Blog#3 Implementation (Weather Remote Monitoring System)

30 May 2022

BLOG# 3- Implementation - Weather Remote Monitoring System

This blog will include the Implementation of the Design described in the previous blog in this Series. The Implementation will include: the setup, configuration and implementation of the following Bundle components: Wireless Gateway (9GW-001-3-NA), Wireless Temp/Humidity Sensor (SS-002-1-NA),Temperature Smart Probe {SP-005-01), USB to Smart Probe Interface (IF-001), M12 4-pin female connector (M12-S-F-FM. The Implementation will also include the setup, configuration and implementation of Layer-N Cloud bundle device support and Telemetry Data visualization Dashboard.

It is part of a blog series for the N-gaged Design Challenge. The sponsor of the challenge OMEGA, has supplied a Layer N Ecosystem Bundle that is used to implement my design.

Section 1 - Implementation of the Bundle Components
Section 2 - Dashboard implementation
References

Section 1 - Implementation of the Bundle Components

Wireless Gateway (GW-001-3-NA)

The first thing to hookup and the central part of the bundle is the Gateway. I started with the quick start guide include in the package to setup the device.
The first step suggested was to create a Layer-N cloud account which was successful.
I then followed the guide and registered the gateway on the Layer-N cloud. The process was successful and as the guide indicated the exclamation icon displayed on the gateway device box. a note in the guide indicated that the "icon will disappear once the registered gateway is powered on. This is the next step in the guide.
The Layer-N Gateway Setup instructions did not work for me at first. I was able to resolve my problem with OMEGA Tech support. I've created a blog on the subject at Solution --- If your having trouble connecting your Gateway to the internet - THIS MIGHT HELP. The gateway in the bundle has an old version of the firmware that was causing a problem when trying to connect the device to the Internet. Instead of the solid GREEN LED indicating success, the LED was a solid ORANGE, which indicated no connection.
I was able to connect to the gateway UI, by following the last section in the guide labeled "Gateway Internal UI"
I skipped the " Measurement Device Setup" Section with plans of returning to it when I needed to connect to one of the measurement Interface options. I will need to follow the "Smart Sensor Pairing" section for the next pairing the smart sensor.
I checked the Gateway box on the N-Layer cloud and the Gateway showed it was connected. There is also a status log available on the Gateway Internal UI which can be accessed by logging in.
The Gateway on the Layer-N cloud
- The gateway box contains 3 icons in the right hand corner that shows heartbeat, information/status, and a delete button.
  - The Heartbeat Icon, displays the status of the connection. GREEN is good. RED is bad
  - The Information/Status icon when pressed displays some status information as follows.
  - The Delete Icon allows the user to DELETE the device.
Now onto pairing the Smart Sensor.SS-002

Wireless Temp/Humidity Sensor (SS-002-1-NA)

Now that the gateway has been registered on the Omega N-Layer, you can follow the Quick Start Guide included in the package. to set up your Layer-N SS-002 smart Sensor.
Before you go any further, make sure you log into your account on the cloud.omega.com. Ensure that your gateway is powered on and connected to your registered layer N Cloud user account
- My gateway on the Layer-N dashboard, show that it is connected. .
Now install the antenna to the side of the connector on the smart sensor.
I connected an external sensor to the terminal block on the device
- Since one did not come in the bundle, I purchased one from Amazon.com
  - T-PRO K-Type Thermocouple Temperature Sensors 2M/6.6Ft Wire，Stainless Steel Probe (Probe Length 50mm)
I connected the wire ends as directed for a Thermocouple sensor to the pins on the terminal block adapter. Then I inserted the adapter into the terminal block

I then Inserted the batteries. the Paring Button of the device will power up to a solid Orange LED, indicating that the device has been successfully powered on.
Connect to the layer-N gateway. Position the Smart Sensor and the Gateway next to each other, so you can access the Paring Button on each device.
- Once the Pairing Button displays a solid orange LED light, your device is ready to be connected to the Layer-N gateway
  - Press the pairing button once on the device and the LED will begin flashing GREEN
  - Quickly push the paring button on the gateway once and the LED will also flash Green.
- When the smart sensor has been successfully paired to the Layer-N Gateway, the green LEDs on both devices will stop flashing.
- The smart Sensor LED will flash green each time data is sent to the gateway.
- As measurements are taken you will begin to see data appearing on the Layer-N cloud as follows:
The section "Layer N cloud Interface", briefly mentions how to configure the settings on the interface like changing the Time interval etc.
The next sections "Smart sensor USB Connector" and "Advanced Configuration with SYNC" describe the USB Port and connecting a Micro USB cable from the device to a PC running the SYNC software.
- NOTE: the Sync software can be downloaded from the OMEGA web site.
- The SYNC software will run on a PC and is used to configure, Set alarms and used for data logging.
- For more information on the features available on SYNC, refer to the SYNC user's manual SYNC - Omega Device Configuration Software
I needed to configure the thermocouple sensor that I had attached to the devices Terminal block.
- In the Sync Software , I configured the SS-002 to measure the thermocouple on its terminal block input0 by selecting the thermocouple type as k-type:
- And to report humidity, barometric pressure, and light from the internal sensors on inputs1,2nd 3 respectfully.
- This was done by selecting the sensor mix TC, H,B,L from the "TYPE:" dropdown box
- Then selecting the TC Input0 button on the left side and selecting "K" from the Type DropDown in the "Device Range/Type" section in the right pane.
Range Boost Mode
- When powering the device by USB for North American models, the Smart Sensor will also enter a Range Boost mode which will enhance the wireless range or coverage of the Smart Sensor up to 3.2 km*. *Clear line of sight. Actual range may vary depending on environment
- Range for battery operation is much less.
- On the N-Layer gateway the icon changes in the middle position on the upper right hand side of the Device Box
  - A PLUG icon indicates USB power.
  - A BATTERY icon indicates battery power,
The sensor data represented on the N-Layer Cloud
- Select "DEVICES" from the top right menu selections
- On the HOME screen for my gateway (gateway 2), a Device Box appears for this device in the device list. If you have Multiple devices connected to a gateway they will be listed here.
- The Device BOX
  - Device Name
  - Status ICONS
  - Gateway Name that Device is connected to.
  - The 4 configure sensor values
  - Last Reading date and time
- Measurements Screen
  - If you mouse/touch the Device box, you will be brought to this box.
  - Across the top you have the following 4 links HOME, MESUREMENTS, Alarms & Events and Settings
    - HOME - Takes you back to the main screen.
    - Measurements - is this screen,
    - Alarm & Events - take you a screen to manage these.
    - Settings - Takes you to a screen to manage 3 settings (Device name, Sensor Alarm settings, Reporting Interval)

