Temperature Control Systems

Farmex manufactures the dicam control range made up of the controller itself and a number of driver and sensor components. Dicam controls can be used for any temperature control application.

43 years in the business means our products are tried and tested, reliable, flexible and cost effective.

We supply linear actuators and associated power supply and battery back-up units.
We make battery powered wireless modules and assemble wireless sensors and other wireless components to provide a complete wireless monitoring or alarm system.

The Dicam Process Control System

A process control system designed to provide complete solutions for farmers and anyone else for that matter! Whilst the system can be used to regulate any process involving sensors, actuators, fans, heaters, dampers, fridges, pumps etc, it is most commonly used to control temperature in livestock buildings and crop storage facilities.

Any kind of sensor can be connected to the controller and any kind of load can be switched or controlled. Dicam is flexible, robust, reliable and future proof.

The dicam unit has an integrated processor and display board, switch card and applications board. The unit has 8 inputs and 8 outputs, built-in networking capability and a simple to navigate menu structure. Outputs are optically isolated from their selected driver units and the 24vAC power supply is typically battery backed up so the “brain” of the control system is robustly protected whilst cheaper load bearing drivers do the hard work of switching the output peripherals such as fans or heaters. By networking to additional input/output devices, any number of any kind of peripheral device can be controlled.

Drivers

Separate circuit boards each with a unique function allow the dicam range to control any kind of load or peripheral device. The load is not restricted either as several drivers can be controlled from the same output channel.

Voltage control
0-10vDC output
On/off switching
Interval timing
Timer
Alarm trigger
3-phase voltage control

Connectivity & Applications

Sensors

Temperature is the most common parameter measured in dicam control applications and a variety of thermistor based sensors are available. There’s no need for calibration as the controller takes care of that.

Dicam controllers can use any other sensor available and other types of sensor used to date include humidity, CO2, NH3, static pressure, air velocity, weight, light level, air quality, wind speed and direction, rainfall, level (sonic sensor).

As remote monitoring becomes more widespread and the Internet of Things develops, dicam will use innovative new sensor technologies as they come along.

Wireless

Farmex has added the ability to connect temperature and RH sensors, water and electric meters to dicam controllers and monitoring systems wirelessly. It is also possible to provide a wireless bridge where hardwired network cabling is difficult or simply not possible. Wireless connectivity helps to reduce the cost of system installation.

Wireless temperature sensors are used in Pheasant brooder alarm systems and 2m wireless temperature lances are used in grain stores. High powered repeaters ensure widespread wireless sensors can all be read. A wireless co-ordinator connects all the wireless devices in a system to the controller. Farmex also supplies a USB connected dongle to allow wireless sensors to report to a laptop.

Get in touch

Farmex has a first base telephone technical support service which is second to none in UK agriculture.
Between the hours of 7.00am and 6.00pm 5 days a week you’ll always get hold of a human being who knows what they’re talking about.