Rugged SCADA RTU in NEMA case is All-In-One Solution for Non-Controlled Environments

Monitoring your sites and equipment is a no-brainer. It's an essential aspect of any remote site. But, some sites are more remote than others.

The more remote you get, the more factors you have to consider. Is the temperature range on your RTU wide enough to accommodate extreme cold or heat? If your monitoring equipment is outside, is it weather proof? Are you able to access your RTU remotely, without LAN?

There are many monitoring solutions, but not all are suitable for outdoor conditions.

You need a durable, integrated solution with components that work together to give you total site visibility, even in extreme conditions. An RTU is a great start, but most RTUs aren't durable enough on their own to withstand harsh remote conditions. Once you have an RTU that works best for your network, you need to protect it, especially if your monitoring equipment is exposed to the elements.

Consider the environment your equipment will be in and then chose a case that protects against any possible threats. Not every site is a clean, secure , inside of a building. Sometimes you need to put equipment outside on a pole. Will there be wind or dust? Does the location get snow, heavy rain, or flooding? These are things that can mean the difference between consistent network uptime and an expensive outage.

Lastly, look for a solution that gives you options. Every site is different, and you don't want to pay for unnecessary equipment. You do however, want to be able to add on to the solution so that your equipment is best suited to the environment it will be in. Look for options such as backup battery supplies, temperature control units, and the ability to increase the capacity of the RTU.

Let's look at one potential option: a cellular NetGuardian DIN RTU with NEMA Case. This system works well for anything that is remote but not environmentally controlled. It has been used in the past to monitor remote radio towers without an equipment hut. There are 2 major parts; the NetGuardian DIN and the NEMA case.

The NetGuardian DIN.

• The NetGuardian DIN is a small, industrial RTU that's designed for small applications, but is based on the same time-tested design of the NetGuardian 832A G5.
• It's designed for easy installation at remote sites or inside small enclosures - making it a cost-effective device to improve visibility over critical operations in your network.
• The NetGuardian DIN is housed in a telco-grade, durable chassis made of aluminum.
• The NetGuardian DIN allows you to receive critical alarm notifications via email or SNMP, providing you with the flexibility to receive alerts on-the-go (via email). You can even send alarms into your NOC (via SNMP) for larger networks.
• With optional Power Over Ethernet, this unit can be powered from the same Ethernet cable that's connecting the device to your network.

NEMA 4x Case.

• The NEMA 4x case is rated to protect against falling dirt and debris, while offering protection against windblown dust.
• It resists ingress of water (rain, snow, sleet, splashing water, and hose directed water).
• Retains integrity even during conditions that allow ice to form on the outside of the enclosure.

The National Electronics Manufacturers Association (NEMA) came up with a system of ratings to differentiate between the protection capabilities of storage and mounting boxes for electronic equipment. These are typically known as NEMA Ratings. Similar to the IEC IP codes, NEMA Ratings are intended to create a simple standard for all enclosures for electronic devices. The case that is provided with this particular solution is a NEMA 4x.

Plus, you can add optional components to improve the functionality of the system. Other optional features include:

• Battery backup.
• Industrial temp range (on the NetGuardian DIN).
• Heater for colder climates. This allows it to operate in temperatures as low as -30° C.

This application is useful in many industries. For example:

• Oil/Gas
  • Monitor the flow rate of your pipeline and guard against theft.
  • Use it to monitor operations at drilling sites.
• Irrigation
  • Monitor water consumption and flow rates (especially in times of drought).
  • Monitor the salinity or quality of the water.
• Solar and Wind Farms
  • Monitor motion sensors - know when someone is at your site.
  • Voltage being generated by solar panels.
  • Compare wind speed to turbine output.

And, as with all DPS products, you get 24/7 tech support for free. Talk to real people; the very engineers that design and build the equipment you are using. Need more than just a phone call? DPS Telecom also offers factory training courses. Students get hands on experience from DPS experts. Aside from training at DPS headquarters in Fresno, CA., DPS will come to you or you can attend a regional training course.