Nero 66 Series User manual

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Nero 66xx Beacon Family
Vehicle Productivity, Security, and ELD Compliance
The 66xx family of beacons includes the following models:
• 6600 – 3G with external antenna
• 6601 – 3G with internal antenna
• 6650 – 4G (LTE) with external antenna
• 6651 – 4G (LTE) with internal antenna
• 6681 – 4G (LTE) with internal antenna
These versatile GPS tracking beacons are designed for eet management needs in
all commercial vehicles. The 66xx connects directly to the vehicle’s Electronic Control
Module (ECM) through the engine diagnostics port.
The beacon forms the on-board recording portion of Contigo’s compliant Electronic
Logging Device (ELD) solution for Hours of Service (HOS) and Driver-Vehicle Inspection
Report (DVIR) logging, by supplying all required data via Bluetooth to the ELD display.
Combined with our commercial mobile monitoring portal, subscribers can manage
and view the location of any or all vehicles in a eet, run a variety of valuable reports,
and manage vehicle maintenance alerts.
Antenna Conguration
The 66xx beacons have a combined GPS/cell network
antenna module. The 6600 and 6650 models use an
external antenna attached with FAKRA connectors, while
the 6601, 6651 and 6681 are equipped with an internal
antenna housed within the beacon.
For either conguration, the antenna must be positioned
in the vehicle so that it has a clear signal path to as much
of the sky as possible, without metal obstruction. For
internal antennas, the beacon itself must be positioned
properly for good signal reception.
Standard Antenna
• Part Number: 6xx0-ANT-STD
• Black plastic housing; approx. 2.5 in (64 mm) diameter;
0.4 in (10 mm) depth
• Mounted with peel-and-stick adhesive patch
Weatherproof Drill-through Antenna
• Part Number: 6xx0-ANT-WPA-DT
• Black plastic housing with rubber weather-seal;
approx. 2.5 in (64 mm) diameter; 0.7 in (18 mm) depth
(excluding screw post)
• Screw post mount for drill-through applications
External Antenna Installation (6600 and 6650 only)
The following antenna models are supported:

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Antenna Installation Notes
• Signals will penetrate upholstery, carpet, plastic dashboards, etc., but not metal panels or brackets.
• Signals will penetrate window glass but not metallic tinted windows or painted edges of windows.
• Radio antenna or defrost wires embedded in glass may degrade signals.
For best performance, the top of the antenna should face the sky through the area of least signal blockage.
• If the installation is not required to be covert, an ideal location is underneath the front windshield glass. For covert installations,
an ideal location is under the dashboard, as close to the front windshield as possible.
• In a car, the antenna can be mounted under the rear window or in a trunk, under the rear deck, as close to the rear window
as possible.
Standard Antenna Drill-through Antenna
The Nero 66xx is supplied with a cable to connect the device to the vehicle
data port. Dierent vehicles support dierent types of data ports. The 66xx
supports the following port congurations:
• J1939 Deutsch Type-1 (9-pin – black)
• J1939 Deutsch Type-2 (9-pin – green)
• J1708 Deutsch (6-pin)
• OBDII with CAN support
• RP 1226 (14-pin)
Most vehicles support the J1939 Type-1 connector. The images in this section
of the document as well as in the wiring charts represent this cable choice.
If your vehicle requires a dierent connector cable, please refer to the
Addendum A – Power/Data Cable Options included at the end of this
document.
Begin the installation by rmly pressing the 20 pin Molex connector onto the
66xx, as shown in the picture.
Beacon Installation
installation guide
Nero 66xx Beacon Family

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• Use zip-ties to secure the beacon in place. There are convenient slots in the case to assist with this. The 66xx should be
located where it will receive a good GPS signal, ideally underneath the front windshield glass or beneath the dashboard.
For model 6601 and 6651 (internal antenna) beacons, it is important that the top face of the beacon (the side with the large
label) is facing the sky with no metallic obstruction.
• Ensure any extra wire is secured and is not obstructing any vehicle controls.
• Visibility of the indicator LEDs will be useful for testing and troubleshooting.
Securing the 66xx
• Depending on the type of add-ons to be supported for the installation, colored connector wires may be required in addition
to the base J1939 cable. These wires will be attached directly to the 20-pin Molex connector, outside of the J1939 wire
bundle, as shown in the diagram below.
• To ensure that the correct connections are in place, please refer to the appropriate Feature Installation Guide from Nero
when wiring add-ons.
Wiring Optional Add-ons
Vecima 66xx – Cable Connectors
Next, locate the diagnostics port on the vehicle, and with the vehicle ignition turned o,
connect the cable. The cable connector has a locking ring. To lock the cable in place turn
the dial clockwise until it clicks.
Once the vehicle ignition is turned on, the LED indicators will show the state of the device.
Please refer to the LED Indicators section below.
Model 6651
shown here
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Nero 66xx Beacon Family

