Sentek PLUS Hardware Manual Download Page 56

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Troubleshooting Guide

Page 48

Symptom/Error Message

Possible Cause of Failure

Check

Possible Solution

Blown (F201) interface fuse

Measure voltages at each end
of fuse

Replace fuse (check wiring first)

Failure to

“Test” upload

Modem not powering up with Open
Session in PConfig

Should be >12V at either end
of fuse (using Pin 4 as ground
reference)

Replace F202 with 3A fuse

Should be >12V at Pin 3
(brown wire) on interface

Replace Interface (if F202 fuse is good)

Should be >12V at SWITCH
Pin (brown wire) on X8
connector of DTU

Replace probe cable (if power is ok at interface)

Should be >12V at either end
of F3 fuse voltage on DTU
(using battery negative as
ground reference)

Replace F3 with 2.5A fuse

Should be >12V modem
supply voltage at X6 connector
of DTU

Replace DTU panel or modem

Probe settings

Check Network Settings

Download Network settings .cfg files from Sentek
web site and restore correct file to probe

Modem powers up

(LED’s light

up) but does

n’t communicate

with probe in Open Session

Adjust Parity and Baud Rate in PConfig one at a
time and check in Open Session after each
change until probe communicates with modem.

“053 Connection Failure
[Connect Modem]” result code

Increase Connection Timeout in probe

Poor wiring

Modem powers up

(LED’s light

up)

but doesn’t communicate

with probe in Open Session

Re-terminate probe and modem data cable
connections

Low voltage

Measure probe supply voltage
(Pin1 - red wire)

Replace battery or probe cable if low

Check Voltage in PConfig

Replace interface if voltage reading is wrong

Summary of Contents for PLUS

Page 1: ...SentekTM PLUS H HA AR RD DW WA AR RE E M MA AN NU UA AL L V VE ER RS SI IO ON N 2 2 1 1 ...

Page 2: ...y rights remain with Sentek Pty Ltd All information presented is subject to change without notice 2005 2012 Sentek Pty Ltd Sentek EnviroSCAN EnviroSMART EasyAG TriSCAN and IrriMAX are trademarks or registered trademarks of Sentek Pty Ltd that may be registered in one or more jurisdictions Scotchlok is a registered trademark of 3M Sentek Pty Ltd A C N 007 916 672 77 Magill Road Stepney South Austra...

Page 3: ...ser is encouraged to try to correct the interference by one or more of the following measures Reorientation or relocation of the receiving antenna Connection of the equipment into an outlet on a circuit different from that to which the receiver is connected Consultation with the dealer or an experienced radio TV technician EMC approvals The Sentek PLUS system complies with EN61326 1997 Amdt 1 1998...

Page 4: ...d and data packet plan for modem 5 Hosting Set up and Recommendations 6 Sentek PLUS DTU 8 Sentek PLUS Probes 10 Introduction 10 Assemble and Normalise 10 Install access tube and the probe 10 Cable probe to DTU 15 Probe Configuration 16 Modem Configuration 21 Testing 22 Viewing Data 23 Downloading 23 Viewing 24 Maintenance 25 DTU 25 Probe 25 Solar Panel 25 Cabling 25 SLA battery 25 Probe Cable Conn...

Page 5: ...50 3 years 50 T TA AB BL LE E O OF F F FI IG GU UR RE ES S Figure 1 Block Diagram of the Sentek PLUS in use 1 Figure 2 Completed system block diagram 3 Figure 3 Sentek PLUS front panel layout 4 Figure 4 Sentek PLUS DTU housing 8 Figure 5 Rear of Sentek PLUS Front panel showing charger and Modem layout 9 Figure 6 Modem power cable connections 9 Figure 7 EnviroSCAN sensor addressing 10 Figure 8 Easy...

Page 6: ... 21 Figure 30 Power settings 21 Figure 31 Sending modem settings Response from a Fastrack modem shown above 22 Figure 32 Sensor testing 23 Figure 33 Successful Test 23 Figure 34 EnviroSCAN RS232 logging interface 27 Figure 35 EasyAG RS232 logging interface 27 Figure 36 Checking probe type and firmware versions 28 Figure 37 Upload result codes from most recent upload attempt 37 Figure 38 EnviroSCAN...

Page 7: ......

