External Sensors

Inputs and Outputs

The Senquip QUAD has 5 multifunction Input/Outputs that can be individually configured.

Pin

Channel

3

IO 1

4

IO 2

5

IO 3

6

IO 4

7

IO 5

Each of the 5 IO can measure:

  • analog voltages,

  • currents into and out of the terminals,

  • frequencies,

  • pulses,

  • duty cycle,

  • digital ON or OFF state.

Each measurement can be calibrated and alerts of type info, alert, warning, and alarm can be set.

The IO can also be used as outputs and can be switched to:

  • OFF - high impedance,

  • Vin - connected via a switch to Vin,

  • GND - connected via a switch to GND,

  • Vset - connected to an internal configurable voltage source,

  • PULLUP - an internal pullup resistor is enabled.

Vset is an internal voltage source that can be configured in General IO settings to be between 5V and 25V. Vset is typically used to power external sensors. Vset is backed up by the internal LiPo battery and so will continue to operate if power to the device is intermittent, for instance if powered by solar. The setting for Vset voltage is used to control the feedback loop of a boost converter acording to a set of characterisation data. The voltage that appears on the output may vary by approximately 100mV.

A short dead-time is inserted when switching between IO states to prevent high current flows during the transition from Vin and Vset to ground and ground to Vin and Vset states.

The input and output functionality are independant and can be enabled simultaneously. You can for instance switch an output to Vin, measure the voltage on the output to confirm and measure the current flowing into the output.

Each IO pin can supply up to 100mA from either Vin or Vset and can sink 250mA to ground. The IO are able to switch inductive loads such as relays; it is recommended that flyback diodes always be used with inductive loads. The inputs are protected against over-voltage events to 85V and against static discharge.

Note

Vset can provide a maximum of 100mA across all IO pins.

All parameters are measured at the same time, so for instance an input can report measuring 15V with a 20mA current flowing. Settings are available to limit which of the measured parameters are transmitted at the end of each measurement cycle. Limit the data sent at the end of a measurement cycle by only selecting the measurement types that you require.

A simplified internal architecture of the IO module is shown below.

Single current sensor

Simplified internal IO architecture

Each IO can be configured to cause the device to enter hibernate mode on a high to low voltage level change on the associated pin. Likewise, the device can be made to wake from hibernate on a low to high transition on the associated pin. If these functions are selected, the pullup associated with that IO channel will be enabled.

Powering external devices

IO on the Senquip QUAD can be used to power and provide signals to external sensors, relays, lights, buzzers, and other devices. To permanently power an external device by supplying it with a voltage, set the IO Default State to VIN or VSET in which case the connected device will be permanently powered. To power a device by connecting it to ground, select GND as the Default State. The default state will continue to be applied between measurement cycles.

Alternatively, the IO can made to switch power on only at a measurement cycle, and for a defined period. To enable switched power, set the default for the IO to OFF and enable the Measurement State as VIN or VSET. Set the Measurement Time as the time for which the externally connected sensor must be powered before being measured. This time is typically the boot time for a sensor. In this case, Vin or Vset will only be made available on the IO during a measurement interval and for the time specified. This is the preferred method for installs that are solar powered or have intermittent power. Measurement of CAN, RS232, and RS485 are delayed by the longest of all specified measurement times to allow for the case where an IO is being used to power a serially connected device.

The figure below shows an RS232 sensor that is powered by IO5 and measured on the RS232 port and a relay that is energised by setting an IO to ground.

Single current sensor

Powering external devices on an IO

Note

Where switched power is used to power a sensor that is read by another input, the Measurement Time specified for the IO and the input must be the same to ensure that the sensor is powered when measured.

For advanced users, the state of an IO can be switched from within a script. This allows for the control of complex sensors and systems and precise timing. If changes to the IO are made from within a script, the default settings will only be re-applied the next time the device boots.

Warning

If an IO is enabled in the settings, and is used in a script, the behaviour of that IO will be affected by both the settings and the script.

Note

In hibernate and sleep, the outputs default to OFF and the internal voltage booster is off. If a pullup has been enabled, it will remain on in sleep and hibernate.

Current Measurement

Loop powered (2-wire) and externally powered (3-wire) 4-20mA devices can be used with the Senquip QUAD.

For 2-wire devices, Vin or Vset power can be supplied by an IO and the current drawn measured by that same IO. A typical 2-wire install is shown in the figure below.

2-wire current sensor conection

2-wire 4-20mA device install

3-wire devices are externally powered as they typically draw more than 4mA at a minimum and so are not suitable for loop powering. The Senquip QUAD can power a 3-wire device with Vin or Vset from one IO and measure the output current on a second IO. A typical 3-wire install in shown in the figure below.

3-wire current sensor connection

3-wire 4-20mA device install

Current out of the IO terminal is defined as positive (2-wire) and current into the terminal (3-wire) is defined as negative. Although optimised for 4-20mA, the IO can measure currents in the range -100mA to 100mA.

