Aclara 2015003 User Manual

Technical Brief

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MTU Installation Requirements

A product of

Aclara Technologies LLC

Confidential and Proprietary

Copyright 2013-16. All Rights Reserved.

(Y20355-TEB Rev E)

The information contained in this document is private to Aclara Technologies LLC an Ohio limited liability company
(Aclara). This information may not be published, reporduced, or otherwise disseminated without the express written
authorization of Aclara.

The information in this document is subject to change without notice and should not be construed as a commitment by
Aclara. Aclara assumes no responsibility for any errors that may appear in this document.

No responsibility is assumed for the use or reliability of software on equipment that is not supplied by Aclara.

TWACS, STAR, and Metrum Cellular are registered trademarks of Aclara Technologies LLC.

PROPRIETARY NOTICE

DISCLAIMER

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Table of Contents

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Warnings, Cautions, and Notes

FCC/IC Compliance. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . iii

Overview

Support . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

Deployment Process . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

Signal Propagation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

Free Space Attenuation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

RF Absorption. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

RF Reflection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

RF Shadowing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

Mounting Considerations

Exterior Mounting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

Interior . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

Pipe Mounting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

Pit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

Without Spacers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

Spacers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

Short Spacers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

Long Spacers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19

Wiring

Cable Insulation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21

Wire Length . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21

Wire Routing. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21

Connections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22

Interior/Exterior Environment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22

Meter Pit Environment. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23

Appendix: Required Equipment

Appendix: Checklist

MTU Installation Requirements i

Table of Contents

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ii MTU Installation Requirements

W

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ARNING

C

AUTION

N

W

ARNINGS

Always consult and adhere to all local and national safety codes, regulations, and
standards.WARNING, CAUTION and Note statements are used throughout this
manual to emphasize important and critical information to help you ensure safety
and prevent product damage.These statements are defined below.

indicates a potentially hazardous situation which, if not avoided, could result in
death or serious physical injury.

indicates a situation, which, if not avoided, could result in damage to
equipment, damage to software, loss of data or invalid results.

OTE

indicates important supplemental information.

, C

AUTIONS, AND

N

OTES

FCC/IC Compliance

The following statements cover the RF exposure guide and the field calibration
procedure. This device complies with part 15 of the FCC Rules. Operation is
subject to the condition that this device does not cause harmful interference.

FCC/IC RF Exposure Guide

Aclara Technologies LLC low power RF devices and their antennas must be
fixed-mounted on indoor or outdoor permanent structure(s) providing a separation
distance of at least 20 cm from all persons during normal operation. This device is
not designed (and it has no external connection) to operate in conjunction with any
other antennas or transmitters. No other operating instructions for satisfying RF
exposure compliance are needed.

Field Calibration Procedure

Aclara Technologies LLC low power RF devices have passed through extensive
testing and calibration procedures while in the factory. Therefore, no additional
calibration or adjustment is required in the field.

MTU Installation Requirements iii

Conformité FCC/IC

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A

VERTISSEMENTS

Toujours consulter et respecter les codes, règlements et normes de sécurité locaux
et nationaux. Des AVERTISSEMENTS, MISES EN GARDE et remarques sont
utilisés tout au long de ce guide pour souligner l'information importante et critique
qui vous aidera à assurer la sécurité et à prévenir les dommages au produit. Ces
énoncés sont définis ci-dessous.

A

VERTISSEMENT

indique une situation potentiellement dangereuse qui, si elle n'était pas évitée,
pourrait entraîner la mort ou des blessures graves.

M

ISE EN GARDE

indique une situation qui, si elle n'était pas évitée, pourrait entraîner des
dommages à l'équipement, des dommages au logiciel, des pertes de données ou
des résultats invalides.

,

MISES EN GARDE ET REMARQUES

R

EMARQUE

indique des informations supplémentaires importantes.

Conformité FCC/IC

Les énoncés qui suivent portent sur le guide d'exposition aux RF et la procédure de
calibration sur place.

Guide d'exposition aux RF FCC/IC

Les appareils RF à faible puissance Aclara Technologies LLC ainsi que leurs
antennes doivent être montés de manière fixe sur des structures intérieures ou
extérieures permanentes qui se trouvent à au moins 20 cm des personnes pendant
le fonctionnement normal. Cet appareil n'est pas conçu (et il n'a aucun
branchement externe) pour être utilisé en association avec toute autre antenne ou
tout transmetteur. Aucune autre instruction d'utilisation n'est requise pour assurer
la conformité aux règles d'exposition aux RF.

