Snap AV The Wattbox User Guide

AV The Wattbox
User Guide

Best Practices: Power Load

Your WattBox PDU (power distribution unit) is designed to handle a specific electrical load . So long as this level is not exceeded, your WattBox should provide flawless service.
You can prevent issues from arising by following these best practices .

Don’t Use Daisy Chains
Warning: Daisy chaining can overheat a multi-outlet power strip, which can lead to a fire.
Never plug a multi-outlet power strip or another PDU into an outlet of a WattBox PDU . If you do, power usage becomes much harder to track, and it’s likely that the  chained devices may draw more power than the PDU’s rating . When this happens, the PDU flips to Overcurrent Protection Mode, shutting off to prevent permanent  damage to itself and the devices it powers . See “”Overcurrent Protection Mode” on page 9 for how to restore a unit from Overcurrent Protection Mode.
This sudden loss of power can also damage devices attached to the multi-outlet power strip . Most electrical devices are designed to operate only at optimal power input  levels, and low power can permanently affect their performance .

Plan a Proper Power Load
Power load is the total amount of power that attached equipment draws from the WattBox PDU. If the load is higher than the PDU’s rating, then the attached equipment  cannot get enough power . This degrades performance and may damage the equipment.
You cannot calculate a power load using a device’s average power consumption; certain devices draw more power at specific times . For example, when amplifiers start up,  they can draw up to four times more power than normal . Security cameras draw more power at night when they activate their infrared emitters.
This means that a home system with sound and surveillance may run fine in the daytime, but if it’s nighttime (cameras running infrared) and someone powers up the sound  system (heavy amplifier draw), the extra power load can cause issues if you don’t plan for it.
Avoid this by calculating the maximum potential power load for the devices on each WattBox PDU.

How to Determine the Potential Load for a WattBox PDU

Find the maximum power rating (in watts) for each device attached to the WattBox PDU.
Add the various power consumptions together to find the maximum potential load . This load must be lower than the power rating for the PDU you are using; this is 1440W  for many WattBox PDUs . You can find this listed under “UL Power Rating” on the model’s product page.
If the total load is greater than the PDU can handle, remove devices from the PDU until the maximum load is within parameters . This may require swapping devices  between PDUs or purchasing additional PDUs to distribute the load.
If a Device Doesn’t List a Maximum Power Rating (North America and other 120V systems) If you can’t find an official maximum power rating listed for your device, you  can generate a good estimate with a quick calculation.
Find the fuse rating for your specific device on its product spec page . For an example, let’s use the Episode® 70V IP-Enabled Amplifier . On the product page, it lists a fuse rating of T 3.15A L 250V. The part we are interested in is the 3 .15A section of that fuse rating.
Take that 3 .15 amps and multiply it by the standard North American power grid rating of 120 volts.
3 .15A × 120V = 378W .
Is this accurate? In this case, we can cross-check that with the power consumption rating shown on the product page . We see that the amp is rated for 400W, so the 378W  calculation is on point.
Note that this is peak power consumption, but with power conditioning and surge protection, this is the number we want to use . We don’t care what the average  consumption is.
How to Determine the Potential Load for a PDU (Europe and other 240V markets) The procedure is the same as the above, substituting 240V for 120V in the formula.
Example Load Calculation
This example uses a six-outlet, 800-series WattBox . As you can see, the power consumption is well within parameters . A blank worksheet is provided at the end of this  document for your convenience.

Test It Thoroughly
Test the system while you are still on site, including using any standby states, to ensure that a connected device (like an amplifier) doesn’t trip overcurrent protection with a  strong inrush while charging its capacitors.
Pro Tip: Amplifiers rarely need to be restarted . If there is not a specific reason to connect an amp to an IP-enabled WattBox, consider plugging it in to a surge-only WattBox instead.