Pulse Count Measurement

The Senquip QUAD can count pulses from devices like water-meters, rain guages, and speed-sensors. The inputs can be from voltage free contacts like reed switches, hall effect sensors, or pulse trains from powered devices. When connecting to voltage free switches, am optional pullup (wetting) resistor can be enabled in the settings. The Senquip QUAD can count pulses while awake and between cycles when sleeping. Although all IO can count in a very low power mode, IO1 and IO2 have additional circuitry that allows ultra low power pulse counting. Along with a total pulse count, frequency and duty cycle are also measured at the measurement interval.

The figure shows how to wire a voltage free contact and powered pulse train to the Senquip QUAD IO.

Diagram showing connections to measure pulses

Pulse counting

Calibration

Calibration can be applied to each measurement so that the value returned by the Senquip QUAD is in units that are meaningful in the end application. For instance, a fuel level sensor that outputs a voltage between 0 and 5V may represent a level between 0 and 100 litres of diesel. The voltage measurement can be calibrated to convert from Volts to the more meaningful unit of litres.

In any system, the measurement instrument (the Senquip QUAD), the sensor and possibly the measured value will be subject to errors that may accumulate to reduce accuracy. In a system that measures fluid volume in a 100 litre tank using a 4-20mA sensor, offset errors may result in a non-zero or negative reading when the tank is empty. Sensor gain may also not be perfectly linear and so a 1 litre change may be measured differently when the tank is empty versus when it is full. The sensor may report in inches of liquid height where a more meaningful unit may be litres. To achieve an accurate and meaningful measurement, a calibration can be performed.

In this example, the tank could be calibrated by adding a small amount of liquid, say 10 litres at which point the current measured may be 4.1mA. Now add more liquid to take the level to say 80l. The sensor now reads 16.2mA. The calibration would then be filled into the IO setting as shown below:

Low In

4.1

This is the value in mA measured by the Senquip QUAD

Low Out

10

This is the actual value that we would like to report

High In

16.2

This is the value in mA measured by the Senquip QUAD

Low Out

80

This is the actual value that we would like to report

Unit

l

The unit to be reported is litres

Warnings and Alarms

For each measurement type, high and low warning and alarm levels can be set. Once enabled, each time a measurement is completed, the returned value will be compared with low and high warning and alarm thresholds. If a warning or alarm level is breached, a message will immediately be transmitted. As long as the warning or alarm condition persists, messages will be transmitted at the exception-interval rather than the transmit-interval.

Note

If calibration has been applied, then the warning and enable thresholds should be set in the calibrated units.

To set a high level warning or alarm level only, set the low level to a value that is impossible to achieve. For instance to set a high only warning at 50V, set the low warning to -1V which is an unachievable value.

Hysteresis can be specified in increments of the specified unit, to prevent multiple alarms in the presence of electrical noise.

Hysteresis

Hysteresis

Specification

Parameter

Specification

Output

Maximum Vin source current

100mA per pin

Maximum Vset source current

100mA per pin, 100mA total from Vset

Maximum GND sink current

250mA per pin

Pullup resistor

33k to 3.3V

Input

Voltage ADC Type

5 x 16 bit sigma delta

Voltage range

0-75VDC

Voltage measurement precision

3.125mV

Voltage measurement accuracy (0-5V, as measured)

+-0.005V

Voltage measurement accuracy (0-75V, as measured)

+-0.1V

Current ADC Type

5 x 16 bit sigma delta

Current maximum positive (out)

100mA

Current maximum negative (in)

+-100mA

Maxiumum measurable positive current

80mA

Maxiumum measurable negative current

-80mA

Current precision

2.5uA (15 bits across 80mA)

Accuracy (4-20mA, as measured)

+-0.05mA

Accuracy (-100-100mA, as measured)

+-0.1mA

Pulse counting voltage threshold

2.0V

Pulse counting maximum frequency in sleep (tested for IO1 and IO2)

100Hz

Pulse counting maximum frequency always on (tested for IO1 and IO2)

5kHz

Pulse minimum width

1msec

Frequency measurement range (tested for IO1 and IO2)

0.5Hz to 5kHz

Frequency measurement precision (tested for IO1 and IO2)

1%

Duty cycle measurement range (tested for IO1 and IO2)

0% to 100%

Duty cycle precision (tested for IO1 and IO2)

+-0.5% (0.5Hz to 500Hz)

IO terminal input impedance

>250k ohms

Threshold to wake from hibernate

>2.3V

Threshold to enter hibernate

<1.0V

Chart showing IO measurement accuracy over 0-5V

Voltage accuracy across all IO channels

Settings

Each IO block has an identical set of settings.

Measurements can be scheduled as a multiple of the base-interval. The fastest possible measurement rate is achieved by setting the Interval to 1 in which case measurements will occur on every base interval. To reduce power consumption, the measurement rate can be turned down by increasing the Interval. To turn an IO block off, set the Interval to 0.

If the Wake on Low to High option is selected, the device will wake from hibernate on a low to high voltage transition. If the Hibernate on High to Low option is selected, the device will entern hibernate mode after Hibernate Delay Intervals number of base intervals.

The Default State can be selected as OFF, GND, VIN, VSET, and PULLUP.

The Measurement State can selected as NO CHANGE, GND, VIN, and VSET. Where a measurement state is specified, a Measurement Time must be selected.

