Explore the 2 Channel Industrial IoT Long Range Wireless 4-20mA Current Receiver Capabilities
Device Overview
Introducing NCD’s Long Range Two Channel Industrial IoT Wireless 4-20mA Current Receiver, boasting up to a 2 Mile range using a wireless mesh networking architecture. It incorporates a High resolution 2 channel 16-bit ADC that samples 4-20mA analog inputs at user defined intervals and transmits the result to remote modems and gateways. Between samples, this device enters a ultra-low power sleep mode to minimize power consumption. This Industrial IoT Wireless 4-20mA Current Receiver has an additional feature of detecting change in current every 7 seconds (user configurable) and sending out ADC samples if the change in current on any channel is greater than 10% (user configurable). Both features work simultaneously to support multiple application areas in one package.
This 2 Channel Industrial IoT Wireless 4-20mA Current Loop Receiver has on board 16V buck boost power supply, thus eliminates requirement of external power supply. This power supply is used to power up the external 4-20mA sensor. This device can be used with any 2 wire 4-20mA sensor/device into a wireless nodes.
This 2 Channel Industrial IoT Wireless 4-20mA Current Loop Receiver is powered by just 6 AA batteries and a 10 years battery life can be expected depending on environmental conditions and the data transmission interval. Optionally, this sensor may be externally powered. This product has capabilities of supporting 6-32VDC external power supply (Optional).
- Industrial Grade 2-Channel 4-20mA Current Loop Receiver
- Input Range 0-20mA with 15-bit Resolution
- On Board 16V Supply to Power up the external 4-20mA Devices
- Supports 2 and 3 Wire Devices
- Auto ADC Transmission on Analog Voltage Change Detection
- Converts 4-20mA devices into Wireless Nodes
- 2 Mile Line-of-Sight Range with On-Board Antenna
- Superior LOS Range of up to 28 Miles with High-Gain Antennas
- Wireless Mesh Networking using DigiMesh®
- Open Communication Protocol for Easy Software Integration
- Validates and Retries Lost Communication Packets
Status LED
The Status LED is used to indicate errors or other sensor diagnostics.
LED blinks once – Message was sent successfully and no error in last sensor read as well in data transmission.
LED blinks twice and then one more time – Message was sent successfully but there was an error in last sensor read.
LED blinks thrice – MCU is having issue communicating with the radio module.
Sensor Specifications
| Specifications | Minimum | Nominal | Maximum | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Width | 4.53" | |||
| Length | 3.56" | |||
| Height | 2.25" | |||
| Enclosure Rating | IP65, NEMA 1,2,4,4X,12,13, UL-508 | |||
| Temperature Rating | -40° C | 23° C | 85° C | Component Rating |
| Tested Temperature | 0° C | 23° C | 40° C | As Tested by NCD Staff |
| Probe Temperature | -40° C | 23° C | 85° C | As Tested by NCD Staff |
| Probe connector | M8 |
Printed Circuit Board Specifications
| Parameter | Minimum | Nominal | Maximum | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Trace Width | 0.007 inch | 0.012 inch | 0.25 inch | Trace Width depends on the Trace Type |
| Layer Count | 2L - Rigid | Top and Bottom Layer | ||
| Material Type | FR-4 TG170 | FR-4 TG170 | FR-4 TG180 | |
| Surface Finish | ENIG 2u" | |||
| IPC Standard | IPC CLASS 2 | |||
| Finished Copper Foil | 1.0/1.0 OZ | |||
| Finished Thickness | 0.062 inc | |||
| Fine line <4.0/4.0mil | No | |||
| Blind & Burried Vias | No | |||
| Non-Conductive Resin | No | |||
| Conductive Resin | No |
Mechanical Drawing
RF Module Specifications
| Parameter | 868MHz | 900MHz | 2.4GHz |
|---|---|---|---|
| Frequency Band | 863 MHz to 870 MHz | 902 to 928 MHz | ISM 2.4 GHz |
| Transmitter Power | Up to 13 dBm ERP | Up to 24 dBm | Up to 8 dBm |
| Receiver Sensitivity | -106 dBm at 80 Kbps | -101 dBm at 200 Kbps | -103 dBm at 250 Kbps |
| Range (dense urban) | ~1000ft | ~1000ft | ~300ft |
| Range (line of sight) | ~2 miles | ~2 miles | ~1 mile |
| Data Rate | 80 Kbps | 200 Kbps | 250 Kbps |
| Networking Protocol | Digi XBee® DigiMesh® | Digi XBee® DigiMesh® | Digi XBee® DigiMesh® |
| Encryption | 128-bit AES | 128-bit AES | 128-bit |
| Reliable Packet Delivery | Retries/acknowledgements | Retries/acknowledgements | Retries/acknowledgements |
| IDs | PAN ID and addresses, cluster IDs and endpoints (optional) | PAN ID and addresses, cluster IDs and endpoints (optional) | PAN ID and addresses, cluster IDs and endpoints (optional) |
| Certification | CE/RED, ROHS Compliant | FCC (America), IC (Canada), C-Tick (Australia), Anatel (Brazil), IDA (Singapore) | FCC (America), IC (Canada), RCM (Australia), Anatel (Brazil), Teleck MIC (Japan), KCC (South Korea) |
Probes Specifications
Power Requirements and Expected Battery Life
Power Requirements
This Sensor has two power options:
- Powered by AA batteries (NCD recommends Energizer L91 batteries)
- External power supply (5-12 V DC) Current Requirement 250 mA
While changing the batteries:
- Turn off the sensor
- Only use new L91 batteries
- Checkout the polarity marking on the battery holder and batteries
- Replace all six batteries with new L91 batteries. Do not mix old and new batteries
- Batteries should not be replaced in fire-risky areas
- Do NOT install rechargeable batteries
Expected Battery Life
| Specifications | Minimum | Nominal | Maximum | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Batteries | 2 | 6 | 6 | May be Powered by 2 or 6 AA Batteries |
| Battery Life 1 TPD | 8 Years | TPD Transmissions per Day | ||
| Battery Life 12 TPD | 5 Years | TPD Transmissions per Day | ||
| Battery Life 24 TPD | 3 Year | TPD Transmissions per Day |
Most NCD IoT Sensors are rated for 300,000 to 500,000 transmissions until the batteries become so weak they are unreliable. You could spread these transmissions out over a 10 year period and send 50,000 transmissions per year. This would allow up to 136 transmissions per day, or about 5 transmissions per hour (for a 500K sensor, or 3 per hour for 300K sensor). If you only need the batteries to last 3 years, you could send 166,666 transmissions per year, or about 456 transmissions per day (about 19 transmissions per hour for a 500K sensor). As you can see, battery life is really up to you. By altering advanced settings in the NCD IoT sensor, you have control over longevity. Please note the 500,000 transmission rating is for premium alkaline batteries. NCD ships all sensors with premium Lithium batteries, which include a ultra-wide temperature range that typically lasts in excess of 600,000 transmissions for some sensor types. These batteries weigh less than half of alkalines, and they work in the freezer! A word of caution though, putting a sensor in configuration mode will drain the batteries very quickly. It’s important to configure your sensors and exit configuration mode as soon as possible or use a external power supply during configuration (if supported by the sensor). The table above indicates how many Transmissions Per Day (TPD) your can expect from different sensors over a lifespan of up to 10 years.
Head to the NCD store if you want to purchase the 2 Channel Industrial IoT Long Range Wireless 4-20mA Current Receiver.
If you already have the device and would like more information into its basic and advanced operations check out the Quick Start Guide and User Manual.