button = Fade* to 100%
DN Button = Fade* to 0%
*Fade Rate = 10 seconds
As can be seen, the UP Button is used to brighten all of the Wall Switch
Dimmers up to 100% at the 10-second fade rate. The DN Button is used to
brighten all of the Wall Switch Dimmers up to 100% at the 10-second fade
rate.
The UPB 6-Button Controller User’s Guide 11

Chapter 3— Pushbutton Switches
Manually Adjusting The Preset Light Levels (Scenes)
The preset light levels of 100%, 80%, 60%, 20%, and 0% in the default
scene lighting system are fine for many situations but what if you desire
different light levels than those? In fact, what if you want to create a scene
in which the ‘A’ Button makes one light fade to 80%, another light fade to
50%, another light fade to 25% and another light fade to 10%?
PCS lighting system products give you an easy manual method for adjusting
and setting the preset light levels that get produced when each pushbutton is
pressed. You can easily adjust the preset light levels by following the
adjustment procedure outlined in Figure 2 below.
ON
A
B
C
D
OFF
Step 1: Press the pushbutton that controls the
scene.
All of the lights in the scene will go to their
programmed levels.
50%
Step 2: Adjust the lights to the desired levels for the scene.
ON
A
B
C
D
OFF
Note: All of the lights in the scene will flash to
indicate that they have learned their new
levels.
5
times
Press the pushbutton that controls
the scene 5 times quickly.
Step 3:
Figure 2: Manually Adjusting The Preset Light Levels
Using this adjustment procedure, the homeowner can easily adjust and
“tweak” the light levels to his/her personal tastes. This procedure can be
repeated as many times as you like until you have the levels set just right.
Note: this procedure only works on Controller pushbuttons and Wall Switch
Dimmers that are already “linked” together. More information about
“linking” Controller pushbuttons to Wall Switch Dimmers is contained in
the next sections of this chapter.
12 The UPB 6-Button Controller User’s Guide

Chapter 3— Pushbutton Switches
Manually Unlinking A Wall Switch From A Controller Button
Each WS1D Wall Switch Dimmer comes pre-configured from the factory
“linked” to all of the pushbuttons of the 6-Button Controller (see “Default
Scene Lighting System”). Any link between a pushbutton and a Wall
Switch Dimmer can easily be removed by following the steps outlined
below.
Step 1: Press the rocker switch of the Dimmer you want
removed 5 times quickly.
5
times
The load will flash and the LED will blink green quickly. Note: The light of the newly removed Dimmer
will flash to indicate that it has been removed
from the Link.
10
times
Press the pushbutton that controls
the scene 10 times quickly.
Step 2:
E
F
G
H
I
J
K
L
Manually Linking A Wall Switch To A Controller Button
New links can easily be added to your Wall Switch Dimmers by following
the steps outlined below.
Step 1: Press the pushbutton that controls the
scene.
All of the lights in the scene will go to their
programmed levels.
E
F
G
H
I
J
K
L
Step 2: Adjust the new light to the desired level for the scene.
Then press the rocker switch 5 times quickly.
5
times
The load will flash and the LED will blink green quickly.
Note: All of the lights in the scene including
the newly linked light will flash to indicate that
they have learned their new levels.
5
times
Press the pushbutton that controls
the scene 5 times quickly.
Step 3:
E
F
G
H
I
J
K
L
The UPB 6-Button Controller User’s Guide 13

