Hydro International Hydro-Logic Flexi Logger 100 User manual
Hydro-Logic®Flexi Logger 100
User Manual
6 April 2018 Page 2 of 62
Contents
Introduction and general information.....................................................................................5
Main features of the Hydro-Logic®Flexi Logger 100..........................................................5
Support website.................................................................................................................6
Sales enquiries..................................................................................................................6
Warranty............................................................................................................................6
Safety and important information.......................................................................................6
Revision history.................................................................................................................7
Specification .........................................................................................................................8
Sensor inputs ....................................................................................................................8
Sensor power supply.........................................................................................................8
Data storage......................................................................................................................8
Communications................................................................................................................8
Power................................................................................................................................8
Mechanical........................................................................................................................9
Getting started ....................................................................................................................10
Switching the logger on and off........................................................................................10
Connecting to Timeview ..................................................................................................11
Recording test data from the sensor................................................................................11
Hardware configuration and installation ..............................................................................13
Device overview..............................................................................................................13
Status LED flash patterns................................................................................................14
Sensors...........................................................................................................................15
SDI-12 sensors............................................................................................................15
4-20mA sensors...........................................................................................................21
Tipping-bucket rain gauges..........................................................................................23
Sensor wiring...............................................................................................................24
Vented cables..............................................................................................................25
Approved sensors........................................................................................................25
Pre-wiring and configuration service ............................................................................25
Outdoor siting..................................................................................................................26
Pole top enclosure.......................................................................................................26
Antennas......................................................................................................................28
SIM cards........................................................................................................................30
Using your own SIM.....................................................................................................30
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User Manual
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SIM installation ............................................................................................................31
Batteries..........................................................................................................................32
Approved battery packs ...............................................................................................32
Storing the logger.........................................................................................................32
Replacing the Battery...................................................................................................32
Lithium battery regulations...........................................................................................34
External power ................................................................................................................35
Configuration with Harvest Software...................................................................................36
Harvest overview.............................................................................................................36
Connecting the device.....................................................................................................36
Resetting the logger clock with Harvest...........................................................................40
Basic configuration..........................................................................................................41
Logger Group and Tag.................................................................................................41
Configuring sensors.....................................................................................................42
Recording interval........................................................................................................43
Water level with respect to datum................................................................................44
External antenna configuration.....................................................................................45
Sending data to a server .................................................................................................45
Timeview......................................................................................................................45
Other systems..............................................................................................................45
Automatic data transfer................................................................................................47
More frequent data transfer..........................................................................................48
SIM and time zone settings..........................................................................................49
Call performance and diagnostics................................................................................50
Timeview data collection and configuration.........................................................................51
Finding your data on Timeview........................................................................................51
Resetting logger clock with Timeview..............................................................................53
Alarms ................................................................................................................................54
Logger alarm configuration..............................................................................................54
Set point and alarm condition.......................................................................................54
Hysteresis....................................................................................................................54
Timeview alarm configuration..........................................................................................56
Groups and recipients..................................................................................................56
Message contents........................................................................................................56
Alarm routing ...............................................................................................................57
Hydro-Logic®Flexi Logger 100
User Manual
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End-to-end testing...........................................................................................................58
Viewing alarms on plots...............................................................................................59
Battery life...........................................................................................................................60
Estimating battery life......................................................................................................60
Maximizing battery life.....................................................................................................61
EU declaration of conformity...............................................................................................62
Hydro-Logic®Flexi Logger 100
User Manual
6 April 2018 Page 5 of 62
Introduction and general information
The Hydro-Logic®Flexi Logger 100 is a telemetry data logger. It takes
measurements from single or multi-parameter sensors at regular intervals
(typically every 5 or 15 minutes) and stores this data in internal memory. Using a
mobile data modem, the Hydro-Logic®Flexi Logger 100 contacts a telemetry
server (typically once per day) and transfers data to it.
Main features of the Hydro-Logic®Flexi Logger 100
The main features of the logger are shown below. The sensor plug allows
connection to external sensors and will be supplied connected to a sensor if you
have ordered the Pre-wiring and configuration service.
