Warmup DS-8C User manual

™
The w
orld’s best-selling electric floor heating brand
™
The w
orld’s best-selling electric floor heating brand
WARMUP INC.
USA: [e-mail]
Tel.: [phone]
www.warmup.com
CANADA: [e-mail]
Tel.: [phone]
www.warmup.ca
DS-8C RAIN/SNOW SENSOR CONTROLLER
INSTALLATION INSTRUCTIONS
CAUTION: Read all instructions carefully before installation.
Save this Installation Manual for future reference.
GENERAL SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS
1. THIS UNIT SHOULD BE INSTALLED, OPENED AND REPAIRED BY QUALIFIED
PERSONNEL ONLY!
2. To avoid shock hazard do not open the front cover with power
connected to the DS-8C or any controlled equipment.
SELECTING A MOUNTING LOCATION FOR THE DS-8C
The small corded device with the interleaved grid is the remote precipitation or "moisture" sensor.
The brass cylinder protruding from the bottom of the DS-8C enclosure is the temperature sensor.
For reliable rain and snow detection the moisture sensor must be exposed to a clear view of the sky.
Reference Page 7 "Moisture Sensor Mounting & Termination" for guidance in mounting the DS-8C moisture
sensor. For proper temperature detection the DS-8C enclosure must be mounted outdoors, away from furnace
vents, dryer vents, and other sources of heat. Note that, when powered, the DS-8C moisture grid will always
remain hot. This is normal. This allows the sensor to continuously melt/evaporate both rain and snow from
the grid. The DS-8C enclosure can be mounted by screwing the base conduit hub onto an appropriate size
free-standing conduit or by using the mounting holes in each corner of the enclosure.
DO NOT DRILL HOLES THROUGH THE ENCLOSURE FOR MOUNTING!
This can allow water into the enclosure causing
a potential shock hazard. It is recommended
that a weatherproof junction box be mounted
below the DS-8C for termination of the power
and load pigtails to the building wiring.
Use Care When Replacing the Front Cover.
Do Not Pinch the Gasket or Overtighten the
Screws.
ALWAYS FOLLOW LOCAL AND NATIONAL ELECTRICAL CODES.

™
The w
orld’s best-selling electric floor heating brand
WARMUP INC.
USA: [e-mail]
Tel.: [phone]
www.warmup.com
CANADA: [e-mail]
Tel.: [phone]
www.warmup.ca
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The w
orld’s best-selling electric floor heating brand
DS-8C RAIN/SNOW SENSOR CONTROLLER
INSTALLATION INSTRUCTIONS
MOISTURE SENSOR MOUNTING & TERMINATION
The DS-8C enclosure and moisture sensor must be mounted
outdoors. The remote DS-8C moisture sensor may be mounted
in a number of ways depending on the application.
The unit operates at low voltage and can withstand immersion
in water. For roof and gutter deicing applications the sensor
head may be mounted in the gutter against the fascia board
with a 1” “C”-style conduit clamp. Allow part of the sensor grid
to be exposed to snowfall. This allows the sensor to initially
trigger when snow starts falling and remain triggered as long as
the roof/gutter heater continues to drip melted snow buildup
from the roof edge when temperatures are below freezing.
Detection can also be achieved by installing the sensor head
near the top of the downspout using a 1” conduit hanger and
mounting plate. As water is melted in the gutter it will run
down the downspout, hitting and retriggering the sensor.
Ten feet of cable is pre-terminated to the sensor head.
This cable may be shortened on the controller end as required.
Do not add additional cable to the interface. Erratic operation
may result.
Strip the outer insulation and shield from the cable and terminate
each conductor following the color code printed on the circuit
board. The bare drain wire should be installed into the terminal
marked “S” for Shield. Two cable ties are also included.
Wrap these ties securely around the cable in the enclosure to
provide additional strain relief between the flexible enclosure
gland and the free end of the cable.