Each voltage, current, frequency, duty-cycle, pulse and digital measurement can be individually Enabled has an associated calibartion and alert settings.

A full list of IO settings is given in the table at the end of this chapter.

Serial interface

The serial port can be used to capture data that is sent from an external system or to interface to a MODBUS sensor.

The serial port occupies pins 6 and 7 on the interface header. The pins have functions that depend on the chosen interface as shown in the table below. When RS485 mode is chosen, an optional 120Ω termination resistor can be selected.

Interface type

Pin 6 function

Pin 7 function

RS232

Receive (Rx)

Transmit (Tx)

RS485

RS485-B

RS485-A

Note

RS485-B is sometimes referred to as D+ or TX+/RX+ and RS485-A as D- or TX-/RX-.

The RS485 receiver supports up to 256 nodes per bus, and features full failsafe operation for floating, shorted or terminated inputs. Interface pins are protected against electrostatic discharge up to 26kV, whether the QUAD is powered or unpowered.

Specification

Parameter

Specification

RS232 transmitter output low voltage (typical)

-5.5V

RS232 transmitter output high voltage (typical)

+5.9V

RS232 Input threshold voltage

+1.5V

RS485 differential output voltage (minimum with load resistance 120Ω)

+2V

RS485 differential input signal threshold

+-220mV

Maximum nodes in RS485 mode

256

RS485 termination resistor

120Ω

Settings

Measurements can be scheduled as a multiple of the base-interval. The fastest possible measurement rate is achieved by setting the interval to 1 in which case measurements will occur on every base interval. To reduce power consumption, the measurement rate can be turned down by increasing the interval.

In serial capture mode the measurement interval can be used to reduce the number of readings being provided by a connected sensor or system that may be permanently powered. If for instance, a connected system is sending a message every second but it is only required to be read and transmitted every minute, the measurement interval can be set to 1 minute in which case the device will wake on the minute interval, receive a message and return to sleep thereby missing the other 59 messages sent by the attached system. Since serial packets cannot be interrogated by the Senquip QUAD without a customised script, it makes sense to set the measurement interval to the same as the transmit interval in most cases.

The serial port on the Senquip QUAD can be configured as an RS232 or RS485 hardware interface using the type option.

If RS485 mode is selected, an optional 120Ω termination resistor can be selected by selecting the Termination resistor option. The purpose of the termination resistor is to match the impedance of a transmission line to the hardware impedance of the interface to which it is connected. Termination is generally not required in lower speed networks (9600 baud or less) and networks shorter than 500m in length. No more than 2 termination resistors should be used, one at each end of the RS485 transmission line.

A baud rate of 4800, 9600, 19200, 38400, 56800 or 115200 needs to be selected using the baud rate option. Other settings, including the number of bits, odd or even parity and 1 or 2 stop bits are added in the settings field. The most common setup is 8 bits, no parity and 1 stop bit or “8N1”.

The serial interface can be configured in serial capture mode or MODBUS mode using the mode option. Capture mode is typically used where an external sensor sends serial data and a portion of that serial data is to be captured. MODBUS mode is used to connect to external sensors that are compatible with the MODBUS standard.

In serial capture mode The device listens for periodic data and when received, transmits this data at the next send interval. The maximum length of a message that can be captured is 512 characters. Once 512 characters have been received, the Senquip QUAD will terminate the capture and will transmit it on the next transmit interval.

In capture mode, the max-time setting can be used to set a timeout after which the serial port will return to sleep. Max-time can be used as a way to end serial measurement in the event that no serial data is received, or as a mechanism to allow the device to sample the serial port for a defined time-period.

Note

If the serial port needs to be kept on all the time, set the max-time to longer than the measurement interval. The contents of the serial buffer is retained as long as the device does not return to sleep.

The operation of the max chars option is similar to the max time setting except that the serial port stops sampling after a certain number of characters has been received. In most cases where the max-chars setting is used to terminate serial capture, the max-time setting is also used to end the serial measurement in the event that data does not arrive.

In Serial capture mode, in systems where many messages are sent and only a few are of interest, a start string of up to 10 characters can be enabled. For instance, in a typical GPS serial NMEA feed, the following are a subset of available messages:

  • DTM - Datum being used.

  • GGA - Fix information

  • GLL - Lat/Lon data

  • GSA - Overall Satellite data

  • GSV - Detailed Satellite data

  • RMC - Recommended minimum data for GPS

  • RTE - Route message

  • VTG - Vector track an Speed over the Ground

If in the application, the user is only interested in receiving the GGA message, then a start string can be set to GGA. In that way, any messages starting with DTM, GLL, GSA or other unwanted messages will be discarded.

Note

If a start string is enabled, the device will stay awake until the string is received or until the max-time is reached.

In firmware revisions less than 2, serial start strings are specified as text, with special characters such as carriage return and line feed being specified by their respective escape sequences. A list of allowable escape sequences is given below:

  • \f Form-feed

  • \n Newline (Line Feed)

  • \r Carriage Return

  • \t Horizontal Tab

  • \v Vertical Tab

  • \\ Backslash

Note

Because escape sequences start with a backslash (\), if a capture string contains a backslash, it needs to be escaped and so is represented as a double backslash (\\).

