Wireless Sensors & Measurement

WiCOM-Probe

The ATEX approved Hastel WiCOM-probe provides a unique, reliable, long range wireless solution for a wide range of fuel measuring and monitoring applications, using a capactive level probe.

Already successfully integrated into client applications, the WiCOM offers a cost-effective solution to generator hire companies, fuel suppliers and hauliers, lubricant oil distributors, water companies and OEMs among others.

Specifications

Accuracy +/- 1% of scale
1" (parallel) BSP mounting
16 channels
2.405 GHz to 2.480 GHz
9.6V battery pack
5 years battery life (average transmission interval)

User defined parameters

0% and 100% of the measured levels.

Features

Capacitive level probe technology
Probes can be from 250mm to 3 meters long
Communicates with all our radio enabled equipment
Long range (up to 4 kilometers line of sight)
Licence free operation on 2.4GHz (802.15.4 LR-WPAN) - see FAQ below

FAQ

What is transmitted?

Typically a fuel level as a percentage of the tanks height

Doesn't WiFi interfere with your device?

The short answer is no! The longer answer is that it is designed to co-exist. Both WiFi and the CSMA-CA scheme used on 802.15.4 look for clear spaces to transmit into and therefore avoid 'collisions'.

Can the transmissions be seen or hacked?

No, the channels are different from WiFi and can't be snooped on by domestic equipment. In addition the very short bursts would be hard to capture and finally 128bit encryption may be employed.

The range seems long compared to my network at home, why?

The performance of the 802.15.4 transmission is between 7 and 18 dB better than that of 802.11b. This can be directly translated to a range increase from 2 to 8 times the distance for the same energy per bit, or an exponential increase in reliability at any given range. We also use the highest permissable levels of power.