™
The w
orld’s best-selling electric floor heating brand
™
The w
orld’s best-selling electric floor heating brand
WARMUP INC.
USA: [e-mail]
Tel.: [phone]
www.warmup.com
CANADA: [e-mail]
Tel.: [phone]
www.warmup.ca
DS-8C RAIN/SNOW SENSOR CONTROLLER
INSTALLATION INSTRUCTIONS
SETTING THE CONFIGURATION SWITCHES AND ADJUSTMENTS
The following paragraphs and table outline the operating modes
for the DS-8C and explain the functions of the adjustments. Trigger
temp (TT) is adjustable from 34°F-44°F (1°C-6°C) using the TRIG
TEMP control.
When ambient air temperature (AT) is below this setting precipitation
is assumed to be snow. When above this setting, precipitation is
assumed to be rain.
These are just some of the possible wiring schemes that can be
used to connect the DS-8C to your load for control.
Remember, these are only suggestions. You should always consult
a qualified electrician or inspector to assure conformance with
applicable local and national electrical codes!
The DEL configuration switch activates the Delay-Off drying cycle timer on
the DS- 8C. The timer allows the DS-8C to continue to operate and dry the
heated surface through evaporation once precipitation has stopped. The
drying cycle reduces the chance of moisture left behind refreezing into ice.
This timer is restarted by each sensor trigger. Therefore, the DS-8C will
continue to operate as long as it is triggered, then for the Delay-Off period
once the trigger clears.
All “sensor” modes (DEL Off) provide a 2 minute Delay-Off time. When
in “controller” mode (DEL On) the Long Delay (LD) configuration switch
determines the time span of the drying cycle. The Delay-Off time can be
adjusted from 30- 90 minutes (LD Off) or 2-6 hours (LD On) using the
The Low Temperature Cutoff (LTC) option is typically used on snow melting
systems with limited output capacity where melting cannot be maintained at
very low temperature. If selected, the snow sensor will clear a trigger below
5°F (-15°C) even if snow is still falling. It will resume normal operation above
9°F (-13°C). However, the sensor will remember if it was triggered before the
drop below 5°F or if snow was detected during the cold period. If so, the sensor
will execute one Delay-Off cycle when the temperature rises above 9°F in
order to melt any snow left behind during the cold period. This is referred to
as RECOVER mode.
Care should be exercised in using this mode as the potential exists for ice to be formed on the melting
surface.

™
The w
orld’s best-selling electric floor heating brand
WARMUP INC.
USA: [e-mail]
Tel.: [phone]
www.warmup.com
CANADA: [e-mail]
Tel.: [phone]
www.warmup.ca
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The w
orld’s best-selling electric floor heating brand
DS-8C RAIN/SNOW SENSOR CONTROLLER
INSTALLATION INSTRUCTIONS
THE UNIT MUST BE IN STANDBY/RESET TO CHANGE CONFIGURATION SWITCHES.
RECOMMENDED SWITCH SETTINGS BY FUNCTION
Function Trigger LD Off LD On LTC DEL RAIN SNOW
Snow sensor w\o LTC TT>AT 2 Min 2 Min OFF OFF OFF ON
Snow sensor w\LTC TT>AT>5°F 2 Min 2 Min ON OFF OFF ON
Snow controller w\o LTC TT>AT 30-90 Min 2-6 Hr OFF ON OFF ON
Snow controller w\LTC TT>AT>5°F 30-90 Min 2-6 Hr ON ON OFF ON
Precipitation sensor Not Used 2 Min 2 Min X OFF ON ON
Precipitation controller Not Used 30-90 Min 2-6 Hr X ON ON ON
Rain sensor AT>TT 2 Min 2 Min X OFF ON OFF
Rain controller AT>TT 30-90 Min 2-6 Hr X ON ON OFF
LT thermostat w\o LTC TT>AT 2 Min 2 Min OFF X OFF OFF
LT thermostat w\LTC TT>AT>5°F 2 Min 2 Min ON X OFF OFF
The DS-8C precipitation sensor is very sensitive and can detect a single snow
flake or rain drop. However, if the DS-8C is mounted in an area susceptible to
high winds, overhanging trees, or blowing ground snow, nuisance triggering
may occur. While proper placement is the best remedy, the SENSITIVITY
control can also be used to reduce nuisance triggering. An internal timer
checks the precipitation sensor for moisture and compares cleared time
with triggered time. The highest sensitivity setting (toward MORE) triggers
on first detection. As the control is adjusted clockwise precipitation must be
detected for a longer period to be considered valid.
The lowest sensitivity setting (toward LESS) requires 120 seconds of detection before the unit triggers. If a
trace amount of snow blows onto the grid from a drift or overhang it will likely be melted and evaporated
in less than a minute. Similarly, a very light snowfall may also clear quickly from the grid. If these
conditions should be ignored by the sensor the SENSITIVITY control can be adjusted as required. However,
to prevent non-triggering during a true event, it is recommended that the user start at highest sensitivity
(MORE), then adjust while monitoring operation over time.
X = Do Not Care

