QEI ePAQ-9100 User manual

UG-1037
ePAQ-9100
December 2018

UG-1037 ePAQ-9100
Copyright © 2017 by QEI
UG-1037 ePAQ-9100
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
NOTICE
The information in this document has been carefully checked and is believed to be
accurate. However, no responsibility is assumed or implied for inaccuracies. Further
more, QEI reserves the right to make changes to any products herein
described to improve reliability, function or design. QEI does not assume liability arising
out of the application or use of any product or circuit described herein; neither does it
convey any license under its patent rights nor the rights of others.
This manual and all data contained constitute proprietary information of QEI, Inc. and
shall not be reproduced, copied or disclosed to others, or used as the basis for
manufacture without written consent of QEI.
45 Fadem Road
Springfield, NJ 07081
Phone: [phone]
Fax: [phone]
Web Site: www.qeiinc.com

UG-1037 ePAQ-9100
Copyright © 2017 QEI Introduction 1
Revisions
Revision Description Date
A
Release to Production
November 2001
B
Added Network Interface
and Troubleshooting
Sections
September 2002
C
Revised Operating
Voltages
October 2008
D
Updated Ordering
Information
June 2009
E
Fixed Diagrams,
removed ConfigWiz
October 2010
F
Formatting Update
March 2012
G
Formatting Update
February 2016
H
Formatting Update
June 2017
I
Updated QEI Address
December 2018

UG-1037 ePAQ-9100
2 Introduction Copyright © 2017 QEI
Contents
1Introduction..............................................................................4
2Applications..............................................................................5
2.1 Substation Data Concentrator..............................................6
2.2 IED/SCADA Integration Platform..........................................7
2.3 Legacy RTU to Substation LAN Gateway.............................8
2.4 Substation LAN to Legacy SCADA/EMS Master..................9
2.5 SCADA Web Server...........................................................10
2.6 Automation Platform ..........................................................11
3Hardware Overview................................................................12
3.1 Main Processor and Memory.............................................12
3.2 Communications Interface .................................................12
3.2.1 Ports #1 and #2...................................................13
3.2.2 Port #3 (Maintenance Port) .................................13
3.2.3 Port #4................................................................13
3.2.4 Port #5................................................................13
3.2.5 Port #6, #7, #8 (RS-232).....................................14
3.2.6 Port #6, #7, #8 (RS-485).....................................14
3.2.7 Port #9................................................................14
3.2.8 IRIG-B Interface..................................................14
3.2.9 Ethernet Interface................................................14
3.3 Local I/O Interface..............................................................15
3.3.1 Analog Panel Interface (API)...............................15
3.3.2 Control Panel Interface (CPI) ..............................15
3.3.3 Status Panel Interface (SPI)................................16
3.4 Power Section....................................................................16
4Software Description.............................................................16
5Specifications.........................................................................18
5.1 General Specifications.......................................................18
5.1.1 Port 1,2 (RS-232) (optional) ................................18
5.1.2 Port 1,2 (TELCO) (optional).................................18
5.1.3 Port 3 (RS-232 Maintenance Port) ......................19
5.1.4 Port 4 (RS-232 Communications Port) ................19
5.1.5 Port 5 (RS-485 Communications Port) ................19
5.1.6 Port 6,7,8,9 (RS-232 Communication Ports) .......19
5.1.7 Port 6,7,8 (RS-485 Communications Ports).........19
5.1.8 IRIG-B Interface Ports (optional) .........................19
5.1.9 Ethernet Interfaces (optional)..............................19
5.1.10 Analog Multiplexer Input Port ..............................20
5.1.11 Status Multiplexer Input Port ...............................20
5.1.12 Control Output Port .............................................20
5.1.13 Physical Dimensions...........................................20
5.1.14 5.1.14 Power.......................................................20
5.1.15 5.1.15 Environment.............................................21

