IN485PAN001I000 – Panasonic Etherea to BACnet MS/TP Gateway

IN485PAN001I000 – Seamless BACnet MS/TP Integration for Panasonic Etherea. 

The Panasonic-BACnet gateway enables fully bi-directional communication between Panasonic Etherea air-conditioning systems and BACnet MS/TP networks in commercial or residential buildings. By wiring the IN485PAN001I000 module directly to the indoor unit’s RC bus, facility managers gain granular control over all major HVAC parameters—operating mode, fan speed, temperature set-point, vane position and more—while simultaneously monitoring alarms, run-time counters and key internal variables. Thanks to its compact DIN-rail enclosure and DIP-switch configuration, installation typically takes less than ten minutes, requires no external power supply and involves zero PC software.

Beyond basic control, the gateway abstracts every essential Etherea function into fixed BACnet objects, letting any BMS or SCADA station treat the indoor unit as a native BACnet device. This abstraction drastically simplifies programming, shortens commissioning times and guarantees long-term interoperability—even when AC firmware is updated—because object names and IDs remain stable. Furthermore, the simultaneous use of Panasonic’s original IR remote or wired controller is preserved, so on-site staff never lose manual override capability.

In modern high-performance buildings, HVAC accounts for up to 40 % of total energy expenditure. The IN485PAN001I000’s built-in Occupancy Mode lets integrators automatically reduce set-points—or shut units off entirely—when rooms are vacant, delivering substantial energy savings without user intervention. Additional BACnet objects expose coil-in and coil-out temperatures, compressor status and cumulative operating hours, providing data essential for predictive maintenance and ESG reporting. When connected to analytics platforms, these points enable early detection of refrigerant losses or dirty filters, preventing costly downtime.

The gateway ships with a pre-defined object list containing over 60 points, including AI, AO, BI and BO types. Each object is documented in the accompanying PICS, ensuring smooth integration with supervisory software such as Tridium Niagara, Siemens Desigo, Schneider EcoStruxure or Honeywell EBI. If required, system integrators can disable unused objects via DIP-switches to reduce network traffic on bandwidth-constrained MS/TP trunks.

Key features

• BTL-certified for guaranteed BACnet interoperability
• Native BACnet MS/TP (9600 – 115 200 bps) – no IP wiring required
• On-board DIP-switch setup: address, baud rate, COV reporting
• Plug-and-play installation; powered directly from the AC unit
• Simultaneous control from Panasonic remote and BACnet network
• Integrated Occupancy & Window-Open logics for energy saving
• Ultra-compact housing 93 × 53 × 58 mm; DIN-rail or wall mount
• Up to 31 devices per MS/TP segment, 127 per BACnet network
• Diagnostic LEDs for AC bus and MS/TP traffic
• Galvanic isolation 1 500 VDC between AC and MS/TP sides
• RoHS-compliant, CE-marked, 36-month warranty

Typical applications

• Hotel guest-room automation with central temperature setback
• Open-plan offices requiring desk-level zone control via BACnet HMI
• Smart-home hubs integrating Etherea split units with KNX-to-BACnet routers
• Data-centre meet-me rooms where humidity and temperature drift must be logged continuously
• Retrofit projects replacing legacy IR gateways with faster MS/TP infrastructure

Specifications

Enclosure:

• Plastic, type PC (UL 94 V-0)Net dimensions (DxWxH): 93 x 53 x 58 mm / 3.7 x 2.1 x 2.3”
• Color: Light grey. RAL 7035

Terminal wiring for low voltage signals:

• Per terminal: solid wires or stranded wires (twisted or with ferrule)
• 1 core: 0.5 to 2.5 mm2 (24 to 11 AWG)
• 2 cores: 0.5 to 1.5mm2 (24 to 15 AWG)
• 3 cores: not permitted

Mounting:

• DIN rail, wall, or even inside the indoor unit in some models of AC

BACnet MS/TP port:

• 1 x EIA-485 pluggable terminal block (3 poles: B, A, and SG) with 120 Ω resistor termination and polarisation configurable by DIP switch

AC unit port:

• 1 x RC bus pluggable terminal block (2 poles: A, B)

LED indicators:

• 2 x Communication status

DIP switches:

• SW1: Gateway and baudrate configuration
• SW2: MAC address and temperature unit
• SW3: Bus polarization and termination

Operational and storage temperature:

• Celsius: Op: 0 to +70°C; St: -20 to 85ºC
• Fahrenheit: 32 to 158ºF; St: -4 to 185ºF

Operational and storage humidity:

• 5% to 95%, non-condensing

Isolation Voltage:

• 1500 VDC

Isolation resistance:

• 1000 MΩ

Certifications & Standards:

• BACnet certificate
• CE conformity to EMC directive (2014/30/EC) and low-voltage directive (2014/35/EC)
• EN 61000-6-3, EN 61000-6-2, EN 62368-1
• Compliant with RoHS 2 directive (2011/65/EU)

Warranty: 36 months

For detailed object lists, wiring diagrams or volume pricing, contact our HVAC-BMS specialists via  this form.