When you install a pipe monitoring sensor (PM Sensor), you are installing it on the outside of a pipe and therefore you are measuring the temperature of the pipe and not the water itself.
Sensor shown in red
For compliance reasons, it's important the sensor monitors the temperature of the water. A temperature offset is designed to ensure you are monitoring the temperature of the water in the pipe, rather than the temperature of the pipe itself.
For example, the sensor might record the temperature of a pipe as 40°C. The water in the pipe might be 42°C (as measured by a probe at the point of installation). Adding an offset of +2°C means the platform will always show a reading 2°C above the temperature the sensor is measuring, which will be a more accurate reading of the water in the pipe, rather than the pipe itself.
Entering an Automatic Offset for a cold tap
An auto offset is a offset that is suggested by Infogrid’s experience of configuring thousands of pipe monitoring offsets as part of its water safety solution. Using thousands of data points and machine learning, the Infogrid solution has a good understanding of the typical temperature offset between pipes and the water within them.
The auto offset is designed to give a fast, simple way to install and configure the Infogrid water safety solution that provides users with enhanced data about the condition of water within their buildings.
Entering an automatic offset from 'Not Configured Sensors Page'
Entering an automatic offset from 'Not Configured Sensors Page'
In the 'Sensors View' page click on 'Not Configured' at the top of the page.
Now find the sensors that you want to set the offset for and click on 'Set Now'
A pop up will appear asking you to choose between Auto Offsets or entering a Manual Offset later.
Select Auto offset and click 'Next'
Entering an automatic offset from 'the Sensor Details Page'
Entering an automatic offset from 'the Sensor Details Page'
Click on the sensor in the platform.
Click the Configuration and Details tab.
Under Sensor Configuration, click 'Set Now' or 'Change Offset'
A pop up will appear asking you to choose between Auto Offsets or entering a Manual Offset later.
Select Auto offset and click 'Next'
Manually adding Pipe Monitoring Temperature Offsets from the 'Not Configured Sensors Page'
You will need
Pipe monitoring sensor already installed on the pipe for 30 minutes
An accurately calibrated probe for measuring water temperature and or a contact temperature probe for measuring temperature of a pipe.
Something you are able to time 60 seconds on (e.g. stopwatch, timer)
To be logged into the Infogrid platform.
Place the probe under the running water and once the reading on your probe has stabilized, continue to run the water for at least another 2 minutes.
Place the probe under the running water or the contact temp sensor on the surface of the pipe and once the reading on your probe has stabilized, continue to run the water for at least another 2 minutes.
Step 1 - Take temperature readings
Locate the sensor that you need to set an offset for
Ensure the sensor is online and has reasonable signal in the web-app before taking the probe reading.
Turn on the tap and let the water run for at least 2 minutes
Place the probe under the running water and once the reading on your probe has stabilized, continue to run the water for at least another 2 minutes.
After the remaining time take note of the time you stopped running the water and the measurement from the probe. (It is important that the time and measure readings are noted down at the same time)
Step 2 - Submit your temperature offset
Next, navigate to the Not Configured Sensors page:
This page lists all sensors that have not yet had a temperature offset entered for them and are therefore considered "Not Configured". Your temperature offsets can be entered for each sensor directly from this page by clicking "set now" for the sensor that you have completed your temperature probe for as stated in Step 1 above:
Clicking "set now" will create a pop up on your screen, simply enter the offset that you would like to set for this sensor and click "save":
Changing any temperature offset values
To change a temperature offset and replace it with a new one, start by navigating to the Not Configured Sensors page:
Sensors where an offset has already been entered appear at the bottom of this screen in the table titled "Configuration Complete":
Find the sensor that you would like to edit the temperature offset for, and select "change offset":
From the next pop up, enter your new temperature offset and click "save":
Manually adding Pipe Monitoring Temperature Offsets from the Sensor Details Page
You will need
Pipe monitoring sensor already installed on the pipe
An accurately calibrated probe for measuring water temperature
Something you are able to time 60 seconds on (e.g. stopwatch, timer)
To be logged into the Infogrid platform.
Step 1 - Take temperature readings
Find the sensor in the platform.
Ensure the sensor is online and has reasonable signal in the web-app before taking the probe reading.
Turn on the tap and let the water run for at least 2 minutes
Place the probe under the running water and once the reading on your probe has stabilized, continue to run the water for at least another 2 minutes.
After the remaining time take note of the time you stopped running the water and the measurement from the probe. (It is important that the time and measure readings are noted down at the same time)
Step 2 - Sensor Configuration
Click on the sensor in the platform.
Click the Configuration and Details tab.
Step 3 - Enter offset
Under Sensor Configuration, click 'Set Now' or 'Change Offset'
In the pop up enter the time and date the reading was taken or 'now' if the reading was done right then and the value of the probe reading.
Click save
Step 4 - Reviewing the offset
In the sensors tab go to "Not Configured"
Here you can see all the current offsets for the pipe monitoring sensors.
You should never have negative offsets on Hot taps, nor positive offsets on cold taps.
The offsets should never be greater than 15 deg C.
If your offsets fall into the above ranges then the offset should be re-done, and double check you are taking the offset from the correct taps.
Hints and Tips
Your pipe monitoring sensor takes readings of the temperature every 30 seconds, and then reports this data in batches to the cloud every 15 minutes. This enables the sensor to have a 15 year battery life; as more frequent reporting to the cloud would deplete the battery far quicker. Therefore, data for every 30 second reading is shown in your Infogrid App every 15 minutes.