User's Manual

CHAPTER2
MaintainingandservicingtheRTU
11
MaintainingandservicingtheRTU
An A753 Series 4 addWAVE needs virtually no maintenance. It is
waterproof and designed to withstand harsh environmental conditions
(-30 to +70 °C, or -22 to 158 °F), high RH values, water, and other
non-corrosive liquids. It conforms to the European protection class
IP65. This applies also to the connectors, as long as they are mated.
Don’t let unmated connectors on either the addWAVE RTU or the
sensors be exposed to the environment for extended periods of time
as this will seriously degrade their functionality.
TheRTUbattery
• The internal battery supplies 6.2 volts and consists of a NiMH
pack. The internal electronics manage the battery’s charging/
discharging process, ensuring it a long life time. This approach,
coupled with a remarkably low average power consumption,
allows an addWAVE RTU to operate at least two weeks on a fully
charged battery, as long as the analog and the counter values are
stored in the internal memory every 15 minutes.
Tab l e 2 shows the addWAVE device’s expected operation time on a
fully charged battery under various conditions.
Table 2. addWAVE Device Operation Time
Radio Activity
Sampling
Rate
Average
Consumption
(mA)
Estimated
Operation
(days)
No no sensors 0.85 132
Low no sensors 2.8 40
Heavy no sensors 5 22
Low 900/3 4.2 26
Low 900/15 6.3 17
Heavy 900/15 9 12
However, if for some reason (wear-out or accident) the battery loses
its capacity (noted in the software with repeated “Battery low”
messages), it must be replaced. Make sure though, that the problem
is really due to the battery and not to a defective or dirty solar panel.
Adcon highly recommends that you frequently check and clean your
solar panels. Rain and dust can cover the solar panel’s surface with a
thin layer of dirt, effectively reducing its power output. Surrounding
vegetation can also lower panel efficiency.