AEI System – Operation Manual

Overview

This article describes the following AEI System components:

• Auxiliary Processor Unit (APU-102)
• Wheel Detector
• TDA-105 Wheel Detector Interface Card
• Presence Detector
• AR2200 RF Unit
• Antennas
• RFID tags
• Battery Charger and Batteries
• AC Power-Fail Transformer
• Lightning Protection Panel
• LVD2000, DC Voltage Monitoring

To review how each component interfaces in the overall system operation, refer to Train Processing Block Diagrams.

Auxiliary Processor Unit (APU-102)

Function

As explained in the RailNet AEI System – Introduction, the APU-102 is the collector of all train data at the site. The APU-102 processes all signals and data from the AEI site external equipment, such as wheel detectors, presence detectors, reader modules, and RF units. As a train passes a site, the APU-102 senses train presence, direction, and speed via the wheel detectors and decodes tag data via the RFID subsystem. It combines the tag and axle data to create a clean consist - a list of all cars and locomotives on the train. Within seconds of the train passing the site, the APU-102 connects and delivers the clean consist list to the host system.

Acquiring Tag Data

The APU-102 is based on RF electronic identification (RFID) technology. The RF unit transmits an RF signal to the antenna, which activates the transponder (the tag) mounted on the car or locomotive. The RFID tag transmits its encoded data back through the antenna to the RF unit. The RF unit sends the data to the APU-102’s reader logic board. The data is then held in the APU-102 until it is transmitted to the host, either automatically or upon inquiry.

Acquiring Axle Data

To acquire axle data, the installed dual segment wheel detector must sense a wheel event, thereby beginning the acquisition cycle. The detection of two-wheel events, separated by a fixed distance, form an axle, and the identification of axle patterns (or the sequence of these wheel events) form cars. This data is sent to a wheel detector interface card, which conditions and amplifies the signal before going to the TDA-104 card. The TDA-104 logs the impulses and interfaces with the APU-102. The axle data is combined with the tag data in the APU-102 to form a clean consist for the host system.

Sending the Clean Consist To the Host

The APU-102 establishes and negotiates a connection to the host and sends the clean consist. The host system then reports that data was received. The APU-102 marks the file as sent, logs off and breaks the connection and waits for the next train.

Up to 100 trains can be retained by the APU-102. Information is stored by train and can be reviewed through remote access. The train information remains stored at the site as long as sufficient storage space is available. Authorized railroad employees can access the APU-102 from a remote location. Local employees can access the APU-102 on-site through the local port with the use of a computer and a basic communications package. All communications are password protected to prevent unauthorized entry into the system.

Tagged and Untagged Vehicles

The system identifies and distinguishes locomotives from railcars by wheel patterns that are specific to each. Then tags are applied to the appropriate locomotive or railcar. If a car or locomotive does not have a corresponding tag, the consist order identifies that equipment is present, but no tag was read.

Additional Functions

Some additional APU-102 functions include:

• Provides ability to change the system parameters remotely.
• Initiates maintenance calls to advise the host system of any reporting problems or specific hardware failures, including a periodic “I’m Alive” message.
• Accepts a bulk site parameter download from the local port or via remote access.

APU-102 External Components

Since all diagnostic switches, activity indicators and connections are provided externally on the APU-102, nearly all APU-102 operations may be done without opening the enclosure. You will rarely need to open the APU-102 enclosure. APU-102 Front Panel Switches and Indicators and APU-102 External Connections define the APU-102 external components.

APU-102 Front Panel Switches and Indicators

LED indicators on the outside of the enclosure display the status of the system. The SYS, WDA, and WDB switches underneath their respective LED indicators have specific diagnostic and testing functions.

Figure 3-1 below shows the APU-102 Front Panel. Table 3-1 below defines the LED indicators and switches.

