RFMicron RFM5104 User manual

User Guide: RFM5104/14 Predictive Maintenance System User Guide Page 1
www.RFMicron.com IN012F13
APPLICATIONS
Protect mechanical plants
Ensure ecient operation
Predictive maintenance
Monitor electric motors
Monitor HVAC eciency
Monitor AC switchgear
KEY FEATURES
Normal sensor range
-40 °C to +85 °C
High-temperature alarm
up to +125 °C
Small sensor size
25.4 x 9.1 x 3.2 mm
Integrated software
What’s in the system?
This portable predictive maintenance system allows maintenance
teams to monitor equipment operating temperatures, and it alerts
on out-of-range performance when equipment exceeds baseline
alarms. For frequently restarted equipment subject to overheat-
ing risks, the system includes restart alarm settings to alert when
additional cooling time is needed. The system includes a handheld
reader with software for Smart Passive Sensing™ devices, as well
as rugged RFM3250 temperature sensors for use in industrial and
harsh environments.
How is it used?
The system is used in three phases. Each sensor is physically
installed on the equipment to be monitored. The location and ID
number for each sensor must be assigned or registered with the
software. Once the sensor installation is complete, operators
can read and record sensor values as needed. Data les from the
system enable analysis and historical tracking.
Part numbers
The RFM5104-AF/BF include sensors and a reader conforming to
FCC frequency ranges, while the RFM5104-AE/BE conform to EU/
ETSI frequency ranges. The RFM5114 system does not include sen-
sors, but additional sensors can be purchased separately.
RFM5104/5114 USER GUIDE
Predictive Maintenance System
Temperature Monitoring
USER GUIDE - RFM5104/5114
Motors not included

Page 2 User Guide: RFM5104/14 Predictive Maintenance System User Guide
IN012F13 www.RFMicron.com
CONTENTS
1. INTRODUCTION 3
2. THE READER 4
2.1. Turning the Reader ON and OFF 4
2.2. Connecting To a PC 4
2.3. Mass Storage Mode 4
2.4. Windows Mobile Device Center 4
2.5. Issues with Windows. 5
2.6. Setting the Date and Time 5
2.7. Screen Sleep Timing 5
3. USING THE SYSTEM 6
3.1. Identifying and Organizing Sensors 6
3.2. Temperature Thresholds 6
3.3. Preparing Sensors for Use 6
3.4. Sensor and Results Files 7
3.5. Installing and Assigning Sensors 7
3.6. Measuring Sensor Temperatures 7
4. TEMPERATURE SCANNER SOFTWARE 8
4.1. Read Sensors Screen 9
4.2. Assign Sensors Screen 10
4.3. Manage Data Files and Result Summary Screens 11
4.4. Settings Screen 12
4.5. Temperature Scanner File Manager 13
4.6. Conguring Mass Storage Mode 15
4.7. Getting the Handheld MAC Address 15
5. DATA FILE FORMATS 16
5.1. Sensor File 16
5.2. Results File 17
5.3. Export File 17
6. VERIFYING WINDOWS CONNECTIVITY 18
6.1. Disconnect the Reader from USB port 19
6.2. Check Windows Mobile Device Center 19
6.3. Run Windows Mobile Device Center 19
6.4. Connecting USB 20
6.5. Install Windows Mobile Device Center 20
6.6. Windows Mobile 2003 Service Status 20
6.7. Run Batch Script 21
6.8. Check Driver Installation 21
6.9. Check Reader USB Properties 21
6.10. Access the File System 22
7. BEST PRACTICES 23
8. TROUBLESHOOTING TIPS 24

User Guide: RFM5104/14 Predictive Maintenance System User Guide Page 3
www.RFMicron.com IN012F13
1. INTRODUCTION
Thank you for purchasing the RFMicron Predictive
Maintenance System. The RFM5104-A/B Predic-
tive Maintenance system enables temperature
monitoring for a large number of locations using
wireless, battery-free, rugged sensors. A ra-
dio-enabled handheld is used to read and record
sensor values. The results are saved to a CSV
text le that can be can be exported for data-
base and trend analysis.
RFM5114 System Components:
Reader: The reader is used to communicate with
the sensors and retrieve their temperatures. The
reader runs the Microsoft® Windows® CE operat-
ing system and operates in a way that should be
familiar to PC users. Morphic and Merlin readers
are supported.
Docking Cradle: The docking cradle connects the
reader to a PC for transferring les.
Charger and cables: The system includes a DC
charger and a USB cable for the reader.
Temperature Scanner Software: The Tempera-
ture Scanner software comes preinstalled on the
reader and is launched by double-clicking on the
icon on the reader desktop screen.
Excel program: Data and sensor les can be
easily transferred to and from the reader using
an Excel® macro when the reader is in mass stor-
age mode.
The reader also supports a Windows® Mobile
Device manager option for computers equipped
with this software. The using Excel method us-
ing mass storage mode is recommended.
RFM5104 System Components:
The RFM5104 System includes the complete
RFM5114 system as well as sensors.
Temperature Sensors:
RFMicron’s Smart Pas-
sive Sensing™ RFM3250
wireless temperature
sensors, with adhesive
backing, are designed to
be attached to a metal
surface.
Merlin reader Morphic reader in cradle

