Overview
Remote display for one or two utility meters.
Replaced by a newer product
The RR301 Remote Reader has been replaced by the RR4 Remote Reader.
The NextCentury RR301 Remote Reader is an advanced meter reading solution which provides a high-visibility remote display of one or two utility meters. The Remote Reader is an NTEP certified remote display for water, electric, and gas applications.
The Remote Reader has an attractive consumer design, making it an ideal solution for apartment and remote metering. The utility and unit of measure are clearly displayed, ensuring an accurate interpretation of the read.
The Remote Reader utilizes Dual Meter+™ technology, making this single model compatible with virtually all modern encoded and pulse-output utility meters, including water, electric, gas, run-time, and thermal meter models.
Specifications
Connectivity
| Configuration Requirements | A DC301 Direct Connect device (sold separately) is required for configuration Pre-programming available |
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Physical and power
| Operation Environment | -20°C to 60°C (-4°F to 140°F ) Indoor or outdoor installation Outdoor Ratings: IP-66 |
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| Battery | Preinstalled, field-replaceable ER18505 Up to 10-year battery life |
| Dimensions | Display unit and mounting plate: 5.7” x 4.6” x 1.7” (145mm x 117mm x 44mm) Mounting holes center-to-center: 3.5” (88.4 mm) Compatible with a standard single gang wall-box |
Certifications
| Certifications | FCC: 20949-RR301 | IC: 20949-RR301 NTEP: 20-012 IP-Rating: IP-66 |
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More details
| Dual Meter+™ | Any combination of two encoded or pulse-output meters Pulse input/pulse output capability |
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Installation
A - RR301(-TR) Remote Reader
B - Mounting Plate
C - Sheetrock Anchors
D - Wall Mount Screws
E - Box Mount Screws
F - Wire Security Assembly
G- Security Seal Tabs
Install the Remote Reader
Wire meter(s) to the mounting plate terminals
Pull down the security tab to remove the Remote Reader from the mounting plate.
Feed wires through the mounting plate and connect them to the terminals for meter 1 and meter 2.
Use the provided wiring guide and wire according to the meter type you are installing.
Install the mounting plate to the wall
With the provided hardware, secure the mounting plate to the wall
Attach the Remote Reader to the mounting plate
Align the Remote Reader with the mounting plate and press down. Then lock the security tab in place.
Program the Remote Reader with the DC301
Use the DC301 programmer to configure each Remote Reader's meter types.
For more detailed information on programming with the DC301, see the Direct Connect Configuration Guide .
Configuration
Configuring a Remote Reader
This article outlines the process for configuring an RR301 Remote Reader using a DC301 Direct Connect Programmer. This allows the Remote Reader to be configured for the one or two meters that it will be reading.
To complete this process, you must have a DC301 programmer and the NCSS Mobile App on your mobile device. Typically, a Remote Reader is configured after installation.
For instructions on configuring the new Remote Reader see, Direct Connect Configure RR4 Remote Reader.
Open the Direct Connect app page and connect to your DC301
Turn on your DC301 and select it from the Direct Connect page.
The light ring on your DC301 will turn blue when it is connected and ready.
- Open the NextCentury NCSS Mobile App
- Sign in (Don't know if you have an account?)
- Select the Menu icon at the top left corner of your screen
- Select the "Direct Connect" menu item
- Turn on the DC301 by pressing and holding on the button for 3 seconds
- Within 10 seconds, the DC301 will appear on the mobile app. Tap on the DC301 tile to pair (image below).
Swipe a magnet next to the RR301
The RR301 Remote Reader will blink red indicating a wireless message is being sent.
Select the RR301 from the list
The DC301 acts as a wireless bridge between the RR301 Remote Reader and your mobile device. The Remote Reader will appear on the Direct Connect page and can be selected.
Adjust the RR301 configuration as needed and save
The RR301 Remote Reader's current configuration will open. Make any necessary adjustments and then select "Save".
