Multitech RBS306-TEMP-TC-US User manual

Radio Bridge
LoRaWAN® Wireless Sensor
Thermocouple Sensor User Guide

LORAWAN WIRELESS THERMOCOUPLE TEMPERATURE SENSOR
2 Radio Bridge LoRaWAN®Wireless Sensor Thermocouple Sensor User Guide
LoRaWAN Wireless Thermocouple Temperature Sensor
Model: RBS306-TEMP
Part Number: RB0006 Rev. 1.2
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CONTENTS
Radio Bridge LoRaWAN®Wireless Sensor Thermocouple Sensor User Guide 3
Contents
Chapter 1 – Overview .............................................................................................................................................. 5
Sensor Overview ........................................................................................................................................................... 5
Part Numbers ................................................................................................................................................................ 5
Documentation ............................................................................................................................................................. 5
Chapter 2 – Quick Start............................................................................................................................................ 6
Preparing an RBS301 Sensor......................................................................................................................................... 6
Preparing an RBS306 Sensor......................................................................................................................................... 6
Quick Start..................................................................................................................................................................... 6
Replacing the Battery.................................................................................................................................................... 7
Chapter 3 – Hardware Specifications and Information ............................................................................................. 8
Absolute Maximum Ratings .......................................................................................................................................... 8
Battery Life.................................................................................................................................................................... 8
Replacing the Battery.................................................................................................................................................... 8
Mechanical Drawings .................................................................................................................................................. 10
Indoor RBSx01 Sensors ............................................................................................................................................. 10
Armored Outdoor/Industrial RBSx06 Sensors .......................................................................................................... 11
Chapter 4 – Common Messages ............................................................................................................................. 12
Common Messages ..................................................................................................................................................... 12
Message Protocol........................................................................................................................................................ 12
Factory Reset (0xEC) ................................................................................................................................................... 12
Uplink Messages ......................................................................................................................................................... 12
Reset Message 0x00.................................................................................................................................................. 13
Supervisory Message 0x01........................................................................................................................................ 14
Tamper Message 0x02 .............................................................................................................................................. 14
Link Quality Message 0xfb ........................................................................................................................................ 15
Downlink Messages..................................................................................................................................................... 15
General Configuration............................................................................................................................................... 15
Device Info Request .................................................................................................................................................. 18
Link Quality Configuration (0xEE) ............................................................................................................................. 18
ADR Advanced Configuration.................................................................................................................................... 19
Advanced Configuration............................................................................................................................................ 19
Downlink ACK.............................................................................................................................................................. 20
Chapter 5 – Sensor-Specific Messages.................................................................................................................... 21
Uplink Messages ......................................................................................................................................................... 21
Downlink Messages..................................................................................................................................................... 21
Settling Window........................................................................................................................................................ 22

CONTENTS
4 Radio Bridge LoRaWAN®Wireless Sensor Thermocouple Sensor User Guide
Chapter 6 – Safety ................................................................................................................................................. 23
Lithium Battery Safety ................................................................................................................................................ 23
User Responsibility...................................................................................................................................................... 23
Chapter 7 – Regulatory Information....................................................................................................................... 24
Federal Communications Commission (FCC) .............................................................................................................. 24
Harmonized Commodity Description (HS Code)......................................................................................................... 24
Export Control Classification Number (ECCN)............................................................................................................. 24

OVERVIEW
Radio Bridge LoRaWAN®Wireless Sensor Thermocouple Sensor User Guide 5
Chapter 1 – Overview
Sensor Overview
The LoRaWAN Wireless Thermocouple Temperature Sensor measures temperature using an external K-type
thermocouple. Other thermocouples may be used and configured via downlink messages. Temperature reporting
can be thresholds, report-on-change, and periodic messaging.
Part Numbers
Part Number Rating Wireless Region
RBS306-TEMP-TC-US Outdoor/Industrial LoRaWAN North America
Documentation
The following documentation is available at https://www.multitech.com/products/sensors.
Document Description Part Number
User Guide This document provides overview, safety and regulatory
information, design considerations, schematics, and general
hardware information.
RB00006
Connection Guide This document provides instructions and information on how
to connect LoRaWAN wireless sensors on gateways and
networks.
RB00001

