Overview
The strand is a radio-only, fully autonomous sensor connectivity instrument. The Strand is designed to automatically detect and connect to your existing wireless mesh network, then transfer data back to the gateway and onto the sensemetrics cloud/enterprise server.
This article will cover the following topics:
Strand Overview
Strand as a Connection
The Strand will be added as a connection within the sensemetrics hierarchy of Connections, Devices, and Sensors.
Diagnostic Sensors
Each Strand will have three default sensors associated with it for Strand diagnostics: Voltage, Signal Strength, and Temperature. These can be selected in the sensor window and plotted in the data tab.
Supports up to 4 Vibrating Wire Sensors
A Strand has four 4-channel wired sensor ports on it, allowing up to four VW sensors to be configured to the Strand device. Sensors are where the vibrating wire sensor data will be stored.
Strand Installation
1. Network Preparation
Make sure you have properly set up your Thread network with a well-established Gateway Thread in Always On power schedule, with good signal, and with a proper line of sight to the Strand installation location. If not, learn how in Setting up the Network. We recommend that no more than 10 Strands be connected to each Gateway Thread. If the Thread is older, please reach out to Bentley IoT support to let them determine if the Thread needs to be updated prior to Strand installation.
2. Strand Preparation
Open the Strand with the provided Torx T-20H screwdriver, install the provided antenna by screwing it in on the top center of the Strand, and insert the provided SAFT D Lithium batteries into the battery terminals. Please ensure proper polarity direction when installing batteries. The positive battery terminals should be pointing inward toward each other.
3. Strand Connection
After the batteries have been installed, please observe the behavior of the LED light on the middle of the board inside of the Strand. The LED will turn solid red while attempting to connect to the nearest Gateway Thread. If the red light has turned off for more than 15 seconds, the Strand has successfully connected. For more information regarding Strand LEDs, see the Strand LED Status Indication article.
Adding a Strand
This section of the article will guide the user in adding a Strand to a sensemetrics project.
Login to the sensemetrics cloud server, app.sensemetrics.com, or your privately hosted Enterprise solution at the IP Address assigned to the appliance.
1. Click the Connectivity tab at the top of the page.
2. Press the +Connection button in the Connections Column.
3. In the Configure New Connection window below select Strand.
4. Input the 7 digit Connect Code of the Strand located on the back label or scan the QR code if you are adding the device on the mobile app, and click Next.
Congratulations, you have successfully added a Strand! Sensemetrics recommends changing the default sampling and reporting intervals on the Strand to 15 minutes to confirm connectivity. Information on editing these settings can be found in Strand Settings. After the connection is confirmed, please change these settings back to the desired sampling and reporting rates for battery preservation.
You are now ready to Add a Sensor.
Strand Details, Configuration, and Settings
The Strand has information available within the connectivity and details page selection of the web application, as well as settings that the user is able to customize within the Device Configuration. To navigate to this information click on the Strand name within the Connectivity tab or Device tab respectively. The article sections below will provide an overview of what information is available in each selected window.
Strand Connection Details and Configuration
Click on the Strand in the left side "Connections" column of the Connectivity module.
Connection Details
The details page allows the user to view the Strand's connection details, connection status, serial number and Thread Gateway information by click on the information tab, read associated documents, device location (if configured in the configuration page), and last reported sensor readings.
Please note that the Gateway will only show up on the Strand information tab if the Gateway is on the same project as the Strand.
Strand Connection Configuration
From the Connection Details page, click on the "Edit Configuration" tab on the left side of the screen. From this page, the user can change the Strand Connection Name, input the Strand Connection location, and add notes about the Strand. Click apply after making any changes to ensure those inputs are saved.
Strand Device Details and Settings
Click on the Strand in the right side "Devices & Sensors" column of the Connectivity module.
Device Details
The details page allows the user to view the Strand's device details including the Device ID and name, read associated documents, device location (if configured in the configuration page), and last reported sensor readings.
Device Configuration and Settings
From the Device Details page, click on the "Edit Configuration" tab on the left side of the screen. From this page, the user can open the configure Strand channels, adjust intervals, change the Strand Device Name, input the Strand Device location, and add notes about the Strand.
VW Channel Configuration- Information can be found in the Installing, Adding, and Configuring Strand Sensors article.
Sampling Interval- The sampling interval dropdown controls the how often the Strand will take readings from the configured VW channels. A Strand must currently be connected to the app in order for the Strand to take the saved changes to the sampling interval. The change will be applied at its next successful reporting interval connection.
Reporting Interval- The reporting interval dropdown controls how often the Strand will wake up in order to . A Strand must currently be connected to the app in order for the Strand to take the saved changes to the reporting interval. The change will be applied at its next successful reporting interval connection.
Please Note: The Strand reporting interval must be set to match the Power Schedule of the Thread it is connecting to as a gateway. EXAMPLE- Thread power schedule must be set to wake up at least every 30 minutes if the Strand Reporting Interval is set to 30 minutes.
Click apply after making any changes to ensure those inputs are saved.
A Strand can also be archived within the Strand "Edit Configuration" page by clicking the three vertical dots in the upper right corner of the page. This will allow the user to create archive sensors for all of the configured VW sensors and diagnostic sensors, save the information from these sensors, and clear the channels for new VW configuration.
Please note that a device archive can only be performed by a "Creator" level account on your project.
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