Best Practices: Installation

You want your equipment protected; we want your equipment protected . To that end, here are some best practices that can help.
This guide is neither comprehensive nor exhaustive, and it’s certainly not a replacement for using (or becoming) a certified and licensed electrician . Electricity is a complex  topic, but just using these simple tips will make your installs better.
There Are Limits
Like the brakes on your car, surge protection wears out.
PDUs are rated for how much surge they can withstand . This amount is rated in joules . Typically, PDUs divert their excess energy to metal oxide varistors (MOVs), which  get degraded as they dissipate this energy . Thus, if you have a MOV rated to 1000 joules, it can withstand one 1000-joule hit, ten 100-joule hits, or 1000 tiny 1-joule hits.
Replace your PDUs periodically, because even small surges eventually grind down your protection. If you’re in a location that has frequent thunderstorms, replace your PDUs  every 4–5 years . In locations with no thunderstorms and a stable power supply, you might be able to stretch this to 6–8 years.
How to Tell if your MOVs Are Dead
If you have a surge and the AC power cuts out to all devices on a specific PDU, that shows that the PDU just shut down power transmission to save the gear . It must be  replaced, even if the unit can be restarted (this happens in rare cases).
Also, most WattBox PDUs (300s, 700s, 800s) have an LED light called “Protected .” When this LED is green, that indicates that the MOVs are still operational . When this  LED is off, that indicates that the MOVs have been used up; replace the PDU.
Physical Installation
All WattBox devices must be installed indoors.
Plug the PDU directly into a grounded outlet. Do not use extension cords, non- grounded two-prong  adapters, or other gear between the PDU and the outlet . Having a  ground is required for the surge protection to work.
Always confirm that the Ground LED (available on most models) is green; this indicates that the device is properly grounded.
Do not use external ground wires or ground connections other than those installed by an electrician.

Electricity will get into your circuit any way it can . To be safe, all metal wires (including, e .g ., power cords, Ethernet cables, coaxial cable, etc .) leading into the protected  equipment must first pass through a PDU. For example, if a coaxial cable runs from the cable box to the rack without passing through surge protection, then your system is  vulnerable. In cases where a single protector cannot completely protect a complex installation, employ a systemic approach that uses multiple protectors .

Caution: WattBox does not currently (pun intended) provide protection for 1Gb Ethernet cabling. If you plug a 1Gb cable into a WattBox, it automaticaly downgrades to 100Mbps.
Pro Tip: Fiberoptic cables do not conduct electricity and do not need to be surge protected.

Which Device(s) to Use

• If the job requires multiple amplifiers, consider dedicated electrical outlets for the equipment.
  Check that the circuit that powers the equipment can support the total potential load . When in doubt, consult an electrician .

• If a device needs to be remotely restarted or put on a schedule, use an 800-series, IP-controllable WattBox PDU .

• If the device has high peak-power requirements, consider a 200-series WattBox PDU with a dedicated outlet for proper surge protection .

• If a device has an inrush current that is high enough to trip a WB-800, but also needs to be power cycled or controlled via schedule, a WB-250 or WB-300 provides surge protection and individual outlet control without overcurrent protection .

• If the device doesn’t need to be on a controlled outlet, use a surge-only PDU.

Take Full Advantage of OvrC
OvrC (“oversee”) is a free remote management platform that lets you manage and monitor each of your clients from the comfort of your office and with the convenience of  your cell phone . With OvrC, your WattBox can:

• Automatically restart devices when they become unresponsive
• Restart your router when the internet goes down
• Schedule off times for specific equipment
• Configure power-on delays so multi-device systems come online smoothly
• Allow the homeowner to power cycle select equipment safely, without calling you or going behind the rack
  You can explore OvrC’s complete capabilities at OvrC.com .

Configuring Backup Power

When the power goes out, emergency power can be supplied by a battery backup, called a UPS (uninterruptible power supply).
What a UPS Does
The UPS provides battery power for a short time to ensure that equipment can be powered down in a proper manner . This helps eliminate equipment damage, loss of  computer files, etc.
Like PDUs, each UPS has a maximum power output that it can support . You can find this on the product spec sheets under Power Rating . A UPS is designed to supply  power to a PDU to support the PDU’s equipment . Depending on your gear, this maximum UPS power may be below the level that a PDU can support.
Since the UPS is responsible for powering all gear attached to the PDU, once you attach it to your PDU, the UPS becomes the ruling device for power throughput to that  PDU . As such, total power throughput of the PDU is limited to the capacity of the UPS even if AC power is present . Example: If your 1440W PDU is plugged into the wall,  it can pass 1440W of power . If it is plugged into a UPS (that is in turn plugged into the wall) with a maximum power rating of 1000W, then your 1440W PDU can only  pass 1000W of power, as set by the UPS, even though AC power is available.
Load Shedding
Battery backup is not intended to provide full power for a long time . Typically, a UPS providing power to a full load only lasts for a few minutes . However, if the UPS is only powering, say, a network modem, router and switch, it might be able to provide power for hours.
When your PDU has a linked UPS, you can extend the time that battery backup can power missioncritical components by configuring the PDU for load shedding. This extends the duration of battery backup by disconnecting  non-critical components.
When switching to battery backup, the PDU powers off equipment in an order that you specify, doing so in a predictable manner to provide maximum safety for both gear  and data.
To customize your load shedding schedule, log in to OvrC, click on the PDU, and navigate to the Configure tab.
Under the General Setting group, click on UPS Settings.
The UPS has four stages at which it can shut off equipment . These stages are based on remaining battery life . While every install is different, best practices generally adhere  to the following schedule:

