Congratulations on your new NEX Portable!
In this article, we are going to cover what you need to know to get started.
Installation
Depending on the kind of NEX Portable, your installation will vary. However, in general the steps to follow are the same.
For NEX Energy Portables, or if any sensors will require new cabling, you will need the help of a qualified Electrician for installation.
- Find a suitable, secure place for your NEX Portable to be left. The Portable will need to be able to read from the sensors or meters it is being installed with from this location. If you have energy monitoring, the Portable will need to be next to the distribution board.
- Deploy the sensors around the area. Ideally, these should be put roughly at eye level, not on the ground. Additionally, try to have them in places that are unlikely to be in anyone's way.
If you have a power meter, you will need to connect it to the relevant distribution board. We provide a quick install guide for each of our power meters - have a qualified electrician follow the relevant installation steps for each meter. See our guides here:
Power Meter Guides-
- Take the two 3G/4G antennas completely out of the box, and then feed the antennas' wires back through the glands on the side of the box. Connect the antennas' wires into the 3G/4G USB dongle. Try and mount the antennas in a way to ensure they receive the best reception possible.
Accessing Data
Accessing your data is relatively simple. Simply navigate to the NEX login portal : https://cloud.nexdata.net.au/site/login
After using your supplied username and password to log in, you can navigate around Sites and Controllers on your Account. By visiting the Controllers page, and clicking on a specific Controller's tile, you can view that Controller, its details, as well as its attached Devices and Data Points using the tabs on the page. Want to easily access a group of Data Points? Create a Chart using the Chart page, add the Data Points you want, and then click 'Create'.
You can now view this Chart any time you like, and add it to your Site or personal Dashboard.
Troubleshooting
The portable isn't turning on
My data isn't appearing
My TCX2 sensor values are weird
If you are seeing weird or bad values for your sensors, such as -50 or -20 degrees celsius on temperature sensors, then this could indicate either a TCX2 program issue or a wiring issue. To fix this issue, you should perform these steps in order:
- Ensure these values are still being read on today whilst everything is powered up and installed correctly.
- Identify which sensor(s) are giving a weird value, and which input this corresponds to on the TCX2.
- Check that the wiring is tight at both ends - both into the TCX2's inputs and at the sensors terminals.
- Check that no changes have been made to the TCX2's programming or wiring. If changes have been made, this may require different wiring and/or different jumper settings on the bottom of the controller.
- Check the NEX serial number on the box.
- Contact NEX Support for further assistance.
Upgrading or changing the configuration
To upgrade or change the configuration on the Portable box, it is generally best to firstly contact NEX support. We can help step you through any required steps.