UG-1037 ePAQ-9100
Copyright © 2017 QEI Introduction 3
5.1.16 5.1.16 Weight......................................................21
6Installation..............................................................................21
6.1 ePAQ Mounting..................................................................21
6.2 Power Connections............................................................23
6.3 Communications Interface Terminations............................23
6.3.1 Port 4 (RS-232)...................................................23
6.3.2 Port 5 (RS-485)...................................................24
6.3.3 Port 1 and Port 2 (202T or RS-232, optional) ......24
6.3.4 Port 6, 7, 8 and 9 (RS-232 or RS-485, optional)..28
6.3.5 Local Input / Output Interface..............................29
6.3.6 Network Interface (optional) ................................29
6.3.7 IRIG-B Time Synchronization Interface (optional)30
6.3.8 Maintenance Port................................................30
6.4 ePAQ Addressing ..............................................................31
7Configuration..........................................................................32
8Troubleshooting.....................................................................32
8.1 Recommended Equipment.................................................32
8.2 Documentation Requirements............................................32
8.2.1 Post-Installation Checkout Documentation..........32
8.3 Communication: ePAQ to Field Device(s)..........................33
8.4 Communications: Master Station to ePAQ.........................35
8.5 IRIG-B Troubleshooting .....................................................37
8.6 Network Interface Troubleshooting ....................................37
8.7 Data Validation ..................................................................37
8.7.1 Analog Data........................................................37
8.7.2 Status Data.........................................................38
8.7.3 Accumulator Data................................................39
8.7.4 Control Data........................................................40
99 Ordering Information .........................................................40
9.1 ePAQ Accessories.............................................................41
9.1.1 Hardware ............................................................41
9.1.2 Software..............................................................41
10 ePAQ Related Documentation ..............................................42
10.1 Hardware Documentation ..................................................42
10.2 Software Documentation....................................................42
11 Glossary..................................................................................43

UG-1037 ePAQ-9100
4 Introduction Copyright © 2017 QEI
1 Introduction
A generally accepted Electric Utility Industry definition of Automation is the deployment of
substation and feeder operating and monitoring devices in order to optimize the management
of capital assets and enhance operation and maintenance efficiencies with minimal human
intervention.
The most common approach used by design engineers has been to install a device in the Substation
to act as an interface between a host computer system and various electrical apparatus components
located in the Substation. In today’s modern Substations the use of a Data Concentrator and/or a
Gateway for this interface is the preferred method. In many new applications utilities are beginning to
network substation devices or Intelligent Electronic Devices (IEDs) where a Gateway may be required
for the LAN to Host interface.
Today’s substations are in a transitional state from the traditional RTU based data acquisition
and control to an automated system utilizing intelligent devices. A majority of the EMS and
SCADA systems installed today are designed with serial data ports for low speed
communications in order to connect with older field devices. The Automation Engineer must
deploy a Gateway to bridge the gap between modern LAN communication and older
communication media and legacy protocols. QEI’s ePAQ-9100 Multifunction Gateway is a
robust choice for the design engineer because of its inherent modularity and functionality.
The ePAQ-9100 is a microprocessor based automation platform that provides efficient
communications processing, secure control outputs, digital and analog inputs, and various
standard or user programmable automation functions at remote substations. The ePAQ-9100
is a self-contained unit that includes the central processor, various types of memory,
communications interfaces, A/D converter, select-before-operate (SBO) control and status
processing.
The primary gateway application of the 6CPP6 is substation communications processing
which includes protocol conversion and point-by-point data routing between communications
interfaces. A high performance, applications specific Embedded Real-Time Operating System
(ERTOS) ensures high rate of data transfer with minimum latency.
The ePAQ-9100 Multifunction Gateway can also serve as a Substation Data Concentrator and
provide significant expansion capability via numerous IEDs and traditional hardwired I/O
(RTU). The Gateway offers the optional capability to integrate with traditional hardware
components by utilizing parallel buses for banks of I/O panels specialized for status input,
analog input/output, and select-before operate control outputs, through connectorized ribbon
cables. These I/O panels provide a fully isolated multiplexing of the field inputs into the Central
Processor.
The ePAQ-9100 is particularly well suited for application in the rapidly evolving substation
LAN environment. EPRI has developed the Utility Communications Architecture (UCA) to
provide a framework for interoperability by incorporating a rich set of standard
communications protocols and an extensive library of application specific data objects and
device models. This standard is emerging as the preferred choice of the Automation Engineer
when specifying an IED protocol and when networking is required. The ePAQ-9100 fully
supports UCA2.0 and IEC61850 over either TCP/IP or OSI. Also supported is DNP3 over
TCP/IP.