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LED Indicators
The 66xx has two LEDs on the top of the device which provide feedback about the current state.
• When the ignition is rst turned on the Green indicator will show solid for about 30 seconds. After this initial setup period,
the Green LED will blink slowly (8 times in 10 seconds) when the Ignition is turned o, and rapidly (25 times in 10 seconds)
when the Ignition is turned on.
• The Red LED is used to indicate error conditions by ashing a 2-digit code. The rst digit indicates the general error type
(1=hardware, 2=modem, 3=GPS, 4=end-to-end service) and the second digit indicates a more specic error described in the
table below. Note that if multiple error conditions exist, the Red LED will cycle through all current error conditions.
installation guide
Nero 66xx Beacon Family
RED LED Error Codes
1st Digit 2nd Digit Error Condition
1 1 License key has expired. Please contact Nero Support
1 2 Low supply voltage. Ensure that the vehicle battery is supplying adequate voltage.
Contact Nero Support if the error persists.
1 3 Data usage exceeded. Please contact Nero Support.
2 1 Modem module fault. Please contact Nero Support.
2 2 No SIM inserted. Please contact Nero Support.
2 3 No cellular signal. *
2 4 Network not found. Please contact Nero Support to verify the SIM activation.
2 5 Last data session failed. *
2 6 GPRS not attached. Please verify beacon activation.
3 1 GPS module fault. Please contact Nero Support.
3 2 GPS antenna fault. *
3 3 GPS not tracking any satellites. *
3 4 GPS no x (< 3 satellites). *
3 5 GPS has no time. *
4 2 Data transfer failed. *
*These issues may be
caused by an incorrectly
positioned beacon.
If the device is connected
properly and has an
unobstructed view of the sky,
and the error persists, please
contact Nero Support at
[email protected]
20-pin Molex Connector – Pin Descriptions
Pin Wire Color Description Pin Wire Color Description
1Black GND 11 White Switch 2 input (+)
2 Yellow Relay 2 output (-) [
Buzzer Control] 12 Yellow (J1939 cable) CAN/J1939 Hi
3 Blue (J1939 cable) J1708- 13 Red/White Switch 4 input (-)
4 Orange (J1939 cable) J1708+ 14 Green (J1939 cable) CAN/J1939 Lo
5 Blue Switch 3 input (-) 15 White Ignition input (+) [not used]
6Gray 1-Wire data [Driver ID, Sensor] 16 Brown/White Relay 1 output (-)
7 Cable ID (*see side note) 17 Black GND
8 Red (J1939 cable) Power input (+8 to +30v
constant) 18 Green/Yellow Switch 1 input (+)
9 [not used] 19 Purple LED Control [Driver ID]
10 Black (J1939 cable) Ground 20 Brown Analog input (0 – 16v)
[not used]
*This pin is not used for
the Type-1 cable, but may
be used on other cables as
an identier for the cable/
port type: +12v indicates
OBD, GND indicates J1939
500 kHz, and OPEN indicates
J1939 250 kHz.

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Warning and Known Issues
• It is important that the cable is installed fully onto the diagnostics port, and that the device is rmly attached to the vehicle.
Excessive vibrations from a loose installation can cause incorrect results.
• The 66xx beacons are not waterproof or sealed devices. Care must be taken to ensure the device is kept away from water or
any other liquids, as well as excessive dust.
• The 66xx beacons may be incompatible with certain models of vehicles. For more information please contact your Nero
dealer.
• The older external antennas that were previously shipped with the 3G beacons are not compatible with the newer 4G
devices. If you are upgrading a 3G beacon to a 6650 (4G) model, then the external antenna must also be upgraded to one of
the models described in this document.
• The 6681 beacon model does not support Bluetooth, and therefore cannot be used for ELD congurations.
• The 6681 beacon model does not support the J1708 protocol, and therefore will not function in vehicles that have the J1708
Deutsch (6-pin) diagnostics port. Please refer to Addendum A – Power/Data Cable Options.
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Nero 66xx Beacon Family