™
The w
orld’s best-selling electric floor heating brand
™
The w
orld’s best-selling electric floor heating brand
WARMUP INC.
USA: [e-mail]
Tel.: [phone]
www.warmup.com
CANADA: [e-mail]
Tel.: [phone]
www.warmup.ca
DS-8C RAIN/SNOW SENSOR CONTROLLER
INSTALLATION INSTRUCTIONS
TYPICAL LOAD WIRING
The Yellow load leads are N.O. contacts and do not
supply power directly to your load.
The relay inside the DS-8C acts as a switch. While
not as convenient as directly supplying power
for the load this allows you to operate the DS-
8C from one voltage while controlling a load of a
different voltage without adding an external relay
or contactor.
For example, the DS-8C can be powered from
120VAC but can directly control a 24VAC signal for
a boiler system or 277VAC for heating wire. The
following diagram shows a possible wiring scheme
for connecting the DS-8C to your load.
Your load may be a direct connection to heat cable,
a heater, a contactor coil, or a control voltage.
For clarity the green safety GROUND leads are not
shown.
MANUAL OVERRIDE SWITCH OPERATION
An override switch mounted on the side is provided for testing and special operational requirements.
Placing the switch in the “Automatic” position will allow the sensor to operate normally, activating the
controlled equipment as needed.
Placing the switch in “Manual On” will close the load relay, activating the controlled equipment.
The “Standby/Reset” position prohibits triggering of the unit, clears any active delay timer, and opens the
load relay. In order to reduce excessive runtime for the heater the “Manual On” mode will remain in effect
for a maximum of 40 hours, then return to “Automatic” mode even if the switch is still in the “Manual
On” position. You may put the DS-8 back into “Manual On” mode by switching to “Automatic”, then back
to “Manual On”. This will restart the 40 hour timer.
If the override switch is placed in “Manual On” for less than 2 seconds, then switched back to
“Automatic” the controller will execute one delay off cycle. This can be used to clear a frost or hail
buildup without the danger of leaving the system in a continuous “Manual On” condition. “Standby/
Reset” can still be used to clear this delay off cycle.