In firmware release 2 and above, serial start strings are specified as text, with special characters such as carriage return and line feed being specified by their respective ASCII codes in hexadecimal. A list of example hexadecimal sequences is given below:

  • \x0C Form-feed

  • \x0A Newline (Line Feed)

  • \x0D Carriage Return

  • \x09 Horizontal Tab

  • \x0B Vertical Tab

  • \x08 Backslash

The change to the method used to represent special characters has been made to allow for all ASCII characters to be used, and to allow for hexadecimal data to be captured.

Note

In firmware revisions 2 and lower, special characters are specified as escape characters. In revisions 2 and above, special characters are represented by their ASCII representations in hexadecimal.

In some serial protocols, the start of a packet is specified by a preceding period of inactivity on the serial bus. The Idle Time Before Start parameter can be used to specify an idle time, which is exceeded will trigger the serial port to start capturing serial data.

Note

If the serial port is capturing data and a subsequent idle time occurs, the capture process will restart and captured data will be discarded.

A serial capture stop string of up to 10 characters can also be provided. Again using the NMEA example, all NMEA messages end with a carriage return and line feed and so the serial capture stop strings in each case will be the same and will be “\r\n” or \x0D\x0A in revision 2 and above firmware. In most instances, the serial stop strings will be the same for all messages.

Note

If a start string is specified without a stop string, or the stop string is never encountered, the serial port will capture characters until the max-time or max-chars is reached, the next measurement interval occurs or 256 characters are received.

An optional serial request string can be sent, on each measurement interval, to an external device. The purpose of the request sting is to request data from an external sensor or system. The request string can be a maximum of 10 characters and can be entered as text. Special characters like carriage return and line feed can be inserted using escape sequences or their ASCII representations as described earlier in the chapter.

The Senquip QUAD implements the MODBUS communications protocol standard as a master, which enables communication with many slave devices connected to the network. The Senquip QUAD can be configured to periodically request specific data from slave MODBUS devices on the network and transmit that data at specified intervals.

Up to fifty MODBUS data requests can be configured; these data requests can either be from twenty individual slave devices or multiple requests from the same device. For each of the fifty data reads, the slave address, function and register address need to be specified. The slave address will be specified by the manufacturer of the device that is attached to the Senquip QUAD; in some cases, slave devices allow their addresses to be configured. The function specifies the type of data to be read from the slave device. The Senquip QUAD supports the following types of data reads:

  • Disabled - the particular MODBUS channel is not used

  • Read Coil - a 1 bit data value

  • Read Discrete - a 1 bit data value

  • Read Holding - a single 16 bit holding register

  • Read Input - a 16 bit input register

  • Read Holding (32 bits, Little Endian register order) - a 32 bit holding register

  • Read Holding (32 bits, Big Endian register order) - a 32 bit holding register

  • Read Input (32 bits, Little Endian register order) - a 32 bit input register

  • Read Input (32 bits, Little Endian register order) - a 32 bit input register

Endianness is the order or sequence of bytes of digital data in computer storage and will be specified by the sensor that is being connected to the QUAD.

A single MODBUS device may have multiple data values that can be read. The register address specifies which data the slave device needs to deliver.

In MODBUS mode, calibration can be applied so that the registers read by the Senquip QUAD can be scaled to be in the units of what is being measured. For instance, a register that returns 0 to 255 may represent 0% humidity to 100% humidity. The Senquip QUAD can be calibrated to take a number and to convert it to humidity in % and return that as the measured value.

In any system, the sensor and possibly the measured value will be subject to errors that may accumulate to reduce accuracy. In a system that uses the Senquip QUAD to measure fluid volume in a 100 litre tank using a MODBUS sensor, the sensor may have offset errors such that with zero liquid in the tank, the Senquip QUAD is showing a small volume. The Senquip QUAD and sensor may also not be perfectly linear in that they may not measure 1 litre in exactly the same way when the tank is empty versus when it is full. The tank itself may also not be perfectly manufactured and may, for instance have walls that are not perfectly straight. All of these errors could add together such that the final system is less accurate than expected. To achieve a more accurate system, a calibration can be performed. In this example, the tank could be calibrated by adding a small amount of liquid, say 10 litres (low Y) and noting the value reported by the Senquip QUAD (low X). Now fill the tank by adding another 99 litres (high y) and note the value being reported by the Senquip QUAD (high X). By filling the high and low X and Y values into the calibration constants associated with analog mode, offset and non-linearity errors can be eradicated, resulting in a much more accurate system.

In MODBUS mode, warning and alarm thresholds for can be set for each MODBUS channel. Once enabled, each time a measurement is completed, the returned value will be compared with minimum and maximum warning and alarm thresholds. If a warning or alarm level is breached, a message will immediately be transmitted. As long as the warning or alarm condition persists, messages will be transmitted at the exception-interval rather than the transmit-interval.

Note

If calibration has been applied, then the warning and enable thresholds are in the calibrated units.

A full list of serial interface settings is given in the table at the end of the chapter.

