Alpha Technologies RBMS User manual

Your Power Solutions Partner
Remote Battery Monitoring System (RBMS)
Installation & Operation Manual
Part # 0370260-J0
Effective: 11/2017
member of The Group™

RBMS Plus Installation and Opera
RBMS Plus Installation and Operation Manual
Alpha Technologies Ltd. | www.alpha.ca
PAGE 1
0370260-J0 Rev B
Contents
Important Information............................................................................................................................................... 4
1.1. Revision History ....................................................................................................................................... 4
1.2. Safety Notes............................................................................................................................................. 4
1.3. Important Symbols................................................................................................................................... 4
1.4. Definition of Terms .................................................................................................................................. 5
1.5. Contact Information................................................................................................................................. 5
1.6. What Comes in the Box............................................................................................................................ 6
System Overview ....................................................................................................................................................... 7
2. 8
2.1. Battery Sensor Description ...................................................................................................................... 8
2.1.1. “Low Voltage” Sensors............................................................................................................... 8
2.1.2. Sensor Selector Guide................................................................................................................ 8
2.2. RBMS Plus Description ............................................................................................................................. 9
2.3. Accessories............................................................................................................................................. 11
2.3.1. Utility AC Transformer (Optional, Alpha Part# 0180059) ........................................................ 12
2.3.2. Moisture Sensor (Optional, Alpha Part# 7400162).................................................................. 12
2.3.3. Current Sensor (Optional, Alpha Part# 7400583) .................................................................... 12
2.3.4. Using the General Purpose Interface....................................................................................... 12
Initial Bench Evaluation............................................................................................................................................ 14
3. Sensor Installation ........................................................................................................................................ 16
3.1. Installation ............................................................................................................................................. 16
3.2. Sensor LED.............................................................................................................................................. 17
4. RBMS Plus Installation.................................................................................................................................. 18
4.1. Powering ................................................................................................................................................ 18
4.2. Network Connections ............................................................................................................................ 18
4.3. Connecting Sensors................................................................................................................................ 18
4.4. Connecting Current Sensor (Optional)................................................................................................... 18
4.5. Setting the IP Address............................................................................................................................ 19
4.6. Configuring the RBMS Plus .................................................................................................................... 19
4.6.1. Direct USB Connection............................................................................................................. 19
4.6.2. USB Port Selection ................................................................................................................... 20
4.6.3. Accessing the Setup Menu....................................................................................................... 20

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0370260-J0 Rev B
4.6.4. Ethernet Crossover Cable Method........................................................................................... 20
4.6.5. Router Method ........................................................................................................................ 20
4.7. Running the RBMS Plus Telnet Setup .................................................................................................... 21
4.8. RBMS Plus Setup Menu.......................................................................................................................... 21
4.8.1. Server Setup (0) ....................................................................................................................... 22
4.8.2. Password Setup (1) .................................................................................................................. 25
4.8.3. SNMP Setup (3) ........................................................................................................................ 26
4.8.4. HMS Defaults (4) ...................................................................................................................... 30
4.8.5. E-mail Setup (5)........................................................................................................................ 31
4.8.6. NTP Setup (6) ........................................................................................................................... 35
4.8.7. Restore Factory Defaults and Reset (7) ................................................................................... 36
4.8.8. Exit Without Resetting (8)........................................................................................................ 37
4.8.9. Save Changes and Reset (9) ..................................................................................................... 37
4.8.10. Erase String and Battery Database (13) ................................................................................... 37
4.8.11. Reset All Sensors (14)............................................................................................................... 37
4.8.12. Erase String (15) ....................................................................................................................... 37
4.8.13. Setup Firmware Server (19) ..................................................................................................... 38
4.9. Web Server............................................................................................................................................. 38
4.9.1. Accessing the Web Server........................................................................................................ 39
4.9.2. Ports......................................................................................................................................... 39
Navigating the Web Pages ....................................................................................................................................... 39
5. 40
5.1. Overview Display.................................................................................................................................... 41
5.2. Single String Display (with optional battery sensors) ............................................................................ 43
5.3. Single Jar Display (with optional battery sensors) ................................................................................ 44
5.4. Provisioning............................................................................................................................................ 46
5.4.1. Provisioning Site Settings......................................................................................................... 46
5.4.2. Provisioning String Settings (with optional battery sensors)................................................... 47
5.4.3. Provisioning Analog Alarms ..................................................................................................... 48
5.4.4. Provisioning Discrete Alarms (with optional sensors) ............................................................. 48
SNMP........................................................................................................................................................................ 50
6. 50
6.1. MIBs ....................................................................................................................................................... 50
6.2. Community Strings................................................................................................................................. 51
6.3. Traps....................................................................................................................................................... 51