While configuring the Remote Reader, you can select whether you want the LCD to always display the meter read, or to be "Tap to Display".
"Tap to Display" is required for NTEP compliance when used with encoded water meters. After tapping, the meter will be polled and the very latest read will then display. If instead, the LCD was always on, then the meter is polled every 15 minutes.
Battery life is not affected by "Tap to Display" vs. "LCD Always On".
This only applies to the RR301-TR, and not the RR301 model. While configuring the Remote Reader, you can select "Rapid Check-In" This will prompt the Remote Reader to check in every 15 minutes for the next 4 hours. This can be useful during property installations in order to get quicker feedback, showing whether there is adequate Repeater and Gateway signal strength.
The pulse count can be reset by bridging the meter 1 or meter 2 pins as described on the RR301 FAQ. Alternatively, the pulse count can be reset using the Direct Connect tool. This option can be found by tapping on the Meter 1 or Meter 2 read. The meter status will display, and a "Reset Pulse Count" option can be toggled.
After you replace the battery in an RR301, you need to use Direct Connect to reset the battery level. In the device details page, scroll to the bottom. Select the "Battery Replaced" button, then tap "Save" to reset the battery level.
Verify your changes on the RR301
You will be prompted to swipe the magnet next to the RR301 Remote Reader. The RR301 Remote Reader will blink green, indicating that it has applied the configuration
FAQ
A visual guide for how to replace a battery is found in this video. Once you've replaced the battery, you'll need to reset the battery level. See our BAT301 Quick Start Guide for more information.
Once the battery has been replaced, the battery level indicator on the Remote Reader needs to be reset. This is done by Direct Connecting to the Remote Reader, scrolling to the bottom, and tapping “Battery Replaced”. See our BAT301 Quick Start Guide for more information.
Situations that Require a Remote Reader Reset
- Accidental pulses were recorded during installation or maintenance
- Remote Reader battery was replaced
- Meter's reed switch was replaced
- The meter was replaced
- Any other situation where the meter's visual read does not match the read appearing in the NextCentury system
Resetting the Remote Reader will revert its pulse count back to 0. A new IMR is entered, which compensates for the drop in the pulse count.
Note
When a meter is replaced, additional internal procedures must be followed to correctly transition the tenant's usage for the next billing period.
How to Reset a Remote Reader
The Remote Reader does not have a reset button. The pulse count can be reset using the Direct Connect, or manually by bridging the meter 1 or meter 2 pins
- Remove the Remote Reader from its mounting plate
- With a metal object, bridge the corresponding pins on the back of the Remote Reader
- For meter 1, bridge the first 2 pins from the right
- For meter 2, bridge the first 2 pins from the left
- Continue to bridge the pins for 10 seconds
- The LCD will adjust its reading
Once the LCD adjusts its reading, this indicates that the pulses have been reset. We recommend checking on the Web Portal or Mobile App to confirm that the reset was done correctly and the pulse count has dropped back to zero.
Note
A reset will not clear the IMR. A new IMR should always be recorded when a Remote Reader is reset. This can be done through the NextCentury WebPortal, Mobile App, or Direct Connect. The IMR is the meter's exact read at the time the Remote Reader was reset. The IMR should only include whole numbers, decimals are excluded.
The following points apply to the installation and function of a new Remote Reader
- Remote Readers ship in a sleep mode to meet shipping requirements. The Remote Reader will wake up once removed from its mounting plate for installation. It will never return to sleep mode after being woken up. Tamper alerts will be inactive for 30 minutes after being woken up.
- Once woken, the Remote Reader will need to be configured using the WebPortal, Mobile App, or Direct Connect.
- After configuring and installing the Remote Reader, it will begin to interpret meter reads.
- The Remote Reader does not need to connect to a Gateway to continue recording pulses. Once it does connect, all pulses received to that point will appear under a single time-stamped check-in.
- The Remote Reader does not time-stamp pulses it receives. It must be within range of a programmed Gateway in order for time-stamps to be added to usage.