Page 4 User Guide: RFM5104/14 Predictive Maintenance System User Guide
IN012F13 www.RFMicron.com
2.3. Mass Storage Mode
The reader can communicate with a Windows PC
using mass storage mode. An Excel macro sim-
plies the management of SENSOR FILE settings,
and the transfer of RESULTS FILE data. Please
see section 4.5 for additional information.
NOTE: The reader must be placed in mass stor-
age mode, and the reader software should be
version 1.0.3 or later.
2. THE READER
The reader communicates with the sensors and
retrieves their temperature data. The Morphic
reader includes an integrated antenna that must
be rotated into the open position before reading
sensors.
2.1. Turning the Reader ON and OFF
Press the power button in the lower right corner
of the keypad to turn the reader on. If the read-
er is already on, pressing the power button again
will bring up the Shutdown screen, which allows
the reader to be turned o, rebooted, or placed
in sleep mode. When in sleep mode, pressing the
power button wakes the reader.
2.2. Connecting To a PC
Files are transferred to or from the reader by
placing it in the docking cradle and connecting
the cradle to a Windows® PC. To use the cradle,
plug in the USB cable and power cable to the
back of the cradle, and connect the USB cable
to the PC. Insert the reader vertically into the
cradle and then tilt the reader to the back to
lock it in place. 2.4. Windows Mobile Device Center
The reader can communicate with a Windows
PC using Windows Mobile Device Center if that
software is available on the PC. Because Win-
dows Mobile Device Center is an older technol-
ogy, it may not be pre-loaded on your PC.
This communication mode is not recommended.
When the reader is connected, Windows
Should automatically install the needed com-
munication driver. Once the driver is in-
stalled, the Windows Mobile Device Center
screen will launch.

User Guide: RFM5104/14 Predictive Maintenance System User Guide Page 5
www.RFMicron.com IN012F13
Select “Connect without setting up your device”
option, and then “Browse the contents of your
device” under “File Management.”
2.6. Setting the Date and Time
The date and time should be set on the reader
before making measurements. To set the date
and time, double-click the My Device icon on
the desktop, then double-click the Control Panel
shortcut. Within the Control Panel, click the
Date/Time icon to make changes.
Double-click on the \Flash\ icon to access the
reader ash storage.
If Windows does not recognize the reader, install
the driver software in the WinDriverInstall folder
provided on the USB drive included with the Kit.
2.5. Issues with Windows.
In some cases Windows may not load all needed
components automatically. If you suspect issues
with the Windows installation, please refer to
section 6 “VERIFYING WINDOWS CONNECTIVITY”
for a step-by-step process for conguring and
verifying the Windows setup.
2.7. Screen Sleep Timing
The Power icon on the Control Panel can be used
to adjust the sleep timing that controls when
the system powers down after the designated
amount of inactivity.

