User's Manual

THE PORTABLE INTERROGATOR User Guide
Revised July 2000
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interrogate the module through the reading wand connected to the serial port. If the
meter uses no automatic meter reading technology, The Portable Interrogator 400 will
display the numeric keyboard for entering the meter reading manually.
The left-inside button marked with “I/O” is the on / off button. Pressing the button when
the unit is off will turn it on. Pressing the button when the unit is on will turn it off.
When you turn the unit back on, The Portable Interrogator 400 will display the same
screen that was active when you turned the unit off.
The right-inside button marked with a “” is a special key to use when you are unsure of
your next The Portable Interrogator 400 entry. The “” key will cancel the current The
Portable Interrogator 400 function and return you to the main menu screen. This key is
especially handy if you believe you are in the wrong function and you wish to restart at a
known state, or if you are lost and not sure what you should do next. Simply press the
“” key and The Portable Interrogator 400 will cancel the current fu nction and return to
the main menu.
USING THE PORTABLE INTERROGATOR 400 TO REPLACE THE TPI
If you are currently using the Badger Meter Portable Interrogator 400 for gathering
TRACE meter readings, The Portable Interrogator 400 can replace the TPI directly. The
Portable Interrogator 400 will communicate with your Route Management software using
the same communications method and passing the same information as the TPI. Your
Route Management software will not know the difference between a TPI and The
Portable Interrogator 400.
CONSERVING THE BATTERY
The Portable Interrogator 400 conserves battery power by turning itself off when not in
use. If you are using The Portable Interrogator 400 as a replacement for the TPI, The
Portable Interrogator 400 will turn itself off after three minutes of no use. If you are
using The Portable Interrogator 400 as a collector for CONNECT, you can choose the
timeout period that The Portable Interrogator 400 uses, from one minute up to five
minutes.
CHANGING THE BATTERY
Changing The Portable Interrogator 400’s battery is quick and easy. Because of The
Portable Interrogator 400’s design, meter readings will not be lost when changing the
battery. However, The Portable Interrogator 400 should be turned off when replacing a
battery. If The Portable Interrogator 400 is on, press the power button to turn The
Portable Interrogator 400 off.