energy sentry 9312 Owners And Installation Manual

Computerized Energy

Management

Model 9312
Owner’s/Installation Manual

Helping you to use energy
more efficiently

Table of Contents

Owner’s Manual

Notice to Users . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ....... 1

9312 Quick Start Guide ....................................................................................................................... 2

Introduction and Overview of the 9312 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

Superior Features of the 9312 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

System Description . .. . .. .. . .. . .. .. . .. .. . .. .. . .. . .. .. . .. .. . .. .. . .. .. . .. . .. .. . .. .. . .. .. . .. . .. . . .. . .. .. . .. . .. . . .. . .. .. . .. . .. . . .. . .. .. . .. . .. . . .. . .. . 6

System Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ... 7

Basic Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ...... 8

Display/Settings Sequence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

Load Control Strategies & Load Shedding Sequence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

Control of Clothes Dryer ................................................................................................................... 10

Systems Test . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..........11

Hints for Maximum Savings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

Service Of Heating/Air Conditioning, Water Heater & Clothes Dryer ..............................................11

If You Need Service .. . .. .. . .. .. .. . .. .. . .. .. . .. .. .. . .. .. . .. .. . .. .. . .. . . .. .. . .. .. . .. .. . .. .. .. . .. .. . .. .. . .. .. .. . .. .. . .. .. . .. .. .. . .. .. . .. .. . .. .. . .. 11

Appendix A: Glossary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

Appendix B: 9312 Display Settings & Program Sequence ............................................................... 13

Installation Manual

1.0 Introduction ............................................................................................................................ 1 7

2.0 Tools & Materials Required ................................................................................................... 1 7

3.0 Pre-Installation System Check List ........................................................................................ 1 7

4.0 Locating C/D Unit ... .. ... .. .. .. .. .. ... .. .. .. .. .. ... .. .. .. .. .. ... .. .. .. .. .. ... .. .. .. .. .. ... .. .. .. .. .. ... .. .. .. .. .. ... .. .. .. .. .. ... .. 1 8

5.0 Locating and Mounting Relay Unit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 8

6.0 Running Control Cable . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 9

7.0 Wiring Control Cable to C/D Unit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 9

8.0 Mounting C/D Unit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 0

9.0 Wiring Control Cable to Relay Unit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 0

10.0 Wiring 120 VAC Power Supply to Relay Unit . .. . . .. . . . .. . . .. . . . .. . . .. . . . .. . . .. . . . .. . . .. . . . .. . . .. . . . .. . . .. . . . .. . . . . 2 1

11.0 Installing & Wiring Current Transformers ............................................................................. 2 1

12.0 Creating a Load Schedule & Making Load Assignments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 2

13.0 Wiring Power Relays to Heat Circuits & Hot Water Heater .................................................. 2 3

14.0 Wiring Power Relays to Dryer ............................................................................................... 2 3

15.0 Wiring Low-Voltage Relays to Heat Pumps & Air Conditioners . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 4

16.0 Connecting the 9312 to an Electric Furnace . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 4

17.0 System Check-Out . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 5

18.0 System Programming ............................................................................................................. 2 6

19.0 Wrap-Up .... ............ . ........... . ............ . ........... . ............ . ........... . ............ ............ . ............ ............. 2 6

20.0 Required Warranty Information and Record of Settings .. .. ... .. ... .. ... .. ... .. ... .. ... .. ... .. ... .. ... .. ... .. .. 2 7

Model 9312
Owner’s/Installation Manual

P/N 09312-94100C
Rev. 9/1/2009

© 2007 Brayden Automation Corporation

Brayden Automation Corporation
6230 Aviation Circle
Loveland, CO 80538
PHONE [phone]
FAX [phone]
www.brayden.com

WARNING:

Energy Sentry® Demand Management Systems are required to be installed by a duly licensed and qualifi ed electrician
or electrical contractor, who is appropriately licensed in the jurisdiction where the demand management system will be
installed.