CAN Bus interface

The Senquip QUAD-C1 has a CAN bus interface that can be used to read data from all kinds of vehicles and sensors that use CAN as their communications medium. Hundreds of sensors can be connected to a single CAN network.

In many cases, the protocol that is being used on the CAN bus is known, and so large volumes of understandable data can be extracted from all kinds of vehicles. Common CAN protocols include:

  • J1939, the dominating CAN-based protocol for trucks and busses.

  • ISO 11783, a J1939 flavor for agricultural tractors.

  • ISO 11992, an interface between trucks and trailers.

  • NMEA 2000, a protocol based on J1939 for marine use.

  • CANopen, provides a standard for industrial machinery commonly used in industrial automation.

The Senquip QUAD is compatible with the latest CAN Flexible-Data-rate (FD) specification.

Pins 11 and 12 on the Senquip QUAD header provide the interface to a CAN network with pin 11 being CAN High (dominant high) and pin 12 being CAN Low (dominant low).

In CAN networks, 120Ω terminating resistors are found at each end of the network. In most systems, the terminating resistors will already be in place and will not be needed. In cases where a sensor network is being formed between an Senquip QUAD and external sensor, a 120Ω resistor should be placed between the pins 11 and 12 on the Senquip QUAD.

Warning

In CAN bus systems, the ground supplied to the Senquip QUAD must be the same ground as used by the CAN network. High differential voltages between the CAN lines and ground can damage the CAN interface.

Specification

Parameter

Specification

CAN High driver voltage (typical)

2.9V

CAN Low driver voltage (typical)

0.9V

Common mode voltage for reception (maximum)

+-25V

Absolute maximum voltage on CAN High and CAN Low

+-60V

Termination resistor

120Ω

Settings

Measurements can be scheduled as a multiple of the base-interval. The fastest possible measurement rate is achieved by setting the interval to 1 in which case the CAN network will be sampled on every base interval. To reduce power consumption, the measurement rate can be turned down by increasing the interval.

The CAN bus peripheral on Senquip devices supports can bit rates of 125, 250, 500 and 1000 bits per second as specified in the Nominal Baud Rate field.

To ensure minimum intrusion on CAN systems, the CAN peripheral can be set to listen only. In this mode the Senquip device will only receive messages that are acknowledged on the bus by a listening node. Where required, the Senquip device can be made to acknowledge messages by selecting the TX Enable option.

A typical automotive CAN network will contain hundreds of messages, all with their own identifiers. The CAN peripheral can filter only the required messages by filling in the ID Capture List. Required identifiers should be entered in hexadecimal and should be separated by commas, for example “18FF20F2, 18FF36F0, 18FF1BF2”. When the Senquip device wakes for the next measurement interval, the CAN network will be sampled until all the messages listed have been found or the Capture Time has been reached. If multiple messages with the same identifier are required in a single measurement interval, place a * followed by the number of messages of that identifier to be returned. For example, populating the ID Capture List with “18FF20F2*4, 18FF36F0, 18FF1BF2*10, 18FF1F12*” will return four 18FF20F2 messages, one 18FF36F0 message, ten 18FF1BF2 messages, and one 18FF1F12 message. Leave the ID Capture List blank to receive one of every message that arrives. Place a * in the ID Capture List to receive all messages in the order that they arrive. Keep in mind that receiving every message on the bus could overwhelm the Senquip device in systems with lots of high repetition rate messages.

The Capture Time setting can be used to set a timeout after which the CAN bus peripheral will stop listening, allowing the Senquip device to transmit received messages and return to sleep. Capture-time can also be used as a mechanism to allow the CAN peripheral to sample the CAN bus for a defined time-period.

A full list of CAN bus settings is given in the table at the end of this chapter.

External Sensor Settings

A full list of settings for external sensors is given in the table below.

Name

Item

Function

Range

Unit

Internal Reference

Input 1

Name

text

A name for the input that is meaningful to the user.

25 chars

input1.name

Interval

integer

The number of base intervals after which the input is sampled. A value of 1 means that the input is collected every base interval. Set to 0 to disable.

0 to 10000

input1.interval

Mode

preset

Specifies the function of the IN1 terminal. The calibration, warnings and alarms are applied to this mode.

input1.mode

Digital 1

Digital Threshold

decimal

A threshold against which the input is compared to determine if the input state is ON or OFF.

0 to 30

Volts

input1.digital.threshold

Digital Hysteresis

decimal

Once the input is in a certain state, hysteresis is the amount by which the input has to change before moving to the other state.

0 to 20

Volts

input1.digital.hysteresis

Count Hours

boolean

Counts the number of hours the digtial input is ON (above threshold).

input1.digital.count_hours

Digital Change Alert

boolean

Sets whether a change in digital state generates an alert.

input1.digital.alert.enable

Analog 1 Calibration

text

Calibration parameters for Analog 1. Refer to user guide.

30 chars

input1.cal

Unit

text

The unit of measure associated with the calibration. Examples: Litres/min, RPM, Volts

input1.unit

Warning

text

Warning thresholds. Refer to user guide.

input1.warning

Alarm

text

Alarm thresholds. Refer to user guide.

input1.alarm

Alarm/Warning Hysteresis

decimal

Once the input is in a certain state, hysteresis is the amount by which the input has to change before moving to the other state.

input1.hysteresis

Pulse Input

Pulse Counting

boolean

Enables counting of pulses in addition to frequency measurement.

input1.pulse.enable

Reset Value

integer

The value at which the number of pulses counted on the input is reset to zero.