Procédure de calibration sur place

Les appareils RF à faible puissance Aclara Technologies LLC ont été soumis à des
tests étendus et multi-tâches et à des procédures de calibration complexes en usine.
Par conséquent, ils ne requièrent pas de calibration ni d'ajustement supplémentaire
sur place. Les appareils RF à faible puissance Aclara Technologies LLC sont
expédiés au client dans des boîtiers scellés. Aucun ajustement ne peut donc être
effectué sur place sans briser le boîtier scellé en usine.

iv MTU Installation Requirements

Support

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O

VERVIEW

Meter Transmission Units (MTUs) are the endpoints of the STAR system. MTUs
are permanently sealed devices that transmit regularly scheduled meter readings
on an FCC licensed frequency to a Data Collector Unit, or DCU. Every Meter
Transmission Unit (MTU) installation location presents its own set of variables.
This document is intended to help guide installers by providing general
information about UHF radio transmissions, MTUs, and Aclara required practices
for installation. Failure to adhere to these guidelines may be detrimental to system
operation.

There are several ways to get help when you have a question, an issue, or would
like to speak with Aclara's Support personnel.

• Aclara Connect

Aclara's exciting customer portal (https://connect.aclara.com) enables you to
access our frequently-updated knowledge database, easily access product
documentation, submit and track your Support cases and RMAs, access
Aclara University's Online Learning Center (OLC) and learning library,
track your orders, join communities and groups, join in discussions with
other Aclara customers and Aclara personnel, and much more. If you do not
have access to Aclara Connect, email [e-mail] and request
access.

• Aclara University

Aclara's on-demand training makes content available to you in a convenient,
cost-effective online environment. The OLC has recordings of several
webinars, streaming educational videos, software simulations, and short
videos which walk you through a specific task. Access the OLC by going to
the Training tab of Aclara Connect and clicking the Online Learning Center
link.

• Technical Support

Email [e-mail] or call 1-800-892-9008 to speak with an Aclara
representative.

MTU Installation Requirements 1

Deployment Process

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Deployment Process

MTU deployment can be broken down into three basic steps. These are:

1. Mounting the MTU

2. Routing and connecting the wiring

3. Programming and configuring the MTU

The scope of this document is limited to the mounting and wiring portions of the
deployment process. For more information on programming MTUs, please refer to
the following manuals:

STAR Programmer Software Installation Instructions (Y20318-TUM)

Provides detailed instructions for installing the STAR Programmer Software.

STAR Programmer Software User Guide (Y20348-TUM)

Provides information that enables you to program and configure MTUs using the
STAR Programmer Software.

2 MTU Installation Requirements

Signal Propagation

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The STAR Network operates in the range of 450 - 470 Megahertz (MHz).
Frequencies in this range are specifically licensed by the FCC for business use, and
are considered to be part of the Ultra-High Frequency (UHF) band of radio
communications. As with all UHF communications, there are certain factors that
affect the propagation of the radio transmissions. The STAR Network is designed
to overcome these factors, but failure to follow these installation guidelines may
create conditions that exceed the limits of the STAR Network.

All devices that operate in the UHF band are considered to use line of sight
transmission, and operate best when the path between the transmission point and
the reception point is unobstructed.

Overview

MTU Installation Requirements 3

Every Meter Transmission Unit (MTU) installation location presents its own set of
variables, and this document is intended to help guide installers by providing
general information about UHF radio transmissions and MTUs.

There are four main things that affect the propagation of UHF radio waves. These
are free space attenuation, absorption, reflection, and shadowing.

Signal Propagation

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Free Space Attenuation

Free space attenuation is the natural loss in signal strength that occurs when radio
waves pass through open air. This loss in signal strength is proportionate to the
distance between the transmitter and the receiver. While the actual installation of
the MTU will not change the free space attenuation considerably, certain locations
may require the use of an extended range MTU or additional DCUs to improve
communication.

RF Absorption

RF absorption occurs naturally with objects that are not electrically conductive
such as drywall, concrete, wood, and foliage. A variety of factors affect how much
RF energy is absorbed by the obstruction. The following illustrates how concrete
tends to absorb more RF energy than a sheet of drywall.

4 MTU Installation Requirements

RF Reflection

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RF reflection occurs when objects made of conductive materials (typically metal)
are in or near the transmission path. While reflection itself may not negatively
affect system performance, the RF signal may be reflected into an absorbing
material such as dense foliage or the concrete foundation of a building. Common
objects that reflect RF signals are metal buildings such as sheds or warehouses,
metal fences, HVAC ducts, vehicles, and metal signs. It is important to note that
even metal fences that are not solid (e.g. chain-link, wrought iron) will reflect a
large portion of the RF signals.

Overview

MTU Installation Requirements 5