User's Manual

Mounting Considerations
MTU Installation Requirements 13
Interior
MTUs installed inside of a building must be mounted near (but not on) an exterior
wall that is not immediately facing a neighboring building. As with exterior
installations, the MTU must be mounted perpendicular to the ground with the
Aclara logo facing the installer.
T IP Use a cellular phone’s signal strength indicator to gauge the amount of signal
interference within a building. Check the signal prior to entering the building,
and then again at the proposed mounting location. A drastic drop in cellular
signal reception may indicate potential problems with MTU transmission.
When mounting an MTU inside, it is important to note anything on the outside of
the wall that may cause interference, such as dumpsters or AC units.
The following illustration shows an incorrect MTU installation. The MTU is
mounted to the ceiling, facing the floor, and surrounded by copper and iron pipes.
In this case, the RF signal is not only directed towards the floor, but heavily
shadowed by the pipes.
The MTU must be mounted vertically and away from the metal pipes, as shown
below.
DRAFT