Notice to Users

This equipment generates and uses radio frequency energy and if not installed and used properly, that is, in strict accor­dance with the manufacturer’s instructions, it may cause interference to radio and television reception. It has been type
tested and found to comply with the limits for a Class B computing device in accordance with the specifi cations in
Subpart J of Part 15 of FCC Rules, which are designed to provide reasonable protection against such interference in a
residential installation. However, there is no guarantee that interference will not occur in a particular installation. If this
equipment does cause interference to radio or television reception, which can be determined by turning the equipment
off and on, the user is encouraged to try to correct the interference by one or more of the following measures:

1. Reorient the receiving antenna.

2. Relocate the computer with respect to the receiver.

3. Move the computer away from the receiver.

4. Plug the computer into a different outlet so that computer and receiver are on different branch circuits.

If necessary, the user should consult the dealer or an experienced radio/television technician for additional suggestions.
The user may fi nd the following booklet prepared by the Federal Communications Commission helpful: “How to Iden­tify and Resolve Radio-TV Interference Problems.” This booklet is available from the U.S. Government Printing Offi ce,
Washington D.C. 20402, Stock No. 0004-0000-00345-4.

1

9312 Quick Start Guide

2

How to Decrease
Your Electric Bill (and
Increase Your Savings)

Open the keyboard door of the 9312 Control/Display
Unit and press the Display Mode key until the left display
reads “dL”. This is your demand limit. Press the Demand
Limit and Decrease keys simultaneously to lower the
demand limit by 1 or 2 KW, depending on how much you
wish to save.

Yo u may wish to double-check that the clock on your
9312 matches the clock setting on the meter. To do this,
press the Display Mode key until the left display reads
“CL” for “Clock”. Compare the time setting on the 9312
with the time shown on your electric meter. If a change
is necessary, press the Increase or Decrease key until the
time is correct.

How to Increase the
Comfort of Your Home
(and Increase Your
Electric Bill)

Open the keyboard door of the 9312 Control/Display
Unit and press the Display Mode key until the left display
reads “dL”. This is your demand limit. Simultaneously
press the Demand Limit and Increase keys and raise the
system’s demand limit by 0.5 KW.

Wait one or two hours to give your home a chance
to heat or cool. If the change you just made does not feel
suffi cient after that time, press the Demand Limit and
Increase key to increase the system’s demand limit another

0.5 KW. Repeat until satisfi ed. Remember, for each KW
that you increase the demand limit, it costs you additional
money on your electric bill. Turn off all non-critical loads
in your home to make more power available for heating
or cooling.

Before you close the keyboard door, you may wish
to double-check that the clock on your 9312 matches the
clock setting on the meter. To do this, press the Display
Mode key until the left display reads “CL” for “Clock”.
Compare the time setting on the 9312 with the time shown
on your electric meter.

If a change is necessary, press the Increase or Decrease
key until the time is correct.

See System Operation on page 7 for a more detailed
explanation.

Introduction and Overview of the 9312

Figure 1: Load Profi le - Owners A and B

3

Congratulations on your decision to purchase the
Energy Sentry 9312 Demand Management System. As the
owner of a home metered under the Time-Of-Use (TOU)
Demand Billing Rate, you fall into a special group of
consumers who can lower their monthly electric bills by
reducing energy demand peaks and shifting energy usage
to Off-Peak times. The Energy Sentry 9312 Demand Man­agement System enables you to reduce these peaks while
maintaining effi cient use of energy. Yo ur decision to pur­chase a 9312 represents a sound and intelligent investment
which will repay you over the years to come in reduced
electric bills, added convenience and peace of mind. The
9312 is the most advanced, user-friendly, and simplest to
use demand management system on the market today.

The Time-Of-Use (TOU)
Demand Billing Rate

Under the Energy (or fl at) rate, you

are billed for total
energy used per month (total kilowatt-hour use) regardless of
how or when you use this energy. Owner A in Figure 1 illus­trates a typical daily energy use pattern. Notice the demand
peaks in the morning and evening. Under the Energy Rate,
these peaks do not affect Owner A’s bill since he or she pays
for the total Kwh use only.

