Performing Periodic Maintenance for an Mx Controller
- Aparna R R (Unlicensed)
- Del Gonzalez
- Anand Rajaraman
The Mx controller was designed to be a reliable long-lasting product, with periodic maintenance consisting of:
Gathering diagnostic information (including the voltage status of the standby battery and the memory battery) once every 6 months
Visually inspecting the controller once every year for signs of:
Corrosion around the battery terminals
Damaged battery leads
Exposed wires or loose connections
Replacing the standby battery or the memory battery when necessary (after several years)
Gathering Diagnostic Information
The Velocity software includes a Diagnostic Window which enables you to gather diagnostic information about a connected controller. To access this tool, click Velocity’s menu button, and then select Diagnostics/Reporting > DIGI*TRAC Diagnostic Window.
To gather information about a controller:
Select the desired controller from the Controller drop-down list.
Select the appropriate diagnostic command from the Diagnostics drop-down list.
This list includes all the basic 88 command options, such as 25 - System Power Status (of the AC input power, the standby battery, and the memory battery).
3. Click the button located just to the right of the Diagnostics drop-down list.
The information generated by the selected command is displayed in the Results pane. To learn more about Velocity’s Diagnostic Window, see the topics in the Diagnostic Window section of Velocity’s help system.
Interpreting the System Power Status Information
The results of the 25 - System Power Status diagnostics command are somewhat cryptic. Here is what those results mean.
Main Power: This is the voltage of the main power after it has been transformed from AC to DC. The normal range is 28 - 29VDC. AC Failure is reported if the voltage drops below 27.5VDC.
UPS Battery: This is the DC voltage of the standby battery, which performs the function of an Uninterruptible Power Supply. The “under charge” number shows the voltage when the standby battery is being charged. The “open cell” number shows the voltage when the charging circuit is bypassed. The normal range is 24 - 28VDC. The voltage is considered Low when it is 17 - 24VDC. UPS Failure is reported if the voltage drops below 17VDC. A weak battery will have a high “under charge” number and a low “open cell” number.
Memory Battery: This is the DC voltage of the memory protection battery, which provides up to 30 days protection of the controller’s data. The normal range is 3.47 - 4.5VDC. If the value remains below 3.47VDC, the memory battery should be replaced.
Replacing the Mx Controller’s Memory Battery
The Mx controller’s memory battery is a 3.6V rechargeable nickel-metal hydride battery pack which can protect against data loss for up to 30 days. It should provide several years of reliable service, but will eventually have to be replaced when its voltage remains below 3.47VDC. The location of this battery on the Mx controller’s main board (within the enclosure) is shown in the following photograph:
When diagnostic information determines that there is a problem with the performance of the memory battery, you should replace it by performing the following procedure:
Contact Identiv (or your dealer) and order part number MPB1.
After the new memory battery arrives, take it and a small wire cutter to the Mx controller.
Open the Mx controller’s enclosure, and locate the existing memory battery (as shown in the previous photograph).
The controller’s power should remain on while you replace its memory battery.
4. Carefully unplug the memory battery connector from the controller’s main board at location BAT1 (as shown in the following photograph).
5. Use a small wire cutter to cut through the existing cable tie (shown in the following photograph), and remove it.
6. Replace the old memory battery with the new one, and plug in its connector at location BAT1 on the controller’s main board. Make sure the connector is aligned so that the red positive wire is on the left side.
7. Use a new cable tie to secure the new memory battery and its connecting wires to the plastic mount on the controller’s main board.
8. Close the Mx controller’s enclosure.
If the Mx controller is online and communicating with the Velocity software during this procedure, the Alarm Viewer will display a “Memory Battery Failure” alarm when the old memory battery is unplugged, and a “Memory Battery Restored” event when the new memory battery is plugged in.
If the Mx controller lost data because you replaced the memory battery while the main board was disconnected from both the main AC power and the standby battery power, you can easily download its data again using Velocity. In the Administration pane of Velocity’s main window, locate the controller in the system tree, right-click on the controller, and select each of the following commands from the pop-up menu:
Download > Date/Time
Download > Configuration
Download > Credentials
After these three downloads have completed successfully, the Mx controller is ready to use again.