Figure 3.1: APU-102 Front Panel

Figure 3.1: APU-102 Front Panel

LED	Message
POWER	Indicates that power is being applied to the unit.
WDA	LED:  Indicates a signal from wheel detector segment A. Switch: For testing purposes, press down to simulate a segment A signal.
WDB	LED:  Indicates a signal from wheel detector segment B. Switch: For testing purposes, press down to simulate a segment B signal.
SYS	LED:  Indicates the status of the system. On solid = Running APU-102 application Flashing = Running Mini Remote Support (MRS) or ROMSHELL/NetMRS application Switch: Press and hold while turning on the APU-102 power to load the MRS/ ROMSHELL/NetMRS application.
READER 1, Search 0	Indicates Reader 1, antenna 0 is activated.
READER 1, Search 1	Indicates Reader 1, antenna 1 is activated.
READER 1, Lock	Indicates a tag is being read by an antenna on reader 1. An audible sonalert sound identifying tag lock is heard unless the sonalert has been disabled. See Mother Board for more information on the sonalert.
READER 2, Search 0	Indicates Reader 2, antenna 0 is activated.
READER 2, Search 0	Indicates Reader 2, antenna 1 is activated.
READER 2, Lock	Indicates a tag is being read by an antenna on reader 2. An audible sonalert sound identifying tag lock is heard unless the sonalert has been disabled. See Mother Board for more information on the sonalert.

Table 3-1: Front Panel LED and Switch Definitions

APU-102 External Connections

The following explains the connections on the outside of the APU-102. Refer to Figure 3-2 for the location of these connections.

16-Pin Connections

Connections for the DC power, wheel detectors and AC monitoring are provided through the 16-pin MAIN BLK. Selected input/output channels are made available on the 16-pin AUX BLK 1 and AUX BLK 2.

DB-25 Connections

The DB-25, type connectors (female) are used with the following five serial communication ports available externally on the APU-102. All are DTE ports (Date Terminal Equipment)

Note: Not all ports are installed on all systems.

LOCAL

This is the local communications port for use with a terminal or PC running a communications package. Default parameters are 2400 baud, 8 data bits, no parity and 1 stop bit.

AUX DATA-1/AUX DATA-2

Used for external communications, typically interface to co-located defect detection equipment. Transmits and receives data.

AUX1 RDR-1/AUX1 RDR-2

Secondary raw output from the AI1200, reader card.

Note: The AUX1 RDR-2 connection may not be installed for single reader systems.

RF1/RF2

This is the RF connection. The APU-102 connections to the RF module are wired to AMP CPC style connectors. The connectors are keyed to prevent an incorrect connection. The DC power, communications and antenna control for the RF unit are provided through this connector.

Note: The RF2 connection may not be installed for single reader systems.

LINE 1/LINE 2

This is the telephone connection. If a modem is present within the APU-102 package, two RJ-11 modular phone jacks are provided for connection to the telephone. They require standard modular telephone cord. LINE 1 is the primary connection and LINE 2 is the secondary connection. The APU-102 can switch to LINE 2 to attempt its connection if dial tone is not connected to LINE 1.

Note: It is not common to have a secondary line connected to Line 2.

NIC

This is the network connection and requires network hardware installed in the APU-102. It is an RJ-45 jack and uses a standard CAT5 patch cable to connect to your network.

To avoid damaging the Ethernet (NIC) interface, avoid connecting a telephone line to the NIC connector.

Figure 3.2: APU-102 External Connections

APU-102 Internal Components

The following components are housed inside the APU-102:

• Card Cage
• Reader logic board
• Motherboard
• Power supply board
• Front panel board

For internal wiring of these components specific to your configuration, refer to Figures 3-3 through 3-7: APU-102 Interconnect Drawing at the end of this chapter.

Card Cage

The card cage houses the computer and the additional cards that provide interfaces to the RFID subsystem, wheel detectors, and other devices. that you would normally find inside a PC[RCT1] . It is located in the center of the APU-102 enclosure. All cards are supplied to meet AAR temperature specifications.

