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® 2018 Valco Companies, Inc.
Whisker Switch
A Whisker Switch is an electrical contact that allows the controller to determine if a curtain, ridge vent, chimney
damper or inlet is open or closed a set amount. The purpose of a whisker switch is to allow the controller to alarm if
the inlet doesn’t move correctly and allows the controller to shut off fans when the inlet is open. The switch circuit
is closed when the inlet is opened and the circuit is opened when the inlet is closed.
Reminder: The Whisker Switch
menu is a submenu under the DEVICE / EQUIpMENT SETTINGS but can be found quickly by pressing the
SYSTEM
SETUP
Hot-Key then using the
RIGHT
or
LEFT
arrow key.
Assign to a Device
Press
ENTER
to assign a device to the whisker switch. Press the
PLUS
and
MINUS
keys to scroll through the list of
installed curtains, inlets, ridge vents and chimneys. Press
ENTER
to assign the whisker switch to the device it is
attached to.
WHISKER SWITCH GROUP #1 SETTING Z1-S01
Attached To: NO DEVICE
Validate Switch
Set the Low value to the closed inches/CM of the inlet where the switch circuit changes from closed to open. This
shows the controller the inlet closed past the switch. Set the High value to the open inches/CM of the inlet where the
switch circuit changes from opened to closed. This shows the controller the inlet opened past the switch.
WHISKER SWITCH GROUP #1 SETTING Z1-S01
Validate Switch – Low: 45 High: 50
You can assign both a Whisker Switch and Position Sensor to the same curtain/inlet. The Position
Sensor will take precedence if one of each is assigned.
When a Whisker Switch alarm activates, any fan which uses the Whisker Switch to shut off, will be
turned back on until the alarm is cleared by a user. This alarm will not auto-clear.
SYSTEM
SETUP
When using a Whisker Switch to turn fans on and off, the fan will turn off based on the internally calculated position
of the airway device. The Fan’s “Fans Off At Opening Of” setting is used to determine when the fan turns on and off.
Under normal circumstances, the Whisker Switch, as well as the High and Low Validation values, should be set up
based on that opening size. This allows the system to create a Whisker Switch alarm if the airway device fails to open
or close correctly, thereby preventing the correct operation of the fan.
Alarm delay
Set the number of seconds to delay a Whisker Switch alarm. The expected Whisker Switch’s on/off state has to be
incorrect for this many consecutive seconds before an alarm will activate. This prevents nuisance alarms when the
Whisker Switch state changes for a short period of time due to the bouncing of the device caused by the wind, etc.
This value can be set from 1 second to 600 seconds (10 minutes), but is typically set to 15 seconds.
WHISKER SWITCH GROUP #1 SETTING Z1-S01
Seconds delay alarm Out of Position : 15