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R450 Mini Collector Installation and Maintenance Guide 

1  Product Description

General Product Overview

This section provides a general description of the R450™ Mini Collector (R450 MC). 
The R450 MC receives, stores, and communicates meter reading data to the 
N_SIGHT™ R450 host software (version 1.6 or later) in the host computer. The 
R450 MC collects meter reading data from Neptune’s R450 meter interface unit (MIU) 
interfacing with Neptune’s absolute encoder register. This data can later be uploaded to the 
Customer Information System (CIS) and sent to the utility billing system for processing. 

Figure 1   R450 MC 

This chapter is designed to provide you with an introduction to the installation process. It 
explains the focus of the guide, the pre-installation personnel responsibilities, and general 
information on customer support. 

Before you begin to install the R450 MC, it is important to become familiar with the unit 
and its components. This guide is intended for use by installers and is designed to help in 
the installation process. This guide contains information on the components and 
specifications, the site selection, and the actual installation of the unit. 

The R450 MC utilizes frequencies in the 450-470 MHz licensed band. An FCC license is required 
prior to installation of the system. 

Summary of Contents for R450 MC

Page 1: ...E C o d E C o d R450 MINI COLLECTOR INSTALLATION AND MAINTENANCE GUIDE R450 Mini Collector Installation and Maintenance Guide...

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Page 3: ...R450 Mini Collector Installation and Maintenance Guide...

Page 4: ...ned to provide reasonable protection against harmful interference in a residential installation This equipment generates uses and can radiate radio frequency energy and if not installed and used in ac...

Page 5: ...ce qui peut causer l op ration peu d sir e Important Safety Precautions Review the following precautionary measures prior to installation Review the following precautionary measures prior to installat...

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Page 7: ...formance of a New System 7 Maintaining the Performance of the R450 System 8 R450 MC Kits 9 Cellular Modem 9 Ethernet 9 2 General Installation Guidelines R450 MC Specifications 10 Electrical Specificat...

Page 8: ...the R450 MC 27 Attaching the RF Antenna Cable 27 Weatherizing the RF Antenna Connection 28 Connecting the Ground Wire 29 Configuring the R450 MC 29 Connecting Power to the R450 MC 30 Checking Cellular...

Page 9: ...nsmitter Transmits but No MIU Readings 46 Taking the Reading and Calculating VSWR 46 The Radio Module Never Transmits 47 R450 MC Not Collecting as Much Data as Before but Still Collecting Some MIU Dat...

Page 10: ...ng the RF Antenna Cable 66 Weatherizing the Cable Connections 67 B R450 MC Stand Using the R450 MC Stand 69 Ballast Requirements vs Wind Speed 69 Ballast Considerations 69 Applying the Ballast to the...

Page 11: ...t for the R450 MC 18 20 Positioning the R450 MC 19 21 Back of Battery Box 19 22 Feeding Conductor Wire 20 23 Tightening Connector Hub 20 24 Battery Box Wires 21 25 R450 MC Wiring 21 26 Stand with Conc...

Page 12: ...ching Coax Cable to RF Antenna 36 58 Weatherizing RF Antenna Connection 37 59 Mounting RF Antenna to Mast 37 60 Securing the Coax Cable 37 61 Radio Module LEDs 40 62 AC Power Plug Disconnected 41 63 R...

Page 13: ...Vanguard 3000 43 9 Certifying Carriers by Nation 43 10 Neptune Part Numbers for Cable and Connectors 56 11 Connectors and Accessories 56 12 Power Measurement to Return Loss and VSWR Conversion Table...

Page 14: ...xii R450 Mini Collector Installation and Maintenance Guide Notes Tables...

Page 15: ...to the utility billing system for processing Figure 1 R450 MC This chapter is designed to provide you with an introduction to the installation process It explains the focus of the guide the pre insta...

Page 16: ...s an installation kit for each type of installation The standard configuration of the R450 MC backhaul is Ethernet or a cellular modem Other available backhaul options include using an Ethernet connec...

Page 17: ...ons For best performance of your R450 MC mount the RF antenna at a minimum of 30 feet high but no more than 75 feet high RF antenna One or the other Street light AC DC power supply R450 Mini Collector...

Page 18: ...Pole Installation The pole installation is used for an outdoor free standing pole Refer to Figure 3 for how you can install the R450 MC on a pole Figure 3 Pole Installation RF antenna R450 Mini Collec...

