EFOY Fuel Cell

Introduction

EFOY Fuel Cell devices are a core component of the GCXONE Tower Monitoring ecosystem, delivering autonomous backup power for remote tower sites where grid power is unavailable or unreliable.

This guide outlines the steps required to onboard an EFOY Fuel Cell into GCXONE — covering device configuration, API key setup, and alarm rule activation. Once complete, your device will stream live telemetry and trigger automated alerts when fuel, voltage, or temperature thresholds are breached.

What EFOY Devices Monitor

Once connected to GCXONE, EFOY Fuel Cell devices continuously report the following categories of telemetry:

• Fuel cartridge level as a percentage of remaining capacity
• Output voltage of the fuel cell
• Internal battery state of charge (SOC)
• System operating temperature
• Overall fuel cell health and runtime status

Note: EFOY handles backup power generation for sites that cannot rely on solar or grid power alone. Without EFOY monitoring, GCXONE cannot detect fuel depletion, voltage drops, or thermal conditions that could cause a site to go offline.

Prerequisites

Before starting device onboarding, ensure the following information and access are available:

Warning: The EFOY API Key must be configured at the Tenant level before adding the device. If the key is missing or incorrect, GCXONE will not be able to retrieve telemetry from the EFOY Cloud.

Configuring the EFOY API Key

Before adding an EFOY device, you must configure the API key at the Tenant level in GCXONE. This key is shared across all EFOY devices under the tenant.

Step 1: Navigate to Tenant Settings in GCXONE.

Step 2: Select the target tenant and click Edit.

Step 3: Go to the Custom Properties section.

Step 4: Click Add and create a new property with the following values:

• Name: EFOYAPIKey
• Value: Your EFOY Cloud API key

Step 5: Click Save.

Note: The API key only needs to be configured once per tenant. All EFOY devices added under that tenant will use the same key automatically.

EFOY Fuel Cell Config Guide with GCXONE

Follow these steps to add an EFOY Fuel Cell to GCXONE. The device will be registered under an existing site and begin reporting telemetry immediately after configuration.

Step 1: Navigate to the Site

In GCXONE, navigate to the Site where the EFOY Fuel Cell is physically installed. This is the parent entity under which the device will be registered.

• Go to Configuration → Sites
• Locate and open the target site
• Click Edit to open the site's configuration panel

Step 2: Open the Device Dialog

Within the site configuration, navigate to the Devices section and click Add New to open the device creation dialog.

Step 3: Select Device Type

In the device dialog, open the Device Type dropdown and select EFOY Cloud to load the appropriate configuration fields.

Step 4: Enter Device Details

Fill in all required fields to establish a secure connection between GCXONE and the EFOY Cloud API. Each field is described in detail below.

Step 5: Below the connection fields, the dialog also has a Select Entity Group dropdown, an Enable Audio toggle (on by default), a required Timezone, a Device Configuration section (Site Pulse Configuration), an Advanced Settings section (Event Polling, Configure Heatmap Mask, Periodic Health Check, Event Retention Time — 30 days by default), and an optional Location section (Latitude, Longitude, Plus Code, What3Words).

Step 6: Save and Verify Connection

After entering all fields, click Save. GCXONE will immediately attempt to connect to the EFOY Cloud API using the configured API key and serial number.

A successful connection results in:

• The device appearing in the site's device list with an active status indicator
• Live telemetry data beginning to flow into GCXONE (fuel level, voltage, temperature, SOC)
• The device becoming available for alarm rule configuration

Warning: If the connection fails, verify that the EFOYAPIKey tenant property is correctly configured, the serial number matches the device in the EFOY Cloud Portal, and the EFOY Cloud API is reachable from the GCXONE server.

Alarm Rules Configuration

GCXONE uses a JSON-based alarm rule configuration to define which telemetry parameters are monitored, what thresholds trigger alerts, and how those alerts are identified in CMS integrations.

Alarm rules can be configured at the Site level or Device level. EFOY fuel cell rules are typically applied at the Device level for precision control.

How to Apply Alarm Rules

1. Navigate to the target Site or Device in GCXONE.
2. Click Edit and go to the Additional Properties section.
3. Locate the property named Custom Alarm Rules.
4. Open the property's menu (⋮) and select Apply Default to load the preconfigured rule set. All rules are inactive by default.
5. Modify the JSON to enable specific rules by setting "active": true for the relevant parameters.
6. Set your thresholds, event codes, and group codes as needed.
7. Click Save. GCXONE will immediately begin evaluating incoming telemetry against the configured rules.

Note: By default, all alarm rules are inactive. You must explicitly set "active": true for each rule you want GCXONE to monitor. This prevents accidental alerts during initial setup.

