Overview
Upgrade properties with Inovonics equipment to NextCentury.
At NextCentury, we understand the importance of having reliable and advanced submetering equipment at your property. That's why we are proud to offer a seamless upgrade path to our NextCentury platform for properties with existing Inovonics equipment.
If your property currently has Inovonics submetering equipment, you can upgrade to the NextCentury Platform to take advantage of its advanced features. As your old equipment fails or no longer meets your needs, it will be gradually replaced with modern products from NextCentury.
Upgrade Steps
The NextCentury Gateway connects to your existing Inovonics receiver(s) using a 3rd Party Cable and collects the wireless meter reads from your existing Inovonics equipment.
- Connect a Gateway to your existing Inovonics receiver using the 3rd Party Cable
- Complete your property programming on the NextCentury website using the upgrade upload tool.
- NextCentury Repeaters and Transceivers must be installed to continue the upgrade path as your existing Inovonics repeaters and transmitters fail
Equipment Requirements
- A working Inovonics FA and/or EchoStream receiver
- A NextCentury Gateway
- NextCentury 3rd-Party Cable
- A backup file for property programming
Please note that Inovonics repeaters will still be used for your Inovonics transmitters. When you install NextCentury Transceivers, they will be relayed through NextCentury Repeaters. To ensure smooth operation, we recommend installing NextCentury Repeaters throughout your property before installing NextCentury Transceivers. This way, when old transmitters fail, they can be easily replaced with NextCentury Transceivers.
NextCentury Transceivers must be installed as your existing Inovonics repeaters and transmitters fail. For more information see, Properties Using 3rd Party Equipment FAQ
Programming Requirements
Programming involves associating transmitter serial numbers to specific meters and units, as well as setting up the building layout and repeater serial numbers and locations.
Programming a 3rd party property in the NextCentury system can be completed using an .sdf or .bak file from your old data collector.
Inovonics Equipment Compatibility Details
Compatible Frequency Agile (FA series) transmitters and integrated meters
- FA5201
- FA5202
- FA5230 (AMCO InsideR water meter)
- FA5200M
- FA5200H
Compatible EchoStream transmitters
- EN1501
- EN1501EXT (Meter integrated)
- EN1550 (MetraMeter integrated water meter)
Installation
Video instructions
FAQ
This article covers FAQs for properties using 3rd Party transmitters, repeaters, and receivers.
The NextCentury Gateway can be connected to an Inovonics FA and/or Echostream receiver, thereby replacing the DCC or RDL data collector. Data will then be available in the NextCentury Cloud, and equipment can be monitored and maintained using the Web Portal and NCSS Mobile App.
The Gateway's connection to the receiver is the point of integration into the existing equipment's RF network. Inovonics transmitters must continue to use Inovonics repeaters to relay their usage data.
Upgrade Path: The ability to use a NextCentury Gateway as a replacement for an existing Inovonics data collector provides an upgrade path, facilitating a gradual replacement of all 3rd Party transmitters and repeaters. As 3rd Party equipment fails, it is replaced with NextCentury Transceivers and Repeaters. It is recommended that NextCentury Repeaters are installed on the property during the initial upgrade process.
Yes, but the same 50 meter/transmitter maximum applies.
Some platform features depend on the more advanced hardware of native NextCentury devices and are not available with 3rd Party equipment.
- Leak Alerts are not available if the meter is using a 3rd Party transmitter. (However, High Consumption alerts do work and may be configured to catch large leaks.)
- 3rd Party transmitters do not report temperature.
- Battery voltage percentages are not reported by 3rd Party transmitters. (However, a low-battery flag is recorded and can trigger alerts or display in reports.)
- Network maps are not available for FA-series equipment
No. The NextCentury upgrade is designed to improve your 3rd Party meter reading system with a much better, long-term solution. As your 3rd Party equipment stops working, it must be replaced with NextCentury equipment.
If the 3rd Party transmitter simply has a dead battery but otherwise works, that device can continue to be used. However, you may choose to replace it with a NextCentury device anyway.