Here is a guide to selecting the right Switchology gateway based on your facility's scale, data requirements, and automation needs.
1. Small Facilities: The Economic or Beginner Models
If you are managing a small office building, a retail outlet, or a workshop with a limited number of critical loads, the focus is usually on transparency and monthly cost tracking.
- Facility Scale: Up to 10–12 meters.
- The Choice:
- Economic Model (1GB RAM): Best for those who want a low upfront cost and the convenience of cloud-based access. It offers 15-minute sampling and monthly bill generation.
- Beginner Model (2GB RAM): Ideal if you prefer a self-hosted system with no annual subscriptions. It provides the same 15-minute sampling but stores data internally for up to 2 years.
- Key Benefit: Provides "live/recent readings with basic analytics" to identify obvious waste without complex technical overhead.
2. Mid-Sized Industrial & Commercial Sites: The Advantage Model
For medium-sized factories, commercial complexes, or facilities with diverse equipment (HVAC, compressors, and production lines), you need deeper technical insights and faster data refresh rates.
- Facility Scale: Up to 20 meters.
- The Choice: Advantage Model (4GB RAM).
- Why it fits:
- High-Speed Sampling: Moves from 15-minute updates to 30-second sampling, allowing you to see short-term power spikes that a slower system would miss.
- SCADA-Style Visuals: Offers a professional visual interface for single-line or asset views, making it easier for technical teams to navigate the system.
- Predictive Power: It can predict your next-day energy profile using historical data, helping you manage demand charges.
- Key Benefit: Includes a KPI engine to monitor your performance index per unit of energy consumed.
3. Large-Scale Industry & High-Precision Plants: The Promax PLC Model
Heavy industrial plants, data centers, or facilities requiring active machine control need a gateway that functions as a robust industrial controller.
- Facility Scale: Up to 25 meters (per gateway).
- The Choice: Promax PLC Model (8GB RAM).
- Why it fits:
- PLC-Grade Automation: This isn't just a monitor; it’s a controller. You can auto-schedule relays and issue programmable commands to manage loads.
- Maximum Precision: Features 15-second sampling, the fastest in the lineup, for real-time precision.
- Data Sovereignty: Stores up to 3 years of data internally, ensuring comprehensive historical logging even in "internet-independent" environments.
- Key Benefit: Custom alerts combined with automated relay control allow the system to take corrective action the moment an inefficiency is detected.
Quick Selection Checklist
To make your final decision, ask your technical team these four questions:
- How many points do we need to measure? (8-10? Use Economic. 20+? Use Advantage or Promax).
- How fast do we need the data? (General trends? 15 mins is fine. Precision troubleshooting? You need 15–30 seconds).
- Do we want to pay a subscription? (Yes, for lower upfront cost? Economic. No, we want to own it? Beginner/Advantage/Promax).
- Do we need the system to turn things off? (If yes, the Promax PLC model is the only choice for automated control).
The Modular Advantage
Regardless of which model you start with, Switchology gateways feature a modular design. You can start small with an Economic or Beginner setup and add additional devices as your facility grows, ensuring your investment is protected as your requirements scale.