Best Practices for Hardware Reliability

Regular testing of monitoring equipment ensures your collection remains protected.

Table of Contents

Introduction
Leak Detector Testing
- Point Leak Detectors
- Rope Leak Detectors
Gateway Connectivity Testing
Additional Resources
Support

Introduction

Regular testing of your monitoring equipment is essential to ensure your collection remains protected. This article guides you through best practices for maintaining and testing your hardware to maximize reliability.

Leak Detector Testing

Water damage can be catastrophic for collections. Regular testing of leak detection equipment ensures early warning of potential water issues. Test Leak Detectors regularly at your convenience (we recommend at least monthly) using the following method:

Remind colleagues you will perform a false test.
For the Point Leak Detector, place the detector probe in water. For the Rope Leak Detector, wet a small section of the rope with water.
Verify that everyone subscribed to the event has received the expected alert. See Resolve Issues Receiving Email or Text Alerts to troubleshoot notification issues.
Dry the probe or rope after testing.
Document the test results in the software in the event history to indicate that it was a test.

Gateway Connectivity Testing

Your gateway is the central hub of your monitoring system. Maintaining its operational status is crucial for continuous data collection. Conserv recommends that gateways are permanently plugged in for continuous use.

When new, gateway batteries provide approximately 4-6 hours of backup power during outages. However, this capacity gradually decreases over time. To ensure reliable backup power:

Test the backup battery quarterly by safely disconnecting power.
Confirm that the green light on the gateway closest to the corner continues blinking (this means that the backup battery is still functioning) after you have disconnected power.
If the gateway does not continue to work after power has been disconnected, Contact Support.

Important

The rechargeable batteries in the gateway are proprietary to the gateway manufacturer and cannot be bought separately or shipped independently due to safety regulations around lithium batteries.

Additional Resources

Support

If your leak detectors fail the test, or if your gateway turns off immediately after disconnecting the power, contact the Support Team. Provide details on any tests you performed and the results obtained.