QUICK START
6 Radio Bridge LoRaWAN®Wireless Sensor Thermocouple Sensor User Guide
Chapter 2 – Quick Start
Preparing an RBS301 Sensor
Sensors ship with batteries installed. There is a plastic tab over the battery, which needs to be removed.
Pull the tab out of the sensor to connect the battery. If the tab does not pull out easily, you may need to
open the case to remove it.
To open the case:
1. Use a pen or similar object to press the button on the opposite side of the case.
2. Remove the battery tab. You may need to remove the battery to remove the tab.
3. Re-insert the battery and close the case.
Preparing an RBS306 Sensor
Sensors ship with batteries installed. There is a plastic tab over the battery, which needs to be removed. To
remove a tab that does not pull out easily:
Loosen screws to remove the battery tab. DO NOT REMOVE THE LID.
Hand-tighten the lid screws to seal the case against moisture. Do not overtighten the screws.
Quick Start
Use your sensor through either the console or a third-party network. To use the console, use the following steps.
To use a third-party network, refer to the Connecting LoRaWAN Sensors on Gateways and Networks (RB00001) ,
which is available through the sensor page at https://www.multitech.com/products/sensors
1. Create a console account at: https://console.radiobridge.com/
2. Click on Devices on the left.
3. Click Add Device.
4. Select the network you want to use.
5. Make sure Console Only Device is NOT selected.
6. Specify if you want to Register Through Radio Bridge or use an existing account with the network.
7. Enter the Device Name,Device ID, and Device Key.

QUICK START
Radio Bridge LoRaWAN®Wireless Sensor Thermocouple Sensor User Guide 7
Note: For easy Device ID and Key entry, scan the QR code on the yellow key card included with your
device. Then copy and paste data into the console. With the QR code, the first line is the Device ID and
the rest is the key.
8. Select the model from the Device Type drop down. Model is on the device label.
9. Set the Join EUI to 7894E80000000000 and click Continue.
10. Review the summary and click Confirmation.
The console shows complete when the device is successfully added.
Replacing the Battery
Replacement battery type is listed in the Battery Life topic. To replace the battery:
1. Use a pen or similar object to press the button on the opposite side of the case.
2. Remove the battery.
3. Insert the new battery as shown.
4. Close the case.

HARDWARE SPECIFICATIONS AND INFORMATION
8 Radio Bridge LoRaWAN®Wireless Sensor Thermocouple Sensor User Guide
Chapter 3 – Hardware Specifications and Information
Absolute Maximum Ratings
Parameter Rating
Operating ambient temperature (indoor version) -30°C to +70°C
Operating ambient temperature (outdoor version) -40°C to +70°C
Storage ambient temperature -40°C to +90°C
Battery Life
The sensor uses a lithium non-rechargeable battery, capable of an estimated 200,000+ messages.
Note: Refer to the Sensor Battery Estimator.xlsx spreadsheet on the on the sensor's product page for specific
battery life estimates:
https://www.multitech.com/products/sensors
Battery life depends on the number of transmissions per day. Power required for a message transmission is greater
than the “sleep current” for high power radio technologies (e.g, LoRaWAN).
Different battery types deplete over time with different voltage profiles; a lithium battery maintains high voltage
for the life of the battery with a rapid drop near the end of life, and an alkaline battery has gradual reduction in
voltage over time. Sensors ship with a lithium battery, which is the recommended replacement type.
Recommended battery: Panasonic CR123/A
Battery life estimates in the online spreadsheet assume room temperature, meaning temperatures near the
maximum and minimum ratings negatively impact battery life. Battery voltage lowers in cold temperatures, and
internal circuitry needs a minimum voltage to operate properly.
Note: Battery life will be reduced in cold environments leading to possible device shut down.
The battery voltage and a low battery indicator are reported by supervisory messages. Refer to the section on
Message Protocol for details.
Replacing the Battery
Replacement battery type is listed in the Battery Life topic. To replace the battery:
1. Use a pen or similar object to press the button on the opposite side of the case.

HARDWARE SPECIFICATIONS AND INFORMATION
Radio Bridge LoRaWAN®Wireless Sensor Thermocouple Sensor User Guide 9
2. Remove the battery.
3. Insert the new battery as shown.
4. Close the case.

