M240 Industrial LTE Modem for Remote Water Pipeline Monitoring | North Macedonia & Uzbekistan

Water Utilities · North Macedonia & Uzbekistan

“That is a typical measuring station, placed on top of main drinking water pipeline, where we installed flow meter and pressure sensor. For the pressure sensor we use 4–20 mA, and for the flow meter we use RS485.”

Project Overview

A Switzerland-based water infrastructure engineer (Hans) has deployed Yifan Communication M240 Industrial LTE Modems across remote measuring stations in North Macedonia and Uzbekistan. Installed inside solar-powered field enclosures placed directly above main drinking water pipelines, the M240 transmits real-time flow and pressure data back to the operator’s office in Switzerland over local LTE networks — with continuous operation since commissioning in May 2021.

Station interior: water meter electronics (left), MPPT solar charge controller, waterproof field enclosure housing the M240 modem, and 2×12V Ultracell batteries for off-grid operation

Challenge

The measuring stations present demanding requirements for remote cellular connectivity:

• 🔌 Off-grid locations: Stations sit above buried pipelines in rural and semi-arid terrain with no grid power — the entire system must run on solar energy and battery backup
• 📊 Industrial sensor interfaces: Flow meters communicate via RS485 and pressure sensors output a 4–20 mA signal — standard water utility protocols that require native serial and analog hardware support
• 📡 Continuous remote data access: The operator requires uninterrupted real-time readings monitored from Switzerland, making automatic reconnection after any link drop essential
• 🌐 Multi-country deployment: Sites span North Macedonia and Uzbekistan with different local carrier networks, requiring consistent LTE performance without hardware changes
• 🔧 Minimal site visits: Remote terrain and international logistics make field maintenance expensive — hardware must run unattended for months at a time

Solution

At each measuring station, the M240 connects to a pressure sensor via its 4–20 mA analog input and to a flow meter via the RS485 interface, enabling simultaneous monitoring of both water pressure and flow rate through a single cellular modem.

The Yifan Communication M240 Industrial LTE Modem was chosen for its native industrial interfaces and proven low-power design:

• RS485 direct connection: The M240’s built-in RS485 port connects directly to the flow meter, enabling transparent serial-to-cellular data transmission with no additional protocol converter required
• 4–20 mA analog input: The pressure sensor connects directly to the M240’s analog I/O channel — both measurement signals are captured by a single device, simplifying installation
• Solar-compatible low-power design: The M240’s efficient power consumption allows continuous operation from a 2×12V battery bank recharged by rooftop solar panels, with no grid connection needed
• Auto-recovery mechanism: Built-in online detection and automatic redialing restores the connection immediately after any signal interruption, maintaining unbroken data flow to Switzerland
• Multi-operator LTE compatibility: Works across local carriers in both North Macedonia and Uzbekistan, allowing fully standardized hardware across the deployment
• DIN-rail industrial mounting: Mounts cleanly inside standard waterproof field enclosures alongside the solar controller and other DIN-rail equipment — no special installation brackets

Field station powered entirely by rooftop solar panels — no grid connection required. The M240 modem operates inside, continuously transmitting pipeline data.

Results

“The remote reading from Switzerland for the meter installed in North Macedonia — look at the timing! Four years in operation. For the flow meter we use RS485, and for the pressure sensor we use the 4–20 mA input — both integrated without any issues. For off-grid projects across multiple countries, you need hardware that runs without constant on-site visits. The M240 does exactly that.”

Customer details shared with permission. Deployment locations: North Macedonia and Uzbekistan.