• Immediate: If you switch off the toggle to the left of the outlet, the UPS will not support that outlet with battery power, and the UPS priority reads “Disabled”. The  attached equipment shuts off as soon as power goes out . Best practice is to immediately drop power to all of your nonessential and high-draw equipment that does not  require an orderly shutdown . This includes audio gear, televisions, and minor items like lights and fans.
• 75%: Shortly after power goes out, shut off nonessential gear that requires a safe shutdown. This gives the client time to shut down the device manually, or provides the  device with extra time to complete a task in progress . One such example is a recording device; you want to be able to shut it down nicely so that you don’t risk the  integrity of the recorded data file.
• 50%: All comfort and convenience gear should shut down at this time, leaving as much power as possible for essentials.
• 25%: This is the UPS’s last gasp. Only the most essential gear should still receive power. This may be surveillance gear, computers, and/or the network.

Calculating Battery Life

Calculating how long your UPS will last is not precise, because the amount of power each device uses is not a fixed, reliable amount . In addition, battery duration is not  strictly arithmetic based on power consumption . That is, if you use a battery at 1/10 of its capacity, it will last over twenty times as long as a battery that runs at full capacity .  However, it is possible to estimate the duration based on loads.
Example Duration Calculation
This example uses a 12-outlet, 800-series WattBox attached to a 2000VA UPS.
Here is the runtime in minutes for the UPS, based on load (this data is available on the website; note that these are decimal minutes, not minutes and seconds):

Load| 100%| 90%| 80%| 70%| 60%| 50%| 40%| 30%| 20%| 10%
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---
Time| 13.| 14.| 15.| 17.| 19.| 112.| 116.| 123.| 137.| 174.

This particular client wants no interruption to his outdoor media when power goes out . This way he can shut down his audio nicely, then finish viewing whatever scene is  happening on TV before he shuts that down (maybe not the best of priorities, we know) . After that, he wants to maintain his surveillance until the total power gets down to  25% .

• For each shedding column, enter the device’s load in watts for active outlets, or leave it blank if that outlet is disabled at that level .

• For power rating, enter the UPS’s power rating . You can find this on the product’s web page.

• For capacity, divide the load by the power rating to determine how taxing the active equipment is.
  Since this is all based on averages, the actual duration can vary greatly.

• Finally, for runtime, look at the runtime for that approximate load, and divide by four . This tells you how many minutes that the UPS can provide energy for that quartile of power consumption.

• Looking at the loads, in the 100% column, we are running an 85% load . That’s halfway between 80% (5 .44 minutes) and 90% (4 .37 minutes), so we’ll split that time and  call it 4 .9 minutes . Divide that by 4 (for operating from 100% down to 75%), and we get a final runtime of 1 .25 minutes for that section .
• For the next column, 34% splits the difference between 30% and 40% . Those durations average out to 19 .2 minutes . One fourth of that means that devices in this  section run for roughly 4 .8 minutes.
• The 18% we’ll just round up to 20% . Taking the 36 .69 minute runtime and dividing by four, we get 9 .2 minutes for the battery to drain from 50% capacity down to  25% .
• Finally, the 6% we’ll just call 10%, with a final calculated runtime of 18 .4 minutes.
  This means that, if everything is running at full power consumption at the moment the power goes out, the UPS will provide power for roughly 33 minutes, 30 seconds .  Of course, if the TV and outdoor audio are already off, and the system only has to run the surveillance and network, the battery will last a whole lot longer .

