Our customer wanted to send reservoir water levels out as a text message every hour.
Whilst the reservoir is already part of a DATRAN telemetry system, an additional stand alone system was required. It was to be funded separately and used to notify different users.
Local community stake holders need the reservoir level information as they are impacted if the reservoir level dropped too low.
The QTech SMS Controller was selected as the solution. This prevented any changes to the wider telemetry system and was chosen as a cost effective monitoring solution for the community scheme.
The SMS Controller has powerful functionality, which includes sending periodic status texts and if the level changes by a defined percentage.
Up to ten cell phone numbers can be programmed in to the SMS Controller making it easy to cater for future changes and ensuring the reservoir level texts always go to the people interested.
The local system integrator supplied a splitter for the 4-20mA level sensor and completed the wiring and testing of the solution. Using the splitter allows the level to be simultaneously monitored by the DATRAN telemetry system. Signal splitters receive a single 4-20mA current input and provide two identical isolated 4-20mA output signals. Each channel operates independently.
A low cost text only SMS plan was chosen and there was good 4G coverage at the elevated reservoir site. A low profile antenna could also be installed to help deter attention at the site location.
Reservoir level texts are now being sent regularly and if the level drops below 40%. Any of the users can also text “status” to the SMSC Controller for a current update.
The system has been working well and could potentially be rolled out to other key sites.
Please get in touch if you have a situation needing regular status updates via text message.