Page 6 User Guide: RFM5104/14 Predictive Maintenance System User Guide
IN012F13 www.RFMicron.com
3. USING THE SYSTEM
3.1. Identifying and Organizing Sensors
RFMicron’s wireless, battery-free temperature
sensors are uniquely identiable by an Electronic
Product Code (EPC) stored in each sensor’s mem-
ory. Because the EPC does not, by itself, indicate
where the sensor is installed or what device it is
monitoring, each sensor must be registered and
assigned within the Temperature Scanner soft-
ware. A meaningful location description for each
installed sensor is very helpful.
Multiple sensors can be associated with each
other in groups. Sensor groups can be used to
organize sets of sensors by the equipment or
machine they are monitoring, or sensors can be
grouped according to which sensors are visible to
the reader from a particular reading location.
Sensor locations and group denitions are stored
in a text le called the SENSOR FILE. The SENSOR
FILE employs a comma-separated-value (CSV)
format and can be edited in a spreadsheet or
text editor application. For example, various
location and group descriptions can be added
to the original SENSOR FILE to speed the sensor
installation and assignment process.
When Temperature Scanner reads the EPC ID
code from a sensor, it uses the information in the
SENSOR FILE to display its location description
and group descriptions.
3.2. Temperature Thresholds
In addition to displaying the temperature re-
ported by installed sensors, Temperature Scan-
ner also compares the temperature to alarm
thresholds set by the user. When the measured
temperature of a sensor exceeds a threshold, a
warning is displayed on the screen, where the
sensor is shown as failing the temperature test.
Two thresholds are dened for each sensor.
These thresholds are named according to termi-
nology associated with electric motors but can
be used for any purpose by the user. The RUN
THRESHOLD is the temperature limit that the
motor or equipment should not exceed during
normal operation. The RESTART THRESHOLD is
typically a higher temperature limit that the
equipment can not exceed without risking ther-
mal damage to the equipment itself.
For motors, the RESTART THRESHOLD alarm is
calculated as the motor’s electrical insulation
thermal limit, minus the typical heat increase of
restarting that motor in that particular installa-
tion, minus 30 °C to 40 °C to account for the dif-
ference in temperature between the motor core
and the measurement point where the sensor
is located. The motor’s restart heating can be
measured by recording the motor’s temperature
increase immediately before stopping and then
after restarting the motor.
NOTE: If Run and Restart alarms don’t apply
to your application, feel free to treat these
as two independent alarm thresholds.
3.3. Preparing Sensors for Use
The rst step to using the Predictive Mainte-
nance System is to decide where sensors will be
installed, how sets of sensors will be grouped
together, and what their RUN THRESHOLD and
RESTART THRESHOLD should be. For example,
two sensors might be placed on a particular elec-
tric motor, one on the stator core and one on the
bearing cover to measure bearing temperature.
The stator sensor might have a RUN THRESHOLD
and a RESTART THRESHOLD of 55 and 90 °C, and
the bearing sensor might have a RUN THRESHOLD
and a RESTART THRESHOLD of 45 and 50 °C. Since
the two sensors are measuring dierent locations
on the same machine, they might be added to a
single group.

User Guide: RFM5104/14 Predictive Maintenance System User Guide Page 7
www.RFMicron.com IN012F13
The group identication code must be no more
than four alphanumeric characters. The group
description should be kept brief to t easily on
the screen. For example, the group could be
given the ID code “EM1” and the description
“Electric Motor 1”. The two sensors could then
be given the location descriptions “Stator core”
and “Bearing.”
3.4. Sensor and Results Files
Human-readable text les are used to store sen-
sor description information and to log measure-
ment results. A SENSOR FILE contains the details
of each sensor and can be edited or created
using a text editor or spreadsheet application.
In this example, the SENSOR FILE would include:
EM1,Electric Motor1,Stator core,55,90
EM1,Electric Motor1,Bearing,45,50
Although there is only one group in this example,
an arbitrary number of groups can be listed in a
SENSOR FILE, with each group containing one or
more sensors.
The RESULTS FILE can simply be an empty text
le. The software will log the measured results
in the RESULTS FILE, appending to the end of the
le as new results are gathered.
The SENSOR FILE and RESULTS FILE are trans-
ferred to the reader le system and placed in
a known location in the \Flash\ directory of the
reader. The Manage Files screen is used to set
the application to the desired SENSOR FILE and
RESULTS FILE targets.
3.5. Installing and Assigning Sensors
The nal step in preparing to use the Predictive
Maintenance System is to install the temperature
sensors and assign the unique EPC code of each
sensor to the predened location descriptions
contained in the SENSOR FILE. The software
handles the assignment process and updates the
SENSOR FILE.
The user does not need to know the EPC code of
the sensor when it is assigned.
3.6. Measuring Sensor Temperatures
After sensors are installed and assigned, the
reader can be used to retrieve their tempera-
tures. The reader antenna is aimed at each
sensor before initiating a read operation. The
reader and sensor must be within range of each
other. The reader will display the temperature
of the sensor as the read operation is completed.
The reader will also list all of the other sensors
in a group, whether or not they are immediately
visible to the reader. This reminds the user to
help avoid overlooking sensors.
After all the sensors in a group are read, the re-
sults for that group can be saved to the RESULTS
FILE, and then additional sensor groups can be
measured. The RESULTS FILE accumulates mea-
sured results until it is cleared, or until a dier-
ent le is chosen. Results can also be saved to
the EXPORT FILE in comma-separated value (CSV)
format for viewing in a spreadsheet or importing
into a database system.

