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Introduction

This guide is intended as an aid memoir to the comprehensive Guides available both from the Comark website andfrom the Gateway itself. When using this guide it is recommended that you download and have to hand copies of the manuals available for RF500, which willprovide many of the answers to your questions, and are referenced throughout this guide.

Index
1. How to Upgrade my Gateway
2. Help Files
3. Error codes – what do they mean?
4. Gateway Fault Conditions
5. How to change a battery?
6. What happens in the event of Power Failure?
7. Why does low battery not clear?
8. Low battery showing but battery voltage still showing as OK
9. My Transmitter goes no signal
10. My Batteries only last a few months
11. I can’t log on to the RF500
12. I cannot find some data for a particular Transmitter.
13. My Transmitter is no longer working – I’ve checked its power supply and that is OK.
14. What happens for Daylight Saving Time?
15. My backup is not working
16. Emails stopped working
17. Change my password
18. My password has expired
19. I’ve forgotten my password
20. My gateway is beeping
21. The mains light is flashing
22. I cannot switch my gateway on
23. My Transmitter will not log on to the Gateway
24. How to add new Transmitters to the Gateway
25. Door Alarms


1. How to Upgrade my Gateway

Think this should be re-written for RF500A with Marvin to do it all from here....

If your gateway and transmitters are not up to date with the latest software and firmware you may well be missing some features and upgrades that you could find useful.

From Internet Explorer navigate to this web address to enter your details to download the upgrades. Here you will also find a ‘How to Guide’.

http://rf500.comarkltd.com/upgrade-form - This link is old and needs to be updated

All Comark guides and manuals are downloadable as PDFs. You will need a free reader to open these files.

Please download that from www.adobe.com

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2. Help Files

Several Help Files/Manuals are provided with the Gateway. These provide much detail on the setup and operation of the Gateway.

RF500-SystemManual.pdf Download from the Gateway Home Page or as printed copy supplied with the Gateway.
RF500-WebViewHelp This HTML Help
RF515 Guide.pdf Download from the Gateway Home Page
CSV Data Export Guide.pdf Download from the CSV Data Export Page. Navigate to Administration-Data Backup-CSV Data Export on the Gateway. Data export setup information can be found in the RF500-WebviewHelp.pdf, see above. needs updated information for Marvin

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3. Error codes – what do they mean?

Note: Error codes are to be read as ‘Information’ rather than ‘Errors’.

Error Code Meaning Resolution
xx4 Fault with Radio Module Return transmitter to Distributor or Comark for repair.
010 Battery is Dead. Replace the battery.
100 Date and time lost Wait for the transmitter to receive correct date and time from the Gateway
400 Invalid Programmed Task Program a new task from the Gateway
500 Errors 100 & 400 combined Resolve Error 100 & Error 400 individually

Note: The Errors can combine together, e.g. Error 110 is Error 100 + Error 010 and so on.

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4. Gateway Fault Conditions

Under certain conditions the Gateway Fault LED can flash to indicate an error. The possible faults which can cause the Fault LED to flash are:

Fault Condition Where to find information Remedy
Overheating Administration-Hardware Check local environment
Battery Pack fault Administration-Hardware Return for Service
Clock error Home Page/Administration-Hardware Set Clock
Clock Battery error Administration-Hardware Return for Service
PSU fault Administration-Hardware Contact Comark
Software errors Audit Trail / Administration-Hardware Contact Comark
Radio Module fault Audit Trail Return for Service

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5. How to change a battery?

Click here for instructions on how to change a Transmitter Battery. (Opens in a new Browser TAB)

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6. What happens in the event of Power Failure?

In a power failure the Gateway will continue to work as normal for between 0 - 4 Hours (RF500LITE – 0 Hours, RF500 – Up to 4 Hours, RF500A – Up to 1-2 Hours). However, your network might not be working. If an alarm goes off and you have an Autodialler, then so long as the battery backup is working this too will continue to work and try to send phone messages, subject to the phone line being available. Meshing transmitters will also continue to work. Battery life of a meshing unit on just battery power is up to 4 days in total.

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7. Why does low battery not clear?

The Low Battery ICON on the Home Page of the Gateway () might not clear immediately you change the battery on the transmitter.
If the battery was changed soon after first warning the user the low battery message will clear quickly off the Gateway if it was in radio contact.
However, if the transmitter had been left for some time before the battery was changed there is a high possibility of their being data in the transmitter that has not been sent previously to the Gateway. You can check this by looking for the last data on the Home Page for the transmitter. When the data is up to date then the low battery warning should clear.

If the battery warning message does not clear then try removing and refitting the battery or re-task the transmitter.

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8. Low battery showing but battery voltage still showing as OK

Lithium batteries are very useful for their high performance and long life, especially at low operating temperatures. However, monitoring their end of life is difficult as they can give a false positive result of their condition. For this reason RF500 will latch a battery low warning as soon as one is recorded.
It is important not to ignore the low battery warning and change the battery as soon as possible.

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9. My Transmitter goes no signal

Transmitters go No Signal when they have been out of contact with the Gateway for 5 times the radio rate plus a minimum of 1 hour. So for the standard radio rate of 15 minutes, this amounts to approx. 1 Hour 15 minutes before a ‘No Signal’ is flagged. In that time the Gateway has determined that it has not received a valid signal/data packet from the transmitter.