Utility companies are concerned about these demand
peaks since they increase the costs of supplying electricity
to their customers. As a result, they have devised the TOU
Demand Billing Rate, which is a preferred rate, to reward
customers who control their peak usage of electricity in
On-Peak times. Billing under the TOU Demand Rate works
like this: Suppose you are heating or cooling your home,
washing dishes, drying clothes and cooking a meal all at the
same time. Chances are your home is at peak energy usage or
drawing electricity from the electric company at or near the
maximum rate. This peak energy usage is illustrated by the
largest spike in Owner A in Figure 1.

Under the TOU Demand Rate, you pay for both total
energy used (in Kwh like the Energy Rate) and for your peak
demand during the On-Peak time over the billing period
(highest average KW demand - see page 12 for defi nition).
In addition, utilities offer reduced or no KW demand charges
during the Off-Peak times.

When compared to the Energy Rate, the TOU Demand
Rate offers a much lower charge for total Kwh used.
However, since there is also a demand charge for the peak
demand during the billing period, the savings could be
offset if this demand peak is high.

Now let’s look at Owner B in Figure 1. In this case,
Owner B is billed under the TOU Demand Rate. This
person has controlled his or her peak demand during the
On-Peak time and has consequently reduced the demand
charge. The result will be a lower electric bill for using the
same amount of electricity as Owner A. The key to Owner
B’s savings is in controlling the average energy usage by
leveling the peak demand during the utility’s On-Peak
time.

Different Meters

TOU Demand Rates require a special electric meter
which records not only the total energy (Kwh) consumed,
just like the standard watt-hour meter, but also records the
peak demand by tracking the energy usage over a 15, 30,
or 60-minute demand interval, set by your utility company.
Please contact your utility company to fi nd the length of
your demand interval. Once this demand peak is registered
on the meter, a corresponding demand charge results, even
if this peak occurred only once during the billing period.

In addition, a special TOU demand meter keeps track
of the On-Peak and Off-Peak demand and the On-Peak
and Off-Peak kilowatt-hour usage. Depending on the way
your utility’s TOU Demand Rate is structured, your meter
may or may not record Off-Peak demand, thus you may

19

15

10

5

12am 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12pm 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12

kW DEMAND

TIME

OFF PEAK

OFF PEAK

ON PEAK

CONTROL PERIOD

9AM TO 9PM

OWNER A

ENERGY USE-UNCONTROLLED

OWNER B

ENERGY USE-CONTROLLED

TIME OF DEMAND RATE

4

or may not be billed for Off-Peak demand. On-Peak times
vary from utility to utility; as well as, by season.

To benefi t from your Energy Sentry 9312 Demand
Management System you must have a demand measuring
electric meter equipped with the TOU/Demand option and
be billed on a TOU Demand Rate from your utility. Obtain
a rate booklet or rate sheet from your utility company that
describes your electric rate, the KW charges, On-Peak and
Off-Peak hours, and how to read your electric meter. We
recommend that you read your metered demand on the day
prior to when the meter is read by the power company, to
verify that your setting matches the meter’s reading.

Where the 9312
Technology Comes In

Yo u wouldn’t need a 9312 to take advantage of TOU
Demand Rates if you could go through your home and
continuously turn off heating or cooling circuits and major
appliances to level out peak demand whenever necessary.
But remember, one slip in any one demand interval and
your utility bill would refl ect a high demand charge.

The 9312 takes over this diffi cult, continuous burden
for you. The 9312 is one of the most sophisticated products
available for controlling peak demand. When properly
used, it can result in average monthly savings of up to 35%
and as much as 50% during heavy-use months. The sole
purpose of the 9312 is to effi ciently allocate the usage of
electricity to electrical loads so that demand peaks are kept
below the level which you have set.

How the 9312 Works

The 9312 contains a microcomputer which turns
certain circuits off when necessary to keep your home’s
peak demand below a limit that you preset. Not all circuits
need to be controlled by the 9312. Circuits controlled
usually include the air conditioning, all heating zones,
the dryer, the water heater, or any other load with some
thermal storage capacity or “thermal inertia”.

