Wireless Sensor Transmitter Enclosure (T24-ACMi)

The wireless sensor transmitter enclosure offers high performance wireless sensing measurement for strain gauge, current or voltage input sensors.

Click here to view & download associated free software.

Using Mantracourt’s proprietary 2.4 GHz wireless telemetry electronics, the wireless sensor transmitter module provides exceptional performance in the field with a battery life of up to 5 years, by ‘powering down’ between transmissions or ‘powering off’ completely.

The T24-ACMi is powered by a pair of alkaline ‘AA’ cells and is environmentally sealed to IP67.

The high accuracy, low noise measurement electronics deliver high resolution, low drift results which can be user calibrated over 9 points to enable linearization and to deliver results in user definable engineering units. The results can be transmitted at rates of up to 200 per second to other wireless sensing T24 devices such as handheld displays, analogue outputs and base stations etc.

The wireless sensor transmitter module is configured and calibrated (either by applying known inputs or by table entry) using free T24 Toolkit software which runs on a PC connected to a T24 base station.

The module offers a wireless range of up to 800 m (2,600 ft) in open field site.

Alternative IP rated enclosures are available to suit a range of applications and environments. View our Enclosure Comparison Sheet to find the right solution.

The license free 2.4GHz direct sequence spread spectrum (DSSS) radio technology offers high integrity, error free communications which can co-exist with other wireless technologies such as Wi-Fi, Bluetooth® and Zigbee®. FCC, ETSI and IC approvals.

See the battery life of your wireless sensing system using Battery Life Calculator.

The wireless sensor transmitter integration IP67 enclosure T24-ACMi is available in 2 other case options see T24-ACM and T24-ACMm.

For OEM’s, miniature PCB’s are available for each input. See T24-SA, T24-SAf, T24-VA, T24-IA, T24-TA, T24-PA, T24-RA

* Check operating temperature batteries intended for use.

**Maximum range achieved in open field site with the T24 transmitter module at a height of 3 metres (9.8 feet) above ground and T24-HS held at chest height pointing towards the T24 transmitter module. Specification at 3V supply at 25°C

 

 

 

 

Product order options

T24-ACMi	Code
Strain Transmitter	T24-ACMi-SA
Strain Transmitter 4.5 mV/V	T24-ACMi-SA-A
Fast Strain Transmitter	T24-ACMi-SAf
Current Transmitter	T24-ACMi-IA
Voltage Transmitter	T24-ACMi-VA
Temperature Transmitter	T24-ACMi-TA
Pulse Transmitter	T24-ACMi-PA
Potentiometer Transmitter	T24-ACMi-RA

These are the following industries and applications in which this product has been used:

• Alternative Energy - Wireless Telemetry Strain Measurement of Wind Turbines
• Civil Engineering - Wireless Monitoring of Surrounding Buildings during Underground Excavation
• Civil Engineering - Bridge Bolt Monitoring
• Agriculture - Vessel Level Control & Flow Sensing
• Aerospace - Large LED Display of Weight of Small Aircraft
• Live Performance - Wireless Load Monitoring for Stage & Rigging
• Automotive - Wireless Telemetry Enable Vehicle Testing
• Automotive - Adding performance monitoring capabilities to a Nissan Skyline
• Construction - Hydraulic pressure monitoring for critical construction projects
• Marine - Centre of gravity control for boats under construction

Q: What is the range of T24?

A: The T24-ACMm which has an integral antenna has a range of 400 metres direct line of sight. The T24-ACM / T24-ACMi uses a integrated PCB T24-ANTA antenna provides up to 800 metres range in ideal conditions. This range can be increased up to two times with the T24-AR (wireless range extender).

Q: What inputs are available to the T24 system?

A: The T24 system supports Strain, Current, Voltage, Temperature, Pulse and Potentiometer transmitters

Q: How reliable are the readings?

A: Due to the digital nature of the T24 system, when a reading is received by any device it is guaranteed not have been distorted over the RF transmission.

Q: What software is provided with the T24 devices?

A: All devices are supported by the T24 Tool Kit which allows users to configure all devices from the T24 range as well as view and log data from transmitters modules in range. The software can also be downloaded directly from our website.

Q: How many devices can operate on one radio channel?