Page 19: ...w to install the R450 MC on a tower Figure 4 Tower Mount Installation Rooftop Installation The rooftop installation is used when the R450 MC is mounted in a high location such as on a rooftop Refer to...

Page 20: ...ount the R450 MC to a wall Figure 6 Wall Mount Installation Depending upon the availability of communications Ethernet or cellular modems can be used Do not mount the R450 MC antenna mast or antenna t...

Page 21: ...e functioning totally within its required specifications and still cause interference with the R450 System The collaborative effort of all the affected parties is required to solve this type of proble...

Page 22: ...0 MC and other local transmitters themselves can also be a source of re radiated interference Additional equipment that your installer can recommend can help control these issues Terrain and the types...

Page 23: ...t Ethernet The following list includes the parts needed for the R450 MC Ethernet kit Table 1 Cellular Modem Parts List Part Number Description Qty 13071 000 R450 MC cellular modem includes pole wall m...

Page 24: ...anical Specifications R450 MC Footprint AC Power 12V AC 0 66A nominal 2A peak DC Power 12V DC 0 66A nominal 2A peak Power Consumption 8 Watts Operating Temperature 22 to 140 F 30 to 60 C Storage Tempe...

Page 25: ...vironment The temperature should remain between 40 and 185 F 40 and 85 C Unpacking As with all precision electronic instruments the R450 MC should be handled with care however no special handling is r...

Page 26: ...als Table 3 shows the recommended tools and materials you need to successfully install the R450 MC The pole wall mounting bracket is included with the R450 MC Some items may not apply to your specific...

Page 27: ...ench Standard socket wrench set Standard box end wrench set Hammer Channel locks Compass Protractor T27 Torx Pin Head Tool Various installation procedures performed by the installer UV Stable Cable Ti...

Page 28: ...ooting on page 38 Mounting RF Antenna to Pole or Stand To mount the RF antenna to a pole or a stand complete the following steps 1 Assemble the stand per manufacturer s instructions 2 Attach the anten...

Page 29: ...the RF antenna connection using the weatherizing kit Polyphasor Part No WK 1 See Figure 11 Figure 11 Weatherizing RF Antenna 5 Mount the RF antenna to the antenna pole using antenna mounting brackets...

Page 30: ...e 13 Figure 13 Installing Pole Brackets 2 Lift the battery box then lower it so that the flange on the top rear of the box slides over the flange of the top bracket and locks in place The square holes...

Page 31: ...generated by the sun Figure 16 R450 MC Solar Panel To mount the solar panel complete the following steps 1 Attach the solar panel to the pole using the U bolts or bands provided See Figure 17 Figure 1...

Page 32: ...re 18 Solar Panel Tilt Angle Mounting the R450 MC To mount the R450 MC to a pole or stand complete the following steps 1 Position the R450 MC so that the top of the box is approximately four inches ab...

Page 33: ...from the solar panel to the back of the battery box See Figure 21 2 Connect the green GND solar panel wire to the green GND lead in the battery box 3 Connect the red PV solar panel positive lead to t...

Page 34: ...it can be terminated to the load terminals inside the battery box See Figure 22 3 Tighten the connector hub using a crescent wrench to secure the cable See Figure 23 Figure 23 Tightening Connector Hu...

Page 35: ...nt T27 Torx Pin Head tool Figure 25 R450 MC Wiring Applying the Ballast to the Stand After the R450 MC is wired the next stage is to secure the entire unit in its location by applying the ballast To a...

Page 36: ...e the R450 MC replace the security Torx screws in the following pattern 1 2 3 4 See Figure 28 5 Watch the LED located in the lower right corner of the radio module There is approximately a 30 second d...

Page 37: ...on page 27 However use the 2 inch to 12 inch Snaplock clamps to mount the antenna bracket to the pole as shown in Figure 29 Figure 29 RF Antenna for a Pole The instructions to mount the R450 MC syste...

Page 38: ...ompleting the following steps 1 Mount the R450 MC to pole using two stainless steel Snaplock clamps Neptune Part Number 13089 001 Figure 30 Pole Hardware for the R450 MC 2 Insert clamps through the sl...

Page 39: ...e top rear of the box slides over the flange of the top bracket and locks in place The square holes in the bottom bracket now line up with the holes in the bottom rear of the enclosure Figure 33 Pole...

