The new look DATRAN XL4 Plus RTU is now available.
We are delighted with the outcome of this project which included redesigning the internal printed circuit boards (PCBs) and end panels.
It delivers a great quality, look and feel to our DATRAN telemetry range.
The DIN rail mounting clip is also improved from the previous version. The position of all I/O connectors remain backward compatible.
Future orders for the DATRAN Q23 and Q26 I/O expansion modules will also use the new enclosure and packaging.
The recent v7.18 firmware update for the XL4 Plus RTU also delivers multiple datalogging improvements. These include more logging memory, more I/O points and enhanced data recovery options. Below is the summary of the improvements or click here for the full release details.
XL4 Plus RTU Data Logging
The XL4 Plus is fitted with an 8MB NOR flash memory chip; on older devices with an 4MB chip. We have improved utilisation of the chip up from 500 KB and modified the database architecture to make write transactions more time deterministic (accurate).
The previous Log capacity was limited to 64K (65535) records by the file system. This predicated the need to retrieve records more often, sometimes on already congested low bandwidth radio channels.
Customers indicated that if DATRAN is not able to retrieve the data they would like more time to go to site to retrieve the Data by other means. With larger log capacities the urgency is eased. For example, in the table below, 32 analogue points logged every minute will now take 16 times longer to fill the log providing 22.4 days of leeway to retrieve the data if there are problems with the backhaul communications to DATRAN.
The guide below provides an indication of log capacity based on number of analogue points being logged and the logging interval.
Firmware (chip size) |
Number of Points Logged | Log Interval | Number of records per point (approx.) | Log Full after (approx.) |
| V7.17 -8MB current | 32 | 1 min | 2000 | 1.4 days |
| V7.18 -4MB | 32 | 1 min | 8800 | 6.1 days |
| V7.18 -8MB | 32 | 1 min | 32000 | 22.4 days |
| V7.18 – 8MB | 64 | 1 min | 16500 | 11.4 days |
| V7.18 – 8MB | 255 | 1 min | 4100 | 2.8 days |
| V7.18 – 8MB | 64 | 10 s | 16500 | 1.9 days |
Provisioning for RTU Logging
The XL4 Plus Database Capacity Calculator is a simple spreadsheet tool that enables systems engineers to input the number and type (analogue/digital) of data points they wish to log in the RTU and the rate at which they create log records then estimate how much capacity they use each day (in lieu of retrieving the data via the HDI service).
The Estimator also tells you how to determine which memory chip you have fitted and what your maximum capacity is (in days). See screenshot below:
Please contact us for assistance or more information on the new look DATRAN XL4 Plus RTU.
We are also finalising a new YouTube video for the new look DATRAN XL4 Plus RTU.
Email: techsupport@qtech.co.nz
sales@qtech.co.nz