SIGNALFIRE Sentinel-RTD-XXXX Sentinel Node RTD Security Sensor User Manual
- June 5, 2024
- SIGNALFIRE
Table of Contents
- SIGNALFIRE Sentinel-RTD-XXXX Sentinel Node RTD Security Sensor
- Specifications
- Connections and Components
- Setup
- Encryption
- Configuration
- Sensor Connections
- Remote Modbus Register Mapping
- Mounting and Care
- Internal Lithium Battery Replacement
- Cleaning Instructions
- APPENDIX – FCC and IC Statements
- References
- Read User Manual Online (PDF format)
- Download This Manual (PDF format)
SIGNALFIRE Sentinel-RTD-XXXX Sentinel Node RTD Security Sensor
The SignalFire Sentinel Node is an Intrinsically Safe device with the following features:
- Standard SignalFire Sentinel RS485-Modbus Node
- RS485 connection to internal RTD Interface Board
- 2, 3 and 4 wire PT100 RTD supported (other types on request)
- Low power operation from an intrinsically safe high capacity lithium primary battery pack
- Optional solar battery system for routing nodes or rapid data collection
- Sends data to a SignalFire Buffered Modbus Gateway
- AES 128bit Encryption
Specifications
-
Enclosure Size: 3.5” tall × 5.0” wide × 5.0” deep
-
Power Source:
Internal IS Lithium battery pack
SignalFire Part Number: 3BIS
External Solar battery system
SignalFire Part Number: Sentinel-HCSolar
DC-DC Converter
SignalFire Part Number: DCDC-Sentinel
Other external power supply meeting the power entity parameters from the control drawing. -
Temperature Rating: -40°C to +60°C
-
Radio Frequency: 902-928MHz Ism Band, FHSS radio, internal antenna
-
Compliance: Certified for use in Class I, Division 1 groups C and D. EXi [EXi] FCC/IC Certified
-
Temperature Accuracy: +/- 0.5°C
WARNING: Use of this equipment in a manner not specified by the
manufacturer may impair the protection provided by the equipment.
WARNING: The use of any parts not supplied by the manufacturer violates
the safety rating of the equipment.
The associated apparatus provides intrinsically safe outputs. Refer to control
drawing “Sentinel – Control Drawing – Modbus, Thermocouple, RTD, and Float
Stick” for requirements when used in a Class I Division 1 area.
Connections and Components
Radio LEDs
- The Radio TX LED (green) flashes each time a radio packet is sent. This LED will blink rapidly while searching for the radio network.
- The Radio RX LED (red) blinks on each received radio packet.
Status LEDs
- The Active LED (green) will blink at boot up and will blink rapidly when the sensor is being powered and read.
- The ERROR LED (red) will blink to indicate an error condition.
Scan/Checkin Button
- If this button is pressed the Sentinel will take a reading from the RTD and send those values to the gateway.
Setup
The nodes need to be set up for correct operation before being fielded. The configurable items include:
- Network selection
- Check-in period selection
- RTD mode enable
All settings are made using the SignalFire Toolkit PC application and a serial
programming cable.
WARNING: Perform the steps in this section (Setup) in a safe location
only.
Using the SignalFire Toolkit
The SignalFire Toolkit application can be downloaded at www.signal-
fire.com/customer. After installation,
launch the software and the main toolkit window will open:
Select the COM port associated with the Sentinel Node and click “Auto-Detect Device on COM Port.” This will open the device configuration window, where all device settings can be configured.
Network Setting
The network is set using the SignalFire Toolkit. The network, network group,
and corporate ID/encryption key settings must match those of the gateway for
them to communicate.
Encryption
To protect your over-the-air data and prevent tampering, SignalFire networks
come with encryption. Legacy products use a Corporate ID, but can be switched
over to use an encryption key if the firmware and ToolKit are up to date.
To set up a legacy Sentinel to use encryption, click the checkbox labeled
Enable Encryption inside the Set Corporate ID box. All newer Sentinels come
with this option enabled with “signalfire” as the default encryption key.
