Metasphere Point Colour RTUs Now Support SDI-12 Multidrop

Metasphere is pleased to announce that its Point Orange and Point Blue RTU, both of which forms part of the Point Colour range, now provides support for SDI-12 Multidrop for up to 10 sensors.

SDI-12 is a serial communications protocol used to connect intelligent sensors with dataloggers/ remote telemetry units (RTUs) for the purpose of monitoring environmental parameters such as all-weather parameters, including rainfall, water quality and soil moisture. It can also be used to provide interfaces for geotechnical sensors such as vibrating wires.

These sensors are typically low-power devices deployed at remote locations and communicate with a data logger or RTU. The SDI-12 protocol was developed to provide an easy and reliable means to connect sensors to data loggers and ensure their compatibility.

Metasphere’s SDI-12 Multidrop solution enables the Point Orange or Point Blue to request data from up to ten sensors (each with a unique address) at any one time, by following a set master slave configuration for data interrogation. The logger/ RTU then sends this data to either Metasphere’s Palette Cloud Telemetry Service, or a customer’s own WITS-DNP3/ DNP3 Masters, or FTP/FTPS server.

Providing support for SDI-12 Multidrop on its products, Metasphere demonstrates to its customers and business partners its continued commitment of providing collaborative solutions that integrate with other devices and systems whilst being easy to use.

The Point Colour range of RTUs provide a selection of easy-to-use, self-contained, low- cost telemetry devices for data collection and monitoring, The devices offer software configurable I/O, Modbus and SDI-12 communication options as well as providing an array of information across numerous parameters with intelligent alarm reporting functionality. It communicates with Metasphere’s Palette Cloud Telemetry Service, WITS-DNP3/DNP3 Masters, or FTP/ FTPS servers.

Simon Dawe, Sales Manager, said: “With an ever-increasing reliance on telemetry to provide data for effective asset management, environmental monitoring and flood warning; providing support for SDI-12 Multidrop on our products ensure we can integrate to the increasing number of environmental sensors available on the market. Our customers can rest assured that we offer them best of breed solutions with the necessary flexibility whilst continuing our core commitment to remain close to our customers by securely looking after their valuable assets and information’’.

Metasphere employs telemetry to drive sustainable use of the world’s natural resources.