Connect Wireless Solutions Frequently Asked Questions
What happens if my Connect Wireless Gateway gets damaged?
If your gateway gets damaged, it may stop receiving sensor data. However, all sensors will retain their configuration, including settings, serial numbers, and reading intervals.
How many readings can a Connect Wireless Gateway store if it is not connected to a network?
ConnectBridge™ ACCESS360 Wireless Gateways come preinstalled with a 32 GB SD card (removable and expandable) which can store thousands of readings when not connected to a network.
ACCESS2000 Long-Range Wireless Gateways come with 64 GB of preinstalled storage which can store thousands of readings when not connected to a network.
Please note, you cannot interact with the gateway while it is not on the network.
How many times can I reprogram a ConnectSens™ Wireless Sensor?
- WS200 and WS300 Sensors: Unlimited program is allowed through the ConnectView™ Web App
- WS100: Factory-configurable only (not reprogrammable by users). All factory configurations are final and WS100 sensors are unable to be returned to CTC for reprogramming.
Will a ConnectSens™ Wireless Sensor lose its settings if power is cycled or the battery is replaced?
No, the sensor will retain all its settings, even after a power cycle or battery replacement.
If I take a ConnectSens™ Wireless Sensor reading on demand, will it change the preset reading interval?
An on-demand reading does not change the programmed automatic reading period, but it will reset the interval timer.
E.g. 1 hour reading interval:
- First auto reading occurs at 1:00 (next reading due at 2:00).
- On demand reading taken at 1:30.
- Next auto reading due 1 hour later at 2:30 (no auto reading due at 2:00 anymore)
Can I directly integrate ConnectSens™ Wireless Sensors with Bluetooth devices such as phones, tablets, or third-party hardware?
No, CTC does not support direct Bluetooth communication between CTC ConnectSens™ Wireless Sensors and Bluetooth devices such as phones, tablets, or third-party hardware without a CTC Gateway. CTC will not provide documentation, support materials, or remote technical support for direct Bluetooth integrations.
How easy is it to replace ConnectSens™ Wireless Sensors and Connect Wireless Gateways in the system?
Replacing a sensor:
Once a new sensor is powered on and within range of an existing gateway, it will automatically establish a connection. Using the web app, you can easily locate the new sensor, assign it to the appropriate group or system, and configure its settings (such as reading intervals or thresholds).
Replacing a gateway:
For gateways, once the new unit is physically connected to your network, follow the step-by-step instructions in the manual to configure it. Once added, the gateway will automatically begin communicating with any discoverable sensors in its range, ensuring seamless integration into your existing setup.
ACCESS360 - If you still have your previous gateway, you can swap the SD cards to transfer the readings and sensor data to the new gateway.
ACCESS2000 - If you still have your previous gateway, you can swap the USB isolator and USB drive to transfer the readings and sensor data to the new gateway.
What should I do if I replace a ConnectSens™ Wireless Sensor battery, but the battery level doesn't show as full?
If the battery level indicator does not show a full charge after replacing the battery, follow the instructions in the user manual to reset the battery level. This process ensures the sensor accurately reflects the new battery's status.
Can I configure ConnectSens™ Wireless Sensor temperature and vibration readings independently?
- WS100 Sensors: Temperature and vibration readings are concurrent
- WS200 and WS300 Sensors: Temperature readings occur every time a vibration reading occurs. At the sensor level, temperature readings cannot be automatically trigged on a set timer independent from the vibration reading timer.
How many ConnectSens™ Wireless Sensors can be connected to a Connect Wireless Gateway?
ACCESS360: 10 sensor inputs* - mix and match WS100, WS200, and WS300 wireless sensors.
*Each ACCESS360 is capable of discovering more than 10 dynamic sensors; however, each gateway is only capable of maintaining 10 active BLE connections at one time. Sensors beyond this will be in advertising mode until there is time to service them. CTC recommends 1 gateway per 10 dynamic sensors for maximum validated and supported system performance.
ACCESS2000: 30 sensor inputs* - mix and match WS100, WS200, and WS300 wireless sensors.
*Each ACCESS2000 is capable of discovering more than 30 dynamic sensors; however, each gateway is only capable of maintaining 30 active BLE connections at one time. Sensors beyond this will be in advertising mode until there is time to service them. CTC recommends 1 gateway per 30 dynamic sensors for maximum validated and supported system performance.
Is there a limit to the number of secondary Connect Wireless Gateways that can communicate with the primary gateway?
No, there is no limit.
What happens if two Connect Wireless Gateways are within range of one ConnectSens™ Wireless Sensor?
The sensor will connect to the gateway with the stronger connection. If the connection is lost for any reason, the sensor will start advertising again and connect another gateway if one is within range.
What happens if I have more ConnectSens™ Wireless Sensors than the Connect Wireless Gateway's concurrent limit on the same time interval?
If the number of sensors exceeds the gateway’s concurrent limit, the gateway will cycle through connections to ensure all readings are taken.
What happens if I connect more than 10 ConnectSens™ Wireless Sensors to a single ACCESS360 ConnectBridge™ Wireless Gateway?
The ACCESS360 is only capable of maintaining 10 active BLE connections at one time. Sensors beyond this will be in advertising mode until there is time to service them. We recommend 1 gateway per 10 dynamic sensors for maximum validated and supported system performance.
What happens if I connect more than 10 ConnectSens™ Wireless Sensors to a single ACCESS2000 ConnectBridge™ Wireless Gateway?
The ACCESS2000 is only capable of maintaining 30 active BLE connections at one time. Sensors beyond this will be in advertising mode until there is time to service them. We recommend 1 gateway per 30 dynamic sensors for maximum validated and supported system performance.
How do multiple Connect Wireless Gateways handle ConnectSens™ Wireless Sensor connections in the same area?
When multiple gateways are deployed in the same area, they automatically distribute the sensor connections to optimize performance and minimize latency.
Example:
If you have 40 sensors and 2 gateways, the systems will balance the load between them. Instead of one gateway attempting to manage all 40 sensors - leading to increased latency - Gateway 1 may connect to 20 sensors, and Gateway 2 connects to the remaining 20 sensors. This ensures efficient data collection and prevents communication delays. For larger deployments, adding more gateways helps maintain optimal performance.
When does the ConnectSens™ Wireless Sensor time interval start?
The time interval begins as soon as a sensor is plugged in. If you take a manual reading, the next automatic reading will be rescheduled based on when the manual reading was taken.
Why is the frequency response of the Z-axis different from the X and Y axes on triaxial ConnectSens™ Wireless Sensors?
The difference in frequency response is inherent to the MEMS device used in the sensor.
I got the error message "Reading Failed - Reading decoding failed" - why did my reading fail?
The ConnectViewTM Gateway is unable to process the data being sent by the ConnectSensTM Wireless Sensor. It is recommended to reconfigure the sensor and try again.
Why am I only seeing temperature data and limited sensor data when using an MQTT server?
If you are seeing temperature data, but only seeing limited sensor data when publishing to an MQTT server, it is likely that your MQTT broker is not configured to accept a sufficiently large packet or payload size.
CTC devices publish sensor data in message packets that may be larger than the broker's default maximum size. When this limit is too low, smaller messages (such as temperature data) may be received successfully, while larger sensor data packets may be rejected.
This is a configuration setting on the customer's MQTT broker, not on the CTC device. To resolve the issue, increase the broker's maximum packet or message size to allow full sensor data transmission.
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