Page 8 User Guide: RFM5104/14 Predictive Maintenance System User Guide
IN012F13 www.RFMicron.com
4. TEMPERATURE SCANNER SOFTWARE
The Temperature Scanner software is preinstalled on the reader. This program is launched by dou-
ble-clicking on the icon on the reader desktop.
1
4
22.1 2.2 2.3
4.2
2.6
2.4
2.5
4.1
5.2 5.3
6
3
7
5
1 Main Menu Screen Primary access to all program
functions
2 Read Sensors Screen Opens the window for reading
installed sensors
2.1 Reading Sensors Reading sensors is in process with
partial temperature data
2.2 Partial Sensor Read Reading one sensor is complete, with
temp in allowable range
2.3 Read Completed Reading of all sensors in a group is
complete with passing RUN limits
2.4 RESTART Temp. Fail Selection of RESTART shows that one
device is too hot for a restart
2.5 Sensor Drill Down Selecting individual sensor brings up
detailed sensor designation
2.6 Group Drill Down Selecting group, brings up group
details
3 Export Results Creates a new le containing current
results and group descriptions
4 Assign Sensors Screen Installs sensors and maps their EPC to
the predened locations in Sensor le
4.1 Sensor Found Reports details for sensor during
installation and assignment process
4.2 Sensor Assigned Reports the sensor as assigned
5 Manage Data Files
Screen
Selects le name for sensor and
result les
5.2 Summary Results
Screen
Reports summary pass/fail at the
group level
5.3 Group Details Provides group details from the
summary screen
6 Settings Screen Settings screen allows the reader and
program settings to be modied

User Guide: RFM5104/14 Predictive Maintenance System User Guide Page 9
www.RFMicron.com IN012F13
12
2.1 2.2 2.3
2.6
2.4
2.5
4.1. Read Sensors Screen
The READ SENSORS screen is used to retrieve temperature data from installed sensors. A SENSOR FILE
must be dened and must contain assigned sensors before sensors can be read.
Screen 2: The RUN or RESTART radio buttons are
selected to indicate which alarm thresholds are
used when checking sensor values. The running
thresholds are typically used to monitor a run-
ning motor. The restart thresholds are typically
set to indicate whether a stopped motor is cool
enough to be restarted without suering thermal
damage. This selection can also be made when
the measurement completes.
Click the READ button, or press the yellow but-
ton on the reader keyboard, to begin measuring
the sensors within range of the reader.
Screen 2.1: When a sensor is found, this sensor’s
GROUP assignment will be displayed in the group
panel on the left side of the window. If a group
is identied, all the sensors within that group
will be listed in the output table, regardless of
whether they have all been found and read by
the reader.
Screen 2.2/2.3/2.4: The table will be updated
in real time as sensor data is read. The number
of samples required for each sensor is controlled
by the READ COUNT TARGET setting available on
the SETTINGS screen (Screen 6). Once the read
operation completes, the sensor temperature
is displayed in bold. OK, or HOT is displayed in
the STATUS column based on whether the value
exceeds the selected threshold.
When the measurement is complete, click the
SAVE button to write the results to the current
RESULTS FILE, or click DISCARD to ignore them.
The read eciency can be improved by slowly
adjusting the reader’s position and antenna aim-
ing point. The measurement stops automatically
after all the sensors in the group have each been
read. The read operation can be terminated by
clicking the STOP button.
Screen 2.5/2.6: The group description can be
displayed by clicking the GROUP PANEL. The LO-
CATION DESCRIPTION for each sensor can be dis-
played by clicking its entry in the results table.

Page 10 User Guide: RFM5104/14 Predictive Maintenance System User Guide
IN012F13 www.RFMicron.com
144.2
4.1
4.2. Assign Sensors Screen
The Assign Sensors screen is used to associate a sensor with a particular location and group. Sensors
are typically placed in a group if all the sensors can read from one position. Sensors should pref-
erably be installed and assigned one at a time. Once a sensor assignment is made and saved, it is
permanent until a new or modied SENSOR FILE is chosen.
Screen 4: The reader operates in low-pow-
er mode when assigning sensors. Sensors are
assigned one at a time. The sensor can be
installed on the equipment before making assign-
ments, or they can be assigned within the system
and then installed on the equipment. Preinstall-
ing the sensors reduces the opportunity to mix
up sensors and locations. Please use caution if
assigning the entire population of sensors before
installing them on equipment. The risk of mix-
ing sensors and locations is very high with that
approach.
To assign a sensor, place the reader within 10-20
cm of the sensor before clicking the READ SEN-
SOR button.
Screen 4.1: The sensor details are displayed in
the window below the READ SENSORS button.
Choose the GROUP and LOCATION description to
be assigned from the pull-downs.
The GROUP pull-down menu contains a list of
groups within the SENSOR FILE which contain
at least one location that does not yet have a
sensor assigned to it. The LOCATION pull-down
contains a list of the unassigned locations in the
selected group.
It is important that the only one unassigned sen-
sor be visible to the reader during assignments.
If multiple unassigned sensors are found, move
the reader closer to the desired sensor, or block
the undesired sensor by covering it with alumi-
num foil or your hand.
Screen 4.2: If a single unassigned sensor is found
by the reader, its EPC will be displayed, and the
ASSIGN button will be enabled. Click the ASSIGN
button to assign the sensor.
The SAVE TO FILE button writes the sensor as-
signments to the currently selected SENSOR
FILE. If a mistake is made in assigning sensors, it
is possible to return to the main menu without
saving.

