Swimming in EnOcean with the Switch Design Kit

Taking a Dip into EnOcean

I was first introduced to EnOcean with the Forget Me Not Design Challenge (and then with the Pi IoT Design Challenge), EnOcean provided very interesting and useful hardware as part of the design competition kit. The kit included the EnOcean Sensor KitEnOcean Sensor Kit and the EnOcean PiEnOcean Pi, (both of which have different frequencies depending on your region) which is a collection of wireless, self-powering sensors (if you accept solar panels) and switches (thanks kinetic energy!) that can communicate with an add-on board for the Raspberry Pi, allowing for the Raspberry Pi to be used as a hub and seen as an Internet of Things device (you can learn more in the webinar Enable Your Smart Home with Raspberry Pi & EnOcean , and the software that goes with it in the webinar Home Automation at Your Fingertips with Eclipse SmartHome and openHAB ).

Now EnOcean has a new kit available, the EnOcean Switch Design Kit, now you can use the same EnOcean Pi and EnOcean switches to also control mains power sockets, wirelessly, with the design that you want. If you want to reprogram any parts of these kids, you'll need the EnOcean Developer KitEnOcean Developer Kit.

What's in the Kit?

There's a handy video that you can watch:

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Swimming in EnOcean with the Switch Design Kit

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This kit is definitely for those whom are familiar already with 3D Printing, electronics, and EnOcean's ecosystem of hardware. You'll want to run over and get the user manual. The user manual in particular is useful for deciphering the codes that EnOcean use to refer to their individual hardware components, You'll repeatedly see reference to the TCM 310 module, which is the chip that most of the hardware uses to communicate to the other components.

The most interesting part of the hardware is the ECO 200 Electrodynamic energy generator, essentially this piece of the equipment produces the power necessary for transmitting data from kinetic motion in a very, very, small area. It is used in conjunction with another add-on board, however there's not much stopping you from using it with whatever else your electronic design is.

The PTM 330 is given as the partner component to the ECO 200, when powered it transmits the status of four digital inputs. These digital inputs are practically documented as working like the PTM 210 button rocker. It should be noted that it's possible to connect to an external antenna aside from the attached whip tail.

You also get a very bare PTM 210, this is the switch block that you also get as part of the EnOcean Sensor Kit, except this time you're given two plastic rocker covers for it if you don't feel like 3D printing your own.

Ultimately, you'll be wanting to control the Permundo SmartPlug PSC234, which contains a relay switch along with acting as an EnOcean sensor repeater and meters the power usage through the plug/socket. Be warned, the maximum this can handle is 11 amps, and if you're in the UK you get two adaptors with the kit, which has a rated fuse of 13 amps.

How do these Parts in the Kit go Together?

In the kit you receive an example 3D print of a 'clamp switch' for the ECO 200. There is a certain orientation that the hardware fits into this 'clicker', and in the corner, the small spring that you get into the kit slots into the circular hole. Fitting the spring is tricky and thankfully the 3D print is hardy as you have to stretch it out to be able to fit the spring into it.

The protruding lever of the ECO 200 slots into the slit of one half of the 'clamp switch', while the PTM 330 Radio Transmitter sits flush underneath it, oriented with the antenna lined up with the singular hole, on what I'll call the base of the 3D print. Then in theory, using the force of the spring and the kinetic lever on the ECO 200, you can sit there clicking away, generating power for the Radio Transmitter to function. However, you may need to fit something in there so that it is a bit more snug, the tolerances around the hardware are unfortunately, a little on the generous side.

Thankfully, the intention of this hardware is to design your own!

There is also an enclosure for the PTM 3340 and ECO 200 which you can clip together should you want the items to be clipped together in a uniform manner.

Dive in at the Deep End

Each component of the switch design kit has been measured and detailed, with example switches available for you to 3D print yourself, or alter the design of. You'll have to create an account on EnOcean's site to do so, however this is worthwhile because you get access to all of the datasheets for the EnOcean hardware, from protocol to electronics.

When you login and access the Design Data, you'll be given PDF documents that have the measurements, but also you'll be given .igs files, which stands for Initial Graphics exchange Specification. You can then open the file in a CAD program that supports the format, such as Autodesk Fusion 360 (which is free for individuals, non profits and educators/students):

This means you can even use a CNC router for your some of the parts as opposed to 3D printing them. Frankly, I've not known many manufacturers be so open about their products to the level that you can alter/redesign/use for reference one of the products they sell:

This being the CAD design file for the PTM 210, so you can interface your designs to existing hardware or alter the PTM 210 to suit instead.

Clicky, Clicky

The switches can operate somewhat interchangeably with EnOcean hardware, according to the user manual you can either directly synchronise with, and control the PSC234 from the PTM 210, or you can do so via hardware such as the EnOcean Pi. The powerful nature of this kit obviously comes from the fact that it is significantly low energy, that each switch functions only as you program it to, and ultimately that can be controlled in software.

Suffice to say, it may be time to turn the lights on and get the ideas flowing for your projects.