DECAQ systems are compact data acquisition systems which measure high-speed analog and digital signals. Designed for portable measurement, troubleshooting, field testing and complex laboratory applications, DECAQ systems are capable of housing up to 192 channels in a single chassis. Each DECAQ system is able to securely connect, communicate and be controlled using either the User Interface, a laptop or smart device, as well as to store data for later playback.
A typical user will have an understanding of measurement chain and signal analysis.
DECAQ systems use customized power cables to ensure they operate at their optimum level. Using a third-party cable is highly discouraged, as this may damage your system. Contact your supplier for more information about which cable is best suited for your measurement configuration.
These systems operate within a range of 10 - 30 VDC voltage. When running the DECAQ from lower voltages, the resulting increased current could cause power cables and connectors to heat up. A lowered supply voltage increases the current flowing through the resistance of the cable and connector, resulting in a quadratic rise in temperature.
When powering larger DECAQ systems, it is therefore recommended to:
When switching off your system, make sure it is being powered down using either the Web Server or the User Interface Buttons on the chassis front panel. Switching off the system by merely disconnecting the power supply could result in permanent hardware damage.
Additionally, avoid disconnecting the power supply if a battery is not present. The system’s battery power will ensure the protection of your hardware and/or recorded data if the power supply gets disconnected. If you need to switch off the system while it is running on battery power only, please do so using the Web Server or User Interface Buttons.
Warning
Do not switch off or reset your DECAQ while it is booting or while a firmware upgrade is in progress. This could permanently damage the system. Wait for the display to show ‘Idle’, ‘live’, ‘REC’, or ‘FAIL’ before continuing to operate on the system.
More information about cables referenced below can be found in the comprehensive user guide on the QuantusSeries website.
| Termination | Max Current | Length | Name |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mean Well AC-DC Adapters | 15.0 A | 1.0 m / Variable | 230K, 231K |
| Banana Plugs | 15.0 A | 2.0 m | 213K |
| Cigarette Plugs | 15.0 A | 2.0 m | 214K |
| Banana Plugs | 20.0 A | 2.0 m / Variable | 221K |
Suggested power cables for different system configurations
| Signal Conditioning and Channel Count | Bench / Battery | Bench / Battery | Cigarette Lighter Socket 214K | Mean Well (15 V, 144 V), Part No. GST160A15-R7B | Mean Well (15 V, 201 V), Part No. GST220A15-R7B | TDK Lambda (26 V, 260 V), Part No. ZUP36-12 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Up to 5 signal conditioning boards / 120 channels | 213K | 216K, 221K | 214K | 230K, 231K | 230K, 231K | 213K, 216K, 221K |
| Up to 8 signal conditioning boards / 192 channels | 213K | 216K, 221K | 214K | 230K, 231K | 230K, 231K | 213K, 216K, 221K |
| Up to 9 signal conditioning boards / 192 channels | 213K | 216K, 221K | 214K | 230K, 231K | 230K, 231K | 216K, 221K |
Please note
These guidelines are dependent on QModule configuration and sampling rate.
The recommended power supply wattage depends on the size of your DECAQ chassis. The following table summarizes the recommended power supply for each DECAQ chassis size:
| Chassis Size | Recommended Power Supply |
|---|---|
| 2 slot | 85 W |
| 3 slot | 125 W |
| 4 slot | 155 W |
| 6 slot | 245 W |
| 10 slot | 305 W |
When operating either high channel counts (typical of 6-slot and 10-slot DECAQ chassis configurations) or while using the Dynamic Charge feature (see information about DECAQ Battery maintenance below), the following recommended input voltages should be applied:
| DC Input Voltage | Input Current | Fuse | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Min | 10 V | - | 25 A |
| Max | 30 V | 21 A | - |
| Recommended | > 15 V | < 16 A | - |
All DECAQ systems contain an internal battery pack. When the power input voltage to the DECAQ drops below the threshold voltage (which is typically between 8.5 and 9.6 V, depending on the power technology being used), the system’s UPS will power the system using the battery pack.
If the DECAQ runs for more than 4 seconds from its battery pack, the User Interface display will show ‘BKP’. Once the system’s power input voltage rises above the threshold, the UPS will automatically switch back to its power input as the primary power supply.
The DECAQ can run from the battery pack for a specified battery pack temperature of between -20 °C and 65 °C, although battery capacity will decrease at low temperatures. No protection is provided should the DECAQ attempt to source its power from the battery pack at temperatures below -20 °C.
Charging the battery
There are three ways to charge the DECAQ battery:
FCH (Fast Charge) - Fast charge can only be performed while the DECAQ is switched off. Charging times may cary according to chassis size. For example, the 2 slot DECAQ takes at least 2 hours to charge, while the 10 slot DECAQ could take up to 3 hours to charge.
SCH (Slow Charge) - A slow charge is able to charge the DECAQ while it is switched on or off. Slow charge takes about 16 hours to charge a fully depleted 10 slot DECAQ battery.
