Technical supportDocumentationand technical contact

Are you having difficulty installing or using our products? Here you will find our technical documentation and some frequently asked questions that should help you solve your problem. If you are still in trouble, please do not hesitate to contact our support team, who will be happy to help you.

Technical documents
All
Datasheets
NovaLight OLC Pole Detect Datasheet
488 KB - 18.12.2021
NovaLight OLC Pole Datasheet
412 KB - 18.12.2021
NovaLight OLC Wall Datasheet
516 KB - 18.12.2021
NovaLight OLC Wall Detect Datasheet
732 KB - 18.12.2021
NovaLight OLC Zhaga Datasheet
449 KB - 27.02.2023
NovaLight OLC NEMA Legacy Datasheet
484 KB - 18.12.2021
NovaCity Gateway Datasheet
1 MB - 18.12.2021
NovaCity Outdoor Gateway Datasheet
1 MB - 18.12.2021

Training

Novaccess offers various training programs to support stakeholders in the planning, installing, and maintaining of smart solutions for communities and industry. These training courses combine theory and practice to understand and experience modern technologies. For example, for the remote management of public lighting, we offer training for project managers or lighting consultants, assemblers, maintenance specialists, IT services that integrate and operate communication networks, etc.

Frequently asked questions
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NovaCom
NovaLight
NovaTraffic
Smart City
Can I install a light controller in an electrical cabinet?
In some cases, it is possible. Indeed, installing a controller in an electrical cabinet can be interesting for multiple projects. However, the correct functioning of the solution will depend on the quality of the radio frequencies. To avoid surprises, we recommend that you consider installing a controller outside the electrical cabinet to ensure good communications quality. If, however, you wish to attempt installation in a cabinet, we recommend that you contact our technical support so that they can assist you in this process. We have special tools to diagnose the quality of radio frequencies between a gateway and a controller.
Does NovaLight require a constant power supply?

No, it is not an obligation. The NovaLight solution is fully compatible with a power supply activated only during the night by centralized remote control, a twilight probe, an astronomical clock, or a combination of those control capabilities. NovaLight also operates with a continuous power supply and offers to switch on a luminaire by an astronomical clock.

How can I get the NovaLight mobile app?
The NovaLight mobile app is available on the Apple Store (search for novalightapp) or the Google Play Store for Android phones (search for novalight). The app is free. Once introduced, all you have to do is enter your project's web address (for example, my-projet.novalight.cloud) and enter your username and password.df
How does dynamic dimming work, and what do I need to install it?
Dynamic dimming is ideal for minimizing light pollution and energy consumption. To achieve dynamic dimming, you must incorporate motion detectors within your project. To do so, you can use NovaLight OLC Pole Detect controllers or NovaLight OLC Zhaga controllers with an accessory motion detector. It is also possible to mix this equipment on different luminaires in the same project. In remote management software, it is possible to define which luminaires should react to events from a detector. This configuration is straightforward and handy; all you have to do is select a sensor on a map, then click on the lights you want to switch on on detection. Once the configuration is complete, the server will synchronize it with the devices when activated. It is thus possible to reduce the lighting when there is no one detected in the streetlight vicinity. As soon as the controller detects someone, the intensity is increased for a few seconds, maintained for a while, and then gradually lowered to the lowest level. All the delays and the high and low light intensity levels are configurable. They can even vary according to the night hours or the days of the week. The controllers exchange detections via the wireless network to increase the light intensity of neighboring luminaires in advance and thus reinforce the feeling of safety and visual comfort. It is also possible to define time slots during which you want the detection to be active. Not all controllers in a project need to be equipped with presence detectors. It is possible to make a controller react without detection to the events of a third-party detector via the wireless network. In addition, you can install a sensor without connecting it to a streetlight.
How does volumetric lowering work, and what do I need to install it?

Volumetric reductions allow the intensity of an entire section to be changed depending on the traffic flow. The crucial information is the maximum number of vehicles traveling per hour in both directions of traffic. From there, stages are configured representing percentages of the maximum hourly traffic, for example:

  • Between 0% and 15% of the maximum hourly traffic, the section must be lit at 50%
  • Between 15% and 45%, the section must be illuminated at 75%
  • Below 45%, the section must be lit at 100%

You must install a traffic meter in the street connected to a NovaCity Outdoor Gateway and NovaLight OLC controllers on the luminaires to achieve volume reduction. In the remote management software, you must then configure the dimming zone corresponding to the road section, place the counting radar there and configure the dimming program. You must configure the radar to count the traffic and change the illumination of the road section at intervals of at least one minute.