This manual is designed to help you gain a thorough understanding of the
operation of this equipment. Hydro International recommends that you read this
manual completely before placing the equipment in service.
Hydro-Logic®Flexi Logger 100
User Manual
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Support website
For technical assistance with any of our products, please contact our technical
support team at:
www.hydro-int.com/LoggerSupport
If it is necessary to return the equipment to us for service / repair, please follow
the shipping instructions provided by technical support. Be sure to include a note
describing the issue. This will aid in the prompt return of the equipment.
Sales enquiries
For logger, sensor, Timeview and accessory sales and our pre-wiring and sensor
configuration service, contact:
enquiries@hydro-int.com
Hydro International welcomes feedback that would improve products or the
information presented in this manual.
Hydro International is continually improving its products and reserves the right to
change product specifications without notice.
Warranty
The warranty terms for this product can be found at
www.hydro-int.com/LoggerSupport
The Hydro-Logic®Flexi Logger 100 is suitable for use only with approved
sensors, batteries and communication cables. Connection of any non-approved
components could result in unsafe operation or damage to the logger and will
immediately void the warranty.
Safety and important information
Throughout this manual, any important safety considerations are highlighted as
follows:
Caution warns you of a potential hazard. If you
do not read and follow the instruction, the
product could be damaged, or data could be
lost.
Note Highlights important information in using
the product
Battery disposal Information related to correct
disposal of batteries.
Hydro-Logic®Flexi Logger 100
User Manual
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Revision history
2.00
12 Feb 2018
T Campbell
First version
2.02
22 Feb 2018
T Campbell
Edited and restructured
2.03
27 Feb 2018
T Campbell
Alarms added, minor fixes
2.04
29 Mar 2018
T Campbell
Comments incorporated
from DJ and RR. EU DoC
updated
2.05
6 April 2018
T Campbell
8/16 channel options
added to specification (DJ)
Hydro-Logic®Flexi Logger 100
User Manual
6 April 2018 Page 8 of 62
Specification
Sensor inputs
4-20mA input (Pin 2)
•50-ohm resistance
•1V loop burden at 20mA
•16-bit resolution
•0.1 % accuracy
•Transient protection
SDI-12 input (Pin 1)
▪8 channels total, up to 8 sensor
addresses
Digital input 1 (Pin 1)
▪2s rainfall tip timing resolution
▪65000 event counts
▪650Hz max frequency
▪10K internal pull-up
Digital input 2 (Pin 2)
•2s rainfall tip timing resolution
•65000 event counts
•10Hz max frequency
•10K internal pull-up
Sensor power supply
Power output (Pin 3)
▪Switched 12V
▪120mA output current
▪Configurable warm-up
Data storage
Storage capacity
▪29768 16-bit readings total divided
over the enabled non-derived
channels.
Channel structure
▪(standard) Up to 8 channels with
16-point look-up tables for
engineering value conversion.
▪(optional) Up to 16 channels with
linear look-up tables.
Storage intervals
▪10s 30s 1m 2m
5m 10m 15m 30m
1h 2h 3h 4h
6h 8h 12h
▪Storage interval for each channel
can be set independently.
▪Data is recorded at cardinal
points.
Communications
Transport
▪Internal 3G/GPRS mobile data
modem
▪Local RS232 connection
Protocols
▪Modbus ASCII
▪DNP3 (support contract required)
Power
Batteries
▪Internal 16 Ah Alkaline pack or
Internal 64 Ah Lithium pack
▪External 12V lead-acid or 6-24V
DC supply
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Mechanical
Connectors/switches
▪1 Sensor connector plug with 4
screw terminals
▪1 external power and local
comms connector (combined)
▪1 sensor vent with Gore
protective patch
▪1 external mobile data antenna
with SMA socket
▪1 power button
▪1 dial-out button
Dimensions (mm)
▪W87
D75
L240 (270 with connectors)
Construction
▪Aluminium extrusion with
polycarbonate end caps.
