TOPOLOGY
How many STREGA devices can I install on a single project?
There is no limitation to the numbers of Smart-Valves or Smart-Emitters in a project. STREGA has conceived the product with the latest IIoT technologies in mind. In this market, one targets millions of sensors to communicate over the Internet. We recommend, however, to use one Gateway every 1000 Smart-Valves.
STREGA advises to use the CloudGate Gateway: can I use another LoRaWAN gateway brand?
Yes. The STREGA devices use standard LoRaWAN technology with no proprietary protocol overhead: any gateway compliant with LoRaWAN 1.02 standards is usable on the STREGA Smart-Valve or Smart-Emitter. CloudGate, Multitech, Kerlink, LorixOne, CISCO, Meshlium, Gemtech, Match-X, Femto,… are valid brands working with our LoRa devices. For the Time-controlled emitter for irrigation valves, we strongly recommend the usage of an outdoor LoRaWAN gateway.
Do I need to use a Mobile Telecom Operator to use the STREGA Smart-Valve?
If you have no LoRaWAN coverage from your local operator and want to create your own LoRa network, any gateways will be usable as long as they are compliant with the LoRaWAN 1.02 standards. The STREGA devices can work on both operated LoRaWAN or private LoRaWAN networks. Device has been certified on many LoRa network Operators like Orange, Comcast, Objenious, Digita, Senet, and many more… Setting up your own private LoRa network is license free.
THE VALVE
What fluid can I use with the STREGA Smart-Valve?
The STREGA Smart-Valve can be used with liquids, compressed air, oil-free or dry neutral gases. Most of our customers use them today for drinking water, cooling or heating water. The valve pipe sections are available from 1/8” to 3” (DN10..DN80). Max. temperature of the fluid is 140°C (284°F).
Why is the STREGA Smart-Valve not sensitive to corrosion?
The STREGA Smart-Valve is not motorized and fluid is not in direct contact with the mechanical parts. This is particularly important for valves that may stay in the same position during months or years. Other valve’s design may fail prematurely. For instance, for countries where water is coming from desalinated plants, water is difficult to get properly balanced and can create corrosion. Such water will not create any problem on the STREGA Smart-Valve.
What is the maximum pressure allowed in my pipe for the Smart-Valve ?
The Smart-Valve is rated to work on high pressure up to PN25 (max. 25 Bars or 365 Psi) for sections up to DN50 and PN20 (max. 20 Bars or 290 Psi).
REGULATIONS
Our local regulations require a minimal flow when valve is closed, can the STREGA Smart-Valve provide it?
Yes. For those countries where full cut-off of water is not allowed by Law, our valve can be obtained with minimal flow (i.e. trickle of 50L/h) when in CLOSE condition.
OPERATION
How do I send an Open or Close command to my STREGA device ?
There are dozens of ways to control the valve whether you are using your own SCADA, wants to pilot through your mobile & tablet or make use of one of the many existing Cloud based platforms. Most Application Servers today are either using MQTT, HTTP, GET/REST API, TCP or UDP but we see also conventional polling made to the gateway through industrial protocols like ModBus.
Can the Control Room or Owner be aware that someone is trying to control the STREGA device at site without permission?
Yes. Fraud detection is part of the solution. The STREGA Smart-Valve has a tamper mechanism that immediately triggers an alarm to the Control Room or your smartphone when the enclosure has been opened.
Can anyone control the STREGA device from a smartphone?
No. The STREGA Smart-Valve uses several layers of encryption to avoid any unauthorized person to control a valve.
How do I modify the settings of the Smart-Valve?
The Smart-Valve configuration and settings can be either modified by the USB port locally or Over-the-air. One can, for instance, modify the frequency of transmissions in Open or in Close mode, change the radio settings, set conditions to automatically Close the Valve according to the time of the day or day of the week, set the alarm threshold for low battery, etc.
Can the Smart-Valve or Smart-Emitter perform Open or Close on specific conditions?
Yes. The STREGA device has some local intelligence to trigger: closing on the detection of a leakage, opening at certain time intervals via its internal schedules, on detection of a DI status change, etc.
Can I control my Smart-Valves over the Internet?
Yes. That is one of the keys of the whole concept: whatever you decide to work within your private APN or through a mobile operator, the STREGA solution provides top-down encrypted communication: from the Control Room , your smartphone, tablet…up to the valve.
How do I know if my Smart-Valve is still working?
Even if you decide to slow down the frequency of communication to a minimum, the Smart-Valve is transmitting a daily keep alive message to the Gateway to provide various health status information, signal quality, time of last transmission, etc.