DCH (Dynamic Charge) - This setting charges the battery as fast as possible while the DECAQ is switched on. With Dynamic Charge, all available power not being used by the system is diverted to the battery.
Only one of these three charge algorithms can be active at any given time.
The battery has to be charged for the DECAQ’s uninterruptible power supply (UPS) to supply the system with backup power. You can use any of the three settings to recharge a discharged battery. These options can be selected on the User Interface. (See Navigating the DECAQ’s User Interface Display for more information)
The most efficient way of maintaining the battery is to use the new ‘Dynamic Charge’ setting. Dynamic Charge will ensure the system automatically keeps the battery in a fully charged state.
Alternatively, ‘Slow Charge’ and ‘Fast Charge’ can also be used to fully recharge a battery that has been depleted. It is recommended to fully deplete and then recharge the DECAQ Battery at least once every 6 months (using either Slow Charge or Fast Charge).
Please Note
Recommended battery replacement interval (NiCd and NiMH batteries)
To ensure NiDc and NiMH batteries are functioning at full capacity, it is recommended they be replaced every three years.
Battery servicing
For optimum battery care, deplete and fully recharge DECAQ batteries at least once every six months. This ensures batteries maintain their maximum energy capacity.
Before switching on the DECAQ, make sure it is being powered with an external power source or contains a charged battery.
Switch on the DECAQ via the User Interface by applying the following steps:
Switch off the DECAQ via the User Interface by applying the following steps:
Please note
Take care not to switch off your DECAQ while it is running a test. The procedure above will shut down the system irrespective of whether a test is being run or not. Please ensure the test sequence has concluded before switching off the system, since valuable data may be lost if the test is still running.
The DECAQ connects to the user’s computer through a network. This network can be either Ethernet or Wi-Fi (if the option is available on your system). A couple of configuration options are supported. These will be discussed below.
There are three options when connecting your DECAQ to the network using Ethernet. The most common configuration is to connect your DECAQ to the Ethernet switch which connects your computer to the rest of the network (with a DHCP Server). If your company has strict rules regarding devices on the network, you can also use an isolated network that does not contain a DHCP Server. In this case the DECAQ can be connected to your computer either directly with an Ethernet cable or through a network switch.
Most networks have a DHCP server that will provide your DECAQ with an IP address when setting up for the first time.
A typical network structure if a DHCP server is available on the network looks like this:
In this configuration, your computer should be receiving its IP address from the DHCP server. Once your DECAQ is connected to the network, it should also receive an IP address from the DHCP server.
In this configuration, your computer is on an isolated network that does not contain a DHCP server. The device can either be connected directly with an Ethernet cable or through a network switch.
Here is a diagram of an isolated network through a network switch:
And here is a direct connection:
In these configurations, the DECAQ will detect the lack of a DHCP server present on the network. It will fall back to the AutoIP protocol and choose a random (free) IP address in the 169.254.xxx.yyy range. If your computer is set up to use DHCP (you are connected to the company network and you temporarily connect to the device for configuration), then your computer would behave similarly. Your computer should also choose a free IP address in the same range.
If your computer is set up to have a static IP address, you will have to change the address to 169.254.1.1 for the initial configuration.
DECAQs with optional Wi-Fi have the following network configuration:
The default configuration of the Wi-Fi interface on the DECAQ is Access Point mode with DHCP server enabled. This means that once connected via Wi-Fi, your computer will be given an IP address by the device. Create a wireless connection to the device from the computer by connecting to the SSID Quantus_1234S5678 where the postfix is your device serial number. The security type is “Open”.
Before you can communicate with your DECAQ, you first have to discover it on your network.
By default, all devices are shipped with the following settings:
Quantus_1234S5678 and the postfix is your device serial number. When connecting to Wi-Fi for the first time, you do not require a password as there is no security selected by default (security type is “Open”). The connecting device will also receive an IP address from the DHCP server running on the Wi-Fi port.Quantus_1234S5678 and the postfix is the device serial number. This name can be changed on the Settings page of the device’s System Settings.Note that your device serial number is printed on the bottom of your DECAQ.
All DECAQs are shipped with mDNS enabled. mDNS is the primary method used to discover devices. There are a couple of options available:
prodIdent field populated with the keyword Quantus. At the moment the only service being advertised is the device’s Systems Settings (“_http._tcp" on port 80), but in the future the list will be more complete.We will use the QDeviceDiscovery tool as an example. The output of the application is a JSON string containing a list of DECAQs on the network. After turning on your device, open the command line (or terminal in Linux) in the QDeviceDiscovery folder located in the QuantusSoftware package. Invoke the application by typing QDeviceDiscovery (or ./QDeviceDiscovery in Linux). The application will discover devices on the network within the next 10 seconds. After that it will output the list:
> QDeviceDiscovery
{
"numberOfentries": 1,
"entries": [
{
"deviceName": "Quantus_0718S8880",
"deviceIp": "10.0.0.202"
}
]
}Once you have discovered the IP address or name of your device, you will be able to access your DECAQ’s System Settings.