The box will then change into a Set Encryption Key box, and it will prompt
instead for the encryption key you would like to use. Note that keys may not
contain spaces or angle brackets. Enter it and then press Set. If you are
setting up a new network, you will need to set the encryption key on all of
your devices. If you are adding a Sentinel to a legacy network, you can simply
set the Corporate ID without clicking the Enable Encryption box, and it will
remain compatible with the older system.
It is also possible to hide your encryption key so it cannot be read. This is
the most secure option, but if you forget your key, there is no way to recover
it – you have to reset the key on every device on its network. To enable this
option, select Set Encryption Key Unrecoverable under the Settings menu.
System Check-In Period
This setting controls how often the node will read the Modbus device and
forward the register data to the gateway.
Configuration
Since the Sentinel RTD uses a standard Sentinel Modbus Node with the RTD interface card it is necessary to set the Sentinel type for RTD operation if it is the default Modbus mode. To do this, select RTD in the Set Sentinel Type option under the Settings pull down menu.
Sensor Connections
Wiring Requirements
To ensure intrinsic safety is maintained it is required that the installer
follow these guidelines when connecting sensors to the SignalFire node. See
pictures for proper wire routing examples.
- Strip the wires so that there is minimal exposed un-insulated wire when inserted into the screw terminal.
- All wiring should be neat and orderly.
Plug the internal lithium battery pack into the connector labeled LITHIUM
BATTERY as show below. Be careful to insert the battery connector as pictured
with the locking tab facing up.
Forcing the battery connecter in backward or into the SOLAR BATTERY connector
can damage the battery pack fuse making it inoperable.
Only connect either the Lithium batter OR the Solay battery. Never connect both at the same time.
RTD Connection
The RTD interface board has three jumpers, they must be configured for the
type of RTD to be connected as follows:
- 2- WIRE: Install Jumpers J2 & J3
- 3- WIRE: Install Jumpers J1 & J2
- 4- Wire: No Jumpers Installed
After configuring the jumpers for the RTD, connect the RTD wires to the interface board per the diagrams below.
Any error with the RTD or interface board will be shown in the Status register. See table on Page 10 for details.
Remote Modbus Register Mapping
The Sentinel Node sends data to a SignalFire Telemetry Modbus Gateway. The data that is sent to the gateway is available at the gateway in registers where it can then be read by a Modbus RTU. The following data is sent to the Gateway:
Register Number | Register Address (offset) | Description |
---|---|---|
41001 | 1000 | RTD Sensor Type (2=2/4wire, 3=3wire) |
41002 | 1001 | RTD Sensor Resistance at 0°C (Ω) (100, 1000, etc) |
41003 | 1002 | RTD Temperature (0.1 °C) |
41004 | 1003 | Fault – RTD Interface board not detected |
41005 | 1004 | Fault – RTD Low Threshold |
41006 | 1005 | Fault – RTD High Threshold |
41007 | 1006 | Fault – RTD Over/Under Voltage |
41008-41009 | 1007-1008 | RTD Temperature °C (32-bit float) |
41010 | 1009 | RTD Temperature (0.1 °F) |
41011-41012 | 1010-1011 | RTD Temperature °F (32-bit float) |
49987 | 9986 or 65523 | Status (0=no errors, 1=low battery, 2=failed sensor |
read, 3=low battery and failed sensor read)
49988| 9987 or 65524| Major revision number for the mainboard
49989| 9988 or 65525| Minor revision number for the mainboard
49990| 9989 or 65526| Major revision number for the radio
49991| 9990 or 65527| Minor revision number for the radio
49992| 9991 or 65528| High 16 bits of SFTS node address
49993| 9992 or 65529| Low 16 bits of SFTS node address (the radio ID)
49994| 9993 or 65530| Modbus ID readback
49995| 9994 or 65531| Received signal strength of last packet from the
Sentinel
49996| 9995 or 65532| Battery voltage of the Sentinel-RTD, in millivolts
49997| 9996 or 65533| Minutes until this device will time out, unless new data
is received
49998| 9997 or 65534| Number of registers cached for this device
49999| 9998 or 65535| Remote device type. 51 (0x33) for Sentinel RTD
If any of the RTD system faults are detected all RTD register values will fail
high. The 16bit integer registers will fail to 32768 and the float registers
will fail to +infinity.
Note: The status registers are only available from the 49987-49999
(9986-9998) address range if the gateway is running firmware 7.52 or higher.