Batteries and Autonomy
How do I know when it is time to change the batteries?
The STREGA Smart-Valve and Smart-Emitter design has been made to target ultra-low consumption and 10+years autonomy. The remaining battery power is sent at each transmission.
What is the expected autonomy of the devices ?
Our devices are working in "ultra-low level consumption" with less than 100µA in sleep mode. An accelerating ageing lab test made on one single battery (SAFT M20), with a communicating every 2 minutes to the gateway and opening/closing the valve every 5 minutes permitted 5000+ Open/Close operations ! When we started the design, we aimed a minimum of 10+ years of autonomy.
Are the STREGA devices using usual batteries ?
No: the STREGA devices require long lasting (replacable) 3VDC or 3.6VDC Lithium Type-D batteries. These are also called "primary" batteries.
Wireless Range
How far away can the STREGA device be controlled?
The distance the STREGA device can be controlled via the Gateway will be determined by the environment you are controlling the valve in. Thanks to the LoRaWAN impressive obstacles penetration, we tested more than 15 km (10+mi.) in LOS (line-of-sight). In urban areas, we successfully tested more than 3 km (2.5mi.) passing numerous obstacles like trees, houses, villas and buildings.
In a building, we could reach 22 floors from a single gateway.
One of our customers in Austria said he could control the valve 87 km (54 mi.) from his gateway !
Can the Smart-Valve work underground?
Yes, LoRaWAN has a deep indoor obstacles penetration even if your STREGA device is inside a chamber (pit) below ground surface but the exact range will depend on many factors and local tests may be needed to calculate exact distance. To reach further distance, you can segregate the valve from the LoRa electronic enclosure to deport the signal up to 20 meters (65 ft) away to gain a better coverage.
Continuous power and LoRaWAN class C
On some locations, I have power available, can the Smart-Valve work on external power ?
Yes, the Smart-Valve can also work with an external power source from 9 to 60VDC. A micro solar panel can, for instance, be used locally.
Does the Smart-Valve and Smart-Emitter support Class C
Yes, from version 4, the STREGA devices are supporting both Class A and Class C.
Environment
Will the Smart-Valve or Smart-Emitter still work if it gets wet?
Yes. The STREGA devices are rated for IP67, which means it can even live underwater for some times if this is required. We are also proposing an optional epoxy potting the electronics for extra moisture protection.
My STREGA device will be put outdoor, will it work ?
Yes, the STREGA devices are of industrial grade design: ambient working temperature can go from -40°C/°F up to 70°C (160°F)
LPWAN technology
Why using LoRaWAN and not SIGFOX for the STREGA devices?
LoRaWAN technology is natively bi-directional and has a better indoor propagation of the radio signal than SIGFOX. SIGFOX is limited in the number of incoming transmissions (max.4xDL/day) and proven to be less secured than LoRaWAN. LoRaWAN is more robust against interferences than SIGFOX. Last but not least, LoRaWAN permits to create its own (private) network without the need of a mobile operator to manage the network.
What frequencies are available for the STREGA devices ?
The Smart-Valve and Smart-Emitters are available in 868MHz (Middle East and Europe), 915 MHz (North and South America, Australia), 923 MHz (Asia, Australia and New Zealand). Frequency selection has to be made when ordering and we provide a utility to set the sub-frequencies as well. TTN, for instance, requires FSB=2 which can easily be set accordingly.
Software
What Cloud Application platform is compatible with the STREGA devices ?
The Smart-Valve and Smart-Emitters are compatible – and certified – on many platforms, such as TagoIO, Datacake, Kheiron, CommonSense, e2WATCH, Firefly, Ubidots, Busit, Cayenne, IoT-in-a-BOX, and many more…
STREGA offers a free of charge mobile app, where can I get it ?
STREGA provides a mobile Android or iOS App to operate the Smart-Valves or Smart-Emitters; it runs on several environments like TTN, Orange, MESHED, Kerlink Wanesy, etc… simply download the app from Google Play Store (Android) or App Store (iPhone, iPad, etc.).
What LNS can I use with the STREGA devices ?
TTN, The Things Industries, Loriot, ResIOT, EveryNet, Chirpstack, Helium, Kerlink Wanesy, ...but also the ones of the Public LoRaWAN Operators like Orange, Objenious, Senet, Comcast MachineQ, Citykinect, Digita, Oreedoo, etc.
Does STREGA provide the DECODERS and ENCODERS for all these LNS platform ?
Yes, the CODECS (Encoder and Decoder), written in JSCRIPT, are provided free of charge by STREGA, making the life of the Application Developers way easier to provision our payloads on their platform.