Xylem SIT65 SATELLITE INTERNET TELEMETRY - Manual (Page 15)

Global Water Instrumentation
15
installed so that there is nothing alongside of it all the way down to its base for at
least 4-6 feet in all directions, the further the better. This includes the mast it is
mounted on, solar panels, walls, towers, etc. Locations near sources of electrical
noise may also limit the performance, especially radio frequencies in the VHF band.
The antenna is provided with 16 feet of cable. If the antenna needs to be located
further away, additional cable can be added up to 50 feet or more. Another
important installation consideration is providing enough solar power to keep the
system operational which also requires an open and unobstructed view of the sky.
The output from the charging system can be connected directly to the battery
terminals, or to the Charger input terminals at the lower right corner of the controller
board. This charger input is protected from high current surges by a self-resetting
fuse. Slightly more power is delivered to the battery when the charger is connected
directly to the battery, but any protection is assumed to be provided by the charge
controller. If no charge controller is used, the charger input will limit high charging
currents, but may also reduce the current available for charging the battery.
Make all necessary connections, including the antenna, before connecting the
battery. The antenna connects to the N-Type connector on the bottom of the
instrumentation enclosure. Make the battery connection last by plugging the battery
cable into the controller board. Check that the red wire connects to the positive side
of the battery and the black wire is connected to the negative terminal. While the
connector is protected from reverse connection, check that it is aligned correctly
before plugging it into the controller.
A test button is provided at the top right corner of the controller for initiating a
transmission on demand. Once all connections are made, press the test button for
one second and the unit will become operational. This is indicated by the activity of
several LED’s on the controller and radio modem. The operation of these LED’s is
described in the section on Troubleshooting. If possible, being in contact with
someone who can check that valid data is being transmitted is recommended.
Transmit several times, paying attention to the sensor data and battery voltage.