HARDWARE SPECIFICATIONS AND INFORMATION
10 Radio Bridge LoRaWAN®Wireless Sensor Thermocouple Sensor User Guide
Mechanical Drawings
The mechanical drawings provided in this section are for the main body of the sensor. All dimensions use inches
unless specified.
Indoor RBSx01 Sensors

HARDWARE SPECIFICATIONS AND INFORMATION
Radio Bridge LoRaWAN®Wireless Sensor Thermocouple Sensor User Guide 11
Armored Outdoor/Industrial RBSx06 Sensors

COMMON MESSAGES
12 Radio Bridge LoRaWAN®Wireless Sensor Thermocouple Sensor User Guide
Chapter 4 – Common Messages
Common Messages
This chapter defines the protocol and message definitions common to all MultiTech wireless sensors. Common
messages include basic error messages, tamper, supervisory, link quality, and downlink acknowledgments. Sensor
specific messages are in the Sensor Specific Messages chapter.
Message Protocol
This section defines the protocol and message definitions for the device.
Note: MultiTech provides a web-based console at console.radiobridge.com for configuring and monitoring
devices. We recommend using this console rather than the protocols defined in this section.
If not using the console, use this topic to configure the device through downlink messages and decode the device
data.
Factory Reset (0xEC)
Restores all setting to factory defaults. Does not preserve any custom configuration.
In US915, the device returned the device information message.
In EU868, the device returns that downlink confirmation .
Uplink Messages
The uplink messages (sensor to web application) have the following structure.
Item Size Description
Protocol Version 4 bits A constant 1, provides extensibility to the specific format of a message type.
Packet Count 4 bits A sequential number starting at 0 for the first message sent from the sensor to
the cloud. It increments by one for each subsequent message. When it reaches
0xF (15 decimal), it wraps back to 0. Packet count helps identify when a message
is lost. For example, if the packet count goes 2,4 instead of 2,3,4, it indicates a
message has been lost. It can also help identify out-of-order or duplicate
messages.
Message Type 1 byte Byte format is 8 bits. Refer to next table.
Message Payload 0-7 bytes Each message type has between 0 and 8 bytes of payload data specific to the
sensor. Refer to the following table for payload information.
0x00 5-byte
reset
code
Device has reset. The reset cause is represented in the 5-byte reset code payload.
0x01 >9 bytes Daily supervisory message (1-2 per day). The 9-byte payload contains current
sensor status. Refer to Supervisory Message 0x01for payload details.

COMMON MESSAGES
Radio Bridge LoRaWAN®Wireless Sensor Thermocouple Sensor User Guide 13
Message Type Payload Description
0x02 1-byte event A tamper event has occurred. Refer to Tamper Message 0x02for
details.
-- Sensor event Sensor events are defined in the Sensor Specific Messages
chapter.
0xfb Link quality Sent after each downlink configuration (refer to Link Quality
Message) or to periodically ping the network server (refer to
Link Quality Check Period).
0xfe -- Reserved.
0xff 1-byte status Downlink message ACK. Refer to Downlink ACK for more detail.
Reset Message 0x00
Every time a sensor powers up it sends a reset message to the cloud.
The reset message payload is defined in the following table.
Bytes Description
0 Sensor type code, a product identifier sent as part of the reset message. (The
following code is specific to your device).
Thermocouple 0x13
1 Hardware version.
2-3 Firmware version.
4-5 Reset code. Used for factory diagnostics.
Firmware Version
The 16-bit firmware version is constructed from reset payload Bytes 2-3, where Byte 2 is the most significant byte.
Beginning with version 2.0, the format is as shown in the following table.
The original format is compatible by redefining the reserved most significant bit (Bit 15).
Byte Description
15 Format (bit == 0)
14:8 Major number (7 bits)
7:0 Minor number (8 bits)
15 Format (bit == 1)
14:10 Major number (5 bits)
9:5 Minor number (5 bits)
4:0 Build number (5 bits)
16-Bit Firmware Version Examples
0x0103 is decoded as Firmware Version 1.3

