When powering your MICROQ with the recommended Mean Well AC/DC Power Adaptor, connect power by doing the following:The MICROQ is a compact high quality 2-18 channel data acquisition system which measures electrical and physical quantities. Designed for applications that range from small portable measurements and troubleshooting to complex laboratory applications, the MICROQ acquires data through both built-in and modular signal conditioning channels. The device includes built-in Power over Ethernet, as well as optional built-in battery power and SSD for local data storage. The device also includes embedded software which can be used to set up, configure and control your measurement.
The sections that follow will help you power up your MICROQ, learn how to use built-in battery power, add/remove Modules, understand your startup LEDs, and configure your MICROQ settings with the Web Server and our embedded QuantusSeries measurement configuration software, QAcquire.
MICROQs can be powered through either DC Power or Power over Ethernet (PoE). Optional built-in battery power is also available.
The MICROQ will draw power, from whichever sources are connected and ready for use, in the following order:
If all possible power sources are connected, only DC Power will be used to power the MICROQ. DC Power will have to be disconnected for the MICROQ to be powered using PoE or battery power. All other power sources need to be disconnected for the MICROQ to use its battery power (External, then Internal).
Please note:
Each power source status is indicated by a status LED. To find out which status LEDs represent the power source currently being used by your MICROQ, see “Power LEDs” in the full MICROQ User Guide.
The MICROQ can be powered with DC Power using the LEMO® connector next to the On / Off switch on the front panel. The table below provides a summary of the DC Power specifications:
| Category | Specification |
|---|---|
| Connector | LEMO® EHG.0B.302 |
| Input Voltage Range | 10 - 30 VDC |
| Power required | Up to 40 W |
| Recommended Power Supply | Mean Well GST120A24 |
When powering your MICROQ with the recommended Mean Well AC/DC Power Adaptor, connect power by doing the following:
Please note:
Additional DC Power cables and accessories are available, please contact your supplier for more information.
The MICROQ can be set up and powered via IEEE 802.3 PoE. In order to facilitate this, a PoE Injector is supplied for cases where the device does not require industrial surge protection (e.g. in an office environment).
When powering your MICROQ with PoE, connect power by doing the following:
Warning:
Beware of ground loops that could be created through the shield of the shielded Ethernet cable.
The table below provides a summary of the MICROQ’s PoE specifications and may serve as a reference when choosing the right PoE Injector for a specific measurement application:
| Category | Specification |
|---|---|
| Design based on PoE standards | 802.3at Type 2, LTPoE++ |
| Connector | RJ45 |
| Input Voltage Range | 42 - 57 VDC |
| Power source required | Up to 40 W |
When choosing the right PoE Injector one should also consider the potential power consumption of specific system configurations (types of Modules and/or sensors in operation, whether Wi-Fi has been enabled, whether local data storage is being used, etc.), as this would directly influence which PoE Injector would be most appropriate for your MICROQ’s operational requirements.
Please note:
If you intend to use PoE in an industrial environment, request advice from your laboratory manager regarding which third party PoE Injector would be most appropriate. Additional options, including external solutions for battery PoE Injectors are available. Feel free to contact your supplier for more information.
The MICROQ is optionally equipped with a built-in Internal Battery which allows you to fully power your MICROQ for 1 - 2 hours, depending on the system’s configuration.
The External Battery can be attached to the MICROQ in order to extend operation time by an additional 1 - 2 hours, depending on your system’s configuration. Hot-swapping External Batteries can increase uninterrupted operation time significantly.
1. Indent
The indent is in the top right-hand corner of both the External Battery (back face) and the MICROQ (back face). To attach the External Battery to the MICROQ, place the front of the External Battery against the back face of the MICROQ while aligning both indents. Once the indents are aligned, turn the battery wheel until finger tight.
2. Battery Wheel
Turn the battery wheel clockwise to attach, and anti-clockwise to detach, the External Battery.
When being powered by Internal and External Batteries, the MICROQ will draw power from the batteries in the following order:
It is important to note that the External Battery does not charge the Internal Battery. Depleted Internal and External Batteries will need to be charged with DC Power, PoE or by docking into one of the DOCKQ bays.
Please refer to the MICROQ User Guide for a detailed description of the battery status LED indicators.