In a typical all-electric home, the winter morning
routine may involve turning up some thermostats, operat­ing the range, water heater and other appliances. Normally,
operation of these loads causes a morning peak (such as
that illustrated in Figure 1) which registers on the demand
meter. In the summer, a typical routine might include the
water heater cycling on and off as needed, operating the
range and later in the morning or early afternoon running
the air conditioner or cooling systems in your home. In
this case, these loads might cause an afternoon or evening
peak. In both cases, the peak demand used by your home
is caused by your use of electricity due to the season or
weather; as well as other normal non-weather related uses
of electricity.

Now, let’s put the 9312 to work. The start time of the
On-Peak period has just passed. The 9312 measures the
amount of power being used by the home as you go about
your daily business and it recognizes when the demand
limit is about to be exceeded. It waits a few minutes to see

if these loads are going to turn off by themselves while it
carefully calculates the average demand of the home. If
the power consumption continues to exceed the demand
limit, it begins to turn off loads. It turns off the least impor­tant load fi rst, using the load control strategy that you set.
As the power consumption drops, it then allows the most
important loads to come back on fi rst. There are several
optional load control strategies. A typical strategy might
provide power to a higher priority load such as the dryer
and cut back on the heating or cooling loads in one or more
rooms, or the water heater while the higher priority load is
on. When the dryer turns off, the power it had been using is
channeled back to the room heating or cooling, thus main­taining comfort but reducing peak demand. The end result
is that while you have still used about the same amount of
energy normally called upon by your lifestyle, this usage
has been leveled out to reduce the On-Peak demand. This
is illustrated by Owner B in Figure 1.

How the 9312 Saves

Now that we’ve examined how the 9312 enables
you to use the energy you are accustomed to, but spreads
this usage out by turning off non-critical loads for short
periods of time, let’s look at how this saves you money.
Remember, the utility company helps you save by offering
the TOU Demand Rate which is a lower rate per unit of
total energy consumed (Kwh). You can save money under
this rate if you control your peak energy usage to keep the
corresponding demand charge low.

The following hypothetical examples illustrate how
the Energy Sentry 9312 helps you save. Three cases are
presented for a single residence. In all three cases the total
energy consumption is the same. The differences are in the
utility rate structure and whether or not an Energy Sentry
9312 is installed.

Case I is an all-electric home billed under the Energy
Rate. This differs from the Demand Rate, in that there is

a higher charge for total energy used and no charge for
demand. Most homes not under the TOU Demand Rate
are billed under the Energy Rate. Table 1 on the next page
shows a monthly energy use of 3000 Kwh. Although rates
vary from utility to utility, the electric bill based on an
actual utility rate sheet for this energy usage level would
be $218.28.*

Case II is the same all-electric home billed under
the TOU Demand Rate. This rate is structured such that
11:00 AM to 10:00 PM Monday through Friday is the
On-Peak time during the summer schedule. The remain­ing 13 hours from 10:00 PM to 11:00 AM and weekends
are the Off-Peak time when customers are not billed for
Off-Peak demand. For example, let’s assume that the
energy usage remains at 3000 Kwh for the billing period
and that 750 Kwh were used in the On-Peak times and the
remaining 2250 Kwh were used during Off-Peak times.
In this case, peak energy usage plays an important part in
determining the total bill. Although energy use peaks will
vary from month-to-month, a typical value for a high-use
month might be 19 KW. Based on a total usage of 3000

Kwh, the electric bill based on actual utility rates would
be $201.54**. Compared to Case I (the standard Energy
Rate), use of the TOU Demand Rate results in savings of

approximately 8% fo r the same energy usage. The demand
charge for the high peak demand during the On-Peak time

Table I - Customer Bill Comparison

Case I Case II Case III
Uncontrolled All-Electric Uncontrolled All-Electric Energy Sentry Controlled
Home-Energy Rate Home-TOU Demand All-Electric Home-TOU
Billing Rate (summer) Demand Billing Rate (summer)

