How you can use Bluetooth data logger technology to predict and prevent malfunctions and improve the performance of your HVAC units in the field.
In the field service world, we’ve been hearing a lot about the importance of collecting more data and analyzing it to inform smart business decisions. While HVAC businesses have been using data loggers—electronic sensors that evaluate and track the performance of HVAC equipment—for years, companies like, Onset, are redefining how we think of them.
In this complementary technology interview I feature my conversation with Onset Project Marketing Engineer, Herman Gustafson. Taking a look at Onset’s new Bluetooth and cloud advancements, Herman highlights how data loggers can be the perfect accessory for service organizations looking to stay informed about how their equipment is performing and when they need to make adjustments.
Let’s get started.
MSI: Hi Herman. Thanks for joining me! Could you start by explaining your role at Onset?
Onset: Sure. I’m the Project Marketing Engineer. I work with the product marketing group to identify products that are needed in the market place. We serve multiple verticals and it’s my job to identify opportunities for new product development.
MSI: Explain who Onset is and what your main products are?
Onset: Onset was founded in 1981 as a data logger company. Our main product is called HOBO data logger. We sell in several different vertical markets and our products are known for their low cost, reliability, and ease of use.
MSI: Could you go into each of the products and explain how they benefit HVAC contractors and technicians?
Onset: Our HOBO data logger audits spaces and processes to confirm how a system or a building is operating. It measures temperature, CO2 levels, energy consumption, etc. to find out what’s going on. For example, maybe a service company wants to confirm a customer complaint, so they’ll use the HOBO data logger to identify what’s really going on in the environment.
The MX is our next-generation Bluetooth smart logger. It fits into the basic data logging definition—sits on the wall and monitors something—but it’s able to make that data immediately available through the cloud. The concept is born out of the internet of things. We’ll have a whole range of these products coming out in the future. To interact with the device through mobile, you just download an app so you can communicate wirelessly with the device to receive small bits of data periodically. It can be used to monitor equipment and audit performance in real time.
MSI: How can HVAC contractors benefit from these products, specifically service techs installing or repairing HVAC units?
Onset: If the contractor receives a report of malfunctioning equipment, they could install one of our data loggers and get a historical log of the data over a period of time. With the Bluetooth data logger, contractors can receive information from anywhere through their mobile device, then take action based on the historical data they receive.
Service orgs could also use our products to perform before/ after comparisons. For example, if they’re planning on upgrading their system, they can test beforehand, apply the change, and test again after enhancements were made to verify the improvements.
MSI: Is there a mobile component to your software?
Onset: Yes. Like I mentioned, our Bluetooth data logger allows businesses to receive and evaluate information from the unit right on their mobile device.
MSI: Where do you see mobile technology fitting into the future of HVAC?
Onset: Mobile is fast becoming the standard in HVAC technology. As it evolves, functionality of sensors will be higher and censoring technology will become crucial. Eventually HVAC businesses will know a unit is experiencing problems even before the customer does.
As the World Shifts to Cloud, Onset Plans to Help HVAC Service Contractors Stay in the Loop
There’s no feeling like knowing exactly how to fix a problem. You don’t waste time or energy waffling between this or that solution because you have the data explaining exactly what’s wrong and exactly how to fix it.
That’s the sort of feeling Onset wants to help you experience. With the future of their Bluetooth data loggers, HVAC service organizations can monitor customer unit conditions and provide the right sort of service whenever there’s a problem. No more guess work and no more waiting for answers.
How will you take advantage of upcoming technology trends as the HVAC industry shifts toward mobile and cloud?
Check out the rest of our complementary technology series:
How Intellastar Helps Service Businesses Fix HVAC Equipment Inefficiencies – [Complementary Technology Series]
Sierra Monitor Gives In-Depth Equipment Service Intelligence back to OEMs—[Complementary Technology Series]
Cloud 101: A Buyer’s Guide to Managing Field Service in the Cloud
Cloud is the next frontier in enterprise software best practices. Use this guide to prepare your team for a transition to managing field service in the cloud.
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