Chapter 3— Pushbutton Switches
Using UPStart to Change Pushbutton Behaviors
This section will describe how the default scene lighting system can be
modified (using UPStart) to link different Controller pushbuttons to
different Wall Switch Dimmers as well as to create interesting lighting
scenes. Before we can do this, however, we must go over some basics of
how the pushbuttons are configured.
Note: this section assumes the reader has a basic understanding of
UPStart as described in the UPStart User’s Guide.
What Can Pushbuttons Transmit?
Each pushbutton on a 6-Button Controller can be configured to transmit a
different UPB command for each of the four pushbutton events: single-tap,
double-tap, hold, and release. Furthermore, each pushbutton can be
configured to toggle between two different commands each time that event
occurs. The possible UPB commands that can be assigned are summarized
in Table 2 below.
Command Description
Activate Commands all devices to go to their preset level at their
preset fade rate.
Deactivate Commands all devices to go to 0% at their preset fade rate.
Goto On Commands all devices to go to 100% at their default fade
rate.
Goto Off Commands all devices to go to 0% at their default fade rate.
Fade Up Commands all dimmable devices to go to 100% at the 6.6-
second fade rate.
Fade
Down Commands all dimmable devices to go to 0% at the 6.6- second fade rate.
Fade Stop Commands all dimmable devices to stop fading.
Snap On Commands all devices to go to 100% at the snap (instant)
fade rate.
Snap Off Commands all devices to go to 0% at the snap (instant) fade
rate.
Quick On Commands all devices to go to 100% at the 0.8-second fade
rate.
Quick Off Commands all devices to go to 0% at the 0.8-second fade
rate.
Slow On Commands all devices to go to 100% at the 10-second fade
rate.
14 The UPB 6-Button Controller User’s Guide

Chapter 3— Pushbutton Switches
Command Description
Slow Off Commands all devices to go to 0% at the 10-second fade
rate.
Blink Commands all devices to blink their outputs on and off at a
0.5-second blink rate.
Table 2: UPStart’s UPB Commands
What Are Transmit Modes?
In order to make it easier for you to configure your pushbuttons’ transmit
behaviors UPStart has defined a certain set of popular configurations and
called them Transmit Modes. The current set of UPStart Transmit Modes
are summarized as follows:
Scene Activator Mode:
In the Scene Activator mode the pushbutton will transmit an “Activate”
command whenever it is tapped or held. This is ideal for when you want a
single pushbutton to activate a preset scene.
Off Button Mode:
In the Off Button mode the pushbutton will transmit an “Activate”
command whenever it is single-tapped or held. Note: it is up to the
installer to configure the devices activated by this pushbutton to go to 0%.
It will also transmit a “Snap Off” command whenever it is double-tapped.
This is usually assigned to the OFF Button on 6-Button Controllers to
either fade or snap the lights to 0% (off).
On Button Mode:
In the On Button mode the pushbutton will transmit an “Activate”
command whenever it is single-tapped or held. Note: it is up to the
installer to configure the devices activated by this pushbutton to go to a
desired level. It will also transmit a “Snap On” command whenever it is
double-tapped. This is usually assigned to the ON Button on 6-Button
Controllers to either fade or snap the lights to 100% (on).
The UPB 6-Button Controller User’s Guide 15

Chapter 3— Pushbutton Switches
Dim Button Mode:
In the Dim Button mode the pushbutton will transmit a “Fade Down”
command whenever it is held and a “Fade Stop” command when it is
released. This is usually assigned to the DN Button on 6-Button
Controllers to dim the lights.
Bright Button Mode:
In the Bright Button mode the pushbutton will transmit a “Fade Up”
command whenever it is held and a “Fade Stop” command when it is
released. This is usually assigned to the UP Button on 6-Button
Controllers to brighten the lights.
Top Rocker Mode:
In the Top Rocker mode the pushbutton will transmit a “Goto On”
command whenever it is single-tapped and a “Snap On” command
whenever it is double-tapped. It will also transmit a “Fade Up” command
whenever it is held and a “Fade Stop” command when it is released. This
is usually used to emulate the top rocker switch of a Wall Switch Dimmer.
Bottom Rocker Mode:
In the Bottom Rocker mode the pushbutton will transmit a “Goto Off”
command whenever it is single-tapped and a “Snap Off” command
whenever it is double-tapped. It will also transmit a “Fade Down”
command whenever it is held and a “Fade Stop” command when it is
released. This is usually used to emulate the bottom rocker switch of a
Wall Switch Dimmer.
Panic Button Mode:
In the Panic Button mode the pushbutton will transmit a “Blink” command
whenever it is single-tapped or held. It will also transmit a “Goto Off”
command whenever it is double-tapped. This is usually used to activate an
alarm type response in which a group of lights start blinking. Double-
tapping the pushbutton stops the blinking.
16 The UPB 6-Button Controller User’s Guide