1 to 2000000000

Counts

input1.pulse.reset_value

Pulse Scaling

decimal

Multiplier to convert the pulse count to a useful unit.

input1.pulse.scaling

Pulse Unit

text

The unit of measure associated with the scaled pulse count. Eg: Litres

input1.pulse.unit

Pulse Warning

text

Warning thresholds. Refer to user guide.

input1.pulse.warning

Pulse Alarm

text

Alarm thresholds. Refer to user guide.

input1.pulse.alarm

Input 2

Name

text

A name for the input that is meaningful to the user.

25 chars

input2.name

Interval

integer

The number of base intervals after which the input is sampled. A value of 1 means that the input is collected every base interval. Set to 0 to disable.

0 to 10000

input2.interval

Mode

preset

Specifies the function of the IN2 terminal. The calibration, warnings and alarms are applied to this mode.

input2.mode

Digital 2

Digital Threshold

decimal

A threshold against which the input is compared to determine if the input state is ON or OFF.

0 to 30

Volts

input2.digital.threshold

Digital Hysteresis

decimal

Once the input is in a certain state, hysteresis is the amount by which the input has to change before moving to the other state.

0 to 20

Volts

input2.digital.hysteresis

Count Hours

boolean

Counts the number of hours the digtial input is ON (above threshold).

input2.digital.count_hours

Digital Change Alert

boolean

Sets whether a change in digital state generates an alert.

input2.digital.alert.enable

Analog 2 Calibration

text

Calibration parameters for Analog 2. Refer to user guide.

30 chars

input2.cal

Unit

text

The unit of measure associated with the calibration. Examples: Litres/min, RPM, Volts

input2.unit

Warning

text

Warning thresholds. Refer to user guide.

input2.warning

Alarm

text

Alarm thresholds. Refer to user guide.

input2.alarm

Alarm/Warning Hysteresis

decimal

Once the input is in a certain state, hysteresis is the amount by which the input has to change before moving to the other state.

input2.hysteresis

Output 1

Name

text

A name for the input that is meaningful to the user.

25 chars

output1.name

Interval

integer

Does not affect output mode. The number of base intervals at which the input is sampled. Set to 0 to disable. Set to 1 for every base interval.

0 to 10000

output1.interval

Mode

preset

Specifies the function of the OUT1 terminal.

output1.mode

Warnings

boolean

Determines if the output is turned on when a warning is active.

output1.warnings

Alarms

boolean

Determines if the output is turned on when an alarm is active.

output1.alarms

Alerts

boolean

Determines if the output is turned on when an alert is active.

output1.alerts

Hold Time

integer

Sets the time in seconds for which the output is held on after it is triggered. If set to zero, the output remains on while any exceptions are active.

Seconds

output1.hold_time

Digital Change Alert

boolean

If enabled, a change in digital state will generate an alert.

output1.digital.alert.enable

Analog 3 Calibration

text

Calibration parameters for Analog 3. Refer to user guide.

30 chars

output1.cal

Unit

text

The unit of measure associated with the calibration. Examples: Litres/min, RPM, Volts

output1.unit

Warning

text

Warning thresholds. Refer to user guide.

output1.warning

Alarm

text

Alarm thresholds. Refer to user guide.

output1.alarm

Alarm/Warning Hysteresis

decimal

Once the input is in a certain state, hysteresis is the amount by which the input has to change before moving to the other state.

output1.hysteresis

Thermocouple 1

Name

text

A name for the input that is meaningful to the user.

25 chars

tc1.name

Interval

integer

The number of base intervals after which the thermocouple is measured and events are checked. A value of 1 means that the input is collected every base interval. Set to 0 to disable.

0 to 10000

tc1.interval

Hysteresis

decimal

The amount by which the measured value has to drop below the threshold to re-enable the event.

-1000 to 1000

&deg;C

tc1.hysteresis

Type

text

Determines the type of thermocouple connected. Valid values are: K, J, T, N, S, E, B and R

1 chars

tc1.type

Warning

text

Warning thresholds. Refer to user guide.

-1000 to 1000

&deg;C

tc1.warning

Alarm

text

Alarm thresholds. Refer to user guide.

-1000 to 1000

&deg;C

tc1.alarm

CAN 1

Name

text

A name that is meaningful to the user.

25 chars

can1.name

Interval

integer

The number of base intervals after which the CAN module is turned on. Set to 0 to disable.

0 to 10000

can1.interval

Nominal Baud Rate

integer

Baud rate for CAN communication. Supported values are: 125, 250, 500, 1000

kbit/s

can1.nominal_baud

Capture Time

integer

The device will capture matching messages for this length of time.

Seconds

can1.capture_time

TX Enable

boolean

Allows the device to transmit and acknowledge messages on the CAN bus.

can1.tx_enable

ID Capture List

text

List of IDs to be captured in HEX format, separated by a comma eg: 18FEE60A. Leave blank to capture all.

