Background
The question has been asked if it is possible to connect multiple ThermoView T30 SA model to a single Wago I/O controller and suitable output modules such as digital, relay or analog output.
Activity
The Technical Support team has evaluated a 4 camera setup with a single Wago I/O controller with 16 channel digital output modules and 2 channel relay output modules.
Conclusion
It is prohibited to connect multiple cameras to a single Wago I/O controller
Details
Please note, although it is physically possible to connect the hardware together and also to configure the camera web interfaces to recognize a single Wago I/O controller IP address, the implementation becomes at best, not practical and at worse, dangerous, for the following reasons:
1. The watchdog function cannot be used - as it could only indicate a situation where all connected cameras had ceased communicating. The user will therefore never be aware that an individual camera is not active.
2. In order for a single camera to change the state of the the each individual output channel, the entire output state information is transmitted in a single "message block", frame by frame.
3. For example - Camera 1 controls output channel 1, Camera 2 controls output channel 2. When any alarm becomes active, the corresponding alarm channel will also become active. Between the transmitted message block of each camera the message will alternate the state of each channel between low and high, at a frequency equal to the frame rate of the camera (up to 60Hz).
4. Camera 1 alarm high- frame by frame message block - CH1=1 , CH2=0, CH3=0, CH4=0 etc etc
Camera 2 alarm high - frame by frame message block - CH1=0 , CH2=1, CH3=0, CH4=0 etc etc
5. This alternating status results in flickering of the output channel LED and an unstable digital output signal.
6. When using a relay output, this continuously alternating state will very quickly destroy the relay.
7, When using an analog output, this continuously alternating state will result in a highly unstable signal.
Special Note
It is not a workable solution for each TV30 defining unique output modules. This is due to the fact that each camera's message block contains status information for every module installed on the coupler rather than only modules and/or channels actually utilized (by each camera).