HOBO RXW Repeater (RXW-RPTR-B-xxx) Manual
1-800-LOGGERS
4
www.onsetcomp.com
•
Make sure the repeater is mounted a minimum of 1.8 m (6
feet) from the ground vegetation to help maximize
distance and signal strength.
•
There should not be more than five motes in any direction
at their maximum transmission range from the manager.
Data logged by a wireless sensor must travel or “hop”
across the wireless network from one mote to the next
until it ultimately reaches the manager at the station. To
make sure the data can successfully travel across the
network, the mote should not be more than five hops
away from the manager.
•
The HOBOnet Wireless Sensor Network can support a
maximum of 50 motes.
•
Use a #4-40 screw to attach a ground wire to the port on
the back of the repeater if you are deploying it in a
location where lightning is a concern.
Maintenance
Periodically inspect the repeater and do the following:
•
Verify the repeater is free of visible damage or cracks.
•
Make sure the repeater is clean. Wipe off any dust or
grime with a damp cloth.
•
Wipe off any water before opening the repeater.
•
Make sure the interior seal is intact and the latches are
fully locked when the repeater door is closed.
Updating Repeater Firmware
If a new firmware version is available for the repeater, use
HOBOlink to download the file to your computer.
1.
In HOBOlink, go to Devices, then RX Devices, and click your
station name.
2.
On the station page, click Overview and scroll down to
Device Information.
3.
Click the Wireless tab. This icon
appears next to the
mote if there is a new version of firmware available.
4.
Click the firmware
upgrade link. Click Download and
save the firmware .bin file to your computer.
5.
Connect the mote to the computer with a USB cable (open
the mote door and use the USB port to the right of the
LCD). The blue LED is illuminated while connected.
6.
The mote appears as a new storage device in the
computer’s file storage manager. Copy the downloaded
firmware file to the new storage device (the mote). The
blue LED will blink slowly while the file is copying.
7.
After the file is copied to the mote, the LED will stop
blinking and remain a steady blue. Eject the storage device
from the computer and disconnect the cable from the
mote. The firmware installation process will begin
automatically on the mote. The blue LED will blink rapidly
while the firmware is installed. Once the firmware
installation is complete, the LCD symbols return and the
mote will automatically rejoin the network.
Notes:
•
Mac® users:
A message may appear indicating the disk
has not ejected properly when disconnecting the mote
from the computer. The mote is operational and you can
ignore the message.
•
If the blue LED turns off abruptly while copying the file or
installing the firmware, a problem has occurred. Contact
Onset Technical Support for help.
Battery Information
Lithium Batteries
You can use two 1.5 V lithium batteries (HWSB-LI) for operation
at the extreme ends of the repeater operating range. Lithium
battery life is an estimated at 1 year, but varies based on the
ambient temperature where the repeater is deployed, the
logging interval, the number of tripped alarms, and other
factors. Estimates are not guaranteed due to uncertainties in
initial battery conditions and operating environment. When
using lithium batteries, you must disconnect the solar panel
cable because the batteries will not be recharged.
To install lithium batteries:
1.
Open the repeater door.
2.
Remove any old batteries and install the new ones
observing polarity.
The repeater contacts the network once the new batteries are
installed. The green LED blinks quickly while the repeater
searches for a network to join and then blinks slowly while it
completes the network registration. Once the repeater has
finished joining the network, the green LED turns off and the
blue LED then blinks indefinitely while the repeater is part of
the network.
WARNING:
Do not cut open, incinerate, heat above 85°C
(185°F), or recharge the lithium batteries. The batteries may
explode if the repeater is exposed to extreme heat or
conditions that could damage or destroy the battery cases. Do
not mix battery types, either by chemistry or age; batteries may
rupture or explode. Do not dispose of the logger or batteries in
fire. Do not expose the contents of the batteries to water.
Dispose of the batteries according to local regulations for
lithium batteries.