Rule Structure

Each alarm rule follows a consistent JSON structure. Understanding the common fields helps when customizing rules:

EFOY Fuel Cell Alarm Rules

The following alarm rules are available for EFOY devices under the Fuel Cell Monitoring section of the Custom Alarm Rules JSON. Each rule monitors a specific aspect of fuel cell health and performance.

Fuel Level Rule

Monitors the remaining fuel percentage in the EFOY fuel cartridge. This is the most critical rule for EFOY monitoring — a depleted cartridge will cause the fuel cell to shut down, removing backup power from the site.

Default JSON Configuration

"fuelLevel": {
  "active": false,
  "low": 15,
  "eventCode": "fuel.low.warning",
  "groupCode": "tower.fuel.level.alert"
}

Example Behavior

• With low set to 15, GCXONE triggers an alert when fuel cartridge level drops below 15%.
• The alert clears automatically when the cartridge is replaced or refilled and the level rises above the threshold.
• Set low higher (e.g., 25%) on remote sites where refueling logistics take longer, to give operators more lead time.

Voltage Rule

Monitors the output voltage of the EFOY fuel cell. Voltage outside the acceptable range may indicate a fault in the fuel cell's power output or an issue with the connected DC system.

Default JSON Configuration

"voltage": {
  "active": false,
  "low": 12,
  "high": 15,
  "eventCode": "fuel.voltage.critical",
  "groupCode": "tower.fuel.voltage.alert"
}

Example Behavior

• When voltage falls below 12V, an alert is triggered indicating insufficient power output.
• When voltage exceeds 15V, an alert is triggered indicating a potential overvoltage condition.
• The alert clears automatically when voltage returns within the 12V–15V range.

State of Charge (SOC) Rule

Tracks the internal battery's charge status within the EFOY system. The SOC reflects the fuel cell's ability to sustain output during startup and low-fuel transitions.

Default JSON Configuration

"stateOfCharge": {
  "active": false,
  "low": 15,
  "eventCode": "fuel.soc.warning",
  "groupCode": "tower.fuel.soc.alert"
}

Example Behavior

• GCXONE triggers an alert when the internal battery SOC drops below 15%.
• The alert clears automatically when SOC rises above the configured threshold.

Temperature Rule

Monitors the operating temperature of the EFOY fuel cell. Temperatures outside the safe operating range can reduce efficiency, trigger safety shutdowns, or cause permanent damage to the unit.

Default JSON Configuration

"temperature": {
  "active": false,
  "low": 10,
  "high": 35,
  "eventCode": "fuel.temperature.warning",
  "groupCode": "tower.fuel.temperature.alert"
}

Example Behavior

• A thermal warning is triggered when temperature drops below 10°C or rises above 35°C.
• The alert clears automatically when temperature returns within the safe operating range.
• Adjust thresholds based on the environmental conditions of the tower site — outdoor installations in extreme climates may require wider or narrower ranges.

Event Codes and Group Codes Summary

Quick reference for all EFOY Fuel Cell event codes and group codes:

Configuration Reference

Complete EFOY Fuel Cell Alarm Rules JSON

Copy this into the Custom Alarm Rules property and modify as needed for your deployment.

"fuelCellMonitoring": {
  "fuelLevel": {
    "active": false,
    "low": 15,
    "eventCode": "fuel.low.warning",
    "groupCode": "tower.fuel.level.alert"
  },
  "voltage": {
    "active": false,
    "low": 12,
    "high": 15,
    "eventCode": "fuel.voltage.critical",
    "groupCode": "tower.fuel.voltage.alert"
  },
  "stateOfCharge": {
    "active": false,
    "low": 15,
    "eventCode": "fuel.soc.warning",
    "groupCode": "tower.fuel.soc.alert"
  },
  "temperature": {
    "active": false,
    "low": 10,
    "high": 35,
    "eventCode": "fuel.temperature.warning",
    "groupCode": "tower.fuel.temperature.alert"
  }
}

Configuration Best Practices

• Always start with Apply Default to load the complete preconfigured rule set before making changes.
• Enable the Fuel Level rule first — it is the most operationally critical for sites relying on EFOY backup power.
• Set low for fuel level at 20–25% on remote sites where refueling requires advance logistics planning.
• Enable Temperature monitoring on sites exposed to extreme heat or cold to catch thermal conditions before they cause a shutdown.
• Test alarm rules on a single device before deploying to all sites.
• Document your event codes and group codes in your CMS configuration to ensure correct alarm routing.

Troubleshooting

Device Won't Connect

Alarm Rules Not Triggering

For additional support, contact your NXGEN representative or refer to the full GCXONE Tower Monitoring Configuration Guide, which covers Victron Energy and Teltonika IoT monitoring in addition to EFOY Fuel Cell.