RBMS Plus Installation and Opera
RBMS Plus Installation and Operation Manual
Alpha Technologies Ltd. | www.alpha.ca
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0370260-J0 Rev B
6.4. MIB Browsers......................................................................................................................................... 51
Updating Firmware .................................................................................................................................................. 52
Summary of Port Usage ........................................................................................................................................... 53
Resolving Common Problems .................................................................................................................................. 54

RBMS Plus Installation and Opera
RBMS Plus Installation and Operation Manual
Alpha Technologies Ltd. | www.alpha.ca
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0370260-J0 Rev B
Important Information
1.1. Revision History
Release
Date
Revision Description
Rev 1.2
Rev 1.1
11/10/2016
10/9/2015
Removed reference to PBT-PRG-USB, rewrote section on default IP address
Initial Release, Firmware Version XP 01.0b0, PIC 1.0
1.2. Safety Notes
•High currents and voltages may be present on the equipment terminals and on the interior of the
equipment. Make sure you understand and observe all appropriate safety codes and regulations. Follow
prudent electrical safety practices when installing or servicing the equipment. Installation, maintenance and
servicing of the equipment should only be performed by qualified, trained and authorized personnel.
•Before installation, take measurements with a volt meter to ensure that no jar post in the system has lethal AC
or DC voltages relative to earth ground.
•Except as explained in this manual, there are no user-serviceable parts inside the RBMS Plus. Opening the
equipment could expose you to dangerous voltages and void the product warranty. All product servicing
should be referred to factory-authorized personnel.
•Use only interconnection cables supplied by or authorized by Alpha Technologies. Use of user-made
interconnection cable assemblies could result in damage to equipment and potential safety hazards, as well as
voiding of equipment warranties.
•Do not exceed the voltage specifications of the product.
•Make sure the equipment is grounded properly.
•The equipment should be protected from liquids, moisture, explosives and corrosive vapors.
1.3. Important Symbols
CAUTION!
The use of CAUTION indicates safety information intended to prevent damage and/or injury.
NOTE:
A NOTE provides additional information to help complete a specific task or procedure.

RBMS Plus Installation and Opera
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0370260-J0 Rev B
1.4. Definition of Terms
Admittance
The inverse of impedance in units of Siemens. Admittance is a measure of how easily a circuit or
device will allow a current to flow. Resistance is a measure of the opposition of a circuit to the flow
of a DC current, while impedance takes into account not only the resistance, but AC effects (known
as reactance) as well. Likewise, admittance is not only a measure of the ease with which a DC current
can flow (conductance, the inverse of resistance), but also takes in to account the AC effects of
susceptance (the inverse of reactance).
Battery
A collection of jars connected in series. A battery is sometimes referred to as a battery string or
string in this document.
Cell
A collection of plates connected to a single positive and a single negative terminal, immersed in
electrolyte, in a single container. The cell may have multiple positive and negative connections, but
they connect to a single set of plates. A lead acid cell produces approximately 2.1 volts.
Jar
A collection of one or more cells connected in series in a single housing. A 12-volt jar contains six
cells. A jar is commonly and incorrectly referred to as a battery.
String
A collection of one or more batteries.
1.5. Contact Information
If you have any questions about the installation or use of the equipment described in this manual, contact Alpha
Technologies Technical Support at 1-(888)-462-7487.
When contacting Alpha Technologies please have the following information available:
1. RBMS Plus model number and firmware version.
2. Battery sensor model number, hardware version and firmware version. The version numbers are shown on the
RBMS Plus single jar web page.
3. The battery and string voltage.
4. The battery model number.

RBMS Plus Installation and Opera
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0370260-J0 Rev B
1.6. What Comes in the Box
The RBMS Plus is typically shipped in a single carton and will contain the RBMS Plus controller, cables and options
ordered. PBT recommends taking an inventory of all items to insure that you received all of the components needed for
your application.