Installing a UPS in a Rack
UPSs are very heavy pieces of equipment . As such, install them as low in the rack as you can, to avoid the rack tipping when the rack is bumped or being moved.
Best practice is that 70% of the gear weight in a rack should be in the lowest 30% of the rack height to ensure stability.

WattBox Troubleshooting

If a client is having problems, follow these basic troubleshooting steps . Each step is described in detail below. Note that each of these steps is made easier and faster if you are using OvrC .

• Update the firmware
• Ensure there are no daisy chains
• Check that there are no new devices
• Check the outlet mode
• Check the schedule
• Check the power load

Update the Firmware
Always keep your firmware up to date . Firmware updates fix known security and performance issues.
Firmware updates are most easily checked and applied through OvrC. Find out more about OvrC at ovrc.com or on Tech Community at tech.control4.com . Otherwise,  follow the update instructions on your PDU’s manual.
Caution: When updating to firmware version 2 .1 .2 .0, you must either (a) power cycle the entire WattBox with its power button, or (b) or use the “Reset All” command in  OvrC . Before doing this ensure that each of the PDU’s outlets are Enabled . If any outlets are Disabled, the firmware update will not take effect .

Ensure There Are No Daisy Chains
Double-check to ensure that no one has plugged a multi-outlet power strip into the PDU .
Check That There Are No New Devices
If someone plugs a new device into your WattBox, that’s a power draw that you haven’t accountedfor, and it might cause problems.
With 800-series PDUs, if you have labeled your outlets in OvrC, you can check power consumption with the metering data to see if it has changed (or if an “empty” outlet is  mysteriously drawing power).
You can also use OvrC to scan the network to see if there are any devices that you haven’t accounted for. Some of these might just be the neighbor kid’s cellphone that’s  using the client’s Wi-Fi, but others might be that new sound system the client forgot to tell you about.
Check the Outlet Modes
Using OvrC, an outlet can be turned off, or even set to Disabled . Outlets that are off or disabled provide no power.
To check the outlet mode, log in to OvrC and navigate to your WattBox PDU.
Click the PDU . In the Details tab, check that the outlets’ slider is to the right and colored blue. This indicates that the outlet is able to provide power. If the slider is to the left and gray, the outlet has been turned off and transmits no power . Click the slider to turn the outlet back on.
If the outlet is set to Disabled, you’ll need to go to the Configure tab to reactivate it.
Check the Schedule
OvrC can set your WattBox PDU to shut off or reboot selected outlets at specified times. A forgotten scheduled event looks just like a major failure.
To check the schedule, log in to OvrC and navigate to your WattBox PDU.
Click the PDU . In the Schedule tab, check that there are no unwanted events in the calendar. If there are, edit or delete them.
Also check that the proper Time Zone is set.
Check the Power Load
If an outlet with a high-inrush device (such as an amplifier) shuts off as the amplifier powers up, it may be an overcurrent issue . Verify that the WattBox firmware is up to  date . If the problem persists, move the device to a different outlet . If the issue follows the device, there is most likely an overcurrent issue with that device.
If all else fails, calculate the total power load as described under “”How to Determine the Potential
Load for a WattBox PDU” on page 2 .
Once any power issues have been cleared, if any outlets remain unresponsive, it’s possible that overcurrent protection has been tripped; reset the outlet as described under  Update the Firmware on the previous page.

Overcurrent Protection Mode

Overcurrent Protection (OCP) is a feature of the WattBox 800 series that protects each outlet (and therefore the equipment connected to that outlet) from excessive current.
Identifying Overcurrent Issues
OCP turns off an individual outlet in order to protect itself, appearing unresponsive . You know that
OCP is tripping if:

• The total possible load of all devices connected to the WattBox exceeds the UL rating of 12A @ 120V, 1440 Watts (“constant OCP”) .
• An outlet with a high-inrush device such as an amplifier shuts off as the device powers up (“instantaneous OCP”) .
  When operating with the latest firmware, the WattBox provides a warning banner in OvrC that notifies you that an OCP event has occurred .

There is also a new “Learn More” link that explains OCP and ways to troubleshoot.