User Guide: RFM5104/14 Predictive Maintenance System User Guide Page 11
www.RFMicron.com IN012F13
1
5.2 5.3
5
4.3. Manage Data Files and Result Summary Screens
The MANAGE DATA FILES screen displays the le paths and names of the current SENSOR FILES and
RESULT FILES. Multiple SENSOR FILES and RESULT FILES can exist in the \Flash\ storage directory of
the reader, but only one of each are in use during any temperature measurement.
Screen 5: Individual SENSOR FILE and RESULTS
FILE entries can be selected by clicking the
CHOOSE buttons.
The CLEAR button deletes the contents of the
RESULTS FILE.
The SUMMARY button calls the RESULTS SUMMARY
screen.
Screen 5.2: The RESULTS SUMMARY screen dis-
plays a table of all the groups dened in the SEN-
SOR FILE, as well as the time stamp and pass/fail
outcome of the most recent measurement.
Screen 5.3: If the group description is too long
to be displayed in the table, the full text can be
viewed by clicking on the group.

Page 12 User Guide: RFM5104/14 Predictive Maintenance System User Guide
IN012F13 www.RFMicron.com
4.4. Settings Screen
The Settings screen provides access to software and reader controls.
16
Screen 6: BAND REGION sets the frequency band
in which the reader will transmit. Transmission
frequencies are controlled by various govern-
mental agencies worldwide. If a band band-lock-
ing license is enabled for this software, this
pull-down may only contain one option.
MAX POWER sets the transmit power level the
reader will not exceed while communicating with
sensors. A value of 0 attenuation corresponds to
the highest output power the device is capable
of, and 19 attenuation is the lowest output pow-
er level. The reader may transmit at powers less
than the MAX POWER setting to satisfy individual
sensor power needs. Setting the MAX POWER to
0 attenuation will maximize read range. Reduc-
ing the MAX POWER may help conserve battery
power.
MAX ON-CHIP RSSI sets the target power levels at
the sensor to ensure that temperature readings
are more accurate. Sensor readings are more
accurate when receiving moderate power from
the reader. Sensors indicate the amount of power
they are receiving through their On-Chip RSSI
Code, which is a value between 0 and 31, where
higher values indicate receiving more power.
To improve accuracy, the reader automatically
reduces its transmit power if the On-Chip RSSI
Code of the sensor is above the MAX ON-CHIP
RSSI threshold. Increasing the MAX ON-CHIP RSSI
threshold above the default value can reduce the
amount of time needed to complete a measure-
ment, but at the expense of reduced tempera-
ture measurement accuracy.
READ COUNT TARGET sets the number of averag-
es used to enhance temperature accuracy. Each
sensor is read multiple times and the results
averaged to calculate a nal value. The READ
COUNT TARGET is the number of times each sen-
sor is read for each measurement. Increasing this
value improves the precision of the nal result,
but it also increases the time needed to com-
plete a measurement.
°C/°F sets the temperature format to Fahrenheit
or Centigrade.
LICENSE FILE name and directory path are set by
pressing the CHOOSE FILE button.