UG-1037 ePAQ-9100
Copyright © 2017 QEI Applications 5
The ePAQ Multifunction Gateway offers a rich set of communications and data processing
functions for a wide range of substation and feeder automation applications. The following is a
brief summary of these features:
Large library of standard and legacy communications protocols and efficient
processing of the acquired data.
Configurable and selectable data routing from client communications tasks to server
communications tasks.
Supports all common protocol functions, including Report By Exception (RBE),
polled or unsolicited reporting, analog deadbands, change of state (COS) memory,
data conversion etc.
Monitoring of digital status inputs and reporting the changes of state to the master
station.
Accumulate pulse inputs from kWh meters. Detect, store, and report momentary
changes of state for individual status points.
Monitor analog inputs and report their value to the master station each time an analog
input value changes more than the preset deadband.
Execute controls in a highly secure select-before-operate manner with programmable
execute durations on a per point basis.
Analog setpoint controls.
1 millisecond sequence of event (SOE) time tagging of status changes.
Accurate clock synchronization with IRIG-B interface.
Execution of user programmable, stand-alone, and automatic control algorithms.
The ability to emulate both byte and bit oriented protocols.
2 Applications
The ePAQ-9100 was designed to provide the transition form today’s RTU’s to tomorrow’s fully
automated substations. Therefore, as your substation communication and automation needs
expand, the ePAQ-9100 can grow right along with you. The ePAQ-9100 can be utilized in
different configurations, ranging from simple to complex. A sampling of these applications is
described below.

UG-1037 ePAQ-9100
6 Applications Copyright © 2017 QEI
2.1 Substation Data Concentrator
In this application the ePAQ is utilized as a traditional or legacy RTU. The field input is through
QEI’s 6AIP, 6SIP and 6COP hardware I/O panels.

UG-1037 ePAQ-9100
Copyright © 2017 QEI Applications 7
2.2 IED/SCADA Integration Platform
Building on the previous example, the ePAQ-9100 can handle the addition of serially
connected Intelligent Electronic Devices such as relays, meters, and controllers for
reclosers and regulators. In addition, these devices could use different protocols like
DNP3, Modbus RTU or Cooper 2179. Also included as an example interface to an
existing legacy RTU utilizing a proprietary protocol. See block diagram below.
Because IED’s can provide a large amount of data, data management can be very
cumbersome. QEI’s configuration program, ConfigWiz, can alleviate most if not all of
the data management problem. Using techniques called filtering and mapping, data can
be handled very efficiently. Data volume will be decreased and system response time
will also decrease accordingly.

UG-1037 ePAQ-9100
8 Applications Copyright © 2017 QEI
2.3 Legacy RTU to Substation LAN Gateway
IED’s are beginning to be available with Ethernet connections via 10/100BaseT or
100 Base FX. The ePAQ-9100 can be configured with an Ethernet interface that
supports both 10/100 Base TX or 100 Base FX. The Ethernet Interface supports both
UCA 2.0 (OSI and TCP/IP) and DNP3 over TCP/IP. Data from existing Legacy RTU, as
well as IED’s with serial communications interface, can be added to the LAN. See block
diagram below.