Remote Reader Interaction with the Gateway
- By default, the Remote Reader will broadcast a message every 12 hours until it receives a response from the Gateway with a new check-in interval. The default check-in interval is 6 hours.
- After a Remote Reader receives an updated check-in interval it will always check-in at that interval, even if it does not receive a response from the Gateway for an extended period.
- When a Remote Reader checks-in, the Gateway may send a shorter interval as part of network balancing.
- The Remote Reader's LED indicator will blink green twice when it receives a message back from the Gateway. This is the only LED pattern that indicates affirmative communication.
Pulse Types
The Remote Reader can read the signals of both "passive" and "active" pulse-output meters. This includes many meter models for gas, electric, run time, thermal usage, and water utilities
Polarity
Meters that have no polarity in their wiring (do not require the two wires to be connected to a specific port on the Remote Reader) are typically circuit closure type devices. This includes meters that use reed switches or mechanical relays to create the pulse signal. This type of signal is referred to as a "passive pulse" since the meter's pulse mechanism does not generate any electric current. It simply completes a circuit between the two pulse output ports. With this type of output, the voltage to detect the contact closure comes from the Remote Reader.
Some meters emit an "active pulse" or actually give off a voltage when they pulse. These types of meters use voltage charge coils, solid-state relays, or digital I/O pin to give off the signal. In this case, one wire is connected to the - ground/common ("-") port of the meter and the other is connected to the + positive. Because an actual voltage is being emitted in this case, it is important that the common port/wire is connected to the "-" terminal on the NextCentury Remote Reader and the positive wire is connected to the "+" terminal. Some examples of meters that emit this type of "active pulse" are the Hershey 430 water meters and Leviton electric meters.
The Remote Reader can interpret signals from most encoded meters. Meters that use Neptune, Sensus, and Elster/AMCO protocols are supported.
Impedance Threshold During a Pulse
We recommend a closed impedance of fewer than 1k ohms (the closer to 0 ohms the better) and an open impedance of more than 3 MegaOhms.
Maximum Pulse Frequency and Pulse Width
The minimum pulse width required by the NextCentury Remote Reader is 9ms. Meaning that an open impedance of more than 3 MegaOhms must be present for 9ms and then an impedance of fewer than 1k Ohms must be present in order for a pulse to be counted as valid
In addition to pulse-width specifications, please note that the RR301-TR Remote Reader has a limit on the pulse frequency. A maximum of 8 pulses per second is recorded as valid. Pulses received at a higher frequency will be filtered out as potential false pulses.
Please contact Support if you need help determining whether a specific meter will meet with the specifications
Specification
Value
Closed impedance
<1k ohms
Open impedance
>3 MegaOhms
Minimum pulse width
>9 ms
Maximum pulse frequency
<8 per second
Remote Readers do have a rapid check-in mode which increases check-in interval temporarily. This allows technicians to more quickly verify network strength during installation. This mode can be activated via the Direct Connect programmer and will increase the check-in interval to 15-minutes for a 4-hour period. Afterward, the check-in interval will automatically revert to the property's set interval.
A Gateway Lite can support up to 50 Remote Readers. This is regardless of the number of meters programmed to each Remote Reader.
A distance of 100 feet has been tested, but longer distances may be possible under ideal wiring conditions.
Observed at Any Time
- Single blue blink each time a pulse is recorded from meter 1
- Single purple blink each time a pulse is recorded from meter 2
Observed After Activating Magnetic Sensor or Tamper
- Two green blinks indicate the Remote Reader received a confirmation message from a Gateway or Direct Connect.
- Eight rapid red blinks mean that the Remote Reader is attempting to check in to the Gateway or Direct Connect.
Early Remote Reader models may not have a security tab. Instead, these models are fitted with tamper wire mountings found at the top and bottom of each mounting plate.
Programming and installation remain the same. Other than the physical tamper mechanism, no other differences exist between these revisions.