Energy Use 3000 Kwh 3000 Kwh 3000 Kwh
per month

Peak Demand N/A 19 KW 5 KW
during month

Electric Bill $218.28 $201.54 $112.23

Savings over $16.74 $106.05
Energy Rate (7.7%) (48.5%)

Savings over
Uncontrolled $89.31
TOU Demand Rate (44.3%)

* Based on Virginia Power Company rate Schedule 1 Energy rate, effective January 1, 2007. Does not include taxes, miscellaneous
charges, fees, or adjustments.
** Based on Virginia Power Company Summer rate Schedule 1S TOU-Demand rate, effective January 1, 2007. Does not include
taxes, miscellaneous charges, fees, or adjustments.

5

offsets most of the savings on energy costs. Only On-Peak
demand is measured and billed under this rate.

Case III again uses the same all-electric home billed
under the TOU Demand Rate. The energy usage is 3000
Kwh which is the same as Case I and Case II. Let’s assume
that 750 Kwh were used in the On-Peak times and 2250
Kwh were used during Off-Peak times. Let’s assume that
an Energy Sentry 9312 Demand Management System is
installed and that the On-Peak demand limit set by the
homeowner is 5 KW. Let’s also assume that the Off-Peak
demand is not used for billing purposes. Based on this
peak demand and energy consumption, the electric bill
is reduced to $112.23**. This means a savings of 48.5%
over the standard Energy Rate in Case I and a savings of

44.3% over the uncontrolled TOU Demand Rate in Case II.
Installing an Energy Sentry 9312 could result in a savings
of up to 50% of your monthly utility bill during the heavy
use months with an average annual savings of 35%. The
added bonus is that you don’t have to reduce your overall
consumption to save. Rather, just let your Energy Sentry
9312 level out your usage during On-Peak times.

Note: Depending on the application of the 9312, the
savings are based on the utility rates in effect, the On-Peak
and Off-Peak hours, the proportion of energy consumed
during On-Peak and Off-Peak times, and the demand limit.

Superior Features of
the 9312

Real-Time Control

The 9312 contains a real-time clock which allows the
demand management system to take advantage of TOU
Demand Rates available from some utilities and modify
the control strategy accordingly. This feature enhances the
money savings and comfort capabilities of the 9312. The
9312 automatically adjusts for changes in daylight-saving

time, holidays, and up to 4 seasonal On-Peak/Off-Peak
time schedules.

Daylight-Saving Time

The daylight-saving time settings mentioned in the
next paragraph apply only to those 9312 Demand Manage­ment Systems with Version 3.1 (or later) software.

The 9312 contains three specifi c daylight-saving time
programs. The system can be set for the pre-2007 daylight­saving time schedule (where daylight-saving time begins
on the fi rst Sunday in April and ends on the last Sunday
in October); the new daylight-saving time schedule which
was initiated in March 2007 (where daylight-saving time
begins on the second Sunday in March and ends on the fi rst
Sunday in November); or it can be set to recognize NO
daylight-saving time schedule. The latter is helpful for cus­tomers in areas that do not utilize daylight-saving time.

Deluxe Digital Display Capability

The 9312 incorporates a 6-digit display for clear
and simple user information presentation. It displays all
system settings and real-time measurements; as well as,
the current time. All system modes are displayed by easy­to-read mnemonics, two letter symbols representing the
current information on the display. In addition, sixteen
LED indicators show the on/off status of each individual
control point. See Appendix B for a listing of all system
settings and displays.

8 or 16 Separate Control Points

High peak demands occur when many electrical loads
are used simultaneously. The 9312 can control up to 16
individual electric loads on eight separate control points
using one Relay Unit or it can control up to 32 individual
electric loads on 16 separate control points using two
Relay Units. The controlled appliances can be turned off
for brief periods of time with little or no interruption to

6

your lifestyle. These loads usually consist of heating or
cooling circuits, dryer heating elements and hot water
heaters. These loads represent 60% to 80% of your total
connected electrical load. With eight or sixteen separate
control points, the 9312 provides maximum utilization
of energy. That’s because the loads which are turned on
and off are smaller, permitting a more regular and even
demand level. This results in greater energy effi ciency and
comfort.