DECAQs have a built-in Web Server which includes System Settings pages. To access the Web Server, open your preferred Web Browser and enter either of the following in the address bar:
http://<SystemIpAddress>, for example, using the DECAQ discovered in the previous section http://10.0.0.202http://<Name>, for example, using the DECAQ discovered in the previous section http://Quantus_0718S8880You will be greeted with the Landing Page. The Landing Page provides basic information about your DECAQ and allows you to navigate to your System Settings and/or QAcquire.
The DECAQ’s System Settings allows Users to configure the system as a whole:
All the system settings can be reset to factory default settings if your DECAQ can’t be discovered or the network settings / passwords are lost.
Please refer to the DECAQ User Guide for steps how to reset the system settings to factory default settings.
QAcquire configures, controls and monitors your measurement in a modern and effortless way. It is an alternative method for setting up measurements for clients that do not require OEM Software Packages.
QAcquire is a web-based graphical interface hosted on the device. You can launch it by opening the Web Browser, navigating to the DECAQ’s Landing Page and clicking on the QAcquire link.
With QAcquire the system can be configured online. However, it still requires a streaming client to retrieve the data stream for analysis.
To use QAcquire, enter the URL of your DECAQ (as directed in previous sections). This will open the Landing Page of the Web Server with an option to launch QAcquire.
Once it has been selected and loaded, the system can be configured for the measurement task:
Step 1: Select the Master Sampling Rate (eg 131072 Hz).
Step 2: Select the channels tab to configure the channel parameters and display settings for each channel.
Step 3: Change the settings of the channel if desired.
Step 4: Once you have all the channels configured, click apply to sync the changes to your DECAQ device.
QAcquire will now show the live data stream for each configured channel. It can display either the time history or FFT spectra for each channel.
Now that you are connected and ready to measure, you can start to configure your measurement.
Please note
QAcquire is not compatible with other integrated OEM software packages. If your system has integrated third party software please contact your software provider for more product support, including in-depth software User Guides.
For more information, use the User Guides found on your device’s Landing Page or on the QuantusSeries website. To access hardware information such as QModule specifications and functionality diagrams, create an account on QuantusSeries website and go to Support –> Product User Guides.
Use this link to create your account: Create an Account
Contact your distributor or Product Expert for more information about our compatible OEM software packages to find out which software package will suit your unique acquisition and data analysis needs. If your device functions using integrated software packages from third party OEMs, please contact the OEM directly for product support (including User Guides for the software you will be using on your DECAQ system).
The DECAQ provides QModule slots that support a variety of interchangeable signal conditioning channels. These QModules can be bought separately and kept in reserve until the need arises. Add and/or swap your QModules depending on the measurement of the day. QModules are packaged in a robust aluminium casing to provide optimal size, thermal performance and electronic protection.
Please consult the User Guides found on the website for more information about available QModules, including detailed features and specifications.
QModules are highly sensitive to ESD and care needs to be taken to ensure they do not get damaged when they are being inserted and removed from the DECAQ’s front panel. Please carefully follow the instructions below when inserting or removing your QModule.
1. Switch Off Your DECAQ
Ensure your DECAQ is switched off (all LEDs must be off) before inserting a Module.
2. Put on Your ESD Strap
Put on an antistatic wrist strap connected to an earthed antistatic mat. 
3. Earth Your DECAQ
Connect the DECAQ to a 1 MΩ earth bonding point using the 4 mm banana connector (Earth Lug) on the front panel.
4. Take Your QModule Out of its Storage Bag
Take your Module from its antistatic storage bag. Please take care to always store Modules not currently being used in an antistatic bag. 
5. Handle the QModule with Care
Only handle the Module by its front panel or board edges. Do not touch the Module connectors. 
6. Flatten the EMC Strip
Lightly flatten the EMC strip (use a clean finger to do this). 
7. Push in the QModule
Push the Module into its designated slot until the left-hand jacking screw engages with its thread. If necessary, use a screwdriver to further flatten the EMC strip. 
8. Fasten the Jacking Screw
Fasten the left-hand jacking screw with a 2.0 mm hex key. The Module gets pulled in as you turn the screw. 
9. Switch On Your DECAQ
On the next power-up, the DECAQ will automatically detect the newly installed Module(s) and self-calibrate. Wait for the system to boot and then begin your measurement.
To remove a Module, follow the same steps shown in “Inserting a QModule” in reverse.
Make sure:
The DECAQ uses LEMO® connectors for many of its interfaces, including the DC Power connector, optional built-in channels and numerous QModules. These connectors have a latching sleeve to protect the cable from being damaged when it is being connected / disconnected.
To plug in and unplug:
Use the latching sleeve (the rough metallic cover) when you push / pull the connector.
Do not pull on the cable itself:
Pulling on the cable could damage the cable and compromise the connection.