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Addendum A – Power/Data Cable Options
The Nero 66xx is supplied with a cable to connect the device to the vehicle data port. Dierent vehicles support dierent types
of data ports. Please be sure to specify the appropriate cable that matches your vehicle port. The following chart describes the
port congurations that are supported.
Vehicle Port Available Power Cable
J1939 Deutsch Type-1 (9-pin – black)
This is the most commonly available
J1939 port at present.
J1939 Type-1 Y-Cable
A Y-cable is available for vehicles with a Type-1 J1939 port. The Y-cable splits the
J1939 connector into two parts, as shown in the image below.
A typical installation involves the removal of the port from the vehicle dashboard,
replacing it with the port-end of the Y-cable, and plugging the J1939 connector
end of the Y-cable into the original vehical port behind the dashboard.
In this manner the 66xx and all cabling may be installed behind the dashboard,
leaving the visible J1939 port free for use with other diagnostic equipment as
required.
J1939 Deutsch Type-2 (9-pin – green)
This port supports the higher bus speed
found on certain modern vehicles (model
year 2014 or later).
J1939 Type-2 Y-Cable
A Y-cable is available for connecting the 66xx to vehicles supporting this port type.
Type-2 (green) connectors are designed to be backwards compatible and may be
used in vehicles with a Type-1 (black) port.
This is not recommended, however, as other Type-1 (black) devices will not plug
in to the Type-2 (green) port on the cable, and there may be confusion caused as to
whether the vehicle bus is actually Type-1 or Type-2.
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Nero 66xx Beacon Family

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Vehicle Port Available Power Cable
J1708 Deutsch (6-pin) J1708 Y-Cable
A Y-cable is available for connecting the 66xx to vehicles supporting this port type.
Please note that this cable is incompatible with beacon model 6681.
OBDII with CAN Support
Found in certain models of Volvo and
Mack vehicles, this port supports the CAN
bus connectivity through a 16-pin OBDII
port.
OBDII Single Wire or Y-Cable
The OBDII power/data connector is available as a single wire or Y-cable.
Warning: Some electric vehicles are equipped with two OBDII-style ports. One is
the EV port used by the manufacturer for rmware updates, and the other is the
OBDII diagnostic port used for the 66xx. Connecting the 66xx to the EV port may
damage the vehicle. Check your vehicle documentation to correctly identify the
ports.
RP 1226 (14-pin)
The RP 1226 is a newer connector
designed specically for ELD use. It may
be found in trucks with model year 2018
and later.
RP 1226 Single Wire Cable
The RP 1226 power/data connector is only available as a single wire.
*Please note that this cable has not been fully tested with beacon model 6681 and
may be incompatible.
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Nero 66xx Beacon Family

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Cable Part Numbers
When ordering a Nero 66xx device, please specify the power/data cable option using the following part numbers.
Pin 66xx Power/Data Cable Description
6601-PC-TYPE1-Y 20-pin Molex to 9-Pin Deutsch Type-1 (black) connector. Y-cable.
6601-PC-TYPE2-Y 20-pin Molex to 9-Pin Deutsch Type-2 (green) connector. Y-cable.
6601-PC-TYPE2-Y-ADAPTER 20-pin Molex adapter for 9-Pin Deutsch Type-2 (green) connector.
(see Addendum B)
6601-PC-J1708-Y 20-pin Molex to 6-Pin Deutsch connector. Y-cable.
6601-PC-OBD 20-pin Molex to OBDII connector with CAN support. Single wire.
660x-PC-OBD-Y 20-pin Molex to OBDII connector with CAN support. Y-cable.
66xx-PC-1226 20-pin Molex to 14-pin RP 1226 connector. Single wire.
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Nero 66xx Beacon Family