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0370260-J0 Rev B
A label on the front of the carton will contain the MAC address of the RBMS Plus controller.
System Overview
The Alpha Technologies Remote Battery Monitoring System(RBMS) Plus is the first in a series of low cost controller
options designed to dramatically lower cost and provide battery health and cabinet/hut facility monitoring capabilities.
The RBMS Plus can be equipped with either an eight-battery wiring harness or a battery sensor option. The eight-
battery harness allows for the lowest-cost solution monitoring, battery string and individual battery voltages. Using the
sensor option provides additional battery measurements, including ohmic measurements and individual battery
temperatures. Both solutions offer facilities and cabinet monitoring capabilities.
The control unit connects to a network switch, router or cable\DSL\cellular modem via an Ethernet connection. Among
the facilities parameters monitored are AC line voltage (optional), equipment AC load current (optional), moisture
(optional), controller internal temperature, two monitorable digital inputs and one controllable digital output.
The RBMS controller typically obtains its operating power from the battery string being monitored and supplies a 12
Vdc output to power a companion cable\DSL\cellular modem, thus eliminating the need for a separate modem power
unit.
The RBMS has a built-in SNMP agent, a built-in web server and a built-in SMTP mail client. The SNMP agent supports
IEEE/SCTE HMS MIBs making the RBMS compatible with virtually any management system. HMS traps are generated
based on alarm conditions defined using the HMS Property MIB. The built-in web server allows the status of the
monitored batteries to be analyzed from anywhere in the network using a common web browser. This eliminates the
need for expensive client application software licenses. Near real-time monitoring and alarm provisioning are available
via standard web browser or software. The built-in SMTP mail client can be set up to send alarm messages to another
computer (via e-mail addresses) or to a mobile phone when an alarm occurs.
The RBMS is downloadable over the network, facilitating firmware upgrades and feature enhancements as they
become available. The unit also contains a special “watchdog timer” that monitors the modem and automatically
resets it in case of a modem “hang” situation.

RBMS Plus Installation and Opera
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0370260-J0 Rev B
2.
2.1. Battery Sensor Description
Sensor modules are small, inexpensive units designed to mount in close mechanical, electrical and thermal proximity to
the monitored jar’s terminal posts. The sensor takes a very small amount of “idling” power from the monitored jar
(typically less than 10 mA). Internally, a programmable microcontroller chip provides an optically isolated
communications interface for the site control unit. Sensors are connected to the RBMS Plus using a CAT5 cable daisy
chain.
The sensor continuously monitors the voltage and temperature of the jar. At user-defined intervals, the microcontroller
generates a digitally synthesized AC test signal of approximately 0.5 to 6.0 amps (depending on sensor type) which
drives the jar’s terminals for testing purposes. This test current causes a small AC voltage, proportional to jar
impedance, to be superimposed on the jar’s DC terminal voltage. This AC voltage is separated from the DC terminal
voltage and amplified inside the sensor module. It is then fed to an analog-to-digital converter inside the
microcontroller chip. The microcontroller digitally samples the AC waveform and performs a DSP (digital signal
processing) algorithm that filters out noise and measures the amplitude of the AC signal. These measurements and
subsequent calculations determine the jar’s internal AC impedance, which is the basis for admittance measurements.
Mechanically, the sensor consists of two wires with terminal lugs that connect to the jar’s positive and negative
terminal posts, and an electronics assembly that contains the test signal generation and measurement circuitry.
The two wire sensors have the advantage of working with a wide variety of jar mechanical configurations.Each sensor
is shipped with a 1’ CAT5 cable to connect the sensor to the daisy chain. This cable is the proper length for most
applications. Longer cables are available from PBT.
2.1.1. “Low Voltage” Sensors
The RBMS Plus system is used in environments where string voltages are 59 Vdc and lower. Low voltage sensors are
appropriate to be used in these low voltage strings.
CAUTION: Installing low voltage sensors on a high voltage string will damage the sensors and may present a shock
hazard.
Sensors will be auto-discovered by the controller. These low voltage sensors have the advantage that their position in
the string is automatically discovered. This means the sensors can be connected in any order and the controller will
automatically discover which cell or jar the sensor was installed upon.
Each sensor has a bi-color red/green LED that indicates the operational state of the sensor and its communications
status with the RBMS Plus. Each sensor is also is internally fused so that improper connection to the jar will not damage
the jar, the jar cabling or the sensor. The sensors are fully optically isolated from the RBMS Plus.
2.1.2. Sensor Selector Guide
The standard RBMS Plus system 0370260-002, ships with power cable, CAT5 cable and 4 battery sensors. When two
battery strings are required to be monitored then order 0370260-003.