Microcomputer for Maximum
Flexibility

Use of a microcomputer allows the 9312 to precisely
measure KW power demand and accurately compute and
control the average KW demand. In addition, by using a
microcomputer, the 9312 can be adapted to any user life­style or load requirement by allowing unlimited fl exibility
in choosing load control strategies, Minimum On/Off­Times and other control system settings.

EEPROM Non-Volatile Memory for
Maximum Reliability

Energy Sentry’s EEPROM memory “remembers”
all system settings, even when power is lost to your unit.
In this way utility power interruptions do not affect the
settings in your 9312. The system’s 10-year non-volatile
memory retains settings for 10 years in absence of power,
and if power is lost, timekeeping continues for 10 years
ensuring that the system clock is always accurate.

Choice of Load Control Strategies

The choice of load control strategies, made possible
by the use of a microcomputer, offers unlimited fl exibility

as to how loads may be controlled. This means the 9312
can be adapted to almost any application, requirement,
or lifestyle. You or your dealer can individually set the
priority of each controlled load to create the optimum load
control strategy for a particular home and lifestyle.

Minimum On/Off-Times to Protect
Heat Pumps and Air Conditioners
Loads

All control points of the 9312 can be programmed
with Minimum On and Off-Times, each variable from
zero to 20 minutes. This feature allows the 9312 to be used
with heat pump and air conditioning compressor loads by
providing time-delay protection.

Auto-Limit Function

The 9312’s Auto-Limit Function allows automatic
changes of the demand limit up to 12 times per year. You
may fi nd this useful in changing their demand limit as
desired throughout the year to refl ect the seasonal increases
or decreases in energy use. The Auto-Limit function helps
to automatically adjust for these changes so you don’t have
to remember to do it manually. You can override these
changes at any time; however, any previously set changes
will still remain in effect.

System Description

Yo ur Energy Sentry 9312 Demand Management
System consists of three basic components: the Control/
Display Unit, Relay Unit(s) and the Current Transform­ers. The System Diagram in Figure 3 in the Installation
Manual shows how these components are connected to
control loads at the circuit breaker panel. You r 9312 con­trols only those loads which are connected to it. However
the total demand from all household loads are measured
continuously. These loads will vary depending on applica­tion and should be listed in the space provided at the end
of this manual; as well as, on the keyboard label inside the
door of the Control/Display Unit. If you are in doubt as
to which loads are controlled, ask your electrician or the
authorized dealer who installed your 9312.

The basic function of your 9312 in controlling these
loads is to keep the total electrical demand below a peak
value set according to your desired level of comfort and
minimum load requirements. Each of the components
which make up the 9312 has a separate and unique func­tion in accomplishing this task described below:

Control/Display Unit

The Control/Display Unit is located inside the home
usually in a convenient location like the family room,
kitchen, or main hallway. It is used to set or change system
settings and monitor system operation and contains an
audible alarm to indicate that the demand limit is about to
be exceeded. A 6-digit display provides system informa­tion and the current time. There are 7 push-button keys
that control all functions of the display. By pressing a
key or a combination of keys, you can change the display
mode and program all system settings.

The Control/Display Unit is the “brain” of the 9312
and it contains a microcomputer which automatically
controls loads connected to the relays in the Relay Unit.
Commands to switch these loads originate here and are
based on the user-set demand limit and the actual demand
as measured by the Current Transformers. The loads
are switched based upon the load control strategies pro­grammed into your unit according to your requirements.
These strategies will be discussed in more detail later.

Relay Unit

Either one or two Relay Units may be used with
the 9312. Each Relay Unit consists of up to eight power
switching relays. This unit is mounted next to the main
circuit breaker panel and contains the Data/Link PC Board
used in communicating with the Control/Display Unit. An
expanded system, one that has 16 power switching relays,
requires two Relay Units.