User Guide: RFM5104/14 Predictive Maintenance System User Guide Page 13
www.RFMicron.com IN012F13
4.5. Temperature Scanner File Manager
This PC-based utility manages the transfer of key
les to and from handheld readers running the
Temperature Scanner program. The Temperature
Scanner File Manager provides three capabilities,
two facilitate reading and writing the SENSOR
FILE to and from an Excel worksheet, and a third
function opens the reader le directory to access
data les.
Starting the Utility: The Temperature Scanner
File Manager is an Excel macro that runs on the
PC and that generates a pop-up window. Ex-
cel macros must be enabled. The Temperature
Scanner File Manager pop-up will start when the
worksheet is opened.
Missing Pop-up Screen: If the Temperature Scan-
ner File Manager is not visible, or if it was inad-
vertently closed, it can be re-opened by clicking
the DEVELOPER tab on the top menu bar and
then running the LaunchTemperatureScanner-
FileManager macro that is available after clicking
the MACROS button. If the DEVELOPER tab is not
visible, please add it to your toolbar by clicking
FILE →OPTIONS →CUSTOMIZE RIBBON and en-
abling the DEVELOPER item.
Read Sensor File: The READ button reads the
SENSOR FILE currently selected within the Tem-
perature Scanner application on the handheld,
and copies it to the worksheet. Settings can be
edited in Excel and written back to the reader
using the WRITE button.
Please see section 5 for details on SENSOR FILE
syntax.
Adding new sensors: New sensors are added to
the le by populating new lines in the SENSOR
FILE:
• GROUP ID is a short identier for sensor
groups. Up to 4 alphanumeric characters are
allowed.
• GROUP DESCRIPTION is a text description/
name for the GROUP ID. The reader displays
up to 17 characters.
• SENSOR LOCATION is a text description
eld for the sensor name of the location.
The reader displays up to 11 characters.
Sensors have specic IDs, which must be regis-
tered with the software. Sensors can be as-
signed into groups, assigned names/locations,
and alarms can be set. These assignments are
managed in the SENSOR FILE which can be edited
in an Excel spreadsheet and then written to the
reader.
To prevent le corruption, please properly dis-
connect the handheld reader device from the
PC before removing the device from the dock or
unplugging the USB cable from the PC. To discon-
nect the reader, click the “Safely Remove Hard-
ware” icon in the System Tray of the Windows
Taskbar and eject the reader.

Page 14 User Guide: RFM5104/14 Predictive Maintenance System User Guide
IN012F13 www.RFMicron.com
• RUN THRESHOLD and RESTART THRESHOLD
are optional alarm settings. In many motor
monitoring installations, the Running alarm is
set just above the normal operating tempera-
ture for a particular motor; this alarm ags
changes in expected operation or conditions.
The Restart alarm is typically set at a much
higher level; when motors are below their
RESTART alarm, they can be safely restarted
without risking thermal damage.
NOTE: If Run and Restart alarms don’t apply
to your application, feel free to treat these
as two independent alarm thresholds.
• EPC is the identication code stored in the
sensor EPC memory location. The system
uses the EPC IDs to identify specic sensors.
Verifying sensor assignments: The EPC column in
the SENSOR FILE will be blank before a physical
sensor is assigned. After a sensor is assigned,
the sensor’s EPC code will be added to the EPC
column.
Removing a sensor assignment: Delete the EPC
entry in the SENSOR FILE to “un-assign” a sen-
sor. Once unassigned, the sensor can be assigned
again as needed. Sensors are not damaged or
modied by being assigned or un-assigned.
Write Sensor File: The WRITE button copies the
contents of the active worksheet to the SEN-
SOR FILE currently selected on the handheld.
The contents of the existing SENSOR FILE on the
handheld will be overwritten.
Several error checks will be run before writing
the SENSOR FILE to the reader. The current
worksheet must be a syntactically valid SENSOR
FILE. Please see section 5 for details on SENSOR
FILE syntax.
The reader should be removed from the docking
cradle, and the Temperature Scanner program
should be restarted to activate the new SENSOR
FILE settings.
Browse Files: The BROWSE button opens a le
explorer window for browsing the le system
of the attached handheld. Selecting and open-
ing a le on the handheld copies it to an Excel
worksheet. This button can be used for viewing
measurement results saved in RESULTS FILE(s),
or for viewing other SENSOR FILE(s) not currently
selected on the handheld.
Help: The pop-up screen provides basic help and
troubleshooting advice.
Troublingshooting: If the utility cannot locate an
attached handheld device:
• Please remove the reader from the docking
cradle and restart the Temperature Scan-
ner program before using new SENSOR FILE
settings.
• Verify that the device is properly seated in
the dock, with the dock power cord plugged
in.
• Verify that the USB cable is connected
between the dock and the PC.
• Verify that the handheld device is not in
sleep mode.
• Verify that the handheld USB prole is set
to Mass Storage mode. This setting is avail-
able by clicking on the Windows START menu
on the handheld and selecting SETTINGS →
CONTROL PANEL →USB PROFILE. After chang-
ing the setting, initiate a warm reboot of the
handheld by pressing the power button on
the keypad and selecting WARM REBOOT.
The Temperature Scanner application on the
handheld device should not be running while
using this utility.