What to look for Remedy
Are other transmitters are going ‘No Signal’ If yes then check the Audit trail for RF Network Reset Messages. These are normal. Transmitters will re-connect automatically and there is no reason for alarm.
Has the Gateway reset? This will cause transmitters to drop off the Gateway, but they will quickly re-connect.
Is it just one or two transmitters? Then the issue could be related to the location of these transmitters and or the meshing units supporting them in the mesh network. Go and visit the transmitters and check to see that all is well with the local meshing units.
Have they got flat battery warnings? Change the battery as soon as possible.

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10. My batteries only last a few months?

Battery life quoted for RF500 Transmitters makes a number of assumptions about the operating use and conditions. Transmitters are assumed only to transmit data to the Gateway every 15 minutes, and operation of the transmitter is assumed to be at ambient, approx. 23°C. Deviations from this specification will have an effect on the battery life of each transmitter.

For example;

Prolonged use at extremes of low or high temperature will reduce the battery life.

A transmitter that has lots of alarm occurrences will also have a reduced battery life.

Hidden from the user but also a significant factor in the life of the battery will be the general health of the system. A system with poor radio coverage where the transmitter has to constantly re-send its data to the Gateway will reduce the battery life.

What to look for Remedy
Transmitters in cold environments Possibly move the transmitter/fit a power supply/use the hi-capacity upgrade battery
No Signals on the Gateway Check the status of the meshing units in the system.
Lots of Temperature Alarms Adjust alarm limits or cure the cause of the alarms.

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11. I can’t log on to the RF500

What to look for Remedy
Confirm  correct shortcut/IP address? Try another local PC
Check the Gateway to confirm it is switched on. Green light on solid, Green light flashing or Flashing Orange or Orange solid and Gateway is not active.
Gateway appears to be switched off. Turn on Gateway using switch on side. Wait for it boot up. Log on and check Audit trail for cause of it switching off. If necessary report fault to Comark/Distributor

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12. I cannot find some data for a particular Transmitter.

Log on to the Gateway and navigate to the transmitter in question. Click on the graph from the home page to view the main summary page for the transmitter. At the top of the page look for Task x of y and Period x of y.

When you re-task a transmitter a new task is created. You can use the browse tasks link to view old tasks and the data associated with the task.

If for example you change the battery on a transmitter then the transmitter will create a new period of data. The task will remain the same. Use the browse period link to view data for older periods of data.

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13. My Transmitter is no longer working – I’ve checked its power supply and that is OK.

What to look for Remedy
Any error codes on the LCD See Question 1
Is the LCD still showing temperatures? No: Try replacing the battery.
Is the antenna symbol still showing? No: Try provoking the transmitter. Else return for service.

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14. What happens for Daylight Saving Time?

The Gateway does not have automatic Summer Time/Daylight Saving adjustment. In order to change the clock by an hour forward or back simply visit Administration-Set Clock and change the clock. The Gateway will reset. All transmitters will start a new period of data from the new time. No data will be lost.

Information Icon
Comark recommends that the Gateway is run on standard time all year round.
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15. My backup is not working

What to look for Remedy
Are you using PC Software? Yes: Check PC to confirm software running as expected. Consult the help guide provided with Backup Software.

No: Check Administration-Data Backup and review any error messages.

Click here to see Help for Backups. (Opens in New Browser TAB)

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16. Emails stopped working

What to look for Remedy
Are you e-mails working on your PC? No: Speak to IT.

Yes: Navigate to Administration-Setup E-mail. Click Output button and review messages Confirm that offending e-mail address is correct with no typing errors. Click E-mail Account button and confirm e-mail account details are correct. Clear E-mails and send a test. Speak to IT.

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17. Change my password

Click here to change your password

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18. My password has expired

Ask an Administrator of the system to re-instate you. Change your password as per company policy.

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19. I’ve forgotten my password

Ask an administrator to change your password.

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20. My gateway is beeping

Log on and check the Home page for error/transmitter alarm messages and/or the Hardware page for faults. Report any to Comark/Distributor.

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21. The mains light is flashing

Could be a Gateway fault or someone has switched the Gateway off.
Log on to the Gateway and navigate to Administration-Audit Trail. Look for any messages regards power being lost and then re-instated. If yes then contact Comark for replacement PSU.

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22. I cannot switch my gateway on

Check to make sure the PSU is fitted.
Has the Gateway been without power? If yes and the battery pack ran out then the Gateway must be powered for half an hour before it will be charged enough to switch on. If the button has been pressed on the side it should switch on automatically. If it fails to switch on then return for service.
Refer to Chapter Powering On and Off in the RF500-SYstemManual PDF, downloadable from the Gateway Home page or supplied printed with the Gateway, for more information.

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23. My Transmitter will not log on to the Gateway

Confirm that you have activated the transmitter and that it is awake.

Confirm that you are in range of the Gateway, if necessary move closer to the Gateway.

Check to confirm that you typed in the transmitter serial number correctly.

Are there any Error codes on the transmitter? See Question 3

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24. How to add new Transmitters to the Gateway

Refer to Transmitter Management in the RF500-WebviewHelp PDF, downloadable from the Gateway Home page.

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25. Door Alarms

Click here for information on Door Alarms



















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