Current Transformers

Two Current Transformers (CT’s), usually mounted
inside the circuit breaker panel to monitor total electrical
usage. They tell the microcomputer in the Control/Display
Unit how much electricity your home is using for all loads,
not just those controlled by the 9312. By monitoring the
total usage, controlled loads may be turned on and off to
keep total demand below the limit you set.

7

System Operation

Figure 2 shows the front panel of the C/D Unit. Each
indicator and key serves a specifi c purpose in providing
you with the necessary information and control to mini­mize peak energy usage. Each of these indicators and keys
have been numbered and are described below.

Mode Display (1): This two-digit indicator displays
the 9312’s mode which has been selected to be displayed
in the Mode display. Instantaneous demand (id), Average
demand (Ad), Peak demand (Pd), Demand Limit (dL) and
Clock (CL) modes are selected here. One of these modes is
selected at a time, by using the Display Mode key (12).

KW Demand/Time Display (2): This indicator dis­plays the KW demand or time information depending on
the mode selected in the Mode Display (1) above.

AM Indicator (3): When the Clock (CL) mode is
selected in the Mode Display (1), the AM indicator lights
when all clock and time settings between midnight and
noon are shown in the KW Demand/Time Display (2).

PM Indicator (4): When the Clock (CL) mode is
selected in the Mode Display (1), the PM indicator lights
when all clock and time settings between noon and mid­night are shown in the KW Demand/Time Display (2).

Reduce Load Indicator (5): The Reduce Load indi­cator will come on and the alarm will sound (if the alarm is

turned on) when all controlled loads have been turned off
by the 9312, but demand is still approaching the demand
limit. When this occurs, you must either reduce the uncon­trolled demand or increase the demand limit as suggested
in the operating instructions.

Circuit On Indicators (6): These indicators, when
lit, tell you which control points are enabled. A Circuit On
indication does not necessarily mean that the controlled
load is actually on, but can go on if the thermostat (or start
switch for the dryer) calls for it.

Decrease Key (7): This key operates in conjunction
with the Demand Limit key (9), Display Bright key (10),
and the Alarm Volume key (11) and is used to decrease the
functions controlled by these keys.

Increase Key (8): This key operates in conjunction
with the Demand Limit key (9), Display Bright key (10),
and the Alarm Volume key (11) and is used to increase the
functions controlled by these keys.

Demand Limit Key (9): This key is used to set the
demand limit and is used in conjunction with the Decrease
key (7) or Increase key (8) and allows you to adjust the
demand limit up or down to the level which best suits your
particular energy requirements. During Off-Peak times,
the On-Peak demand limit may be checked by simply
pressing this key from any display mode. The On-Peak
demand limit will be displayed in the KW Demand/Time
Display and may be adjusted up or down by also pressing
the Increase key (8) or Decrease key (7).

Figure 2: Control/Display (C/D) Unit

8

Display Brightness Key (10): This key is used to
adjust the display brightness and is used in conjunction
with the Decrease key (7) or Increase key (8) to set the
display brightness for the best visibility under existing
lighting conditions.

Alarm Volume Key (11): This key is used with the
Decrease key (7) or Increase key (8) to control the alarm
volume and allows you to adjust the volume to high,
medium, low or off to meet various sound conditions.

Display Mode Key (12): This key allows you to
select the display mode desired in the Mode display and
KW Demand/Time display windows. Each press of the key
rotates between Instantaneous, Average or Peak demand
limit and Clock modes.

Reset Peak Key (13): When in Peak demand mode,
this key allows you to reset the highest average (peak)
demand recorded since the last reset. This can be reset at
any time and is for owner information only.

Control Panel Instructions (14): These instructions,
printed on the Control/Display Unit, enable you to make
all appropriate demand control and time setting changes.

Circuit Assignments (15): Th is space is used to record
the loads controlled by each circuit of the 9312 and is fi lled
in using the information supplied by the installer or dealer
in the back of this manual.