Page 40: ...the R450 MC to a Large Pole To mount the R450 MC to a large pole complete the following steps 1 Attach the R450 MC to the large pole using two stainless steel Snaplock clamps See Figure 37 2 Position...

Page 41: ...the RF antenna cable 1 Locate the RF antenna cable that extends from the RF antenna 2 Connect the RF antenna cable to the RF antenna connector located on the bottom of the R450 MC See Figure 39 3 Tig...

Page 42: ...kwise around the connection several times and slowly work your way downward to weatherize the RF antenna connection Be sure to overlap the tape at least 1 4 inch When complete the weatherized port sho...

Page 43: ...lar power connector counterclockwise to disengage it 2 Allow the R450 MC to power down all lights on the radio module should be off 3 Configure the USB flash drive for the appropriate R450 MC using th...

Page 44: ...ber and then green When the boot sequence is complete RSSI will light steadily green and SVC will be flashing green 3 If the lights are off this indicates a power problem with the modem or the power s...

Page 45: ...properly please call Neptune Customer Support at 800 647 4832 for assistance in further diagnosis See Contacting Customer Support on page 52 6 After the R450 MC has been powered up for five minutes re...

Page 46: ...R450 MC that you are installing If you do not receive an email continue to the instructions out lined in If No Email is Received If No Email is Received If you do not receive an email do the followin...

Page 47: ...re the R450 MC to the wall in one of the following ways If mounting to wood use 14 stainless steel wood screws If mounting to masonry use 1 3 4 inch long 3 16 inch diameter corrosion resistant masonry...

Page 48: ...Figure 50 Figure 50 Adding Cables to the R450 MC 2 Weatherize the RF antenna connection using the weatherization kit See Figure 51 Figure 51 Weatherizing RF Antenna Connection 3 Attach the circular po...

Page 49: ...or masonry anchors rated at a minimum of 20 pounds loading Figure 54 Securing Pole Bracket The RF antenna mast and stand must be grounded to the same grounding electrode used for the building s electr...

Page 50: ...arly to the first one following steps 2 and 3 7 Line up the pole in the two brackets See Figure 55 8 Secure the pole with the bolts provided Figure 55 Lining up Second Pole Bracket Mounting RF Antenna...

Page 51: ...kit Polyphasor Part No WK 1 See Figure 58 Figure 58 Weatherizing RF Antenna Connection 4 Mount the RF antenna to the antenna mast using antenna mounting brackets See Figure 59 Figure 59 Mounting RF An...

Page 52: ...tool to open the R450 MC Digital volt Ohm multimeter Voltage Standing Wave Ratio VSWR meter Socket and open end wrenches to install remove the R450 MC Small medium and large slot style screw drivers...

Page 53: ...ower supply CPU or backhaul modem may not be functioning Some sites are configured so that an operator can log into the R450 MC remotely look at the logs and watch the system activity If the R450 MC i...

Page 54: ...ate that the transmit beacon is working Figure 61 Radio Module LEDs Additional Detail Checks If any of the previous checks failed the following detail checks should be performed Power supply voltage c...

Page 55: ...ng with transformer or circuit breaker When checking power for a DC powered R450 MC such as solar or UPS verify that 12V DC is between Pins C and D Verifying Radio Module Power Neptune recommends chec...

Page 56: ...d black wires Cellular Modem Overview CalAmp s Vanguard 3000 modem is designed for operation on both GSM and CDMA networks It offers more choice and redundancy in carrier networks If the voltage is ab...

Page 57: ...lowing equipment Laptop or PC with Ethernet network port Vanguard 3000 quick start guide Ethernet cable Cellular service provider SIM card if applicable APN and password from the cellular service prov...

Page 58: ...e sure to insert the SIM card facing gold side upward 2 If you are configuring this cellular modem in the field verify that the R450 MC is powered on 3 Run the online configuration application for the...

Page 59: ...t 4 When prompted to confirm reboot click Yes 5 Provisioning is completed after rebooting when the confirmation message displays and then the PPP status is UP Modem Setup Troubleshooting If you finish...

Page 60: ...50 MC 2 Configure the analyzer using the preceding procedure 3 Be sure that there is not a vertical line running through the display in the plot area If there is press EXAM PLOT and it should go away...