▪O-ring seals on all external
mating surfaces.
▪DIN rail clip for surface
mounting
Protection Notes
•IP68: will withstand 1.2m
immersion for 48 hours without
significant ingress.
1. All connectors must be
mated or have sealing caps
fitted.
2. data communications may
not function when immersed.
3. gauge-pressure based level
sensors are not accurate when
logger enclosure is submerged
Operating limits
•-40 - +70°C, 0 - 100 % RH
Hydro-Logic®Flexi Logger 100
User Manual
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Getting started
These instructions assume
•You are unfamiliar with the Hydro-Logic®Flexi Logger 100
•You have purchased the logger with a Timeview package, including SIM
•You have ordered the logger with a sensor
•You have ordered the Pre-wiring and configuration service
The instructions cover the most important aspects of logger operation. They
should be carried out before the logger is installed on site.
Switching the logger on and off
The logger is shipped in the OFF state. Press and hold the power button (A) until
a green flash is seen in the LED window (B)
The logger is now ON. You should see a blue LED flash every two seconds.
There are other patterns of LED activity, which are described in Status LED flash
patterns.
You can switch the logger off by pressing and holding the power button until you
see a red flash. The logger is now off.
Note that the internal clock is stopped when the logger is switched off, but the
configuration and stored data are preserved. You need to reset the logger clock
after it is switched on so that data from the sensor is correctly time-stamped.
This can be done either by Resetting logger clock with Timeview or Resetting the
logger clock with Harvest
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User Manual
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Connecting to Timeview
With the logger switched on, press and hold the dial-out button until you see a
yellow flash on the LED.
The logger will then begin a series of steps to call out to Timeview. Progress can
be followed using the Status LED flash patterns, or you can just wait for a few
minutes until the red, blue and green flashing has stopped and the logger has
gone back to a single blue flash every 2s.
Now see Finding your data on Timeview –you should be able to see that your
logger has connected successfully.
If the mobile data signal is poor, the logger will try several times to transfer data
to Timeview, so there is no need to press the dial-out button more than once.
Recording test data from the sensor
If you have ordered the Pre-wiring and configuration service, the sensor can be
immediately connected to the large SCA connector on the logger body.
If you need to wire your own sensor, see the section Sensors for more
information.
Once the sensor is connected, you should ensure that the clock is reset (either by
Resetting logger clock with Timeview or Resetting the logger clock with Harvest)
This will clean any blank data points that were recorded with no sensor
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User Manual
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connected, and ensure that data points from the sensor are correctly time-
stamped.
Now leave the logger to record some data. The logger will be configured to take
measurements every 5 or 15 minutes, so leave it for half an hour or so.
Finally, either press the dial-out button to send data to Timeview or read the
logger with Harvest. You should now see data points from your sensor(s) in the
Harvest plot or the Timeview Logger Profile.
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Hardware configuration and installation
Device overview
Refer to the block diagram below. The Hydro-Logic®Flexi Logger 100 is
controlled by a low-power microcontroller. There is a sensor interface and
storage on local memory for the logger configuration and typically several months
of time-series data.
A 3G mobile data modem is used to transfer data to a remote data collection
system via either an internal and or external antenna. The modem includes a
standard SIM interface.
The orange lines show the power distribution. There is an internal battery which
can typically provide years of operation. External power can also be used. An
HLC is a small on-board rechargeable battery which provides boost power for the
modem and sensor as required.
Local
memory
Low-power
microcontroller
Sensor
interface
Sensor
power
Battery
3G m
obile
data
modem
Sensor
connector
HLC
PSU
Comms and
external
power
connector
On-
off
Dial-
out
Hydro-Logic®Flexi Logger 100
User Manual
6 April 2018 Page 14 of 62
Status LED flash patterns
The Hydro-Logic®Flexi Logger 100 is fitted with a status LED in the centre of the
connector cap. The status of the logger is shown by the colour and flash
sequence.
