Pyxos High-Power Link Power

Send power and control over the same cable.

Low-voltage sensors and small actuators are often located in hard-to-reach places, making them inaccessible to local power supply. Echelon’s Link Power for Pyxos networks lets you send power over the same pair of wires used for monitoring and control, thus reducing material, assembly, and maintenance costs.

Pyxos networks support two types of Link Power: High-Power and Standard. Which one you use depends on the maximum power consumed by any node in your Pyxos network.

High-Power Link Power

For Pyxos networks that use more than 0.5W of power per node, choose Echelon’s new High-Power Link Power.* It uses low-cost Romex or equivalent 3-wire flat or twisted cable, and is best suited for applications such as:

• Indoor/outdoor LED lighting. Adding controls to LED lighting lets you easily change the color and intensity of light emitted from a single lighting fixture. Since LED lights use as much as 90% less energy than incandescent bulbs with the same lumen output, you can control and power them on the same cable with Pyxos High-Power Link Power. Most LED lights use 3W-20W per light, based on application.
• Sensors, switches, and actuators in building automation systems. In most buildings, these devices are controlled by hard-wired 0-10V or 4-20mA analog signals. Extend your networking reach while powering these devices on the networking cable itself. Use Pyxos High-Power Link Power to power and control not only switches and thermostats with display, but also LED lights, motorized blinds, and small VAV actuators.
• Security cameras. Most security cameras have separate cables to power the camera and control pan/tilt/zoom operations. Also, most cameras are installed in locations far from a power source. With Pyxos High-Power Link Power, you can combine power and control on the same cable, greatly reducing material and installation costs.

* Pyxos High-Power Link Power separates power and communication signals in such a way that the power transmitted over the network is not restricted by Pyxos communication. Hence, the power per node using Pyxos High-Power Link Power scales very well and is restricted only by the wire thickness and node distance from the network's power supply. Most applications listed above require less than 25W of power per node, which our technology easily handles.

Learn more about Pyxos High-Power Link Power. (PDF)

Royalty-Free Reference Design

The reference design for Pyxos High-Power Link Power provides a fast time-to-market approach. Read more about the Pyxos High-Power Link Power Reference Design.

Standard Link Power

For Pyxos networks that use less than 0.5W of power per node, choose Standard Link Power. It sends power over the same twisted pair of cable used in non-Link Power Pyxos networks, and is best suited for applications such as:

• Sensors and actuators inside machines. Slot machines, vending machines, printers, and other small machines have tiny sensors and little space for extra wiring. Using Standard Link Power can help reduce wiring.
• Robotics. Using fewer wires inside robotic devices simplifies their assembly and maintenance, as well as increases their reliability.
• Sensors and switches in building automation systems. Use Standard Link Power to send power and control to low power-consuming (up to 0.5W) switches and thermostats.

Learn more about Standard Link Power in the Pyxos Chip Data Book. (PDF)

Feature Comparison

Although you can't mix the two types of Link Power on the same network, you can combine link-powered and locally powered nodes on the same network.

The table below compares Standard and High-Power Link Power networks.

Link Power, Power Line ... What's the Difference?

Echelon’s power line technology lets you send power and control over existing power lines. Echelon’s Link Power technology lets you send power and control over the same wire. So, what’s the difference? Can both technologies be used in the same way? No. Power line technology is suitable for networks that already have power lines installed and available. Link Power technology is suitable for new installations where power and communication are supplied over the same wires.

A Pyxos network must have a dedicated cable to connect to only Pyxos devices; it’s not designed to supply power to consumer devices like TVs or printers that add noise to the network. While Power Line Smart Transceivers are designed to filter noise from all potential noise sources on power line, the Pyxos chip has limited noise-filtering capabilities.

Pyxos networks work at low-voltage, ranging from 12V or 24V AC/DC to 48VDC or 60VAC. Power line networks typically operate at 110/220V AC mains (although Power Line Smart Transceivers can work on any powered or unpowered lines).

Pyxos High-Power Link Power generally supports 1W-25W of power per node on a Pyxos network. Pyxos technology is designed is to communicate at very high speed (312.5kbps). Power Line technology is designed to communicate at low speed (5.4kbps) over very high-power mains wiring where there is a mix of networked and non-networked and potentially noise-generating devices on the mains power wiring.