Page 61: ...SWR of the system using the technique previously described 3 If VSWR is high the feedline and antenna should be checked out and certified by qualified radio personnel Visually check for water ingress...

Page 62: ...connected to the FST diagnostic port Figure 65 Null Modem Serial Cable Connected to FST Port The communications program used to monitor the FST port is HyperTerminal However when using Windows 7 or Vi...

Page 63: ...ndow appears Figure 66 HyperTerminal Window 3 Set up the laptop computer to use COM1 to connect See Figure 66 4 Set the COM1 port settings as illustrated in Figure 67 Figure 67 Port Settings Refer to...

Page 64: ...le the operating system comes up and the R450 MC boot loader program runs 2 The LED flashes twice per second while the main loader is running 3 The LED flashes once per second while the main R450 MC a...

Page 65: ...allation and Maintenance Guide 51 Reset Switch There is a reset switch adjacent to the CPU boot up status LED Pressing the switch momentarily resets the CPU board See Figure 69 Figure 69 Reset Switch...

Page 66: ...you tried to solve the problem Your company s end user name You will be directed according to the options in Figure 70 on page 52 Figure 70 Support Options To contact Customer Support by fax send a de...

Page 67: ...d on the top as close to the center as is practical When mounting the antenna on a traditional three or four leg tower the standoff mount for the antenna must position the antenna at least two feet aw...

Page 68: ...al systems from interfering with each other Managed antenna sites may require additional equipment and may dictate how an installation is to be performed As long as the installation meets Neptune s mi...

Page 69: ...e of coax in an installation The FSJ4 50B cable is very flexible and may be used for the last section of a coax run to the R450 MC if the additional flexibility is required The feed line must be bonde...

Page 70: ...tenna cable for 150 cable runs or less 10046 118 AVA5 50 7 8 inch 0 74 dB 10 inch 0 30 400 Recommended antenna cable for runs over 150 Table 11 Connectors and Accessories Cable Type NeptunePart Number...

Page 71: ...hms Gain 3dBd VSWR 2 0 1 Bandwidth 20 MHz Vertical Beam Width 40 degrees Lightning Protection Direct ground Termination N Female Overall Length 39 inches Support Pipe Diameter 1 35 inches Support Pipe...

Page 72: ...Certification The RF antenna supplied with the R450 MC is specified as having a VSWR of 1 5 1 or better over the 450 470 MHz range Conduct a test by hooking up the wattmeter to the coaxial connector a...

Page 73: ...020 0 100 0 20 17 0 1 33 0 31 1 55 3 10 5 09 3 51 0 030 0 150 0 30 15 2 1 42 0 32 1 60 3 20 4 95 3 60 0 040 0 200 0 40 14 0 1 50 0 33 1 65 3 30 4 81 3 70 0 050 0 250 0 50 13 0 1 58 0 34 1 70 3 40 4 6...

Page 74: ...1 155 0 725 0 372 250 5 775 3 625 1 860 60 1 386 0 870 0 446 260 6 006 3 770 1 934 70 1 617 1 015 0 521 270 6 237 3 915 2 009 80 1 848 1 160 0 595 280 6 468 4 060 2 083 90 2 079 1 305 0 670 290 6 699...

Page 75: ...nded If the radio puts out more than 5W a Bird 10E or higher power element may be required Complete the following step to use a wattmeter and handheld to calculate VSWR 1 Connect the wattmeter and tra...

Page 76: ...T and it should go away 4 Allow the analyzer reading to stabilize between 10 and 20 seconds 5 Press EXAM PLOT to freeze the display 6 Using the FREQ arrows move the cursor the vertical line in the mid...

Page 77: ...packing material In particular check to be sure that the N connector at the base of the antenna is not dam aged This is much easier to deal with while the antenna is on the ground than after it is ins...

Page 78: ...orted screwdrivers medium flat head Cordless electric drill assorted bits Adjustable wrench Standard socket wrench set Standard box end wrench set Hammer Channel locks Various installation procedures...

Page 79: ...lvanized steel pole Figure 73 RF Antenna Cable and Trench The pole used to support the PV array must be designed per the local soil conditions to meet the following minimum requirements Solar panel ar...

Page 80: ...ector using the weatherizing kit See Table 14 on page 64 Figure 74 RF Antenna to be Mounted Attaching the RF Antenna Cable To attach the RF antenna cable to the R450 MC complete the following steps 1...