™
The w
orld’s best-selling electric floor heating brand
WARMUP INC.
USA: [e-mail]
Tel.: [phone]
www.warmup.com
CANADA: [e-mail]
Tel.: [phone]
www.warmup.ca
™
The w
orld’s best-selling electric floor heating brand
DS-8C RAIN/SNOW SENSOR CONTROLLER
INSTALLATION INSTRUCTIONS
EXTERNAL CONTROL/MONITOR OPERATION
The DS-8C provides external control/monitor capability. Shielded cable
rated 300V or higher can be connected to TB2 to access this feature.
Connecting Black (4) to White (1) will activate the “Manual On” function.
Connecting Green (5) to White (1) will activate the “Standby/Reset”
function. See “Manual Override Switch Function” p5 for a description of
these modes. The Red/Orange (2/3) leads are connected to an internal
low power monitor relay. This relay, rated at 24 VAC/VDC at 400ma,
will close with the load relay and can be used to externally monitor
activation of the sensor. This terminal block is also the connection point
for installing a CDP-2 interface cable.
POWER & ACTIVATION INDICATOR
A green lamp shines through a lens on the cover of the DS-8C to indicate operational status. If this lamp is
OFF the DS-8C is not receiving power. If this lamp is steady ON the DS-8C is powered but is not triggered.
If this lamp is FLASHING the DS-8C is powered on and triggered, the main relay is closed, and attached
equipment should be activated. Note that, even though snow or rain may have stopped, the DS-8C
indicator will continue to flash during the Delay-Off drying cycle.
FINE ADJUSTMENT FOR EFFICIENT OPERATION
The DS-8C is shipped with the TRIG TEMP and DELAY OFF adjustments in the center position, representing
39°F (3.9°C) and 60 minutes of Delay-Off time respectively. It is also set for highest SENSITIVITY. Depending
on local conditions the user may find that fine adjustment of the controls may provide more satisfactory
operation. If the sensor does not trigger during very wet snows the trigger temperature may need to be
adjusted higher. Constant triggers from snow falling from trees or overhangs may be reduced by adjusting
SENSITIVITY. The Delay-Off time can also be adjusted to provide clean melt-off without excessive running
time. Fine adjustment can both save operating expense and provide more reliable operation. However,
to keep reliability high, always make adjustments in small increments.
MOISTURE GRID MAINTENANCE & REPLACEMENT
It is recommended that the DS-8C be powered down and the moisture grid wiped clean with clear water
at least once every 4 months. Heavy deposits may be removed using a non-metallic scouring pad (Scotch-
BriteTM or equivalent.) However, after a number of years, the corrosive elements left behind when water
is evaporated out of the moisture grid will eventually damage the grid rings. The moisture grid can be
easily replaced by ordering and installing a new “Moisture Grid Assembly”. Reference the “Moisture
Sensor Mounting & Termination” p2 for information on replacing the moisture grid.
PRESEASON SNOW DETECTION TESTING
It is always a good idea to test the operation of the DS-8C prior to the winter season. Procure some clean
water and, if the outdoor temperature is above the trigger point, a can of spray component cooler. Clean
the moisture grid following the procedure outlined above and allow it to dry. Apply power to the DS-8C,
drip some of the water onto the moisture grid, then, if the temperature is above the trigger point, spray
the temperature sensor protruding from the base of the enclosure with the component cooler. Once
the temperature sensor has reached the trigger point with water still present on the grid the DS-8C will
activate. The user should hear the internal control relay close. The lamp will blink. Proper operation has
been confirmed. Allow the grid to dry completely. To clear the Delay-Off timer place the override switch
into “Standby/Reset”, and then back to the “Automatic” position.
Pin Color Function
1 White GND/Common
2Red Deice On Mon A
3 Orange Deice On Mon B
4 Black Manual On
5 Green Standby/Reset

™
The w
orld’s best-selling electric floor heating brand
™
The w
orld’s best-selling electric floor heating brand
WARMUP INC.
USA: [e-mail]
Tel.: [phone]
www.warmup.com
CANADA: [e-mail]
Tel.: [phone]
www.warmup.ca
DS-8C RAIN/SNOW SENSOR CONTROLLER
INSTALLATION INSTRUCTIONS
LIMITED WARRANTY
The DS-8C is warranted against defects in workmanship and materials for two years from date of sale. This
warranty does not apply to damage resulting from accident, misuse, or alteration nor where connected
voltage is more than 5% above the configured operating voltage, nor to equipment improperly installed
or wired or maintained in violation of this Owner’s Manual. No other written or oral warranty applies. No
employee, agent, dealer or other person is authorized to give any warranties on behalf of Warmup.
Units returned for warranty repair cannot be modified from shipped condition and leads must protrude
a minimum of 6 inches from the base conduit hub. Repair costs of a modified unit will be quoted as the
unit must be returned to the original, unmodified condition prior to return shipping. The customer shall be
responsible for all costs incurred in the removal or reinstallation and shipping of the product for repairs.
Within the limitations of this warranty, inoperative units should be returned, freight prepaid, to Warmup,
and we will repair or replace, at our option, at no charge to you with return freight paid by Warmup. It is
agreed that such repair or replacement is the exclusive remedy available from Warmup and that Warmup
IS NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR DAMAGES OF ANY KIND, INCLUDING INCIDENTAL AND CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGE.
Some states do not allow the exclusion or limitation of incidental or consequential damages so the above
exclusion may not apply to you. The warranty gives you specific legal rights, and you may also have other
rights which vary from state to state.
Need Indoor Monitoring & Control?
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