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Dear RMS Customer,

We think that your issue can be solved based upon the knowledge article below.

Knowledge Article Title: Wireless Module Failure
Description: Due to power supply issues, the wireless module has failed. The device needs to be replaced.
Keywords: RMS-MLOG, LED flashing, Timeout, Low battery, Measuring time not valid

 

Software Edition: N/A
Software Version: N/A
R&D Project Number: N/A
Product Part Number: Wireless devices
Product Firmware Version: N/A

 

Issue: When the RMS-MLOG device's LED flashes in a way that is not described in the user manual, then the wireless module may have failed. Please replace the battery when testing the device. If the LED flashing persists, then the device needs to be replaced.
Solution: The device must be replaced.

Recommendation: Please replace the wireless device’s batteries if the user sees the repeated measuring time not valid events.

Recommendation: Please remove the batteries if the user anticipates keeping a wireless device disconnected for a longer period of time.
Details: The RMS wireless devices have either an 868 or a 915 wireless communication module. RMS wireless devices can be powered either with 24V and battery (LOG devices) or battery only (MLOG devices):
  • 3.6 V lithium thionyl chloride AA battery.
  • 24 VDC via terminals (V+ / V-).
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In the case that the wireless device is only powered with batteries, with the latest firmware, the battery level is monitored and all battery events are visible within the RMS software:
  • Reminder Event: Low Battery.
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Rotronic recommend changing the batteries as soon as this event appears within the audit trail. If the battery is not changed, it can lead to the same complications as when the devices don not have the latest firmware version.

Should the device not have the latest firmware, then the Low Battery event may not appear in the audit trail. However, the following events will occur in the audit trail:
  • Information Event: Measuring Time Not Valid.
  • Reminder Event: Data Gap.
  • Error Event: Devices Timeout.
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A repeated Measuring Time Not Valid event indicates a possibly low battery which in turn means that the battery cannot supply the real time clock (RTC) and this is lagging. The RTC is set to the server time, however due to the low battery, it may be that the server time cannot be written.

The Data Gap event means that data has not been downloaded from the logger. In the case of a Measuring Time Not Valid event, then a Read Out Data event will show No Data, meaning that no data is available.

The Devices Timeout event means that the battery cannot supply the module and it is offline. As the battery power is not sufficient, the device cannot reconnect to RMS and the probability of the device logging data is very low.

Should these events occur and the RMS wireless device is offline, then critical environmental monitoring data will be lost. Rotronic AG recommend changing the batteries in a regular interval.

If the RMS wireless device is offline for a longer period of time, then this may cause for the wireless module to be sent into failure mode. This happens when a very low power supply is supplied to the device. Once the wireless module is in failure mode, it cannot be resuscitated.

Please let us know if this has helped solve your issue. If so, we will close this support case. If not, we will explore other possibilities.

Thank you and best regards,
Your RMS Support Team.