200 chars

can1.id_list

Send Raw Data

boolean

If ticked, all captured messages will be added to the data message.

CAN 2

25 chars

can2.name

Name

text

A name that is meaningful to the user.

0 to 10000

can2.interval

Interval

integer

The number of base intervals after which the CAN module is turned on. Set to 0 to disable.

kbit/s

can2.nominal_baud

Nominal Baud Rate

integer

Baud rate for CAN communication. Supported values are: 125, 250, 500, 1000

Seconds

can2.capture_time

Capture Time

integer

The device will capture matching messages for this length of time.

can2.tx_enable

TX Enable

boolean

Allows the device to transmit and acknowledge messages on the CAN bus.

200 chars

can2.id_list

ID Capture List

text

List of IDs to be captured in HEX format, separated by a comma eg: 18FEE60A. Leave blank to capture all.

Send Raw Data

boolean

If ticked, all captured messages will be added to the data message.

Current Loop 1

25 chars

current1.name

Name

text

A name for the input that is meaningful to the user.

0 to 10000

current1.interval

Interval

integer

The number of base intervals after which the input is sampled. A value of 1 means that the input is collected every base interval. Set to 0 to disable.

current1.mode

Mode

preset

Specifies the function of the SRC1 terminal.

current1.always_on

Always On

boolean

Determines if Switched Power is to be enabled permanently.

0 to 3600

Seconds

current1.start_time

Start Time

decimal

Time in seconds that the output is turned on before measurements are taken. Allows an external device to stabilise.

current1.digital.alert.enable

Digital Change Alert

boolean

Sets whether a change in digital state generates an alert. (Digital Mode Only)

30 chars

current1.cal

Current 1 Calibration

text

Calibration parameters for Current 1. Refer to user guide.

current1.unit

Unit

text

The unit of measure associated with the calibration. Examples: Percent, Pascals, Meters

current1.warning

Warning

text

Warning thresholds. Refer to user guide.

current1.alarm

Alarm

text

Alarm thresholds. Refer to user guide.

current1.hysteresis

Alarm/Warning Hysteresis

decimal

The amount by which the calibrated current value has to drop below the threshold to re-enable the event.

Current Loop 2

25 chars

current2.name

Name

text

A name for the input that is meaningful to the user.

0 to 10000

current2.interval

Interval

integer

The number of base intervals after which the input is sampled. A value of 1 means that the input is collected every base interval. Set to 0 to disable.

current2.mode

Mode

preset

Specifies the function of the SRC2 terminal.

current2.always_on

Always On

boolean

Determines if Switched Power is to be enabled permanently.

0 to 3600

Seconds

current2.start_time

Start Time

decimal

Time in seconds that the output is turned on before measurements are taken. Allows an external device to stabilise.

current2.digital.alert.enable

Digital Change Alert

boolean

Sets whether a change in digital state generates an alert. (Digital Mode Only)

30 chars

current2.cal

Current 2 Calibration

text

Calibration parameters for Current 2. Refer to user guide.

current2.unit

Unit

text

The unit of measure associated with the calibration. Examples: Percent, Pascals, Meters

current2.warning

Warning

text

Warning thresholds. Refer to user guide.

current2.alarm

Alarm

text

Alarm thresholds. Refer to user guide.

current2.hysteresis

Alarm/Warning Hysteresis

decimal

The amount by which the calibrated current value has to drop below the threshold to re-enable the event.

Serial 1

25 chars

serial1.name

Name

text

A name for the input that is meaningful to the user.

0 to 10000

serial1.interval

Interval

integer

The number of base intervals after which the serial port is turned on. Set to 0 to disable.

serial1.type

Type

preset

The electrical interface type.

serial1.termination

Termination Resistor

boolean

This parameter enables the integrated termination resistor.

serial1.mode

Mode

preset

Describes how the serial port is to be handled. CAPTURE: serial data is captured between start and end characters. MODBUS: serial data is treated according to MODBUS RTU standard

serial1.baud

Baud Rate

integer

Baud rate for serial communication. Common values are: 4800, 9600, 19200, 38400, 57600, 115200

serial1.settings

Settings

text

A string describing the number of bytes: 7,8,9. Parity type: N(none), E(even), O(odd). Number of stop bits: 1 or 2. Typically: 8N1

Capture

32 chars

serial1.capture.start

Start String

text

The serial port starts reading data when it detects these characters. Example: $GPGGA, serial data will be ignored until $GPGGA is received after which data will be captured. If nothing is specified, the serial port will capture all data until the timeout period is reached.

0 to 60000

Milliseconds

serial1.capture.start_idle_time

Idle Time Before Start

integer

For a valid start condition, there must be this amount of idle time before receiving serial data. Additionally, the captured data will restarted if the serial port is idle for this time. Set to 0 to disable.

32 chars

serial1.capture.end

End String

text

Once capturing, if these characters are received, the serial port will stop capturing and will return to sleep. For binary data or escape sequences refer to the User Guide.

32 chars

serial1.capture.request

Request String

text

This string will be sent when the serial port is first turned on. Use this function to request data from a remote module.