COMMON MESSAGES
14 Radio Bridge LoRaWAN®Wireless Sensor Thermocouple Sensor User Guide
0x8823 is decoded as Firmware Version 2.1.3
Supervisory Message 0x01
Wireless sensors periodically (19 hours by default) send a supervisory message so the backend system can verify
the device is still alive and report error conditions. The supervisory message payload include current sensor status.
You can also trigger a supervisory message. To do this:
Place a magnet near the triangular notch on the side of the sensor.
The following table shows the supervisory message payload:
Bytes Description
0 Supervisory error codes as follows:
Bits Description
7:5 Not used.
4 Tamper detected since last reset.
3 Current tamper state.
2 Error with last downlink.
1 Battery low (under 2.8v).
0 Radio communication error, communication with the integrated radio failed and the
device was reset.
1 Current sensor state, 1-byte. This is device specific, refer Sensor Specific Messages chapter for details.
For other devices, use the periodic reporting feature.
2 Battery level is a two-digit battery voltage. For example, if the battery voltage is 2.9V, byte 2 would be
0x29.
3-6 Extended sensor state, 4-bytes. Allows sensors with higher precision or multiple values to report
during a supervisory event. For other devices, use the periodic reporting feature.
Note: For applications requiring periodic readings, using the periodic reporting feature is
recommended. Refer to Periodic Reports. in Sensor Specific Downlink Messages.
7-8 Event accumulation count is the number of sensor events since the last supervisory message. To
improve battery life, can be used with the Disable all sensor events setting so only an event total is
reported during a supervisory message, individual events are not reported as they occur. This feature
is available in firmware v2.0 and beyond.
Tamper Message 0x02
A sensor sends a message when the tamper switch has been opened or closed through either an enclosure tamper
or a wall mount tamper. The tamper message contains a 1-byte payload as shown in the following table.
Payload Description
0x00 Tamper switch opened.
0x01 Tamper switch closed.

COMMON MESSAGES
Radio Bridge LoRaWAN®Wireless Sensor Thermocouple Sensor User Guide 15
Link Quality Message 0xfb
The link quality message provides a signal strength and a signal to noise measurement at the device itself. The link
quality message payload is shown in the following table.
Bytes Description
0 Current Sub-Band, sub-band currently joined and used for communication to the gateway and
network server. Value ranges from 1-8 for US915. For other regions, value depends on available
channels.
1 RSSI of last DOWNLINK received, signed integer format values in bytes 1 and 2 in two’s complement
format.
2 SNR of last DOWNLINK received, signed integer format values in bytes 1 and 2 in two’s complement
format.
Downlink Messages
Downlink messages are from the cloud to the sensor and are used to configure the sensor. The sensor initiates
receiving downlink messages upon transmitting, since the sensor is typically sleeping with the radio turned off.
All downlink messages must contain 8 bytes, padded with zeroes.
A downlink will be received after any uplink within the receive window.
The following command messages can be sent back to the sensor as downlink.
Command Payload Description
0x00 Not used Not used
0x01 4 bytes General configuration
-- 0-7 bytes Sensor configuration, refer to the Sensor Specific Messages chapter
0xfc 3 bytes Advanced configuration
General Configuration
Use the general configuration command to configure parameters that apply to all sensor types.
Byte Description
0x00 Disable sensor events
0x01 Radio config
0x02 Supervisory period. Default 19 hours.
0x03 Sampling rate

COMMON MESSAGES
16 Radio Bridge LoRaWAN®Wireless Sensor Thermocouple Sensor User Guide
Disable Sensor Events
The following table shows the disable sensor event bit definitions.
Bit Description
7:1 Not used
0 Disable all sensor events
Radio Config
The following table shows the radio config byte definition.
Note: Available in firmware version 1.4 or newer.
Bits Description
7 Not used (reserved)
6 Enable duty cycle requirement. EU868 only. To enforce the EU868 band duty cycle requirements,
enable before production deployment. Cannot be disabled. Available in firmware 2.2.1 or later.
5:2 Uplink retries. . The range for uplink retries is 1-8 for confirmed messages (ACK required) and does
not apply to unconfirmed messages. Default 0 (leave unchanged). Available in firmware v1.4 and
above.
1 Use unconfirmed messages. If set to use the unconfirmed messages bit, the sensor does not look
for an ACK from the network server. Default is 1 (unconfirmed messages, no ACK required). EU
sensors can’t use confirmed messages, setting this bit to 0 on an EU device causes an invalid
downlink error (0xFF01). Available in firmware v1.4 and above.
0 Disable Adaptive Data Rate (ADR). To enable ADR, set to 0. To disable ADR, set to 1. Default is 0
(enabled). Available in firmware v1.3 and above.
Important: The duty cycle bit is always set for production deployments in the EU868 band. It cannot be
changed.
Supervisory Period
The general configuration command’s supervisory period controls the time between supervisory messages as
defined in the following table.
Bit 7 Bits 6:0
0 Period defined in hours (1-127 hours). Available in firmware v1.3 and above.
1 Period defined in minutes (1-127 minutes) Available in firmware v1.3 and above.
For example, to receive a report every 4 hours, set Byte 1 to 0x04. To receive a periodic report every 15 minutes,
set Byte 1 to 0x8f.
Sampling Rate
Sampling rate controls the frequency at which devices wake from low power sleep mode to check the sensor state.
Some sensors require very little power to check the state and need to react quickly. Other sensors can be sampled
at a lower rate, such 30-second or 30-minute intervals. Increasing the time between samples increases battery life.

