User's Manual

CHAPTER2
InstallingtheRTU
10
This completes the installation of your addSWITCH RTU. If one of the
I/O connectors is left unused, use the cap provided to protect it
against moisture and dust. Be sure to make a note of the following
information because you’ll need it when you configure the device in
the software:
• Serial number of each RTU and location
• Type of sensors connected to which port of each RTU
MoreabouttheLEDtool
The LED tool allows you to rapidly check the status of an RTU. After
you insert the LED tool into the POWER connector, the unit waits up to
two seconds and then sends a broadcast frame. If a nearby listening
station or receiver decodes the frame, it will answer—this may take up
to 10 seconds. When an answer is received, the LED tool lights up for
about four seconds. After another few seconds, the LED lights up one
or more times, depending on the number of stations/receivers that
answered to its broadcast frame.
In addition, the LED always blinks briefly at half-second intervals to
indicate that the unit is alive and the internal battery has enough
energy to operate. If the blinking interval lengthens to two seconds,
the battery has become undercharged (that is, under 5.6 volts but
over 5.2 volts)—this is called the misery state. In this state, an RTU
reduces its activities to a minimum. The radio unit is switched off, the
sensor sampling ceases, and no data is stored in the internal memory.
Only the internal real-time clock is maintained and the power
management functions are performed.
If the battery level drops below 5.2 volts, the system switches
completely off, effectively decoupling itself from the battery in order to
protect it. In this case the LED tool stays permanently off. An RTU in
such a situation will restart only after connecting it to an external
power supply (even a solar panel under low light conditions).
Note: New addSWITCH RTUs are delivered with their internal batteries
unformatted, meaning they have never been charged before. You
should install them only on sunny days. The battery will be fully
charged after two consecutive sunny days, but you should get an LED
light-up after several minutes of charging in the sunlight. You can also
charge the unit with Adcon’s RTU charger (item number
200.733.550).
TheaddTIMERextensionforaddVANTAGEPro5.3andnewer
In order to fully exploit the capabilities of the A724 addSWITCH, we
have developed the addTIMER extension for addVANTAGE Pro. This
extension lets you define several irrigation shifts by determining their
start time and their run time in minutes. By assigning a valve to a
predefined shift, addTIMER will automatically open and close each
addSWITCH without further intervention by the user. This routine will
continue until you modify or halt the sequence.