Temperature Smart Probe {SP-005-01)

This supplied device is a Temperature Monitoring & Control device that is capable of connecting to most M12 type Thermocouple and RTD probes. It utilizes the last 2 components of the supplied Bundle. The USB to Smart Probe Interface IF-001 and M12 4-pin female connector M12-S-F-FM
- The IF-001 is an interface cable with one end attached to the SP-005 and the other end can be connected to a USB port of a computer running SYNC or the GW-001-3 Gateway.
- The M12 connector is a 4 pin adapter that allows for the connection of the bare wire end of a Thermocouple or RTD probe.
- It will connect to the other end of the SP-005.
  - I am connecting the same type of probe I connected to the SS-002
    - T-PRO K-Type Thermocouple Temperature Sensors 2M/6.6Ft Wire，Stainless Steel Probe (Probe Length 50mm)
- Connect the bare wire end of the K-type Thermocouple sensor to the 4 pin female connector describe below, by unscrewing the connector to expose the female connector
- Using this orientation, attach bare wires from the TC to the following pins
- Once you have connected the TC and both of these to the SP-005, it is time to configure the probe. Omega SYNC will be used to configure the device to be used to connect to the N-Layer cloud.
  - Plug the USB end of the IF-001 into a PC running SYNC.
  - The SP-005 will be autodetected by SYNC and appear as a device on the left hand side. And if all the connections are right, the temperature should be displaying.
  - To the right in the Inputs tab, select "SINGLE TC" from the "Type" Dropdown box. and set the other values "Units" to F and "Device Range/Type" to K as follows.
  - The SP-005 now has been configured.
  - You can now monitor the TC temperature using the SYNC software as shown in this photo,

Now you can use the SP-005 to monitor the TC temp on the N-Layer Cloud.
- To do this you will need to use one of the USB connectors on the Gateway.
- Unplug the USB end of the IF-001 from the PC and plug it into one of the 2 USB ports on the GW-001-3 gateway
  - PROBLEM
    - When I plugged the USB end into the USB connector on the Gateway, nothing happened. What was wrong? I found out that I had to also configure the Gateway to detect the SP-005 device. Unlike the SS-002, which was detected by the gateway by pairing, there is no pairing button on the SP-005.
    - I did log in to the gateway but after setting the parameters as described in the next section, and pressed the ADD button still no detection.
    - Then I realized by connecting to the PC again and running SYNC, that a parameter was set incorrectly. The "Open Detect" value under the Sensor Settings was set to DISABLED. It must be set to ENABLED. This will allow the device to be detected when plugged in. Once this was set and I plugged it back into the Gateway, The device was detected and a new device box was displayed on the N-Layer Cloud..
  - To Avoid the problem
    - Log into the Gateway using instructions in the "Gateway Internal UI" section of the Gateway Quick Start Guide.
    - Press the ADD button and the following Dialog box appears
    - Enter the parameters as described and press the "ADD" button
    - You should get the following device box with the firmware version. If you do not make sure the setting in SYNC is set properly
    - Your sp-005 is now setup on the N-Layer Cloud.
  - Observe the device values in a new device box on the N-Layer Cloud.

Section 2 - Dashboard implementation

Configuring dashboards

Data Logging and Storage

This is done automatically after you have paired the device through the gateway. As soon as a sensor is paired with the gateway, data will start appearing on the N-Layer Cloud Dashboard. This is both Good and Bad. Good, in that it is easy to get telemetry data setup and Bad, in that you cannot arrange the data as with other IoT editors like Arduino Cloud and Azure IoT central. The storage is managed by the N-Layer cloud and as far As I can tell no limit to the storage. I haven't figured out yet on how to delete data collected. but you can set date spans to display chart data.