EnOcean — Wireless Without Batteries
Energy harvesting switches and sensors that need no battery, no cable, no maintenance. The technology behind Europe's most reliable batteryless wireless standard.
How energy harvesting works
EnOcean devices extract energy from the environment — light, motion, or temperature difference — and convert it into the few microjoules needed to transmit a 868 MHz radio telegram. No battery. No cable. Just physics.
Solar harvesting
Photovoltaic cell captures ambient light. Works under artificial lighting (≥200 lux). Used in wall switches, room controllers, presence sensors.
PEHA by Honeywell switches, Eltako switches, Thermokon room controllers
Kinetic harvesting
Piezoelectric generator converts button press into electrical pulse. One press = one telegram. No standby power needed at all.
EnOcean PTM 535/536 module inside Gira, Berker, Merten rockers
Thermal harvesting
Thermoelectric generator uses temperature difference (ΔT ≥ 4°C) between room air and pipe/radiator surface. Used for radiator valves.
Micropelt ThermoReader, Herz thermostatic actuators
EnOcean protocol specifications
| Parameter | Value | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Frequency (EU) | 868.3 MHz | Sub-GHz — better wall penetration than 2.4 GHz |
| Frequency (US) | 315 MHz / 902 MHz | Different chips for different regions |
| Modulation | ASK (amplitude-shift keying) | Simple, low-power demodulation |
| Data rate | 125 kbps | Sufficient for sensor/switch data |
| Telegram length | 14 bytes (1BS), 21 bytes (4BS) | Ultra-short — fast transmission |
| Range (open field) | ≥300m | Line-of-sight, optimal conditions |
| Range (indoor) | 30m per hop (concrete) | Depends heavily on construction |
| Repeaters | Up to 2 hops allowed | Max 2 relay devices between sender and gateway |
| Topology | Star (no mesh) | Each device talks directly to controller (or via 1-2 repeaters) |
| Addressing | 32-bit device ID (unique) | Globally unique ID, no pairing collisions |
| Security | AES-128 (RLC rolling code) | Replay protection; older devices unencrypted |
| Standard body | ISO/IEC 14543-3-10 | International standard since 2012 |
⚠️ Range in real buildings
EnOcean's 868 MHz penetrates concrete better than Zigbee/WiFi (2.4 GHz), but range still drops dramatically through reinforced concrete walls. Expect 10–15m per hop in typical EU apartment buildings. Ceiling-mounted gateways and strategic repeater placement are essential for larger installations.
EEP — EnOcean Equipment Profiles
Every EnOcean device communicates using a standardised EEP (EnOcean Equipment Profile). The profile defines the telegram structure, data encoding, and device behaviour. KNX gateways use EEP codes to correctly interpret incoming radio data and map it to KNX group addresses.
| EEP Code | Device Type | Data |
|---|---|---|
| F6-02-01 | Rocker switch (2-channel) | Pressed / released per channel |
| F6-02-02 | Rocker switch (3-channel) | Used in 3-gang EnOcean switches |
| D2-01-02 | Binary switch actuator | On/Off/toggle command |
| A5-02-05 | Temperature sensor 0–40°C | 10-bit temperature value |
| A5-04-01 | Temp + Humidity combined | Temperature + RH% in one telegram |
| A5-06-01 | Light sensor (lux) | Illuminance value 0–600 lux |
| A5-07-01 | Occupancy sensor | PIR occupancy on/off |
| A5-09-02 | CO₂ + Temperature + Humidity | Multi-sensor room unit |
| A5-10-01 | Room controller (setpoint + mode) | Setpoint dial + mode switch |
| A5-20-01 | HVAC valve actuator | % open position command |
| D5-00-01 | Single-contact door/window | Open/closed + battery low |
EnOcean + KNX integration
EnOcean is the most natural wireless complement to KNX. Several dedicated gateways translate EnOcean radio telegrams into KNX group address telegrams on the TP bus — transparently, with full ETS configuration.
Weinzierl KNX ENO 634
DIN rail, 128 EnOcean devices, full ETS configuration, bidirectional for actuators. Most widely used in EU KNX+EnOcean installations.
JUNG ENO 316 REG
DIN rail gateway, 128 devices, learn-mode button, ETS plugin. Good integration in Jung KNX panels.
Gira EnOcean USB / REG
Gira-branded gateway, ETS parameter assignment, works with Gira X1/HomeServer.
Home Assistant + EnOcean integration
USB EnOcean stick (USB300/TCM310), HA EnOcean integration, then KNX bridge via HA KNX integration. Cost-effective for retrofit.
How gateway programming works (ETS):
- 1. Open gateway device in ETS → Parameters tab
- 2. Each EnOcean device slot: enter Device ID + EEP profile
- 3. Assign communication objects (CO) to KNX group addresses
- 4. Example: PTM switch CO "Button A Pressed" → GA 0/1/15 → KNX light actuator CO "Switch"
- 5. Download to gateway via ETS — no separate software needed
When EnOcean makes sense
✅ Use EnOcean when:
- • Surface mounting — no cable chase, no wall damage
- • Heritage buildings where cable routing is impossible
- • Partition walls in offices (moving walls)
- • Furniture-integrated switches (kitchens, desks)
- • Garden sensors (no outdoor cable needed)
- • Zero maintenance requirement (hotels — no battery to replace)
- • Mixed KNX installation — EnOcean handles wireless input, KNX handles control
❌ Don't use EnOcean when:
- • Very long range needed (>15m through concrete — use repeaters or TP cable)
- • Bidirectional control needed (actuators need external power anyway)
- • Metal-rich environments (elevator shafts, boiler rooms)
- • Dense RF environment with many competing 868 MHz devices
- • You need feedback/confirmation from the switch itself
Popular EnOcean devices for KNX panels
Wall switches
Gira EnOcean rocker (System 55 frame), JUNG ENO F50E, Berker EnOcean rocker, PEHA by Honeywell D 450 — all use PTM module inside premium design frames
Room controllers
Thermokon SR04 (temp/setpoint/mode), Eltako FCA14 (combined room controller), Siemens QAX95 (multi-sensor room unit with CO₂)
Window/door contacts
ABUS FU8340, Eltako FTK, STEINEL NovaBell contact — reed-based, battery-free, D5-00-01 EEP
Presence/motion sensors
Theben LUXA 103 ENO, Steinel RS 16-360, Abus FU8350 — PIR-based, solar or kinetic top-up
Temperature/humidity sensors
Thermokon SFT710, Vitrum EnOcean IO, Micropelt room sensors — A5-02 / A5-04 EEPs
Radiator valves
Herz ESV-HC, Micropelt EV+, Schlösser Calypso — thermoelectric harvesting from pipe heat, A5-20-01 EEP
Repeaters
Eltako FAM-USB (used as repeater), EnOcean PTM 430 repeater — max 2 hops
EnOcean sensors integrated in your KNX panel
Weinzierl ENO 634 gateway pre-programmed in ETS with all your switch and sensor addresses. Zero maintenance, zero batteries.
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