User Guide: RFM5104/14 Predictive Maintenance System User Guide Page 15
www.RFMicron.com IN012F13
4.6. Conguring Mass Storage Mode
The mass storage mode is enabled using the
reader control panel.
1. Click the Windows icon in the lower left
corner of the screen. Click SETTINGS →CON-
TROL PANEL.
2. Find and open the USB PROFILE icon.
3. Click the MASS
STORAGE radio but-
ton, then click OK.
4. Press the POWER
button on the hand-
held, select the WARM
REBOOT radio button,
and click WARM RE-
BOOT.
Saving these settings to the registry preserves
them through power cycles on the reader.
1. Click the Windows icon on the handheld.
Click PROGRAMS→NordicID →REGISTRY
BACKUP.
2. Select the BACKUP REGISTRY radio button
and click Backup.
3. A dialog will appear when the back-
up has successfully completed. Click OK.
4. Press the POW-
ER button on the
lower-right cor-
ner of the device
keypad, click the
COLD BOOT radio
button, and then
the COLD BOOT
button. When the
device reboots,
verify that the
Mass Storage and Power Control settings are
correct.
4.7. Getting the Handheld MAC Address
The MAC address is a 6-byte code, generally
expressed as 12 hexadecimal digits. It is printed
in the lower left corner of the box label, next to
the title “Wlan Mac:”
It can also be found
through Windows
CE on the device by
clicking the Win-
dows icon, selecting
SETTINGS →CON-
TROL PANEL →SCU,
and clicking on the
STATUS tab. The
MAC address for this
example device is
00 17 23 FA E5 8D.

Page 16 User Guide: RFM5104/14 Predictive Maintenance System User Guide
IN012F13 www.RFMicron.com
5. DATA FILE FORMATS
5.1. Sensor File
The SENSOR FILE describes sensors with their
group assignments, species their temperature
thresholds, and stores their EPC codes once
assigned. The SENSOR FILE is in comma-sepa-
rated-value (CSV) format and can be created in
a text editor or spreadsheet application. The
following rules apply to the SENSOR FILE:
• Lines beginning with a # character are
considered comment lines and are ignored.
• Blank lines are allowed and can be insert-
ed along with comment lines for readability.
• All other lines describe a single sensor
and must have either 5 or 6 elds, each sep-
arated by a single comma. From left to right,
the elds are (1) the sensor group ID code,
(2) the group description, (3) the sensor
location, (4) the run temperature threshold,
(5) the restart temperature threshold, and
(6) the EPC code of the sensor. The EPC eld
is populated only after a sensor has been
installed and assigned.
• If an EPC has not yet been assigned to a
sensor, the trailing comma after the restart
threshold is optional.
• Commas can not be used inside individual
elds.
• The group ID code must be between one
and four alphanumeric characters. All sensors
with the same group code will be placed in
the same group.
• A group description of one or more alpha-
numeric characters must be specied for at
least one of the sensors in each group. The
group description can be left blank for other
sensors in the group. If specied more than
once for a group, the multiple specications
for a group must be identical.
• The sensor location must be at least one
alphanumeric character in length. Location
descriptions do not need to be unique, but it
is recommended that they be unique within
their group.
• The run threshold must be a numerical
value.
• The restart threshold must be a numerical
value.
• To dene the units of the Run and Restart
thresholds, add to the beginning of the le
the line “[THRESHOLD_UNIT],C” for Celsius
or “[THRESHOLD_UNIT],F” for Fahrenheit.
Units will default to Celsius if no unit is de-
ned.
NOTE: If Run and Restart alarms don’t apply
to your application, feel free to treat these
as two independent alarm thresholds.
• The EPC eld is not lled in by the user
when creating the Sensor File. When a sensor
is installed and assigned, the software writes
the EPC code of the assigned sensor into this
eld. It should not be modied unless the
sensor is to be removed and replaced. In that
case, the EPC eld can be deleted and a new
sensor can be reassigned using the normal
installation process.
Example SENSOR FILE

User Guide: RFM5104/14 Predictive Maintenance System User Guide Page 17
www.RFMicron.com IN012F13
5.2. Results File
The sensor measurements are logged in the RE-
SULTS FILE. An entry is appended to the le when
the SAVE button is pressed on the READ SENSOR
screen. Each entry records the measurement re-
sults for that group. The RESULTS FILE format is
intended to be concise so that it can be viewed
on the reader. An example RESULTS FILE with 3
entries is shown below.
5.3. Export File
An EXPORT FILE combines information from both
the SENSOR FILE and RESULTS FILE. The EXPORT
FILE is in CSV format and is self-contained, in-
cluding everything known and measured concern-
ing the sensors. Data in an EXPORT FILE is sorted
by sensor EPC, but data can be sorted by any
column in a spreadsheet as desired.
Example RESULTS FILE
Example EXPORT FILE