The following cards are installed in the card cage:

LX-800 Card (L Series APU-102)

The LX-800 is a small, high-performance, embeddable computer system on a single STD-Bus board. It integrates a number of popular I/O options including two serial ports, digital I/O, hard disk, PS2 mouse, USB, compact flash, display, network, and parallel printer interfaces. The LX-800 is based upon a 500 MHz AMD Geode processor, supporting up to 1 GB of system memory, 128 KB of cache.

PC/104 and PC/104 Plus expansion busses are provided for further expansion to a wide collection of add-on peripherals. The LX-800 ports include:

• COM 1 for internal modem port
• COM 2 for local port
• Network port (requires adapter cable)
• Integral CF adapter
• Connector for connect external CMOS battery
• Watchdog Timer. The Watchdog is designed to monitor APU-102 operation. If the program stops the output pulse to the Watchdog, the Watchdog restarts the computer to clear any system problems.
• Keyboard port (Used for Comet Electronics test only)

LPM-TX Pentium Card (P Series APU-102)

The LPM-TX is a small, high-performance, embeddable computer system on a single STD-Bus board. It integrates a number of popular I/O options including Solid-State Disk, two serial ports, floppy drive, hard disk, PS2 mouse, USB, and parallel printer interfaces. The LPM-TX is populated with an Intel Pentium 166MMX, 64MB of onboard DRAM, 512KB of pipeline burst, level two cache. A full 16-bit PC/104 expansion bus is provided for further expansion to an entire industry of add-on peripherals. The LPM-TX ports include:

• COM 1 for internal modem port
• COM 2 for local port
• Keyboard port (Used for Comet Electronics test only)

The DiskOnChipÒ Flash module (DOC)

The DiskOnChip is a silicon disk utilizing flash technology and is contained in 32-pin DIP device. It is used in non-network Pentium class APU-102’s.

• Reads and writes memory configured as hard disk.
• Contains Embedded Operating System (version 5.0+)
• Contains all RAILNET files and executable code.
• Flash memory does not require battery back-up.

Compact Flash module (CF)

The Compact Flash is functionally the same as the DOC, but is available in higher capacities. It is used in network versions of the P Series APU-102 and L Series APU-102.  Currently using 512 MB for P Series APU-102 and 1 GB for L Series APU-102.

The PCM Compact Flash Adapter Card

The Compact Flash Adapter card is a PC104 bus card added to the LPM-TX Pentium to adapt the Compact Flash to a standard IDE hard drive interface.

• CF carrier slot
• Cabled to Pentium Card’s IDE port.

The PPM 10/100 Network Adapter Card

The Network Adapter Card is a 10/100 Mbps, PC104 bus card added to the LPM-TX Pentium to enable network connectivity to an APU102. 

NOTE: Requires COM4N strapped for shared interrupts.

486SLC Card (E series APU102)

The 486SLC card is a single card 486 “AT” class computer. The card contains a 486sx 25 MHz chip and either 1 or 2 Mb of RAM. The 486SLC card also includes two serial ports, interrupt controller, DMA, real time clock, calendar, keyboard controller, speaker and 8/16-bit STD Bus interface. The 486SLC ports include:

• COM 1 for internal modem port
• COM 2 for local port
• Keyboard port (Used for Comet Electronics test only)

TDA-104 (Track Directional Analyzer) Card

The TDA-104 is a track detector interface board designed for use with two single segment transducers or one dual segment transducer. In addition, it provides:

• Software configurable sensor interface
• Support of SERVO dual-segment, SERVO zero-speed, Accutect sensors, and Tiefenbach transducers with TDA-105
• 32-bit internal counter for time stamp of axle and tag reads
• All opto-isolated inputs and outputs for APU-102
• Support of and control of front panel LEDs and switches
• 24VAC monitoring
• Fused +12, +5 voltages to AUX BLK 1 connector to power external devices.

DT4070-56 FAX/Modem Card

The DT4070-56 FAX/Modem is a 56KBPS modem card. It supports multiple modem protocols including MNP and the standard "AT" command set. The Hayes “AT” command set is used by most popular communications software.

