LSI LASTEM ALIEM EL03305 User manual

Environmental monitoring solutions
ALIEM
Alpha-Log Input Extension Module
User manual

ALIEM –User manual
LSI LASTEM SRL
INSTUM_03766
Page 2 / 32

ALIEM –User manual
LSI LASTEM SRL
INSTUM_03766
Page 3 / 32
Document ALIEM –User manual
Pages 32
Revision list
Issue
Date
Description of changes
Origin
06/05/2020
1 (a)
21/06/2021
General revision based on a new board called “HW V3”
2
21/09/2022
Added the Declaration of conformity. Made minor changes
Notes on this manual
The information included in this manual may be modified without notice. No part of this manual may be
reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, for any use, without LSI LASTEM’s written
permission.
LSI LASTEM reserves the right to intervene on the product, without the obligation to promptly update this
document.
Copyright 2019-2022 LSI LASTEM. All rights reserved.

ALIEM –User manual
LSI LASTEM SRL
INSTUM_03766
Page 4 / 32
Table of contents
1 Introduction............................................................................................................................................... 6
2 Instrument description.............................................................................................................................. 6
2.1 Power supply ..................................................................................................................................... 7
2.2 Inputs and actuators.......................................................................................................................... 7
2.2.1 Differential mode inputs............................................................................................................ 8
2.2.2 Single-ended inputs................................................................................................................... 9
2.3 Serial ports....................................................................................................................................... 10
3 Product installation ................................................................................................................................. 13
3.1 General safety standards................................................................................................................. 13
3.2 Mechanical installation and placing ................................................................................................ 13
4 3DOM software ....................................................................................................................................... 14
4.1 Connection to PC............................................................................................................................. 14
4.2 Entering the instrument in 3DOM and receiving the configuration ............................................... 14
5 Configuration........................................................................................................................................... 15
6 Use of ALIEM ........................................................................................................................................... 16
6.1 Start-up/Shutdown.......................................................................................................................... 16
6.2 Use of the keyboard ........................................................................................................................ 16
6.3 Operating status LEDs...................................................................................................................... 16
7 Insight ALIEM........................................................................................................................................... 17
7.1 Acquisition and calculation of measures......................................................................................... 17
7.2 Acquisition from thermocouples..................................................................................................... 17
7.3 Details about the measure acquisition process .............................................................................. 17
7.4 Acquisition from status signal ......................................................................................................... 18
7.5 Details about calculated measures.................................................................................................. 19
7.6 Actuation logics ............................................................................................................................... 19
7.6.1 Eolic alarm ............................................................................................................................... 20
7.6.2 Evaporimeter filling ................................................................................................................. 20
7.6.3 Start precipitation alarm ......................................................................................................... 21
7.6.4 Flood alarm.............................................................................................................................. 21
7.6.5 Threshold value compare........................................................................................................ 21
7.6.6 Timer........................................................................................................................................ 24
7.6.7 Snow level alarm...................................................................................................................... 24
7.6.8 System errors........................................................................................................................... 24

ALIEM –User manual
LSI LASTEM SRL
INSTUM_03766
Page 5 / 32
7.7 Function library for derived calculations......................................................................................... 25
8 Maintenance............................................................................................................................................ 26
9 Configuration templates.......................................................................................................................... 27
9.1 ALIEM configuration for Type 1: Alpha-Log + ALIEM....................................................................... 27
10 Technical specifications........................................................................................................................... 28
11 Declaration of conformity ....................................................................................................................... 31
12 Disposal.................................................................................................................................................... 32
13 Contacting LSI LASTEM ............................................................................................................................ 32

ALIEM –User manual
LSI LASTEM SRL
INSTUM_03766
Page 6 / 32
1Introduction
ALIEM (Alpha-Log Input Extension Module) is the input extension module of Alpha-Log.
The module acquires the punctual values of the measurements relating to the sensors connected to it and
makes them available to Alpha-Log via the Modbus RTU® protocol.
2Instrument description
ALIEM is presented as in Fig. 1.
Fig. 1 –Instrument description.
On the ALIEM frontal side are located the 4-buttons keyboard (5), reserved for the use of LSI LASTEM staff,
the LEDs (4) that indicate the operating status of the instrument, and the terminal board (6) with removable
screw connectors for the connection of sensors, power supply and external devices. For details, refer to Fig.
2.
On the left side panel there is the power switch (1) of the instrument, the RS-232 Com1 serial port (2) for PC
connection and the Com2 serial port (3), RS-232 or RS-485 depending on the model, for connection to Alpha-
Log.
(1) - On/Off switch
(2) - Com1 serial port (PC)
(3) - Com2 serial port (Alpha-Log)
(4) - Operating status LEDs
(5) - Keyboard
(6) - Terminal board