How long does it take for a controller to connect?

It is necessary to differentiate the first connection after installation from the following connections. The controller generally takes a few tens of seconds to connect to the remote management platform during the first connection. This delay also depends on the number of controllers connecting for the first time simultaneously. If there are only a few new devices, they should connect within a few minutes. On the contrary, if there are a hundred, then the procedure will take a few tens of minutes on average. During the next switch-on, the controllers will not restart the entire connection process, and they will be immediately available via the network.

How many NovaLight OLC controllers can a gateway manage?
A NovaCity Gateway can manage up to 256 luminaire controllers. Depending on the downgrade strategy and the project topology, it may be preferable to consider a smaller number of controllers per gateway. For example, if the project makes heavy use of dynamic control commands with motion detection, it is recommended to reduce the size of the networks to maintain optimal performance. The speed of the wireless network is always the same, so the more connected devices, the more they will have to share this capacity. Do not hesitate to contact our technical support for more information on this subject.
Is it possible to change the lighting schedule during the day?

Yes, the NovaLight solution allows you to configure public lighting during the day. The platform will transmit all the modifications during the night when the lighting infrastructure is powered, and the controllers connected. This operation is performed automatically at a pre-configured instant during the night. However, it is possible to manually force the synchronization of the configurations during the night if necessary.

Is it possible to connect a Zhaga sensor to the Zhaga NovaLight OLC controller?

Yes, it's possible. Dynamic lighting is an essential function of NovaLight. Experience has shown that not all the market available Zhaga sensors are created equal and that some available features can be specific to a given Zhaga sensor. Novaccess is actively testing as many sensors as possible and verifying their proper integration with our solution. We recommend contacting our technical support for more information on this subject.

Is it possible to integrate NovaLight into a Smart-City platform?

Yes, it's possible. NovaLight is our public lighting remote management application. What is visible in our software can easily be transposed into another software. Several options are available to connect NovaLight to another application: the programming interface (API) proprietary to Novaccess; or the programming interface conforming to the TALQ standard. Some exclusive features are currently only available in our proprietary programming interface. Do not hesitate to contact our technical support for more information about integration with third-party software.

Is the Smart City NovaCom network multi-application?

Yes. We have designed the NovaCom Smart City mesh topology wireless network to be operated by different applications simultaneously. It is thus possible to develop a wireless network within the framework of the remote management of public lighting, then reuse it to connect the equipment of other applications.

What is the maximum distance between a gateway and a luminaire controller?

The answer depends on the project context. However, in general, the maximum distance between a gateway and a controller should be around one hundred meters. It is essential for a good performance of the system that the gateway has excellent links with the first controllers. Therefore, we will recommend a relatively small distance from the gateway to promote this link quality concerning the possible range of our NovaCom network. You must consider the following parameters:

  • The type of gateway installation (in an electrical cabinet with a remote antenna, in a cabinet on a lighting pole, in a building, etc.)
  • The type of environment (urban, peri-urban, rural)
  • The elements between the gateway and the controller (buildings, forests, etc.)
  • The land's geology (flat, sloping, hills, mountains, etc.)

We consider as equivalent a gateway in a cabinet with a remote antenna and a gateway in an enclosure installed on a lighting mast. In these cases, the recommended distance in an urban environment is approximately 50 meters, in a semi-urban environment between 100 and 150 meters. In a rural environment, the distance can reach several hundred meters.

Which light reduction strategy is possible for my project?

NovaLight can carry out the following dimming strategies:

  • Hourly reduction (for public places, town centers, etc.).
  • Dynamic dimming (for residential areas, paths, public parks, parking lots, etc.)
  • Volumetric dimming (for main roads, highways, etc.)

It is also possible to mix hourly reductions with dynamic or volumetric reductions. However, you cannot combine dynamic and volumetric dimming due to their opposite nature. Projects can also incorporate different dimming strategies based on specific location needs.

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