Seconds

serial1.capture.maxtime

Max Time

integer

The device will wait this length of time for a valid capture.

serial1.capture.maxchars

Max Chars

integer

Maximum number of characters to be captured before the serial port goes back to sleep.

serial1.capture.alert

Alert on Capture

boolean

If checked an alert will be raised on any successful serial capture.

MODBUS RTU

0 to 10

Seconds

serial1.modbus.timeout

Slave Timeout

decimal

How long to wait for a response from each slave device.

MODBUS 1

25 chars

mod1.name

Modbus 1 Name

text

A meaningful name for Modbus Channel 1.

18 chars

mod1.settings

Modbus 1 Settings

text

Settings for Modbus Channel 1. Refer to user guide.

30 chars

mod1.cal

Modbus 1 Calibration

text

Calibration paramters for Modbus Channel 1. Refer to user guide.

mod1.unit

Modbus 1 Unit

text

The unit of measure associated with the calibration. Examples: Percent, L/hr, Meters

mod1.warning

Warning

text

Warning thresholds. Refer to user guide.

mod1.alarm

Alarm

text

Alarm thresholds. Refer to user guide.

MODBUS 2

25 chars

mod2.name

Modbus 2 Name

text

A meaningful name for Modbus Channel 2.

18 chars

mod2.settings

Modbus 2 Settings

text

Settings for Modbus Channel 2. Refer to user guide.

30 chars

mod2.cal

Modbus 2 Calibration

text

Calibration paramters for Modbus Channel 2. Refer to user guide.

mod2.unit

Modbus 2 Unit

text

The unit of measure associated with the calibration. Examples: Percent, L/hr, Meters

mod2.warning

Warning

text

Warning thresholds. Refer to user guide.

mod2.alarm

Alarm

text

Alarm thresholds. Refer to user guide.

MODBUS 3

25 chars

mod3.name

Modbus 3 Name

text

A meaningful name for Modbus Channel 3.

18 chars

mod3.settings

Modbus 3 Settings

text

Settings for Modbus Channel 3. Refer to user guide.

30 chars

mod3.cal

Modbus 3 Calibration

text

Calibration paramters for Modbus Channel 3. Refer to user guide.

mod3.unit

Modbus 3 Unit

text

The unit of measure associated with the calibration. Examples: Percent, L/hr, Meters

mod3.warning

Warning

text

Warning thresholds. Refer to user guide.

mod3.alarm

Alarm

text

Alarm thresholds. Refer to user guide.

MODBUS 4

25 chars

mod4.name

Modbus 4 Name

text

A meaningful name for Modbus Channel 4.

18 chars

mod4.settings

Modbus 4 Settings

text

Settings for Modbus Channel 4. Refer to user guide.

30 chars

mod4.cal

Modbus 4 Calibration

text

Calibration paramters for Modbus Channel 4. Refer to user guide.

mod4.unit

Modbus 4 Unit

text

The unit of measure associated with the calibration. Examples: Percent, L/hr, Meters

mod4.warning

Warning

text

Warning thresholds. Refer to user guide.

mod4.alarm

Alarm

text

Alarm thresholds. Refer to user guide.

MODBUS 5

25 chars

mod5.name

Modbus 5 Name

text

A meaningful name for Modbus Channel 5.

18 chars

mod5.settings

Modbus 5 Settings

text

Settings for Modbus Channel 5. Refer to user guide.

30 chars

mod5.cal

Modbus 5 Calibration

text

Calibration paramters for Modbus Channel 5. Refer to user guide.

mod5.unit

Modbus 5 Unit

text

The unit of measure associated with the calibration. Examples: Percent, L/hr, Meters

mod5.warning

Warning

text

Warning thresholds. Refer to user guide.

mod5.alarm

Alarm

text

Alarm thresholds. Refer to user guide.

MODBUS 6

18 chars

mod6.settings

Modbus 6 Settings

text

Settings for Modbus Channel 6. Refer to user guide.

30 chars

mod6.cal

Modbus 6 Calibration

text

Calibration paramters for Modbus Channel 6. Refer to user guide.

MODBUS 7

18 chars

mod7.settings

Modbus 7 Settings

text

Settings for Modbus Channel 7. Refer to user guide.

30 chars

mod7.cal

Modbus 7 Calibration

text

Calibration paramters for Modbus Channel 7. Refer to user guide.

MODBUS 8

18 chars

mod8.settings

Modbus 8 Settings

text

Settings for Modbus Channel 8. Refer to user guide.

30 chars

mod8.cal

Modbus 8 Calibration

text

Calibration paramters for Modbus Channel 8. Refer to user guide.

MODBUS 9

18 chars

mod9.settings

Modbus 9 Settings

text

Settings for Modbus Channel 9. Refer to user guide.

30 chars

mod9.cal

Modbus 9 Calibration

text

Calibration paramters for Modbus Channel 9. Refer to user guide.

MODBUS 10

18 chars

mod10.settings

Modbus 10 Settings

text

Settings for Modbus Channel 10. Refer to user guide.

30 chars

mod10.cal

Modbus 10 Calibration

text

Calibration paramters for Modbus Channel 10. Refer to user guide.