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Addendum B – J1939Type-2 (Green) Cable Adapter
Some heavy-duty vehicles with J1939 Deutsch Type-2 (9-pin – green) connectors may require the use of an adaptor (part number
6601-PC-TYPE2-Y-ADAPTER) to connect the cable to the 66xx device. If needed, this adapter is connected to the Molex end of the
J1939 cable, and plugs directly into the 66xx device.
Important
• Not using an adaptor when one is required will result in limited engine data being reported (e.g. odometer will
typically not be reported).
• Using an adaptor when not required will result in no engine data being reported.
How to determine if the adapter is required
To determine whether or not the adapter may be required, use a voltmeter to calculate the voltage between Pin F on the vehicle
port and Battery Negative (Chassis ground), and Pin G on the vehicle port and Battery Negative.
The adapter is not required if:
• voltage between Pin F - Batt Neg measures approximately 5V
• voltage between Pin G - Batt Neg measures approximately 1V
The adapter is required if:
• voltage between Pin F - Batt Neg measures between 2V~3V
• voltage between Pin G - Batt Neg measures between 2V~3V
Please note
• Vehicles with a J1939 DeutschType-1 (9-pin – black) connector do not require the adapter.
• 2017 or later Peterbilt models with a Paccar engine typically require the adapter.
• Some 2019 Peterbilt models with a Paccar engine may not require the adapter regardless of the result of the voltage test
described above.
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Nero 66xx Beacon Family

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Addendum C – OBDII Cable Modication for Hardwired Ignition Sense
For certain vehicles with OBDII data connectors, the Ignition Sense provided by the OBDII connection may be inconsistent,
typically resulting in missing trips reported in the Nero portal. To alleviate the problem, the Ignition Sense may be hardwired to
a vehicle ignition source rather than the OBDII connector.
This addendum describes the necessary modication to the OBDII connector cable to provide hardwired Ignition Sense to the
66xx device.
Below is an image of the unmodied 20-pin Molex connector on the OBDII cable.
Steps to Modify the Cable
Important note: please complete all cable modications prior to
connecting the cable to either the 66xx device or the OBDII port.
1. The white “loop” that connects pins 7 and 15 is the ignition sense
wire. Snip this loop in half, creating separate connections to pins 7
and 15.
2. Extend the white wire connected to pin 15. During installation,
this extension is hard-wired to an available ignition source within
the vehicle. It is recommended that a 3A fuse be connected to this
extension.
3. Connect the white wire on pin 7 to the power source on pin 8 by
splicing the white wire onto the red power wire.
4. The nal result will look like the picture to the right.
installation guide
Nero 66xx Beacon Family
Pin 1 Pin 19
Pin 2 Pin 20

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Addendum D – NETVehicle Collector Installation
The Nero Equipment Tracking Vehicle Collector is a separate device installed in the vehicle
which connects to the Nero beacon in the 10-pin Molex Mfg/Data Connector port indicated
in the wiring diagram. The model VI-310 Vehicle Collector (shown here) is supplied with a
12-inch interface cable that has an RS232 connector and a 10-pin Molex connector.
Please follow these steps carefully to install and test the Vehicle Collector.
1. Make note of both the Vehicle Collector Serial Number and the Beacon IMEI. Have
at least two equipment tags on hand for testing the device.
2. Install the Nero 66xx beacon as per this installation guide.
3. Make sure the vehicle ignition is OFF.
4. Connect the RS232 end of the interface cable to the Vehicle Collector’s RS232 port.
There are two screws on each side of the RS232 port which are turned clockwise to
secure the Vehicle Collector to the cable.
5. The 10-pin Molex connector on the interface cable can be inserted directly into the
66xx port, or an extension cable may be used if the Vehicle Collector needs to be
installed further away from the beacon.
6. The Vehicle Collector must be installed in a location where the signal to the asset tags
will not be blocked. An ideal location is on the ceiling or beside a door, close to where
the tracked equipment will be loaded. Ensure there is air ow around the device and
the location is free of moisture and excessive dust.
7. It is recommended that cable ties, Velcro, or heavy-duty double-sided tape be used to
secure the Vehicle Collector in place. Once it is securely installed and connected to the
66xx beacon, it is ready to be tested.
8. Turn ON the vehicle ignition.
9. One of the Red LED lights on the Vehicle Collector will remain on. This is the power
indicator. The other Red LED light will blink when the Vehicle Collector is scanning
asset tags.
10. While the ignition remains ON, call Nero Technical Support (1-866-514-7653) to verify
the installation. You will need to provide the Vehicle Collector Serial Number and the
Beacon IMEI noted earlier.
11. Wait several minutes before you turn OFF the ignition to ensure all tags are scanned.
After the vehicle ignition is turned OFF, the Green LED of the Vehicle Collector will
turn ON for 10 seconds to indicate the Ignition O event has been received by the
Vehicle Collector.
Warnings
• Important Conguration Note: In order for the Nero portal to reliably receive tag data from the Vehicle Collector, the Nero
Beacon must have a 24x7 Ignition Sense scenario congured in the portal.
Nero 66xx Beacon Family