Tier comparison
Every Merlin Controls package shares the same hardware foundation: IP54 plugs and resettable MMPs in the QCB, multi-brand EC fan support, UL 508A listed Control Panel and QCB. The tiers add capability for projects that need it, without removing durability from projects that don't.
| Feature | Essentials | Pro | EliteComing Soon |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hardware foundation | |||
| Quick Connect Box (QCB) included | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| IP54 plug receptacles (in QCB) | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Resettable MMPs (in QCB) | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Multi-brand EC fan support (7 brands) | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| A2L refrigerant compatibility | – | ✓ | ✓ |
| UL 508A listed (Panel + QCB) | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Control | |||
| HOA bypass switch | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Potentiometer | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| PLC-driven control | – | ✓ | ✓ |
| HMI on cabinet door | – | Basic | Touchscreen |
| Seven control modes | – | ✓ | ✓ |
| ECO mode | – | ✓ | ✓ |
| Maximum CFM limiting | – | ✓ | ✓ |
| Safety | |||
| Safety circuit | Single | Two-level (HP + LP) | Two-level (HP + LP) |
| Start/Stop input | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Run Permissive input | – | ✓ | ✓ |
| Two configurable Override inputs | – | ✓ | ✓ |
| Diagnostics & Integration | |||
| Per-fan diagnostics (15 categories) | – | ✓ | ✓ |
| BACnet MS/TP native | – | ✓ | ✓ |
| 50+ BACnet objects exposed | – | ✓ | ✓ |
| Hardwired status relay outputs | 1× | 3× | 3× |
| Event log | – | ✓ | ✓ |
| Elite-only | |||
| Custom I/O capability | – | – | ✓ |
| Balanced power operation across array | – | – | ✓ |
| Deepest diagnostic logic | – | – | ✓ |
| Other capabilities (under NDA) | – | – | Disclosed on request |
| Current status | Shipping | Shipping | Coming Soon |
Hardware quality without the brain.
Everything you actually need to specify a fan array.
When the spec asks for things no standard tier covers.
In plain words
Hardware quality without the brain.
No PLC. No BACnet. HOA bypass switch, Potentiometer, single safety circuit. Built around the same QCB, IP54 plugs, and resettable MMPs as Pro and Elite. The durability story is identical. Best for projects with a simple control story: a value-driven retrofit, or an OEM platform where the AHU's existing controller is doing the thinking.
Everything you actually need to specify a fan array.
PLC-driven, BACnet-native, seven control modes, two-level safety, per-fan diagnostics, basic HMI on the cabinet door. The tier most consulting engineers specifying a Merlin Fan Array end up at, and the controls package most OEM AHU manufacturers integrate. Pro is the default; Essentials and Elite are the exceptions.
When the spec asks for things no standard tier covers.
Everything in Pro, plus custom I/O capability, balanced power operation across the array, the deepest diagnostic logic, and a touchscreen HMI. For premium custom AHUs, mission-critical applications, semiconductor cleanrooms, healthcare critical environments, and any spec that asks 'can it also do this?'
