F9164-N Telemetry Terminal (RTU) Technical Guide

The F9164-N is an industrial-grade hydrological telemetry RTU from Xiamen Four-Faith, designed for water conservancy, irrigation district and geological disaster monitoring scenarios. It integrates multiple communication types and rich acquisition interfaces to perform data acquisition, storage, alarming and remote transmission for rainfall, water level and other sensors. This guide covers the device's hardware parameters, working modes, core functions, configuration and upgrades, and on-site installation and wiring essentials to support deployment and commissioning.

Hardware Parameters

The device has a power supply range of DC 5–36 V (12 V/1.5 A recommended), a protection rating of IP30, and an operating temperature of −35 °C to +75 °C. It is built around a 32-bit industrial processor, and its 32 MB storage can hold over ten years of monitoring data. Hardware interfaces include 2 RS232 ports, 2 RS485 ports, 4 analog inputs, 2 digital (switch) inputs, 2 relay outputs, a tipping bucket rain gauge interface, an Ethernet port, and 4 controlled power outputs. The SYS indicator LED shows the device status: blinking indicates normal operation, steady on indicates a fault, and off indicates power-off or sleep mode. The device is wall-mounted; for outdoor use, lightning protection and grounding should be carried out in accordance with water conservancy standards, with surge protection devices fitted on the power, signal and antenna ports.

Working Modes

The device supports scheduled acquisition and rainfall pulse-triggered acquisition, and can output hourly reports, interval reports and scheduled safe-status reports. When water level or rainfall exceeds configured thresholds, additional alarm reports are triggered, which can activate relay actions and push alarm SMS messages. The device also supports manual data entry, battery voltage monitoring and image capture, and can be configured with up to 8 primary/backup centers with automatic switchover on link failure. Historical data can be exported to Excel files via the RS232 serial port.

Configuration, Upgrades and Wiring

Parameters can be configured through four methods: the Four-Faith Assistant app via Bluetooth, a PC serial tool, the O&M platform, and SMS AT commands. Firmware supports local upgrades via serial port or TF card, as well as remote upgrades over TCP/UDP with breakpoint resume. During wiring, never operate the device while powered. Connect the RS485 A/B terminals correctly, ensure that DGND is connected to GND for dry contact inputs, keep relay loads within 30 VDC/1 A, and tighten the SMA antenna connector firmly to guarantee communication quality.