Page 9: ...in regional areas Figure 1 Block Diagram of the Sentek PLUS in use F FE EA AT TU UR RE ES S Sentek PLUS Probe Utilises Sentek Soil Moisture TriSCAN sensors tubes and rod Available in both EasyAG and EnviroSCAN probes Interface can store over 2000 samples 21 days 15 minute sampling intervals Sentek PLUS Data Transmission Unit DTU Sentek PLUS Probe is connected to the DTU via 5 metres of cable An as...

Page 10: ...rtified by Sentek for use with Sentek PLUS systems Sentek PLUS systems with probe firmware version 1 2 3 or later should work with CDMA modems provided they are in an area with CDMA network access and Probe Configuration Utility Network tab has been appropriately setup For further information about using existing CDMA units see EnviroSCAN Plus NextG CDMA Upgrade Guide H HA AR RD DW WA AR RE E R RE...

Page 12: ...d Documents EasyAG Installation Guide Access Tube Installation Guide IrriMAX 7 1 Data Exchange User Guide Sentek PLUS Module Probe Configuration Utility Version 1 7 2 or later Manual Sentek Technical Brief TB064 ESPlus NextG Fails Network Selection Sentek Technical Brief TB065 ESPlus NextG SIM PIN EnviroSCAN Plus NextG CDMA Upgrade Guide EnviroSCAN FlatCap Training Presentation ...

Page 13: ...the probe will be installed This data plan is similar to what is needed for accessing the internet on your mobile cell phone It is not necessary to get a plan with cheaper voice calls SMS rates voice mail options or other such features as the probe will only use the data features of the plan thus the GPRS or NextG data part of the plan must be the cheapest aspect For use of the Dial in feature the...

Page 14: ...t telecommunication companies use it is impossible to get an exact figure for the amount of data that will be sent however rough figures can be calculated using the above values Available Service When choosing a service provider you should make certain that GPRS or NextG coverage is available in the area that you intend to install your system It may also be useful to check the quality of service a...

Page 15: ...oad destination but it is preferable to have an actual domain name When choosing between using a domain name or IP address consideration must be given to the fact that when using an IP address a change of this address will result in probes and download settings needing to be reconfigured often on site by a trained technician When a server is attached to the internet it is given what is called an I...

Page 16: ...S S D DT TU U 1 Install the mounting pole close to the intended probe site and mount the DTU enclosure 2 Mount the solar panel on the pole and pull the solar panel cable through the cable gland into the DTU Screw the solar panel wires into the Front Panel solar panel connector and connect it to the Front Panel Important Ensure Front Panel is switched off until all cabling connections have been com...

Page 17: ...s reserved Page 9 Figure 5 Rear of Sentek PLUS Front panel showing charger and Modem layout Figure 6 Modem power cable connections Note When using the DTU battery to supply power to the modem the Wire Link should be firmly secured in place so that IN and VB are joined together ...

Page 18: ...be For detailed normalisation instructions refer to the Normalizing the Sensor Air Water Counts section of the PConfig Help file More basic step by step instructions can be found further down in the section Probe Configuration Note For best results probes should be normalised using power supplied by the DTU through the actual cable with ferrite bead fitted that is to be used in the field Note Sens...

Page 19: ...le into Screw Cap and wire into interface connector before gluing Cap onto the access tube to avoid compromising the glue seal a Insert the probe cable through the cable gland into the access tube ensuring cable is looped around ferrite bead as near to cable gland as practical see Figure 2 Tighten the cable gland on the cap with a spanner Hint Pull enough cable through into the Screw Cap so that i...

Page 20: ...ll make contact Figure 11 Gel bag f Screw the lid onto the top cap assembly C Install EnviroSCAN Flat Cap probe Attach Internal Cable a If not already done run internal cable down through the sensors on the back of the probe rod b Loop the cable through a ferrite bead as close to the interface as possible c Screw each wire of the internal cable into the interface connector according to the diagram...

Page 21: ...into the access tube push the Flat Cap on until it clips into the access tube groove and then fasten it in place with the Herbie TM Clip g Fit the Sentek PLUS Probe Cable Connector to the Flat Cap cable Figure 14 Sentek PLUS Probe Cable Connector Probe cable side i Use the assembly tool to unscrew the Insert Retaining Ring and remove the Contact Insert Figure 15 Removing Contact Insert ii Unscrew ...