Page 81: ...he tape around the connection several times slowly work your way downward to weatherize your connection at the base Figure 76 Weatherizing the RF Antenna Connection Special consideration should be giv...

Page 82: ...Appendix A Notes 68 R450 Mini Collector Installation and Maintenance Guide...

Page 83: ...a ballast to secure the stand against high winds Refer to the following section for ballast recom mendations Applying the Ballast to the Stand After the R450 MC is wired the next stage is to secure th...

Page 84: ...rence JRM Allowable Antenna Areas Rohn Drawing A981812 This table assumes 10 ft2 93 m2 projected area with the centoid at 4 ft 1 22 m up from roof Reference The stand must be secured to the building s...

Page 85: ...ue for magnetic declination in degrees based on the lines of con stant declination isogonic lines shown above For example the declination for Washington D C is approximately 11 for Chicago IL 1 and fo...

Page 86: ...region Take this value and add the factor based on the table below This will provide the optimum worst case performance with the minimum amount of annual adjustment based on the winter months Norther...

Page 87: ...llustrates the magnetic declination for the U S Figure 79 Magnetic Declination U S Selecting the Correct Solar Power System Complete the following steps to select the correct solar power system for th...

Page 88: ...ssories drawing for the most current information When a site location is close to a zone transition line chose the larger size solar power system For example if the site location falls on or near tran...

Page 89: ...the solar module angle and direction are correct Make sure there is no shade Load Disconnected Load low voltage disconnect LVD trip on the load controller Confirm that the battery voltage is above th...

Page 90: ...is actively charging No further troubleshooting of the controller is required Troubleshooting the Solar Panel s Battery Table 19 lists the 120 hour load voltages during the discharge cycle from full c...

Page 91: ...charge and temperature extremes but can vary between 3 10 years To measure for battery end of life 1 Disconnect the battery from the system 2 Charge the battery with an appropriate three stage battery...

Page 92: ...hour wait period under no load you may have a damaged cell and require a battery replacement If battery voltage climbs very rapidly under charge then falls rapidly after removing the charge you may h...

Page 93: ...measure approximately 30 or less of the rating shown on the nameplate 60 or less of nameplate rating in MED sunlight and 60 or greater in HIGH sunlight The degree of sunlight is based on cloud cover...

Page 94: ...Appendix C Notes 80 R450 Mini Collector Installation and Maintenance Guide...

Page 95: ...e ballast CDMA Code Division Multiple Access A channel access method used by various radio communication technologies that allows multiple users to be connected over the same channel CEC Canadian Elec...

Page 96: ...stem A fixed network AMI system for targeted applications allowing a utility to conduct meter reading operations automatically ensuring maximum collection of the data VSWR Voltage Standing Wave Ratio...

Page 97: ...25 battery box connect to solar panel 19 battery box installation 16 Bolt A Band clamps 26 bolts carriage 16 25 provided 36 U bolts 17 boot up LED status 50 bracket pole 35 36 C cable leaks 8 modem s...

Page 98: ...initial site activities 39 install wall mount system 33 installation battery box 16 coax connectors 54 four types 2 importance of professional iii instructions 14 65 kit 2 installation continued prob...

Page 99: ...dem serial cable 48 O operating humidity 10 temperature 10 options backhaul 2 mounting 2 3 4 power supply 2 P parts Ethernet 9 GPRS 9 Wi Fi 56 WiFi 56 performance issues 6 problems 8 placement antenna...

Page 100: ...lems 8 snaplock clamps 26 solar panel attach 17 installation 17 latitude 18 mount to large pole 26 photo 17 tilt angle 26 wiring 19 solar power system wiring 19 zones 74 specialists support 52 specifi...

Page 101: ...ng R450 MC 38 W wall mount install 33 installing illus 33 34 instructions 33 mini collector system 6 weatherization kit 24 34 wrap 28 weatherize antenna connection 67 RF antenna 28 RF antenna connecti...

Page 102: ...Notes 88 R450 Mini Collector Installation and Maintenance Guide...

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Page 104: ...600 Alabama Highway 229 Tallassee AL 36078 USA Tel 800 633 8754 Fax 334 283 7293 Neptune Technology Group Canada Ltd 7275 West Credit Avenue Mississauga Ontario L5N 5M9 Canada Tel 905 858 4211 Fax 905...

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