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Frequently asked

What customers want to know before buying, answered honestly and briefly. If your question isn't here, just write to us.

What is SDI-12 and why does TerraTransfer use it?

SDI-12 is an industry-wide, vendor-neutral bus for environmental sensors. Multiple sensors share one cable; the logger queries them in turn. Benefits: low power draw, long cables (>500 m), free choice of sensor brand.

We use SDI-12 v1.3 with Bluetooth setup for in-field configuration, no need to plug a laptop into the logger.

Do I need my own SIM card for the Aquatos Web LTX?

No. The Aquatos Web LTX ships with a multi-IoT SIM that roams in 30+ countries, nothing to configure. On request we deliver the device without a SIM so you can fit your own M2M SIM, useful when your utility has fixed contracts with a specific provider.

What does IP68 mean, can the device go underwater?

IP68 means: fully dust-tight and watertight under continuous submersion. For Aquatos in concrete terms: tested to 1.5 m over multiple days, in real-world use for years in gauge shafts and Wadden Sea sites.

The submersible probes (Aquatos mini and nano) reach up to 100 m water column depending on the pressure cell. Operating temperature: −25 °C to +85 °C, both under permafrost ice and in Sahara heat.

How is data encrypted?

TLS-encrypted transport from logger to web portal, BSI-compliant (German Federal Office for Information Security). Firmware updates are signed and encrypted (tampering with the device is detected and refused).

BLE configuration is protected by a 6- to 16-digit PIN with a time lock after failed attempts. Data is stored exclusively on EU servers (GDPR-compliant). Audit logs are available on request.

How long does the battery really last?

The Aquatos Web LTX delivers over 3 million measurements and 30,000 transmissions per battery, up to 10 years in the field, depending on measurement and transmission interval.

With active configuration (e.g. 5-minute measurement and hourly transmission) typically 5–7 years. The Aquatos mini and nano without cellular load typically run even longer.

Which Aquatos fits my use case?

Aquatos Web LTX: when you need real-time data, flood early warning, utility monitoring, research project with cloud uplink. LTE-M plus NB-IoT fallback, 24 SDI-12 channels, fully programmable.

Aquatos mini: when you visit the site regularly and can collect data via Bluetooth, typical for groundwater wells without mobile coverage. 1- or 2-inch housing, 250,000-record memory.

Aquatos nano: when the shaft is small and you want sensor, logger and BLE radio in a single 1-inch tube, wells, narrow gauge shafts. No cable to a separate logger needed.

What is the difference between standard buoy and shallow-water buoy?

Standard buoy (red-and-black coated): spherical float with central mast and anchoring rod, robust against current and waves, for rivers, lakes, reservoirs and coastal areas.

Shallow-water buoy (black): compact hemisphere on a stainless-steel support frame, operational from 20 cm measurement depth, low wind-attack surface, for shallow and sheltered waters such as ponds, wetlands or quiet river segments.

Can I connect third-party sensors?

Yes. SDI-12-compliant sensors run directly on Aquatos, pressure, multi-parameter sondes, radar level, all of it. Modbus sensors (RTU/RS485) integrate via the Type-0210 converter. Pulse outputs (water meters, tipping-bucket rain gauges) attach via the Type-0330 pulse counter.

On request we also support customers integrating their own sensors on the TerraTransfer platform — just get in touch.

What is the answer to the ultimate question of life, the universe, and everything?

42. (But we'd rather measure water levels.) If you're actually here for the data loggers — all answers are above, or get in touch via Contact.

Question not answered?

Drop us a line, we typically respond within one business day.