The evolution of the Wide Area Monitor (WAM).
OziRoo has developed a very sophisticated management and monitoring software program to control its own OziRoo Solar Generator product.
It is an automated system that checks the operational status of each system in real-time and balances performance with the health of the batteries to ensure continuity of service in all weather conditions.
The website is a cross platform application that presents the copious amounts of data into simple graphical representations of what is happening with the ability to modify and troubleshoot remotely.
As part of the development, it was necessary to ‘invent’ a new way of powering and controlling lights. OziRoo floodlights illuminate a 12mx 3m (40ft x 10ft) billboard using 4 lights with as little as 80w of power total. A necessity when using very small yet highly efficient solar systems.
Proof of Performance (POP) is becoming a necessity in the outdoor industry and the OziRoo system does just that. However, it didn’t do anything else.
The ah-ha moment came during a conversation with a client about the need to monitor the standard illuminated signs in their network.
Our system did everything that they wanted, but not for mains power connected lights.
So we developed the hardware interface that allows the OziRoo floodlights to run on mains power. It is called a WAM24+ (Wide Area Monitor 240v Plus).
Not only does our system provide all the necessary POP, but it provides significant savings on power consumption.
The system is also dimmable meaning that the intensity of the light can be remotely managed.
It can even monitor the lumen degradation of any light system to determine if and when the lights/lamps need to be replaced.
Another realization we had was that monthly or bi-monthly night inspection are a time consuming and costly exercise and can’t determine exactly how long ago the fault may have occurred. As our system does away with the night inspections we asked ourselves…..what other industries could utilise our system.
With our background in the automotive, petrol and fast-food industries we realised that these were industries where their brand and image were extremely important from a safety and security aspect.
In the past it may have been acceptable for the on-site staff to conduct the night inspection however with minimal staffing nowadays and their security, it is not safe for them to leave the security of their shop and walk around at night checking if all of the electrical devices are working properly.
Introducing the WAM24.
The WAM24 is a hardware device that monitors any electrical circuit to see if everything is fully or partially working and operating when is supposed to.
A petrol station for example, has many electrical devices that only turn on at night. In Australia, there is usually only 1 person working at night, so for them to do a night inspection is out of the question. A brightly lit premises conveys a secure environment. You don’t need a site with faulty electrical devices being the reason that turnover drops.
The current solution is to pay others to do the night inspection for you and that is an expensive exercise. This also results in a maintenance spike where all of the issues arrive at the same time putting pressure on resources to deal with their repair.
The WAM24 monitors a site in real-time 24/7 and reports when a fault occurs. It is simple to install, expandable, local and remote control and much much more.