COM4A Card

The Quad RS232 communications card (COM4A card) is a quad-port serial card. All ports are configured for RS232 operation in a non-network APU-102. It provides:

• 4 Additional serial ports with full hardware handshake support
• Ports 4 and 5 for Transcore (Amtech) reader cards
• Ports 3 and 6 for AUX DATA input and output
• Discrete interrupts (IRQ’s) for non-networked configuration.
• Watchdog tied to STD bus reset line. The Watchdog, a component of the COM4A card, is designed to monitor APU-102 operation. If the program stops the output pulse to the Watchdog, the Watchdog restarts the computer to clear any system problems. The Watchdog is triggered within three minutes or if a system reset is issued. It can be disabled for troubleshooting by removing the jumper.

COM4N Card

The (COM4N card) is identical to the COM4A apart from being strapped for shared interrupts. It will be indicated by red lettered “COM4N” ejector tab. Shared interrupts are required for use in an APU-102 equipped with a network interface.

LX-COM Card

The LX-COM is a quad-port serial daughter-card designed to replace the COM4N in a LX-800 powered APU-102. It provides:

• 4 Additional serial ports with full hardware handshake support
• Ports 4 and 5 for Transcore (Amtech) reader cards
• Ports 3 and 6 for AUX DATA input and output
• Standard RJ45 for network connectivity
• Mounting position and connector for the external CMOS battery

PCM-SSD Card (P series APU102)

The PCM-SSD is an I/O mapped solid state disk card for the PC/104 bus (installed as a daughter card on the LPM-TX’s PC/104 bus). It can be configured with up to 2meg of SRAM, ERPOM or PEROM. The PCM-SSD is primarily designed to allow the replacement of rotational media in applications where temperature, shock, vibration or other environmental factors would prohibit the use of conventional disk drives. The PCM-SSD contains the APU102 Startup ROM for DOS and the ROMSHELL failsafe/recovery application[RCT2] .

USSD[RCT3]  Card (E series APU102)

The USSD card, a solid-state disk, contains the APU-102 Startup ROM. It can be configured with up to 3.5m of read/write storage space. RAM/ROM solid-state disks are designed for applications where the environment is too harsh for mechanical hard disk or floppy disk drives. The USSD card:

• Reads and writes memory configured as hard disk.
• Provides 512K ROM for DOS and Mini Remote Support (MRS) or ROMSHELL.
• Contains all RAILNET files and executable code.
• Is battery backed for five years without power to unit or card, which prevents loss of software or data when power is removed from the APU-102.
• Consumes low amounts of power.

Reader Logic Board

The AI1200 reader logic board is actually a self-contained computer module that communicates with the APU-102 via an RS232 connection. It contains hardware to collect and store tag data as received from the RF unit, as well as transmit tag data to the APU-102.

The APU application software controls the reader logic board with software commands and hardware signals to gate RF power, initialize the reader, and validate timestamps. The board(s) are located to the right of the card cage and are cable-connected to the motherboard. The AUX1 RDR port(s) provide a secondary output of the reader card(s). Data on this port is raw (non-decoded) tag data.

The reader typically has two antennas numbered 0 and 1, with antenna 0 being on the same side of the track as the equipment house.

Motherboard

The motherboard is the APU-102’s interconnecting point that connects all the pieces of the APU-102 to each other. It also connects the external ports of the unit to the appropriate boards inside the enclosure. All the external connections, except for the input voltage, the local and remote ports, NIC port, and the AUX DATA ports, run through the motherboard. This allows multiple access to all information and signals for current use and future expansion. The motherboard also features dual telephone line switching.

Sonalert Device

A sonalert device for audible tag lock indication is incorporated into the APU-102 motherboard. The sonalert puts out a tone to repeat the status of the LOCK indicator on the reader logic board. A switch located directly beneath the sonalert determines whether the device will sound for Reader 1, Reader 2, or not at all.

