Find below the most frequent questions asked about the wireless measurement modules 1NTR / 2PTR / 1THR.
Where can I use the wireless sensor 1NTR?
The 1NTR is a battery driven wireless sensor which is measuring and buffering temperature values. Since it is IP67 protected, it can be installed also in rough and humid environments. Typical areas of application include ambient room monitoring as well as fridges and freezers. Wireless connection to an RBR nearby is indicated on the 1NTR (green LED "Link") and in detail on the ELPRO Cloud dashboard indicating the radio connection strength with bars (similar to a mobile phone).
Can I use the 1NTR to monitor a truck (RBR installed on the warehouse ramp)?
A realistic scenario for using the RBR & 1NTR on a truck could be:
- Roundtrip: Truck is returning to the same ramp regularly (e.g. daily or weekly)
- Intra-Company Logistics: Truck is moving inside a defined network
Communication bridge RBR is installed on the ramp (of each network station). 1NTR is placed on the trucks. No connection warning and missing value alarms are set to exceed the average trip lengths.
As soon as the truck comes back to the ramp, the sensor delivers all values. The ELPRO Cloud stores all values and performs the assessment. In case of a temperature deviation, an alarm message is issued. If you are looking for a solution working without a communication bridge, please refer to the LIBERO Gx project of ELPRO using the M1/NB1 standard network.
Can the 1NTR / 2PTR / 1THR also connect through a second RBR?
The wireless sensors are not tied to one dedicated RBR. They can be in range of many RBR and decide automatically which one to use to deliver their values to the ELPRO Cloud software. Adding more RBR increases the probability that the measurement values are always delivered immediately (otherwise measurement values are buffered until the connection could be re-established).
What happens if during pairing the distance between 1NTR / 2PTR / 1THR and RBR is too large?
During pairing there must be a strong wireless signal between an RBR and the 1NTR / 2PTR / 1THR. Pairing might fail if the connection is not strong enough. In case of a failed pairing, you need to repeat registration of the sensor in the software (find out here how that works).
Note: After pairing, you are free to move the sensor to its final measurement location. On the software dashboard you can see if the wireless signal is still strong enough.
What happens if I miss the 10 day window for pairing the Sensor 1NTR / 2PTR / 1THR?
If you miss the 10 day window, you need to repeat the process of adding a Sensor in the software (find out here how that works).
What happens if there is no connection between the 1NTR / 2PTR / 1THR and an RBR?
If the connection between an RBR and the 1NTR / 2PTR / 1THR is interrupted, the 1NTR tries to send the measurement values via another RBR in range (if available). If no RBR nearby can be found, the 1NTR / 2PTR / 1THR keeps on buffering measurement values until an RBR in range is available to send the buffered values. The buffer has a size of 14'800 measurement values for 1NTR, which means that the device can buffer measurements of more than 100 days, if it is configured in a 10 minutes logging interval. 2PTR / 1THR even provide buffer memory for 43'000 measurement values.
After the connection is established, when do 1NTR / 2PTR / 1THR start a new RBR connection search?
To ensure the most stable operation and long battery life, the measuring modules restart the RBR search by themselves only in the following cases:
- More than 10 times no successful connection
- The average value of the last 10 connections results in a very bad value
What is the meaning of the LED's on the 1NTR?
On the wireless sensor 1NTR you find three LED’s:
- Left LED "Link" (red): blinks after the batteries have been inserted and the pair button has been pressed for 3 seconds. Keeps on blinking during the pairing and connection process. If this LED blinks during regular operation, i.e. after successfully having paired the sensor, this indicates that the measurement module is not in reach of a communication module ECOLOG-PRO RBR. Reduce the distance between measurement and communication module.
- Middle LED "Link" (green): blinks after the batteries have been inserted and the pair button has been pressed for 3 seconds (together with the left LED in red). As soon as the pairing was successful, it lights for 3 seconds and afterwards shows a short blink every 10 seconds. A green blink every 10 seconds is an indication for an established wireless connection between the 1NTR and the RBR.
- Right LED "Data" (green): blinks in a ten seconds interval if the measurement process has been started successfully, i.e. the sensor was configured in ELPRO Cloud and the module was paired successfully.
