Communications Setup

Site Summary component > Comms. Setup button

Use the Communications Setup screen to view and configure the communications, change of state (COS) and deadband (DB) settings.

  1. Communications Setup
  2. COS and DB Settings,
  3. Polling and Bursting

Communications Setup screen

Communications Setup

Field Description Tag
RTU Time Not Set

The RTU time is considered to be incorrect if the year is less than the current year set on your computer.

Use the Time > Set Time function on the Site Summary component to set the RTU time.

RTU_TIME_NOT_SET

  • 0-OK
  • 1-NOT SET
Sites Table Not in MOSCAD RTU The sites table is required for burst communications from the site and for peer to peer communications between sites. The Sites Table defines the sites in the system with which this site can communicate. The RTU application checks whether a sites table is loaded in the RTU and whether the site ID in the first row of the site table is valid.

SITES_TBL_NOT_LOADED

  • 0-OK
  • 1-FAIL
Burst Status Shows whether the number of bursts sent from the site has exceeded the Maximum Burst Limit.

When the alarm is triggered, bursting is disabled until the alarm is cleared. This happens when the number of bursts that would have been sent has not exceeded the Maximum Burst Limit for at least one minute.

BURST_STATUS

  • 0-OK
  • 1-ON
Burst Transmission Enable or disable bursting from the site.

BURST_DISABLE

  • 0-ENABLED
  • 1- DISABLED
Maximum Burst Limit

Sets a restriction on the maximum number of bursts allowed from an RTU in number of burst packets per minute. This is to avoid excessive communication load due to inappropriate settings or fluctuating readings.

Set to zero to disable burst limit checking.

 MAX_BURST_LIMIT
Bursting to 2nd Gateway Enable or disable bursting to a second configured gateway.

DUAL_GW_BURST_ENABLE

  • 0- DISABLED
  • 1-ENABLED
Use Dynamic Sites Table

Enables or disables the use of a dynamic sites table. A static sites table may still be used if dynamic sites tables are disabled.

  • A static sites table is created manually and the complete table is then loaded into the RTU memory.
  • A dynamic sites table is built dynamically using the parameters in the Gateway and Peer Communications sections of this screen. This makes the sites table easier to maintain and is used by default for new sites.

USE_DYNAMIC_SITE_TBL

  • 0- DISABLED
  • 1-ENABLED
Modbus Comms Success Rate Indicates the overall communications success rate between the devices on MODBUS (e.g. SDB, level sensors) and the RTU. MODBUS_COMM_RATE.
RTU Link & Site ID MDCL address (RTU address) and the network link ID of the MOSCAD RTU at the site.

RTU_SITE_ID

RTU_PORT3_LINK_ID
Primary Gateway Site ID The address of the primary Motorola IP Gateway that the RTU will use to burst data back to the host. When the Site ID and the Link ID are defined, the GW1_SITE_INDEX is set to the row in the dynamic site table where the details are recorded. GW1_SITE_ID
Primary Gateway Link ID The network link ID of the primary Motorola IP Gateway. GW1_LINK_ID
Secondary Gateway Site and Link ID

If a secondary Motorola IP Gateway exists:

  • The GW2_SITE_ID and the GW2_LINK_ID define the address and network link ID of the secondary Motorola IP Gateway that the RTU will use to burst data back to the host.
  • If both variables are defined, the GW2_SITE_INDEX is set to the row in the dynamic site table where the details are recorded

GW2_SITE_ID

GW2_LINK_ID

Peer Communications – D/S and U/S RTU address and network link ID of the upstream and downstream peer sites from which this site requests data or to which it bursts data when it is under network control. Tag names are TCC_DS_SITE_ID, TCC_DS_LINK_ID, TCC_US_SITE_ID & TCC_US_LINK_ID.

TCC_DS_SITE_ID

TCC_DS_LINK_ID

TCC_US_SITE_ID

TCC_US_LINK_ID.

Change of State and Deadband Settings

Some tags have associated change of state and deadband settings that determine how the tag value is used by the system. These settings are used to create a balance between high site sensitivity and responsiveness on one hand, and excessive gate movement and communication load on the other.

  • A Change of state (COS) setting is used for data that is sent (burst) to the host system when the tag value changes. It specifies a minimum amount (a "delta") by which a value must change before the new value is sent to the host. Set a COS value to zero to disable bursting on change of state for that tag.
  • A Deadband (DB) setting is used to specify a tolerance band around a value. This is used to prevent the site from reacting to small changes and signal noise.
Field Description Tag
U/S Water Level COS

COS setting for the upstream water levels

 USL_COS
D/S Water Level COS

COS setting for the downstream water levels

 DSL_COS
Flow COS Delta

COS setting for the flow rate

 FLOW_COS
Flow Deadband

Deadband tolerance for the desired flow rate. The gate is not moved unless the difference between the actual flow rate and the flow setpoint exceeds this value.

Minimum value of the deadband is 0.1 ML/day

FLOW_DB
Flow DB Percent

Flow deadband expressed as a percentage of the flow setpoint.

FLOW_DB_PERCENT
Volume Since Reset COS

COS setting for the accumulated volume since the accumulator was last reset

 FLOW_ACU_SR_COS
Battery Voltage COS

COS setting for the battery voltage. At a multi gate site it applies to all gates at the site.

Cannot be lower than 0.2 V

 BATT_COS
Elevation Deadband

Deadband tolerance for the required gate position. The gate is not moved unless the difference betweem the current position of the gate and the position setpoint exceeds this value.

ELEV_DB
Zero Flow Position Deadband

In meter outlets (e.g. FlumeGate-M), the gate is driven to a fully closed position when in Flow mode and the flow setpoint is zero.

For regulators (e.g. FlumeGate-R) or meter outlets that are not in Flow mode, the gate elevation is moved above the U/S water level by the amount configured by this tag. This tag is set to 50mm by default but can be any value greater than or equal to zero.

 ZEROFLOW_POS_DB
Gate At Limit Deadband

Deadband tolerance for the gate's fully opened or closed position. When the gate is within this distance from the fully opened or closed position, it will be considered to be at the relevant travel limit.

 GATE_AT_LIMIT_DB
Burst Gate Position COS

COS setting for a change of gate position.

BURST_GATEPOS_COS
Burst Final Gate Pos Deadband

Deadband for the gate position setpoint. When the gate position is within this deadband, and has remained so for the duration of the Burst Final Gate Pos Delay, the gate position is burst to the host.

Set to zero to disable bursting this feature.

 BURST_FINALPOS_DB
Burst Final Gate Pos Delay

Specifies a delay before a gate position is burst to the host once the gate has come within the Burst Final gate Pos Deadband distance of it's required position.

Defaults to 120 seconds with a minimum of 15 seconds. This is intended to allow the gate to reach its required position, but if it is still moving into position after the delay period, the position may be burst again depending on the number of retries allowed.

 BURST_FINALPOS_DELAY
Burst Final Gate Pos Retries If a gate position has been burst to the host after the required delay, and the gate position has changed, the gate position can be burst again. The number of times that it can be burst again is given by this value.

Defaults to 1.

 BURST_FINALPOS_RETRY

Polling and Bursting Status

Field Description Tag

Number of Polls Received

Number of packets sent from the RTU in response to poll requests

POLL_COUNT

Number of Bursts Received

Number of packets sent from the RTU as bursts.

BURST_COUNT