Page 22: ... of the 8 wires into the Contact Insert Screw Terminals and screw them in Use Figure 18 to determine the correct wiring order Figure 18 Contact Insert Screw Terminals vi Pull the cable back through the Flex Body Moulding to re seat the Contact Insert vii Ensure that the flat edge on the Contact insert lines up with the flat edge inside the Flex Body Moulding Keep it in position by holding pressure...

Page 23: ...cable to a complete Sentek PLUS connection cable Wires should be joined with Scotchlok UR2 connectors and then housed inside a valve box Full joining instructions can be found in the EnviroSCAN Flat Cap installation manual Note The cable distance from the interface to the DTU must be kept to 5 metres or less Figure 21 Cable joined using Scotchloks Cable probe to DTU These Steps are relevant for al...

Page 24: ...TL port However there are some limitations in using the Front Panel connection such as not being able to use any features that utilise the modem Therefore it is recommended that the probe TTL port is used The USB Probe Programming Cable PConfig Cable is used to communicate through the TTL port Drivers for this cable must be installed before the cable is connected to the computer Instructions on ho...

Page 25: ...igh Air counts for each sensor place the probe inside its access tube Then ensure that there are no obstacles i e hands cables soil tables etc within the sensor s sphere of influence keep 20cm radius clear and click on the header row of the High Air column so that the interface takes a reading from each sensor Note Alternatively the Air counts can be taken one sensor at a time by clicking on the l...

Page 26: ...be either you do not have the latest version of PConfig or the interface does not have the correct firmware loaded on it 1 Click on the Logger tab to display identification uploading and modem communication details 2 Type in a Logger ID specific to the probe so that the data can be identified later This name is used to supply the IrriMAX database Logger ID The default is the probe s serial number ...

Page 27: ...ter in the FTP server details Alternatively the full URL can be typed in without going into Edit The format of the URL is ftp user name password host Internet address url path Your FTP server administrator should provide this information If the URL is blank the upload process is disabled For more information see the section Hosting Set up and Recommendations Figure 27 Edit screen 7 Set the Connect...

Page 28: ...cted responses the probe will move to sending the next command For more information on the upload process and how the Network settings are used see section Appendix B Network page explained 1 Ensure that you are using the latest available Network settings for the modem that is on the DTU Note Latest Network settings are available on the official Sentek web site underneath the PLUS product category...

Page 29: ...e is the voltage at which the probe will start up and begin logging again after the voltage has dropped below the Disable Probe level Disable Telemetry is the voltage at which the probe will stop attempting to use the modem Figure 30 Power settings 2 If there are any changes Write to Probe M MO OD DE EM M C CO ON NF FI IG GU UR RA AT TI IO ON N The Modem page in PConfig is used to communicate with...

Page 30: ...f readiness Note If a SIM is PIN enabled that is if the modem requires a PIN upon start up the PIN must be entered in the modem before some commands are accepted by the modem To enter the PIN send AT CPIN XXXX 3 Set the correct frequency band for the service provider By default Sentek supplied ETM modems are set to auto select and should not need to be changed The Fastrack modem is set with the co...

Page 31: ... If setting up downloads and graphs on the customer s computer immediately after testing it may be beneficial to upload any data stored on the probe to the server by pressing the Upload button Any readings taken since the last upload scheduled or user initiated will be uploaded Note Once readings have been uploaded to the FTP server they are deleted from the probe memory V VI IE EW WI IN NG G D DA...

Page 32: ...ls of the FTP server where the data is being stored These details will be the same as what is entered in the probe in the Destination URL field Copy the details before leaving the probe site Viewing Graphs can be created with the IrriMAX software using the information stored in the databases sdb files It is recommended that the data is made easily available for the end user Graphs should be organi...

Page 33: ...are a problem a Bird Scarer can be fitted to top of solar panel C CA AB BL LI IN NG G Corroded shorting and broken wires can affect the operation of the equipment Regular inspection of the cabling for damage from insects animals or machinery should be carried out If necessary the cabling can be elevated or buried away from potential damaging elements Exposed cable should be protected by some form ...

Page 34: ...12 Sentek Pty Ltd All rights reserved Page 26 Once the gland nuts have been loosened they might not seal as well as they originally did Therefore Sentek strongly recommends covering them in silicon or a similar product to help prevent moisture intrusion ...

Page 35: ...he method shown in Figure 35 Figure 34 EnviroSCAN RS232 logging interface Figure 35 EasyAG RS232 logging interface Logging interfaces can be identified by the Super Cap C116 at the bottom of the interface only the logging versions of the interface have this component installed This Super Cap is located on the underside of the EasyAG RS232 logging interface RS232 interfaces will have the RS232 U202...