Sonalert Switch Position	Result
Left	Activates sonalert sounds for Reader 1.
Right	Activates sonalert sounds for Reader 2.
Middle	Disables sonalert.

Power Supply Board

The power supply board is a distribution board for the outputs of the power supplies. The input to the power supplies is either 12 VDC or 24 VDC. The main power supply converts the input voltage into 5 VDC, +12 VDC and –12 VDC, which is used to run the PC and the front panel board.

The reader power supply has a single adjustable output (12.75VDC nominal) to the reader logic board and the RF unit. There are test points mounted to the power supply board so that the power supply voltages can be verified. Also mounted to the power supply board are LEDs that allow the user to easily see if voltage is being supplied by the power supply board. The outputs of each power supply are fused to help prevent damage in case of overload with on-board storage of spare fuses.

Front Panel Board

The front panel board is a display and diagnostic board. Although only the back of the board can be seen from the inside of the APU-102, the LEDs on the front side are used to determine the status of the APU-102.

For a description of how the front panel is used, refer to APU-102 External Components. For additional information on the APU-102 components, see Appendix F - Specifications. For installation and optimization procedures, refer to the AEI System Site Installation Guide.

Wheel Detector

Function

Wheel detectors are at the center of the AEI System’s axle acquisition subsystem. The wheel detectors allow the system to determine:

• Initial train movement
• Direction of the movement
• Speed of the train
• Axle patterns for train processing

For detailed information on the wheel detector, refer to Appendix F: Specifications. For installation and optimization procedures, refer to the AEI System Site Installation Guide.

Maintenance Considerations

Inspect wheel detectors on a regular basis for secure mounting hardware and damage from dragging equipment. Clean off debris or grease that may trap metal particles. Inspect cabling for nicks or cuts where moisture could enter conductor and cause corrosion and imminent failure. Verify there is sufficient slack on the wheel detector cable, so it is not strained by movement of the rail.

TDA-105 Wheel Detector Interface Card

Function

The TDA-105 is a wheel detector signal amplifier designed to interface Tiefenbach Zero Speed wheel detectors to railroad AEI systems. The TDA-105 processes the Tiefenbach signal output and creates a signal that is directly compatible with the APU-102 AEI system controller. The TDA-105’s output signal emulates the signal signature of a “non-zero” type wheel detector. In addition, the unit is equipped with switch settings for paralleling, mixing, and interfacing to other types of wheel detectors.

The interface contains two input channels that can accept one dual detector or two single detectors. Signals can be sent directly to a nearby APU-102 or to a remote APU-102 up to 2,000 feet away. Four LEDs (two per channel) denote the status of the input wheel detector interface. During a train passage, the LEDs indicate the status of the wheel movement as the wheels pass over the wheel detector.

For detailed information on the TDA-105, refer to Appendix F: Specifications. For installation and optimization procedures, refer to the AEI System Site Installation Guide.

Maintenance Considerations

1)  Follow the switch positions listed on the back of the front cover for the Tiefenbach transducer.

2)  Balance the inputs for the A segment until the LEDs are extinguished.

3)  Push and hold SW5 and continue to balance the inputs until both LEDs are extinguished.

4)  Perform the same adjustment for the B side.

5)  Connect outputs of J2 to APU main block inputs.

6)  Place a piece of metal on the SII (A segment) side of the transducer. The A+ LED should illuminate on the TDA-105, and the WDA LED on the APU should illuminate. Lift the metal up and down (about 12’’). The LEDs on both the APU and the TDA-105 should track and go off and on.

7)  Place the metal object on the SI (B segment) side of the transducer and perform the same tests.

The site is now ready for evaluation of axle information using actual trains.

Presence Detector

Function

Using wheel detectors alone, the APU-102 cannot detect a stopped train. This is because wheel detectors can only detect the presence of a train if the train is moving or a wheel is stopped directly on top of it. External presence detectors provide external train presence when the train has stopped. If the train is not moving, the APU-102 relies on this external presence source to tell it there is still a train on-site. If a presence detector is not installed or operational, the recording of a train stops when the train stops, therefore causing chopped up trains.

