Best Way to Add Email or text Notifications to Machines, Automation, Alarm Systems

What’s the best way to add email or text notifications to a machine, automation or alarm system?

1. For notifications based on a single dry contact input, where there is no Internet or telephone, we recommend xProxy.  It’s a battery powered device with dry contact input, enclosed in a weatherproof casing.  It uses a cellular connection to the xProxy cloud service to send notifications by email, text, or text to voice.
2. For simple notification based on a single dry contact closure where Internet with WiFi is available, we recommend SpotProtect.  It uses a dry contact input and sends an email or text alert message when the contact condition changes.
3. If a telephone connection is available, the Sensaphone FGD400 or FGD1400 can accept 4 different inputs or sensors and will call to play a user recorded voice message on alarm.
4. For notifications, data logging and multiple sensor inputs where Internet service is available, we recommend the Sensaphone Sentinel 1200.  It supports up to 12 dry contact or sensor inputs and can alert via text message, email or voice message.
5. For notifications, data logging and multiple sensors where there is no Internet service, we recommend the Sensaphone Sentinel 1200 with cellular modem.  It connects to the Sensaphone cloud via cellular and will send email, text or voice alerts to users as needed on an alarm condition.

Applications For Text or Email Alarm Notifications and Data Logging

There are numerous applications requiring notifications.  In residential applications a homeowner may wish to know about a visitor entering the driveway or property, or an alarm condition in the house or cottage.  Freeze, temperature and water leak detection are other common applications for notification systems designed for homeowners.

Similarly for small business owners, there is a need to be notified on alarm conditions on their property, when visitors arrive, and to avoid disasters caused by temperature or water problems.  We also see applications for notification based on power failures.

In cold storage or medical applications, users need to be notified in case of a power failure or temperature extreme.  But in addition there is a need to prove that product has been stored in the correct temperature range, so data logging is important in this environment.

In greenhouse, farms, and grow-ops, users need to keep track of a wide range of environmental and access control conditions so we tend to see more advanced monitoring.  Sensors are available to monitor temperature, humidity, PH levels, soil moisture, light conditions, power conditions as well as security, smoke and CO detection.  Plus nearly anything with a contact closure can also be measured.

In server rooms and data centers, the concerns tend to revolve around power failures, temperature and humidity, security and access conditions, smoke/fire, carbon monoxide, and machine/server availability.

Monitoring, alerts, data logging and systems can be customized to meet nearly any condition and environment, from residential to large industrial, pump stations, farming and so on.  These are just a few of the potential applications.

For additional information on some of the systems mentioned in this article:

http://www.absoluteautomation.com/xproxy-cellular-alarm/

http://www.absoluteautomation.com/scd-1200-sentinel/

http://www.absoluteautomation.com/switchspot-receive-texts-from-your-alarm/

For further learning and help customizing a solution please visit www.absoluteautomation.com