Page 36: ... on how to update the probe firmware please read the Readme file included in the firmware download as this contains full instructions The most accurate method of determining whether you have the correct type of interface and firmware is by using the PConfig software to connect to and read the interface Figure 36 shows where this information is displayed in PConfig Figure 36 Checking probe type and...

Page 37: ...e set up to with the PIN in the Initialization string This is the same as having to enter a PIN into a mobile phone when it is turned on and gives some added security To do this when selecting the Network settings cfg file to restore to the probe select the file name which matches your modem and has the PIN identifier at the end of the file name i e GPRS_Fastrack_PIN cfg Then in the Initialization...

Page 38: ...ndicates that the PIN has been correctly entered and the card is not PIN locked AT CGDCONT Yes Yes Used to query the APN currently set in modem Response should be in the form AT CGDCONT 1 IP APN 0 0 A value of 1 IP 0 0 indicated the APN has not been set AT CGDCONT 1 IP APN Yes Yes Used to set the APN for your service provider Where APN is replaced with your service provider s APN e g AT CGDCONT 1 ...

Page 39: ...e output by modem Unsolicited Response Codes i e modem responses not initiated by AT command N A Yes WIND 0 SIM removed WIND 1 SIM inserted WIND 3 Ready to process some AT commands WIND 4 Ready to process all AT commands WIND 7 Network service available for emergency calls WIND 8 Network is lost ATQ0 Yes Yes Used to set modem to display result codes AT WOPEN 0 N A Yes Used to disable modem TCP IP ...

Page 40: ... Modems that were used with probe firmware 1 1 4 or earlier would most likely communicate with Odd parity Therefore older probe configurations may be set to use Odd parity to communicate with the modem Newer modems have a default value of no parity None A mismatch of parity settings between the probe and modem will result in no communication between the two devices The probe parity setting should ...

Page 41: ...a Dial in Enable is sent and when the end of the Dial in Uptime has been reached this string up to 80 characters is sent and then the power is removed from the telemetry This field can be used to prevent the modem auto answering incoming messages at times other than the sample count scheduled time In normal not Dial in mode this string up to 80 characters is sent before starting an upload The Dial...

Page 42: ...ct FTP Dis connect PPP Dis connect String Power Down 5 Sec Init String Enable String Dial in Enabled Disable String Power Down 5 Sec Many Samples Init String Sample 0 This sample takes place a multiple number of Upload Intervals Sample Counts before or after the Sample Origin This example shows the upload at the origin Sample 1 This indicates the earliest time that the next sample can take place I...

Page 43: ... life of the battery to how long before the battery should be recharged The recharge cycle is only 70 of the life of the battery because SLA batteries can withstand 3x as many charge cycles if they never drop below 30 of their original capacity than they would if they were discharged to less than 10 The following table shows average power consumptions in various states for modems that have been sh...

Page 44: ...mA Modem Dial in Current 35mA Modem Active Dial in Current 125mA Salinity Sensors 6 Moisture Sensors 6 Samples Per Day 24x4 96 Uploads Per Day 4 Dial in Time 10 minutes 600 seconds Dial in Session Time 10 minutes 600 seconds Dial in Sessions Per Day 1 50 0 02 Using the above table the calculations look like this Result Power Used For Salinity 60 x 6 x 96 34560 Power Used For Moisture 45 x 6 x 96 2...

Page 45: ...codes that may be seen during or after an upload attempt The codes are separated into two sections Progress codes indicate which stage of the upload process the probe is at Upload response codes are used to show the result of an attempted upload Table 4 Last Response and uploading response codes Code Message Detail Description Progress codes 000 No Error Only occurs after first ever power on No up...

Page 46: ...g of the Initialisation string should exceed the time it takes for the first expected response to appear For example the first expected response could be WIND 4 and this commonly takes anywhere from 15 to 40 seconds to appear after modem power up So the initialization string should start with T50000 This would mean that the modem has 50 seconds to display the WIND 4 if it s seen the probe continue...

Page 47: ...4 Ground 5 TX RS232 Data 6 RX RS232 Data 7 Request to send RTS acts as DTR in the Plus systems 8 Clear to Send CTS Voltage Supply RS232 Vin 4 15 Volts 12 V DC 200mA recommended Fuse specifications F201 Littelfuse 0154 500 500mA fast blow F202 Littelfuse 0154 003 3A fast blow RS232 Interface baud rate 1200 2400 9600 default 19200 or 38400 bits per second user configurable TTL Interface connector ty...