A: Many devices can operate on the same radio channel depending on the sample rate of the transmitter modules present in the system. The radio channel is capable of supporting up to 200 data packets per second.

Q: Can PC software gather data from many devices?

A: Yes, Mantracourt provides freeware for logging up to 100 inputs to one base station, in addition the free Windows DLL and COM driver can be used to gather data through a customer's own PC software.

Q: What limits the RF range of the devices?

A: Any metal surface will reflect 2.4 GHz radio waves, therefore in a sealed metal box, no RF will escape. However by providing a suitable RF window the signals will propagate out. Water and concrete also limit the RF range.

Q: What Frequency does the system operate on?

A: Licence free world wide 2.4GHz, although this frequency is used by other equipment, the T24 range has been tested with Bluetooth, Zigbee & WiFi devices without conflicts.

Q: Is it possible to use wireless range extenders within T24 network?

A: The T24-AR wireless range extender which can be added to the system can propagate a signal around corners and obstacles. This unit can also double the effective range - but only once.

Q: Is the system point to point?

A: Yes, however the modules may also operate in many to one (such as multiple data transmitters modules communicating with a base station) and one to many (such as a data transmitter module supplying data to multiple handhelds and displays).

Q: What sensors would these inputs cover?

A: Any sensor that provides a voltage, current or ratio metric interface can be connected to an transmitter module, including load cells, inclinometers, accelerometers, displacement LVDT, pressure, potentiometer, pulse, temperature, humidity, ph, shock.

Q: What is the communication protocol?

A: Proprietary protocol based on a 802.15.4 chip. This allows the T24 range to co-exist with Bluetooth, Zigbee & WiFi devices without conflicts.

Q: What are the sampling rates of the transmitter modules?

A: The T24 standard transmitter modules (SA, IA, VA, RA, TA, PA) sample from 0-200 updates/sec. The T24-SA fast transmitter modules are fixed at 2,000 updates/sec.

Q: What is the resolution of the transmitter modules?

A: The noise free resolution for a sample time of 10 milli-seconds or less is 15.5 bits for the T24 SA, 12.5 bits for the T24-VA, 14 bits for the VA and 12.25 bits for the T24IA.

The T24-PA’s accuracy % input error @ 1 Hz is 0.15% and for the T24 RA the accuracy is 0.01% of the full scale.

With increased sample times resolution can be increased up to 18.75 bits for the T24-SA.

Q: What is the supply voltage for the transmitter modules?

A: 3V for the transmitter modules and handheld displays. Other modules in the range take 9-36 V.

Q: How are the modules powered?

A: The ACMm is the smallest module and has a separate battery pack (T24-BB1 using 2 x AAA). The T24-ACMi is the mid size module and provides power via 2 x AA internal batteries. The T24-ACM although larger can provide power from an external power supply (5-18V) as well as 2 x D cell internal batteries which provide a higher battery capacity allowing for longer battery life.

Find out the battery life of your system using our Battery Calculator.

Q: Can power be provided to a sensor?

A: Yes, all transmitter modules feature a 5V supply which is a excitation voltage (with exception of T24-RA which has 2.5V supply).

Q: How is the strain gauge transmitter module calibrated?

A: The modules are factory calibrated to 2.5 mV/V which can be custom calibrated and linearised over up to 9 points by using the T24 Toolkit. The T24-SAf has fixed factory calibration and cannot be linearised.

Q: What is the difference between the T24-SA and T24-SAf?

A: The standard transmitter modules are capable of providing data up to 200 sps. The ‘fast’ T24-SAf provides data at a fixed 2,000 sps.

Q: How many transmitter modules can be acquired by the base stations?

A: Each base station can use one of 15 channels. From that selected channel a base station can collect data simultaneously from any number transmitter modules depending upon the frequency of readings being provided by the transmitter module.

Q: What are the input ranges of the T24 transmitter modules?

A: T24-SA 2.5mV/V calibrated strain gauge based measurement; T24-VA 0-10V, T24-IA 4-20mA, T24-TA pt100 sensor input, T24-RA potentiometer 500 to 100000 Ohms and T24-PA 0.5Hz to 3kHz.

For more 'Frequently Asked Questions' please see our Knowledge Centre

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