Hitachi’s new PC-ARC-E controller aims to simplify VRF system management, but will it end up as another over-engineered paperweight?
Hitachi has launched the PC-ARC-E, a new wired controller designed for VRF (Variable Refrigerant Flow) systems, targeting "budget-conscious VRF projects". The controller boasts a compact design and a user-friendly interface based on pictograms.
According to Hitachi, its core functions are accessible directly from the home screen, allowing 0.5°C incremental adjustments. A single PC-ARC-E controller can manage up to 16 indoor units. One controller for sixteen indoor units – sounds optimistic.
Configure This
Installers can configure the controller using the airCloud Tap smartphone app, which allows settings to be saved and copied between rooms. The app also provides access to over 140 parameters, system data, fault codes, and maintenance information, promising faster and more accurate diagnostics. It’s a step up from fiddling with dip switches, assuming the app doesn’t crash every five minutes.
The airCloud Tap app highlights Hitachi's commitment to embracing digital solutions. The PC-ARC-E needs to be reliable enough to prevent the installer lobbing it through the nearest window during setup. No one wants that, especially not on a Friday afternoon.
Energy Savings? Maybe.
The PC-ARC-E includes "practical energy-saving features such as weekly scheduling and peak cut operation to limit consumption during high-demand periods". Comfort features include gentle cool and auto boost. For residential use, there's a sleep mode, and hotel applications can integrate key-card systems to activate setback temperatures when rooms are unoccupied.
Let's hope those "practical" features are just that – practical. An integrated IR receiver enables use with wireless remote controls, providing a "neat and cost-effective solution for ducted units or installations without built-in IR capability, without the need for additional receiver kits." The inclusion of an integrated IR receiver: a welcome addition, if it works.
Time will tell if this new controller is a genuinely useful bit of kit, or just another shiny box to gather dust.