Page 48: ...robe interface board layout E EA AS SY YA AG G S SE ER RI IE ES S I II I R RS S2 23 32 2 I IN NT TE ER RF FA AC CE E PCB Revision REV 2 4 Identification Label XPI SC I RS232L Interface connector type Brand Phoenix Contact MPT0 5 8 2 54 Interface pin configuration 1 Vin 2 Vin T 3 Vout T 4 Ground 5 TX RS232 Data 6 RX RS232 Data 7 Request to send RTS acts as DTR in the Plus systems 8 Clear to Send CT...

Page 49: ...ns F201 Littelfuse 0154 500 500mA fast blow F202 Littelfuse 0154 003 3A fast blow TTL Interface baud rate 1200 2400 9600 default 19200 and 38400 bits second user configurable Total current consumption 400µA standby 12V DC 102mA sampling Moisture 12V DC 126mA Sampling TriSCAN 12V DC Time to sample 1 sensor 45 milliseconds maximum Moisture only 90 milliseconds maximum TriSCAN Maximum sensors support...

Page 50: ...entification Label XPI SOLAR CHARGER X1 Battery Supply 12V 7 5 Ah SLA connector Phoenix MSTB2 5 2 ST 5 08 X2 Unused X3 Solar Panel supply 5W 12 volt Solar panel connector Phoenix MSTB2 5 3 ST 5 08 X4 On Off switch X5 Modem signals X6 Switch output power to Modem Fuse specifications F1 Solar Panel 1A fast blow F2 Battery 2 5A slow blow F3 Modem 2 5A fast blow Figure 40 Solar Charger board layout ...

Page 51: ...ransmission Unit housing containing modem battery and solar charger board FQDN Fully qualified domain name FTP File Transfer Protocol used to upload download files GPRS General Packet Radio Service Used by selected Modems Host Web site data storage provider HTTP Hyper Text Transfer Protocol Used to download files IP Address Internet Protocol address Numbered address of host NextG Telstra Australia...

Page 52: ......

Page 53: ...as the latest version of firmware Configure sensors Auto detect set depths normalise Set Clock Time sampling interval Configure Modem Settings Restore network configuration which matches modem being used Check system Test For further information refer to Sentek PLUS hardware manual and PConfig Help Warning Do not leave the 12V battery in the housing during transportation or damage may occur Field ...

Page 54: ...the DTU 6 Switch the DTU on check the probe clock time and test the sensors Then test the upload function of the probe Software Allow probe time to upload readings to the server 1 Enter the server details into Data Exchange Edit Server 2 For each probe use the New Database Wizard and Download Wizard within an IrriMAX workspace to set up new databases and associated downloads 3 Create graphs save t...

Page 55: ...fied test all sensors and upload operation in PConfig If a new symptom appears start again at step 2 Tip Disconnect 12V battery and solar panel when servicing the DTU this includes any wiring to the connectors or whenever the antenna is to be disconnected Table 5 Troubleshooting Symptom Error Message Possible Cause of Failure Check Possible Solution Cannot connect to probe with PConfig Wrong COM P...

Page 56: ...ry negative as ground reference Replace F3 with 2 5A fuse Should be 12V modem supply voltage at X6 connector of DTU Replace DTU panel or modem Probe settings Check Network Settings Download Network settings cfg files from Sentek web site and restore correct file to probe Modem powers up LED s light up but doesn t communicate with probe in Open Session Adjust Parity and Baud Rate in PConfig one at ...

Page 57: ...or more detail No new data to upload Try downloading manually Allow probe to take some readings and check again before scheduled upload time Data updating after download but not up to correct time Probe Clock incorrect Check in in PConfig Change probe clock to local time Invalid sensor data 0 raw counts but voltage readings ok Interface pins not all in socket Remove interface screws and check seat...

Page 58: ...or each time access tube is opened Check probe and access tube for moisture Replace gaskets EasyAG Replace silica gels bag 12 months Check for dust and or water ingression into DTU housing Check quick connector pins for signs of corrosion moisture Check cable for damage to outer sheath and wires Check antenna is secured tightly Ensure all cables are neat Clean SIM contacts 3 years Replace 12V batt...

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