Page 18 User Guide: RFM5104/14 Predictive Maintenance System User Guide
IN012F13 www.RFMicron.com
6. VERIFYING WINDOWS CONNECTIVITY
NOTE: If you are using the Excel macro software to manage SENSOR FILE(s) and RESULT FILE(s), you
can skip this section.
NOTE: If you have already successfully run Windows Mobile Devices, you can skip this section.
The process for accessing the reader’s le system from Windows®can vary depending on your operat-
ing system version and build. This troubleshooting guide allows you to verify each component need-
ed for full communication support.
The screen shots were captured in Windows 10. If you are not using Windows 10, your views may be
slightly dierent, but the verication approach supports all versions of Windows.
Run Windows Mobile
Device Center. Do you
get past the splash
screen?
Connect USB and run
Windows Mobile Device
Center. Is it connected?
Access the file system
Check for Windows
Mobile Device Center. Is
Windows Mobile Device
Center Installed?
Disconnect RFID Reader
from USB Port
Check Windows Mobile
2003 service status
Check Reader USB
Properties
Install Windows Mobile
Device Center
Run Batch Script
Check Driver Installation
No, and I already
tried step 6.6
No, and I already
tried step 6.8
No
No
No
Yes
Yes
Yes
6.10
6.1
6.8
6.9
6.7 6.6
6.5
6.4
6.3
6.2

User Guide: RFM5104/14 Predictive Maintenance System User Guide Page 19
www.RFMicron.com IN012F13
6.1. Disconnect the Reader from USB port
The troubleshooting ow assumes that your
reader starts o disconnected from the PC. If it
is plugged in, please unplug it and continue to
step 6.2.
6.2. Check Windows Mobile Device Center
Check to see if Windows Mobile Device Center is
installed. Windows uses this software to talk to
the reader. There are three ways to check for
Windows Mobile Device center.
A. Navigate to “C:\Windows\WindowsMo-
bile”. If the folder exists and “wmdc.exe”
exists inside that folder, then Windows Mobile
Device Center in installed.
B. Go to “Control Panel” →“Network and
Internet” on your PC. If Windows Mobile De-
vice Center is installed you should see a link
there.
C. Go to “Control Panel” →“Programs” →
“Programs and Features” on your PC. If you
nd Windows Mobile Device center in the list,
then it is installed.
If Windows Mobile Device Center is installed,
proceed to step 6.3. If you have a newer version
of Windows, it might not be installed by default.
If Windows Mobile Device Center is not installed,
proceed to step 6.5.
6.3. Run Windows Mobile Device Center
Start Windows Mobile Device Center. In Windows
10, you can search for the Windows Mobile De-
vice Center application by hovering your mouse
bear you start menu item to pull up a search
box. A search on the word “mobile” is unusually
sucient to pull up the application icon for you
to double-click. You should briey see a splash
screen, then the application should start, show-
ing the screen shown below.
If you see the above screen, please move on to
step 6.4. In some versions of Windows, the ap-
plication will crash at the start screen, and you
should move onto step 6.6 to check the Windows
Mobile 2003 Service Status. If the application
crashes after conrming Windows Mobile 2003
Service Status, then please move on to step 6.7
to run the suggested batch script.

Page 20 User Guide: RFM5104/14 Predictive Maintenance System User Guide
IN012F13 www.RFMicron.com
6.4. Connecting USB
Once the Windows Mobile Device Center splash
screen is visible, it is time to connect the USB.
Make sure the handheld reader is charging and
turned on. Connect the Reader to a USB port. At
this point Windows may begin to automatically
install drivers. Once Windows completes any
needed driver installation, try to run Windows
Mobile Device Center again. The status shown in
the bottom left of the window should show “Con-
nected” with a green checkmark.
6.5. Install Windows Mobile Device Center
If Windows Mobile Device Center is not installed,
you must install it. Follow the instructions here…
https://support.microsoft.com/en-gb/kb/931937
When you are done, continue to step 6.3 to run
Windows Mobile Device Center.
6.6. Windows Mobile 2003 Service Status
Go to “Control Panel” →“Administrative Tools”
→“Services”. Look for the “Windows Mobile
2003-based device connectivity” service. It
should say “Running” in the status column. If
not, right click on the item and select “Start”.
If this does not work, right click on the service
and select “Properties”. Go to the “Log On”
tab. There are two radio button options: “Local
System account” and “This account”. Select the
one that is not selected and try again. Once the
status column displays “Running”, you can return
to step 2.3 to run Windows Mobile Device Center.
If you see the “Connected” status, you are ready
to continue to step 6.10 of this document. If the
status is still “Not Connected” please move to
step 6.8 to check driver installations. If you have
already been to step 6.8, continue to step 6.9 to
check reader properties.
This manual suits for next models
1
Table of contents