User's Manual
CHAPTER2
Maintainingandservicingtheremotewirelessmodem
20
The internal electronics manage the batteries’ charging/discharging
process, ensuring a long lifetime. This approach, coupled with a
remarkably low average power consumption, allows an RA440 to
operate approximately one week on two fully charged battery packs,
under the following conditions:
• The radio quality of the GPRS cellular network and the Adcon
proprietary network is classified as good. Following conditions
classify the radio quality as good:
• GPRS cellular network quality is greater than 29.
• The network quality is readable at the response of the GSMSQ
command at signal quality (1st parameter).
Adcon’s proprietary network signal quality might get by using the
INFO command (see page 43).
• The channel used for your Adcon proprietary network has
moderate radio activity, with requests every 15 minutes.
Table 2 shows the device’s expected operation time on a fully charged
battery under various conditions.
Note: “Radio activity” means that one base station and one to five RTUs are
active on the same operating frequency and within the transmission
distance of the RA440.
The operation time might differ due to the individual setting of
A440TMOUT and the polling cycle of the connected RTUs.
However, if for some reason (wear-out or accident) the batteries lose
their capacity (noted in the software with repeated “Battery low”
messages), they must be replaced. Make sure, though, that the
problem is really due to the batteries 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.
Table 2. Device Operation Time
Radio
Activity
Connected
Batteries (Internal)
Average
Consumption
(mA)
Estimated
Operation (days)
No 1 15.625 8
Yes 1 35.715 3.5
No 2 15.625 16
Yes 2 35.715 7