Product Overview
The Telog RS-45 is Badger Meter’s above-ground recording telemetry unit (RTU) for near-real-time cellular monitoring of water and wastewater sites. Housed in a polycarbonate IP65 / NEMA 4X enclosure, it carries 8 analog, 8 digital and 8 event input channels plus two smart-sensor ports — Modbus (RS-232/RS-485) or SDI-12 — that connect a Raven-Eye 2 contactless flow sensor, an ultrasonic level sensor or a digital pressure sensor. Readings log to local memory first and then go out over an embedded LTE Category M1 cellular modem to the Telog RM cloud, so a coverage gap never loses data. It runs primarily on mains AC with an included UPS battery backup; an external DC feed or a customer-supplied solar array powers off-grid sites. Above-ground and line-powered, the RS-45 is the fixed-site counterpart to the submersible battery Ru-35 — the RTU for pump-station performance, tank level, distribution pressure and inflow-and-infiltration monitoring.
Key Features & Benefits
- Above-ground, many inputs — 8 analog, 8 digital and 8 event channels plus two smart-sensor ports fit a wide mix of legacy and modern sensors in one IP65 enclosure
- Smart-sensor ports — two independent Modbus (RS-232/RS-485) or SDI-12 ports add contactless-flow, level and pressure smart sensors alongside the analog and digital channels
- Flexible power with UPS backup — runs on mains AC with an included battery backup; an external DC feed or a customer-supplied solar array covers off-grid sites
- Logs first, transmits second — records to local memory before the scheduled cellular call, so a coverage gap never loses data
- LTE Category M1 cellular — an embedded low-power Cat M1 modem gives unmanned sites near-real-time updates and alarm notifications
- Cloud or SCADA — feeds the Telog RM dashboard, or hands readings to a plant SCADA host over Modbus, 4–20 mA or SDI-12
- Wet-site counterpart is the Ru-35 — where the unit itself may be submerged, the IP68 battery Ru-35 is the submersible choice instead
Specifications
- Function
- Above-ground recording telemetry unit (RTU) for near-real-time cellular monitoring of pump stations, tanks, distribution pressure and I&I sites
- Inputs / channels
- 8 analog, 8 digital (pulse/event) and 8 alarm (event) inputs, plus two smart-sensor ports
- Sensor interfaces
- Two smart-sensor ports take Modbus (RS-232/RS-485, to 115 kbps) or SDI-12; analog inputs are voltage (to 20 V) or 4–20 mA current, switch-selected per channel (±0.15% accuracy)
- Telemetry
- Embedded LTE Category M1 cellular modem (certified on Verizon in the US, Bell in Canada); logs to local memory first, with “Always-On” support and Bluetooth LE for local setup
- Power
- Primarily mains AC (86–264 V AC) with an included UPS battery backup (12 V sealed lead-acid); optional external DC (9–15 V) or a customer-supplied solar feed
- Enclosure / protection
- Polycarbonate IP65 / NEMA 4X hinged-lid enclosure, 10 × 12 × 6 in. (254 × 305 × 152 mm), for above-ground siting; −4 to 140°F operating
- Application focus
- Pump-station performance, tank-level and distribution-pressure monitoring, inflow-and-infiltration (I&I) studies, and smart-sensor data collection
- Platform & integration
- Streams to the Telog RM cloud (built on Esri ArcGIS) over cellular; the smart-sensor ports and analog/digital channels also export to SCADA over Modbus, 4–20 mA and SDI-12
Common Applications
- Pump-station performance monitoring
- Tank-level monitoring
- Distribution-pressure monitoring across a zone
- Inflow-and-infiltration (I&I) studies at above-grade sites
- Smart-sensor data collection (Modbus / SDI-12) for near-real-time telemetry to Telog RM or SCADA
Design & Selection Considerations
- Log locally first — no power or signal required — every Telog device records to local memory and runs standalone indefinitely, so a site keeps recording even with no power and no network. Connectivity is optional at the start — a standalone logger can be promoted to live telemetry later without re-engineering.
- Recorder or cellular RTU? — battery recorders (HPR-32A, PR-32A, RG-32A) suit surveys and temporary studies you collect on a schedule; cellular RTUs (Ru-32, Ru-35, RS-45) transmit to the Telog RM cloud for permanent, real-time monitoring and alarming. Recorder for portable or temporary work; RTU for fixed sites you watch continuously.
- Match power and housing to the site — choose a multi-year lithium battery, solar, or AC power, and an IP68 submersible housing for vaults and sewers. The RS-45 runs continuous AC/solar duty; the Ru-35 is the submersible choice. Power and ingress rating decide where a site can go — spec them with the measurement.
- Open-channel: radar or submerged ultrasonic? — for sewers and partially-full pipes Telog uses the area-velocity method. The Raven-Eye 2 is non-contact radar (±0.5% velocity) — nothing touches the stream, so no fouling and no confined-space entry; the Beluga is submerged ultrasonic (±1%) that works even when the pipe surcharges, with integrated level and shallow-flow capability. Radar when you can see the surface and want the highest velocity accuracy; ultrasonic when it surcharges or radar can’t see in.
- Capture transients when they matter — for surge and water-hammer analysis specify the high-speed impulse variants — HPR-32iA, PR-32iA and the Ru-32iMA — which capture fast pressure transients a standard recorder would miss. Routine pressure logging and transient capture are different jobs — pick the impulse build when surge is the question.
- Plan the data path — cloud, SCADA, or both — Telog devices report to the Telog RM cloud (built on Esri ArcGIS) over their cellular link; the line-powered RTUs and gateways can also export to your SCADA over Modbus RTU, 4–20 mA or SDI-12, while the battery cellular recorders deliver through the cloud. Decide the destination — and confirm the outputs your specific device carries — up front.
To size & select the right Telog RS-45:
Use the input form to tell us what you need to measure and where, how the site is powered (battery, solar or AC), and how you want the data (the Telog RM cloud, your SCADA, or both) — and we’ll spec the recorder, RTU, sensor and outputs for your monitoring program.
Flow Meter Application Sheet ›Talk to an engineer directly — Scott Prater, Principal · 917-580-0878 · scott@pratertechnical.com
Specifications compiled by Prater Technical Partners from Badger Meter Telog product datasheets.