There are many types of presence detectors that are currently used.

• Loop detectors
• Audio Frequency Overlay (AFO) or Active Track Circuit
• Sonar
• Radar
• Externally provided presence from another track-side device (e.g., hot box detector)

Loop Detector

The typical APU-102 system uses a loop detector to identify train presence at the site, similar to loops used at traffic intersections. A digital loop detector and a loop circuit installed on the track maintain a presence signal at AEI sites where stopping may occur. This signal is used to keep the system from timing out and resetting to receive a new train when the current train is stopped at the site.

The loop circuits are made up of a loop of wire around the area that presence is to be detected. The loop should extend at least 20 feet from the wheel detectors in each direction. A signal is induced in the wire loop that is then monitored for change. When a large metal object gets in the proximity of the loop, the frequency of the signal changes. The loop circuit detects this change and produces a presence signal.

For detailed information on the presence loop, refer to Appendix F: Specifications. For installation and optimization procedures, refer to the AEI System Site Installation Guide.

Audio Frequency Overlay (AFO) or Active Track Circuits

These are typically used at grade crossings to drive the crossing gates down at the proper time. In general, an AFO track circuit contains a transmitter in the 100Hz-20KHz range, a receiver tuned to the specific frequency of the transmitter, a relay or electronic relay drive, and some “decision making” logic. There are 2 basic types of AFO’s.

A 4-wire system will have its transmitter connected to both rails at one boundary of its detection zone and the receiver connected to both rails at the other. When a train enters the detection zone, its axles connect the 2 rails and shunt the signal. The receiver senses the loss of signal, determines presence, and “drops” the relay. These are typically used in vital applications such as crossings, wayside signal approaches, CTC, etc, but can serve as presence for the APU-102.

A 2-wire system attaches the transmitter to one rail and the receiver to the other rail near the center of the desired detection zone. The axle of the train completes the circuit from the transmitter to receiver. Depending on the signal level (or threshold), the AFO determines presence, and “picks” the relay. The detection zone is usually set by shunting the rail at the desired distance and tuning the AFO device to that signal threshold. The detection zone must be at least 100’ to span the distance between axles on all rail equipment. These are typically used in non-vital applications.

For detailed information on the AFO track circuit, refer to the manufacturer’s Users Guide.

Sonar

Sonar sensors are ultrasonic transducers that transmit high frequency sound waves and receive the reflected sound waves from objects directly in front of the sensor. They determine distance as well as presence based on timing and reflected signal strength and can be adjusted to detect objects in a pre-determined range only.

Radar

Similar in operation to Sonar, but transceiver operates at higher frequency.

Other Detectors or Externally Provided.

Externally provided presence from another track-side device (e.g., hot box detector)

The presence input to the APU-102 is an opto-isolated and can be triggered by pulling the input to signal ground. This is usually done by a “dry contact” relay with the common connected to the APU-102’s signal ground. Most detection devices have an internal relay or electronic relay drive that can “pick” an external relay to provide that dry contact closure to the APU-102.

Maintenance Considerations

Inspect the loop or AFO cable and connections for damage on a regular basis, especially if track work has been done recently. Nicks in the cable can cause a short to ground and make the presence detector unstable, causing improper operation.

AR2200 RF Unit

Function

The AR2200 RF unit is a dual-output radio transmitter/receiver which, on command from a Transcore (Amtech) reader logic board, generates an RF signal in the 915 MHz radio frequency band (902-928 MHz) and delivers the signal to the antenna for broadcast. The Transcore (Amtech) AR2200 RF unit provides RF power to the antennas in the system to read mounted tags and transfers the tag information from the tag through the antenna to the reader logic board for processing and storage.

Multiplex and Dedicated Modes

The system uses one of the following operating modes when controlling antennas:

Multiplex Mode:

Employed when the system uses one RF unit to control two antennas. The RF unit switches the RF between both channels (antennas) while a train is passing, reading tags from both sides. Multiplex mode is commonly used for unrestricted sites or low-speed, restricted sites.