WattBox/OvrC Install Checklist

OvrC Basics
Customer added
Site named clearly and precisely
Site street address added
Site street address verified
ISP added
Time zone specified
Contact phone added
Contact email added
Claim the Araknis/Pakedge router or OvrC Pro Hub first
Ensure it has claimed all other devices on the network
Manually add devices if necessary
For Each Device
Name each device clearly
IP Settings > Address Assignment set to DHCP
DHCP reservation at the router for primary devices
Time Zone and Daylight Saving set
Firmware updated
Site Settings
Set network scan frequency
Set Internet speed test frequency to 24 hours
Enable basic security settings
Set content filtering to client specifications
Wi-Fi Management
Wi-Fi management allows you to set up several access points simultaneously. It is beyond the scope of this document.
Click here for a guide to Wi-Fi Management.
For details on best-practice access point settings, see the Network Install Checklist on Tech Community.
WattBox PDU Name ………………………………………………
Device clearly named
Location and other details recorded under Notes
Firmware updated
After installing the update, set all outlets to Enabled and reboot the PDU
Self-Healing Auto Reboot: Internet
Auto-reboot enabled
At least three hosts entered
Each named for the site (not “ping 1” or the like)
URLs start with www. (or similar)
Each host’s ping has been tested
Reboot when
All relevant hosts selected
All/any relevant host times out
Reboot network gear
Boot delays set
Adequate delays to finish booting before the next device starts
Devices boot from the outside in (first modem, then router, then core switch, then other switches)
Time-out settings completed

Self-Healing Auto Reboot: Temperamental Devices
Connected devices can become unresponsive, due either to an
internal connectivity issue or by losing connection to their data
source. Setting up auto-reboot can help keep the system
working while you investigate a permanent solution.
Auto-reboot enabled
Finicky device added
Clearly named
IP address of finicky device added
Ping has been tested
Reboot when the device times out
Reboot all associated devices
Boot delays set to finish booting before the next starts
Devices boot from the master to the subordinates
Time-out settings completed
Outlet Options
Each outlet named for the device it powers
Unused outlets labeled “Empty”
Network outlets set to Network Device (Reset Only)
Mission-critical outlets set to Network Device (Reset Only)
Other outlets set to Enabled
Other General Settings
Time Zone and Daylight Saving set
IP Settings > Address Assignment set to DHCP
DHCP address reservation made at the router
All wall wart power supplies secured with hook and loop
Power cords labeled with the name of the attached device
Wireless Outlets
To set up OvrC control for wireless outlets, see this Smart Skill.

UPS

Location and specs recorded under the Notes section of the PDU that it powers
PDU power cord plugged into UPS
OvrC-Enabled UPS
UPS connected to IP PDU’s UPS port
Load shedding programmed
Load shedding schedule recorded in PDU Notes tab
OvrC Connect
Commands enabled for OvrC Connect
Each command properly set up
Command has a clear, non-technical name
Command has an appropriate icon
Command location set (if client has multiple sites)
Stop command option set appropriately
Delays set between command steps
Command disabled until all steps finish processing
Users added
Each user has an individual account
Customer taught to use commands
Customer taught to use Contact Us feature

UPS Battery Duration Worksheet

For each shedding column, enter the device’s peak load for active outlets, or 0 if that outlet is disabled at that level .
For power rating, enter the UPS’s power rating . You can find this (and the data below) on the product’s web page .
For capacity, divide the load by the power rating to determine how taxing the active equipment is.
Since this is all based on averages, the actual duration can very greatly.
Finally, for runtime, look at the runtime for that approximate load, and divide by four . This will tell you how many minutes that the UPS can provide energy for that quartile of power use.

Load Calculation Worksheet

Technical Support
For chat and telephone, visit https://tech.control4.com/s/contactsupport
Email: TechSupport@SnapOne.com
Visit tech .control4 .com/technician for discussions, instructional videos, news, and more.
Warranty and Legal Notices
Find details of the product’s Limited Warranty and other resources such as regulatory notices and patent and safety information, at snapone.com/legal or request a paper  copy from Customer Service at 866 .424 .4489 .
Copyright ©2022, Snap One, LLC . All rights reserved . Snap One and its respective logos are registered trademarks or trademarks of Snap One, LLC, in the United States  and/or other countries . Control4 and WattBox are also registered trademarks or trademarks of Snap One, LLC . Other names and brands may be claimed as the property of  their respective owners. Snap One makes no claim that the information contained herein covers all installation scenarios and contingencies, or product use risks.
Information  within this specification subject to change without notice.

References

• OvrC Cloud Management for Residential & IT Integrators
• Policies
• tech.control4.com

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