Regular flashes are 2s apart, unless
specified
Regular blue: modem off, normal
logging
Yellow flash: dial-out button pressed
Rapid blue flashes: modem switching on
Purple flashes: internal/external
antenna selection
Irregular green: logger sending
commands to modem (not data)
Blue/red regular: modem on but no
signal or unable to register
Double blue regular: modem on and
registered with network
Blue-red-blue regular: alarm present,
but not registered on network
Triple blue regular: alarm present,
registered on network, dialling out
Solid blue: comms active, waiting to
receive
Solid blue with red flashes: transmitting
data
Single short red: digital input pulse
Single long green: logger switch-on or
comms time-out.
Single long red: logger switch-off
Regular green every 10s: logger is
running bootloader, waiting for firmware
Hydro-Logic®Flexi Logger 100
User Manual
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Sensors
The Hydro-Logic®Flexi Logger 100 can be used with many sensor types.
Sensors fall into these general categories:
•SDI-12 sensors
•4-20mA sensors
•Tipping bucket rain gauges and other digital sensors
SDI-12 sensors
SDI-12 sensors are “smart” sensors which can measure multiple parameters in
engineering units using the industry-standard SDI-12 protocol.
An SDI-12 sensor uses 3 wires and is connected to the Flex Logger 100 sensor
connector as shown.
Sensor address
Before you can read an SDI-12 sensor, you need to specify the sensor address
by configuring the logger with Harvest. Follow the steps in Connecting the device
to ensure that you can communicate with the logger.
First, you need to find the address of the sensor. Ensure that there is only one
sensor connected to the logger.
From Harvest, run the command Start Wizard/Advanced logger options/SDI-
12/Request Sensor Address:
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When an SDI-12 sensor is detected on address 0 the following output will be
displayed:
Now you can test the sensor by reading it using that address. Run the command
Start Wizard/Advanced logger options/SDI-12/Request Measurements from
Sensor:
If you see measurements in the log above, the sensor is working OK.
When you configure the logger for this sensor, you need to specify this address in
the SDI-12 tab:
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You also need to specify which parameters you want to log, with the Enabled
check boxes.
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While you are here, check the Calibration box and ensure that the “Range From”
and “To”values include the range of measurements you are likely to see. If they
don’t, you will get gaps in your data when the sensor is outside this range.
Addressing multiple SDI-12 sensors
Follow the above procedure to address and test each sensor. Give each a
unique address, starting at 0.
When you are configuring the logger, use the Add Sensor button in the SDI-12
tab. It will create a new SDI-12 tab, and you can set the address of each sensor:
Hydro-Logic®Flexi Logger 100
User Manual
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Wiring multiple SDI-12 sensors
Multiple SDI-12 sensors share the same 3 wires on the Hydro-Logic®Flexi
Logger 100 sensor connect. They must be wired neatly for reliable performance
on site.
Hydro International offers two products to help with this:
Two Sensors
If you have two sensors, a CA-SPLITTER (part no PDA9100.1005) can be used
to neatly connect them to the logger.
The two connector leads are different lengths, so the connectors can both fit
inside the steel tubing below a PT enclosure. Use Size 8 Key Clamp so there is
enough space for both sensor cables.
The CA-SPLITTER can be used with vented sensor cables.
An extra 4-way sensor connector is included with this part.
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User Manual
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More than two sensors
If you have more than two sensors, Hydro International offer a junction box
specifically designed for connecting multiple sensors to the Hydro-Logic®Flexi
Logger 100. This is part number PDA1100.3020
This junction box has clearly labelled PCB connectors and an option for external
sensor power.
This junction box is too large to fit inside a PT Enclosure.
Power for SDI-12 sensors
The Hydro-Logic®Flexi Logger 100 provides 12V power for sensors. Up to
120mA current is supplied –the total for all connected sensors must not exceed
this.
Sensor power is not continuous –it is switched on 5s before sensor activation.
Additional warm-up is provided as requested by the sensor.
Most SDI-12 sensors work with switched power, but some require a continuous
12V supply. In this case, an external battery or DC power supply must be
provided. Consult documentation supplied with the sensor.
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