Mounting and Care
The unit comes with a watertight ½” NPT conduit fitting on the bottom mounting plate. The Sentinel is then directly mounted to the sensor with a short section of conduit.
Direct Mount to Sensor with Short Conduit
This mounting method uses a short conduit run from the sensor and the unit is
held in place by the conduit.
WARNING: The Sentinel must be mounted in a location free of high vibrations. Over time vibrations can damage the Sentinel or battery pack, which could impair its safety ratings. Do not mount directly to continuous vibrating equipment such as pumps or compressors.
Internal Lithium Battery Replacement
Battery Packs can be changed with the node in place.
- Open the cover from the enclosure.
- Unplug the battery from the PCB, by depressing the locking clip on the connector.
- Loosen the screw holding the battery door and slide the old battery out.
- Slide in the new battery pack and tighten the battery door screw.
- Connect the battery to the main PCB battery connector.
- Install the enclosure cover.
WARNING: Use of any battery other than the SignalFire part number
810-0008-02 will impair the protection provided by the equipment.
WARNING: If the internal battery is installed the external solar battery
system or other power source may not be connected!
Cleaning Instructions
The outside of the enclosure may be cleaned with water, mild soap, and a damp
cloth as needed. High pressure washing is not recommended.
WARNING: Electrostatic Discharge Hazard! Care must be taken to avoid the
potential of creating a change on the enclosure or antenna. Do not wipe with a
dry cloth. Do not brush against the enclosure with clothing or gloves.
WARNING: Only connect to the debug port in a safe area!
Debug and configuration information is available if a connection is made via
the debug port on the main board. A USB converter cable (available from
SignalFire) must be used for this interface.
Debug and advanced configuration may be done using the SignalFire Toolkit PC
application.
Technical Support and Contact Information
SignalFire Telemetry
140 Locke Dr, Suite B
Marlborough, MA 01752
978-212-2868
support@signal-fire.com
Revision | Date | Changes/Updates |
---|---|---|
1.0 | 8/28/15 | Initial release |
1.1 | 9/14/17 | Updated layout, added encryption section, updated warnings |
1.3 | 2/7/19 | Updated screenshots Added status register Minor formatting |
updates
1.4| 6/3/22| Added detail on battery connection
APPENDIX – FCC and IC Statements
Changes or modifications not expressly approved by SignalFire Telemetry, Inc
could void the user’s authority to operate the equipment. This device complies
with Part 15 of the FCC Rules. Operation is subject to the following two
conditions: (1) this device may not cause harmful interference, and (2) this
device must accept any interference received, including interference that may
cause undesired operation.
This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a Class
B digital device, pursuant to Part 15 of the FCC Rules. These limits are
designed 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 accordance with the
instructions, may cause harmful interference to radio communications. However,
there is no guarantee that interference will not occur in a particular
installation. If this equipment does cause harmful interference to radio or
television reception, which can be determined by turning the equipment off and
on, the user is encouraged to try to correct the interference by one of the
following measures:
- Reorient or relocate the receiving antenna.
- Increase the separation between the equipment and receiver.
- Connect the equipment into an outlet on a circuit different from that to which the receiver is connected.
- Consult the dealer or an experienced radio/TV technician for help.
Only the supplied coil antenna (Part number 810-0012-01) which is permanently soldered to the PCB may be used. This antenna has a maximum gain of 3dB.
WARNING!
FCC and IC Radiation Exposure Statement:
This equipment complies with FCC’s and IC’s RF radiation exposure limits set
forth for an uncontrolled environment under the following conditions:
- This equipment should be installed and operated such that a minimum separation distance of 20cm is maintained between the radiator (antenna) & user’s/nearby person’s body at all times.
- This transmitter must not be co-located or operating in conjunction with any other antenna or transmitter.
Under Industry Canada regulations, this radio transmitter may only operate using an antenna of a maximum (or lesser) gain approved for this transmitter by Industry Canada. To reduce potential radio interference to other users, the antenna type and its gain should be so chosen that the equivalent isotropically radiated power (e.r.i.p.) is not more than that necessary for successful communication.
References
- Business Accounts - Dual-currency | Open Banking | APIs
- Customer Login - SignalFire Wireless Telemetry
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