How to proceed if the left LED on the measurement module flashes red?
The left (red) LED "Link" on the 1NTR / 2PTR / 1THR indicates a bad connection status. If it keeps flashing red, it means that no connection between the 1NTR / 2PTR / 1THR and the RBR is established - this might have various reasons:
- Your sensor has not been paired successfully, due to any of the following reasons:
- Your account has not been set-up (follow instruction Register ELPRO Cloud account”)
- Your RBR has not been installed and connected (follow instruction “Install the communication module ECOLOG-PRO RBR")
- Your sensor has not been added in the Cloud software or has not been connected successfully (follow instruction “Connect your ECOLOG-PRO temperature sensor”)
- The signal between the 1NTR and the RBR is disturbed. Please check for the following potential reasons:
- The distance between the 1NTR and the RBR might be too large and therefore the wireless signal not strong enough for sending the data.
- The RBR may be down or have lost connection to ELPRO Cloud (check the LEDs on your RBR).
- Physical goods might disturb the signal, e.g. big metal objects between the 1NTR and RBR.
- Other radio equipment may interfere with the radio signal of the 1NTR and RBR.
How is the 1NTR powered? What type of batteries are used?
By default, the ECOLOG-PRO 1NTR is powered by 2 AAA standard alkaline batteries. If you intend to use the device in a temperature range between -35 °C and -10 °C you need to source AAA LiFe batteries by yourself. You may order fitting batteries online, e.g. here.
What happens if the batteries of an 1NTR are empty? Can I exchange the batteries?
If the batteries of the 1NTR are weak, the system issues a low battery warning on the dashboard and sends out a low-battery message via email (and/or SMS), if configured. The batteries can be exchanged very easily by opening the back lid (screw open) of the 1NTR. In order not to lose measurement values, please exchange the batteries quickly. Depending on the operating conditions, there are up to 14 days to replace the batteries without any reduction in device functions.
What frequency is used for the wireless sensors?
The wireless sensors 1NTR / 2PTR / 1THR communicate with the radio bridge RBR via a safe and encrypted protocol on the 868 MHz frequency band for the European market, and on 915 MHz for the US and Australian/New Zealand markets.
What is the transmission range of the radio frequency?
The radio frequency of our sensors is influenced by various factors that can impact the performance of wireless communication, including:
- Architectural Features: The structure and materials of the buildings where the sensors are placed can affect radio frequency transmission, especially with concrete walls, metallic surfaces, and other construction materials.
- Electronic Interference: Surrounding electronic devices and other wireless systems can cause interference, affecting transmission efficiency.
- Room Layout: The arrangement of furniture, walls, and other objects in the space can influence signal transmission. Clear line-of-sight between the sensor and the receiving device often enhances performance.
- Atmospheric Conditions: Humidity can also have an impact on radio frequency transmission.
Given the multifaceted nature of these influencing factors, specifying a precise numerical value for the transmission range is intricate. The transmission range can vary, spanning from a few meters to up to 100 meters under optimal conditions. We advise the implementation of on-site tests to meticulously evaluate and optimize performance, tailoring it to the distinctive conditions of each installation.
Is the wireless protocol registered in my country?
At the moment, the wireless protocol for the communication between the RBR and the 1NTR / 2PTR / 1THR is registered in the following countries:
- Switzerland
- All countries of the EU/EFTA
- USA
- Canada
- Qatar
- All other countries accepting the EU accreditation or the US accreditation (FCC)
We are working on further accreditations and will update this list continuously.
If you don’t find your country on this list, please contact us by filing a ticket to let us know, which country you are waiting for.
Deactivating Alarming in the Cloud for the Ecolog-Pro
To deactivate the alarming on your sensor you have 2 options:
- During (re-)installation of your logger, simply do not fill out the email address, or tick the box for SMS notification.
- If your Ecolog-Pro logger has already been installed, please follow the following steps:
- Navigate to your main sensor overview
- Find the logger for which you need to deactivate the alarming, and click on the option
menu (3 horizontal bars in the top right corner)
- Click on the option "deactivate alarming"
- The symbol for deactivated alarming will have appeared, and your logger will have turned
grey in your overview.
- To reverse this process simply follow the same steps, but choose the option "reactivate
alarming"