ALIEM –User manual
LSI LASTEM SRL
INSTUM_03766
Page 7 / 32
2.1 Power supply
Please refer to the table below for the inbound power terminal connections to the instrument and outbound
to the sensors or devices that need to be powered.
Line
Connection
Terminal
Inbound
0 Vdc battery
64
+ 8÷30 Vdc battery
65
GND
66
Outbound
+ Vdc fixed to power sensors / external devices
31
0 Vdc
32
+ Vdc actuated to power sensors / external devices
33
Whenever available, connect the ground wire (GND) to terminal 66. If the round wire (GND) isn’t available,
you make sure to connect terminals 60 and 61 (short circuit). This measure will improve the immunity from
electromagnetic noises and the protection from induced and conduced electrical discharges.
WARNING! In case the 31 and 32 terminals feed outside equipments, they must be equipped with power fail
circuit against short circuits or absorbed currents above 1 A.
2.2 Inputs and actuators
The instrument is fitted with 7 actuators used to power the sensors connected to the terminal board, (4
actuators for 8 analogue inputs in differential mode and 16 in single-ended mode, 2 actuators for 4 digital
inputs, 1 actuator for other functions); the actuators can also be used by the actuation programmable logics,
than can produce alarms according to the values acquired by the sensors. The voltage available on these
terminals depends on the kind of power supply received by the instrument.
Use the program 3DOM (see SWUM_00339 available on www.lsi-lastem.com website) to configure the op-
eration to switch on the sensors by means of the switching powers. In order to choose the actuation time is
advisable to consider both the energetic saving and the time the sensor needs to initialize.
The association between input and switching power is fixed, as shown in the table below. The number of the
terminal is indicated in italics; for example, that inputs 1 and 2 both make use of the first actuator; therefore,
it cannot be used for the other inputs. In case of sensors that generate two signals (like the thermo-hygro-
metric sensor), it’s suitable to select both inputs that use the same actuator.

ALIEM –User manual
LSI LASTEM SRL
INSTUM_03766
Page 8 / 32
Analogue
input
Terminal board
GND
Actuator
A
B
C
D
Number
+V
0 V
An1
1
2
3
4
7
Act1
5
6
An2
8
9
10
11
An3
12
13
14
15
18
Act2
16
17
An4
19
20
21
22
An5
34
35
36
37
40
Act3
38
39
An6
41
42
43
44
An7
45
46
47
48
51
Act4
49
50
An8
52
53
54
55
Digital
input
Terminal board
GND
Actuator
E
F
G
Number
+V
0V
Dig9
23
24
25
28
Act5
26
27
Dig10
56
57
58
Dig11
-
29
30
61
Act6
59
60
Dig12
-
62
63
28
Act7
33
32
Fig. 2 –Terminal board.
2.2.1 Differential mode inputs
The differential mode is the one commonly used for the connection of sensors, in which a sensor occupies a
single input.
It is preferable to the single-ended mode as it is less subject to electrical noise.
The following pictures explain in detail the connections of all types of sensors, both analogue in differential
mode and digital.

ALIEM –User manual
LSI LASTEM SRL
INSTUM_03766
Page 9 / 32
Fig. 3 –Connection diagram for sensors with analog signal (differential mode).
The drop resistance, indicated by Rx, is used to return a voltage signal from the current generated by the
sensor. Program 3DOM supplies a library for the setting of the LSI LASTEM sensors, including some powered
outputs; for such models the settings have been arranged to use the energized scale -300÷1200 mV, thus
being able to use 50 Ω drop resistances.
Fig. 4 –Connection diagram for sensors with digital signal.
2.2.2 Single-ended inputs
Single-ended is a connection mode that allows you to double the number of analog inputs of ALIEM. In this
mode two sensors that have voltageor current signals can be connected to the same input. It is not applicable
to sensors with resistive signals.

ALIEM –User manual
LSI LASTEM SRL
INSTUM_03766
Page 10 / 32
Single-ended mode is more subject to electrical noise, therefore the differential mode, in which a sensor
occupies a single input, is preferable when you want to obtain the best measurement performance from the
instrument.
Fig. 5 –Connection diagram for sensors with analog signal (single-ended mode).
The drop resistance, indicated by Rx, is used to return a voltage signal from the current generated by the
sensor. Program 3DOM supplies a library for the setting of the LSI LASTEM sensors, including some powered
outputs; for such models the settings have been arranged to use the energized scale -300÷1200 mV, thus
being able to use 50 Ω drop resistances.
When a probe is added using the 3DOM probes library, those sensors are always added in differential mode;
for this reason is not possible add a single-ended probe to a configuration where there is only one single-
ended sensor free; when this situation occurs set the measure parameters manually matching the single-
ended probe needs; otherwise change, if possible, different measures from differential to single-ended mode
until obtaining a complete differential input free (two single-ended sequential inputs).
2.3 Serial ports
MDMMB1110 is fitted with two RS-232 serial ports through 9-pole female standard connectors (DB9F).
Serial port 1 (2) (located on the left-hand side panel, at the bottom near the terminals) is used to program
the instrument's operative modes and data download, by means of the LSI CISS communication protocol.