Dedicated RF Mode:

Employed when the system uses, or dedicates, one RF unit for each antenna. The RF stays on the entire time a train is passing on each antenna. The Dedicated RF mode is commonly used for high-speed, restricted sites and very high-speed, unrestricted sites.

For detailed information on the RF unit, refer to Appendix F: Specifications. For installation and optimization procedures, refer to the AEI System Site Installation Guide.

Maintenance Considerations

Periodically inspect for physical damage and verify coax lightning arrestors are operational.

Antennas

Function

The antennas are used to energize and read passing RFID tags mounted on railcars, locomotives, EOT’s and various other equipment. The type, quantity, and location of antennas installed vary depending upon site requirements.

Antennas may be mounted low or high on the side of the track or on the ground between the tracks. There are two types of antennas: parapanel and log periodic. A site may use one pair of parapanel antennas or a combination of parapanel and log periodic.

When the RF unit is transmitting, the RF energy radiates outward from the antenna in an egg-shaped pattern. The width of that pattern at the target is called the read lobe or read window.

Parapanel antennas typically have an average lobe width of 16 feet. These antennas, mounted at the side of the track, are the standard configuration for single-track AEI sites.

Log Periodic (or Low-Profile) antennas’ lobe widths vary from 6-10 feet depending on type, mounting, angle, and distance to target. They may be mounted on the ground in between the tracks or high above the side of the tracks. Log Periodic antennas are used at double-track, restricted, and intermodal sites.

For installation and optimization procedures, refer to the AEI System Site Installation Guide.

RFID Tags

Function

The RFID tags mounted to the railcars contain information about the vehicle on which they are mounted. Included in the tag information is:

●   Equipment ID (car’s stenciled number)	●  Side indicator
● Equipment type	●  Platform code
●  Axle count	●  Bearing Type
● Length	●  Additional information

For detailed information on RFID tags, refer to Appendix F: Specifications. For installation and optimization procedures, refer to the AEI System Site Installation Guide.

Battery Charger and Batteries

Function

Provides reliable DC power to the AEI System in case of AC power failure.

For installation and optimization procedures, refer to the AEI System Site Installation Guide.

Maintenance Considerations

Battery Charger

• Verify the correct battery charger is installed for the system.
• Verify the charger is properly configure for the type of batteries used.
• Verify the correct wires are attached to the correct battery terminals and DC distribution equipment.
• Verify the battery charger is operational.
• Inspect fuses in the DC distribution equipment for continuity and correct amperage.
• Check for a chassis ground lug on battery charger. If present, make sure charger is connected to protection panel.

Battery

• Inspect the batteries on a regular basis for swelling or abnormal charging operation.
• Verify the correct battery (or batteries) are installed for the system.
• Verify the wiring to DC distribution panel is correct.

AC Power-Fail Transformer

Function

The AC power fail transformer works in conjunction with the AC power monitoring circuit as an AC power fail alarm. The APU-102 hardware and software detect that the AC power is gone and can report this problem via the Maintenance Reporting Session.

For installation and optimization procedures, see the AEI System Site Installation Guide.

Lightning Protection Panel

Function

The lightning protection panel ensures equipment protection from lightning. This panel protects all incoming “dirty” wires, including RF coax.

For installation and optimization procedures, refer to the AEI System Site Installation Guide.

Maintenance Considerations

Inspect and test lightning arrestors on a regular basis, especially in areas where lightning is prevalent.

LVD-2000, DC power monitor

Function

The LVD-2000 is a DC power distribution system for battery powered AEI sites that includes advanced battery monitoring, low DC warning notification, and battery drain protection.

Maintenance Considerations

The LVD-2000 was designed to be maintenance free. Periodic testing can be performed on the auxiliary load control and alarm warning notification. Refer to the LVD-2000 user guide for details.