In early December, the RoseWater team invited six industry veterans to Dallas for an on-camera discussion on power quality and battery backup products. During the course of that discussion, Marc Ayoub, our sales representative in the Rocky Mountain territory came up with an interesting postulation. That question was, “What is you power plan for this project?” It’s a question he asks at the onset of any new project, the answer to which could save thousands of dollars in protection of equipment. It was truly a light-bulb moment.
As we have discussed before, microprocessors are extremely vulnerable to power inconsistences, really harming their longevity and increasing issues with an entire system all the way down the line. With all of the sensitive microprocessors we’re putting into these modern homes — lighting control, security, networking equipment, entertainment, and control systems — and the lifestyle consequences of a microprocessor failure, the need for high quality consistent power is greater than ever. Think of the truck rolls saved; we’ve heard multiple times of the money saved from homes and offices from useless truck rolls.
So, everyone who is building or remodeling a residence should be asked: “What is the power plan for this project?”
You might be asking yourself, “What is a power plan?”
It is a plan that will provide appropriate levels of protection and backup for the critical devices in your residence or office. Here are examples of different levels of power plans:
Level One
Protecting systems and devices that are not microprocessor intensive and would only create a minor inconvenience in the case of malfunction or long-term outages The client may not choose to backup or protect these systems or devices.
Examples include:
- Most Wall Outlets
- Outdoor lighting
- Pool Equipment
- Outdoor Entertainment
Level Two
Devices that would create a greater lifestyle interruption in long-term outages but are not microprocessor intensive. A generator is best suited to protect these types of devices because, although the power from a generator is inherently “dirty,” it won’t affect these devices as much.
Examples include:
- Refrigerators/freezers
- Air conditioning/temperature controls
- Most kitchen appliances
Level Three
Microprocessor-intensive systems or devices that are very susceptible to voltage sags and surges and would be a severe lifestyle inconvenience should they malfunction or fail. This is key and they should be protected at all times. A RoseWater device is best suited for this application.
Examples include:
- Network
- Security
- Communication
- Entertainment
- Lighting
- Control
Working with your clients to create a power plan to protect the products installed will ensure that everything you put in the project will function properly, last longer, and prevent truck rolls. Most importantly it creates a very satisfied client.
Joe Piccirilli is managing director and CEO of RoseWater Energy Group. Piccirilli has served as President of the Academy for the Advancement of High Performance Audio and Video; was voted as one of the Top 20 Most Influential People of the Past 20 Years by CE Pro Magazine, was voted one of the ten best instructors of the decade by CEDIA; and has also been named among the 50 most vital influencers in the custom installation industry by CustomRetailer Magazine.