The MICROQ comes standard with both DC Power and PoE. These sources can charge Internal / External Batteries if the need arises. When using Internal and External Batteries to power the MICROQ, DC Power or PoE can be used to charge both of them simultaneously (while the MICROQ is switched off). DC Power will take priority if both DC Power and PoE are present. The battery (Internal or External) with the lowest charge level will be charged first. Once both batteries have equal charge levels, they will be charged simultaneously.
Please note:
Charging of the Internal or External Battery takes place only when the MICROQ is switched off. The temperature range of the battery has to be between 0 °C and 45 °C for it to charge.
Use your DOCKQ to charge your External Batteries and/or your MICROQ Internal Battery. The DOCKQ facilitates hot-swapping and helps extend uninterrupted portable operation time.
To charge your External Battery, dock it into either one of the DOCKQ bays. Make sure you align the connectors on the External Battery with the connectors in the docking bay (see “Docking Label” below for more information).
Docking Label
The docking label indicates how to correctly align the connectors on the MICROQ / External Battery with the connectors of the DOCKQ’s docking bays. The white dots represent the indent on the External Battery and the Power On / Off button on the MICROQ. Use the white dots on the label to correctly align the connectors of the MICROQ / External Battery and the DOCKQ bay’s connectors before you dock.
LEDs on the DOCKQ
Blue LEDs - Blue LEDs on the DOCKQ indicate the External Battery’s charge level. If the MICROQ is docked, the blue LEDs will represent the Internal Battery’s charge level. Once the battery is fully charged, all seven LEDs will be solid blue.
Orange LEDs - Orange LEDs indicate that the MICROQ is updating or sharing data. Do not remove the MICROQ if this is taking place.
Please note:
The temperature range of the battery has to be between 0 °C and 45 °C for it to charge.
Before switching on the MICROQ, make sure it is connected to DC Power or PoE (or contains a sufficiently charged battery).
Switch on the MICROQ by pressing and holding down the Power On / Off button until the PoE and Battery LEDs (and DC Power LED if connected) turn solid blue.
Switch off the MICROQ by pressing and holding down the Power On / Off button until the PoE and Battery LEDs (and DC Power if connected) turn red, indicating the MICROQ is shutting down. This will take about one second. Release the button once the LEDs turn red.
The system should take about five seconds to power down. If the shutdown sequence has been initiated after a measurement has begun (and data is still being written to the SSD), the system shutdown sequence will take longer than five seconds.
System Boot
These three blue LEDs indicate the progress of system initialization (1 - 3). Each LED will blink and then turn solid blue until all three LEDs are on, indicating that initialization is complete.
System Active - Ready to Measure
The LED sequence will typically take place in the following order:
The MICROQ 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 MICROQ to the network using Ethernet. The most common configuration is to connect your MICROQ 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 MICROQ 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 MICROQ 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 MICROQ 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 MICROQ 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.
MICROQs with optional Wi-Fi have the following network configuration:
The default configuration of the Wi-Fi interface on the MICROQ 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 MICROQ, 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 MICROQ.
All MICROQs 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 MICROQs 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 MICROQ’s System Settings.
MICROQs 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 MICROQ discovered in the previous section http://10.0.0.202http://<Name>, for example, using the MICROQ discovered in the previous section http://Quantus_0718S8880You will be greeted with the Landing Page. The Landing Page provides basic information about your MICROQ and allows you to navigate to your System Settings and/or QAcquire.
The MICROQ’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 MICROQ can’t be discovered or the network settings / passwords are lost.
Please refer to the MICROQ 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 MICROQ’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 MICROQ (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 MICROQ 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.
For more information, use the User Guides (including the QuantusSoftware User Guide) 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.
The MICROQ provides two QModule slots (found on the front panel) 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. These 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 MICROQ’s front panel. Please carefully follow the instructions below when inserting or removing your QModule.
1. Switch Off Your MICROQ
Ensure your MICROQ 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 MICROQ
Connect the MICROQ 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 MICROQ
On the next power-up, the MICROQ 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 MICROQ’s front panel supports optional built-in signal conditioning channels.
Please consult the User Guides found on the website for more information about built-in signal conditioning channels, including detailed features and specifications.
The MICROQ 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.