COMMON MESSAGES
Radio Bridge LoRaWAN®Wireless Sensor Thermocouple Sensor User Guide 17
Refer to the Battery Estimator for battery life estimates relative to sampling rate:
https://radiobridge.com/documents/Sensor%20Battery%20Estimator.xlsx
A value of 0 in this field leaves the sampling rate at the current value. Use the following table to determine the
sampling rate if the value is not zero.
Note: Sampling period only applies to sensors that take measurements like temperature and tilt, it does not
apply to sensors with binary inputs such as door/window sensors or push buttons.
This feature is available in firmware v2.0 and above.
Bit 7:6 Bits 5:0
00 Sampling period defined in increments of 250ms (0.25-15 seconds).
01 Sampling period defined in increments of seconds (1-63 seconds).
10 Sampling period defined in increments of minutes (1-63 minutes).
11 Sampling period defined in increments of hours (1-63 hours).

COMMON MESSAGES
18 Radio Bridge LoRaWAN®Wireless Sensor Thermocouple Sensor User Guide
Device Info Request
The Device Info Request command is a downlink to inform the gateway to report its downlink configuration
information.
Bit Description
0x00 Downlink configuration type
to request.
0-254: Request device
info for specific downlink
type to report.
255: Request device info
for all downlink
configurations.
Link Quality Configuration (0xEE)
The Link Quality configuration command configures the number of failed confirmed message attempts before re-
entering the LoRaWAN join state.
Byte Description
0x00 Number of failed confirmed message transmits before the device re-enters a LoRaWAN
join state. The default value is 12.
When the device transmits a confirmed message and exhausts uplink retries without
receiving an acknowledgment, the device increments an internal failed counter by 1.
This counter not increment if the message being transmitted is not a confirmed
message.
If this counter does not exceed the threshold specified in this byte, the device
attempts a retransmit.
The default value is 12.

COMMON MESSAGES
Radio Bridge LoRaWAN®Wireless Sensor Thermocouple Sensor User Guide 19
ADR Advanced Configuration
The ADR configuration message overrides the LoRaWAN ADR_ACK_LIMIT and ADR_ACK_DELAY parameters.
Byte Description
0x00 ADR_ACK_LIMIT value when running in Unconfirmed Mode. The default value is 64.
0x01 ADR_ACK_DELAY value when running in Unconfirmed Mode. The default value is 32.
0x02 ADR_ACK_LIMIT value when running in Confirmed Mode. The default value is 2.
0x03 ADR_ACK_DELAY value when running in “Confirmed Mode”. The default value is 1.
For additional details with usage to ADR_ACK_LIMIT and ADR_ACK_DELAY, refer to LoRaWAN Link Layer
Specification v1.0.4 - Section 4.3.1.1: Adaptive data-rate control in frame header.
Advanced Configuration
Use this command for advanced configuration parameters that apply to all sensor types. The advanced
configuration command is defined in the following table.
Byte Description
0x01 Port number
0x02 Link quality check period
Port Number
Byte 0x01 of the advanced configuration command changes the uplink port per the LoRaWAN protocol. The default
port is 2, and a value of 0 in this field means to leave it at the default.
This feature is available in firmware v1.4 and above.
Link Quality Check Period
. Setting this register causes the device to ping the network server periodically with a requested ack. Typically used
with unconfirmed messages, this feature creates a periodic confirmed message and looks for the ack to ensure the
device is still connected.
The following table shows this byte’s encoded bit definitions.
Available in firmware v2.0 and above.
Bit 7 Bits 6:0
0 Period defined in hours (1-127 hours).
1 Period defined in minutes (60-127
minutes)

COMMON MESSAGES
20 Radio Bridge LoRaWAN®Wireless Sensor Thermocouple Sensor User Guide
Downlink ACK
The cloud app uses this downlink ACK message to verify the that sensor received the downlink message received
and it was considered valid.
The sensor replies to the downlink data with a 0xFF message (downlink ACK) with the payload shown in the
following table.
Command Payload
0x00 Not used
0x01 Message was invalid or undefined
0x02 Message was valid