Basic Operation

Yo ur 9312 has been designed for ease of operation and
to provide effi cient energy use. Please carefully read the
following instructions concerning basic system operation
as they will enable you to maximize effi cient energy use
and minimize your electric bill.

Step 1, Tu rning On the Unit: Your 9312 should already
have been turned on by the installing electrician. If not,
there should be a circuit breaker in your circuit breaker
panel labeled “9312” or “Energy Sentry”. If this circuit
breaker is off, it should be turned on. If the circuit breaker
cannot be located, call the installing electrician.

Step 2, Setting Your Demand Limit: Please refer to the
Control/Display Unit pictured in Figure 2 for this and all
succeeding steps. To set demand limit:

1. Press and hold the Display key (12) until “dL”

shows in the Mode Display (1).

2. Press and hold the Demand Limit key (9).

3. Simultaneously press the Decrease key (7) or the
Increase key (8) until the desired demand limit is reached.
The numbers in the KW Demand/Time Display (2) will
count up or down as you push these buttons.

4. Release keys at the desired setting.

There is no single On-Peak demand setting that will
be suitable for everyone. The level of demand required to
satisfy comfort, economy, and convenience will vary with
the uniqueness of each house, its occupants’ energy use,
and the utility’s averaging period.

To arrive at the best demand setting for you, requires
some trial and error (see Table 2). The 9312 has a demand
limit setting range of 2.0 to 49.5 KW in .5 KW increments.

A good starting demand limit is 5 KW. If you need more
energy to maintain comfort, increase the KW level by only
.5 KW. If, after an hour or two, this is not enough, increase
it by .5 KW again until you are comfortable. Don’t expect
instantaneous results. Thermal recovery of a home may
take several hours. However, you can help by turning off
all non-critical loads in your home. Once the demand limit
is increased, you will be billed a higher rate.

Note: Remember that once the meter registers peak
demand, it will not come down until it is reset to zero each
month by the meter reader. (See “Hints for Maximum
Savings” on page 11).

Because your are billed under a TOU Demand Rate,
you should change the KW Demand Limit on your Control/
Display Unit once a month or seasonally as appropriate.
Typical demand limit ranges, by month, for an average
all-electric home are listed in Table 2.

Table 2: Typical KW Values by Month

Summer Winter

Month (A/C) (Heating)

January 4-6 KW 7-10 KW

February 4-6 7-10

March 5-7 6-9

April 5-8 5-7

May 6-10 5-6

June 6-10 5-6

July 6-10 KW 5-6 KW

August 6-10 5-6

September 6-8 5-7

October 5-7 6-8

November 4-6 7-9

December 4-6 7-10

Step 3, Monitoring Your Actual Demand: To select
Instantaneous (id), Average (Ad) or Peak demand (Pd):

1. Press Display key (12) once for each display

change desired.

2. The Mode Display (1) will show which demand
mode is selected: Instantaneous demand (id), Average
demand (Ad), or Peak demand (Pd). As you scroll through
this Main Loop, you will also see the Demand Limit (dL)
and Clock (CL) displays.

Step 4, Reset Peak: This step is optional depending upon
the time interval for which a record of your highest average
(peak) is desired. To reset peak:

1. Press the Display key until the Mode Display
reads “Pd” for Peak demand (See Step 3).

2. Press and release the Peak Reset key (13). A zero
will briefl y be displayed in the KW Demand/Time Display

(2). This value will then jump to the current average which
becomes your new peak. As the average increases, the
peak demand will also increase and be recorded.

Step 5, Adjusting Display Brightness: Display bright­ness may vary with existing lighting conditions. Set as
follows:

1. Press and hold the Display Bright key (10).

2. Simultaneously press the Decrease key (7) or
the Increase key (8) until the desired intensity is reached.

3. Release keys at the desired display intensity.

Step 6, Adjusting Alarm Volume: Alarm volume may be
varied depending upon the desired alarm level as follows: