Battery-powered, cellular-enabled water quality monitoring for sites with no power, no network, and a planned site-service schedule. Deploy with the BTSB Smart Box at reservoirs, remote tanks, rest stops, campgrounds, and rural distribution points.
Sensor. Smart Box. Battery power.A connected assembly for planning your remote monitoring site.
Quick Answer
How can I monitor chlorine at remote or off-grid sites?
A qualified low-power sensor, battery and BTSB interface can monitor a remote site without grid power. Choose the residual species, measurement interval, reporting interval and communication path together. Battery life depends on capacity, temperature and duty cycle; retain reference checks and budget service parts and data separately.
Site-specific
Battery Service Interval
5
Parameters Measured
NSF-61
Certified Component
Model-specific
Maintenance Plan
FREE MP-TOTAL PRODUCT BROCHURE
Three chlorine measurements. One probe.
Planning monitoring for a chloraminated water system? Get a concise overview of MP-TOTAL, with real installation photos and seven water-quality parameters in one probe.
Total chlorine, monochloramine and free chlorine.
Temperature, pH, conductivity and ORP.
Reagent-free measurement, self-cleaning and wet-tap installation examples.
1 page. PDF download. A quick product overview to share with your operations and engineering teams.
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The Workforce Challenge
Drinking water utilities face increasing workforce challenges. Much of the current workforce is expected to retire in the coming decade, taking institutional knowledge with them. Between 2016 and 2026, an estimated 10.6% of water sector workers will retire or transfer out of the industry.
Unattended sites like campgrounds, rest stops, and mobile home parks often require sending a technician to make manual grab samples of treated drinking water. There is a pressing need to reduce manpower requirements while maintaining water safety.
There is now a practical means to remotely monitor these sites — reducing routine sampling trips while retaining required reference checks.
Halogen Sensors Are Ideal for Remote Monitoring
check_circleInstalls anywhere — wet-tap, immersion, pipe tee, or flow cell
check_circleNSF-61 certified for direct drinking water contact
check_circleModel-specific service plan and scheduled reference checks
check_circleCloud monitoring with SMS and email notifications
check_circleFive parameters from a single sensor probe
check_circleBattery-powered — no grid electricity required
Proven Results
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2,080 Man-Hours Saved
One customer saved 2,080 man hours by deploying just 5 MP5 sensors at remote sites. At an illustrative labor rate of $50 per hour, that would represent $104,000 in labor value — reducing routine sampling trips at those sites. Required reference checks remain part of the monitoring program.
route
50+ Sensors at Highway Rest Stops
Another customer deployed over 50 sensors at rest stops along highways — replacing manual sampling programs with continuous, unattended monitoring. Each site operates autonomously on battery power with cellular cloud reporting.
Key Capabilities
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Battery + BTSB Smart Box
Pair a Low Power sensor with the Bluetooth Smart Box (BTSB) and battery for fully autonomous operation — up to 12 months on a single charge. The sensor sleeps between 4-minute measurement cycles to conserve power. Do NOT use the D20 controller at battery sites — it draws too much power.
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BTSB-IoT Cellular Telemetry
The BTSB-IoT (available in NA and EMEA variants) includes a built-in cellular modem with eSIM. Transmits encrypted data to Halogen cloud, your cloud, or both via LTE/4G — no local network infrastructure required.
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IoT Cloud Dashboard
Centralized control center to access data from anywhere. Configure instant SMS/Email alerts for low residual levels. Adjust sampling intervals (every 15 min, hourly, or daily) via the mobile app to optimize battery life.
A CLOSER LOOK AT THE HARDWARE
See how the components come together.
Sensor, Bluetooth module and power
A product assembly view showing the connections between the sensor, module and battery enclosure.
Four steps from unboxing to real-time remote data.
01
01
Install the Sensor
Wet-tap allows live installation under pressure up to 145 PSI. Immersion sensors deploy on a chain or float in tanks with cables up to 200 ft (NSF-61 approved). A pipe tee with 2″ slip fitting is the most economical option if the pipe can be shut down.
02
02
Connect the BTSB
The BTSB bridges the sensor to the outside world. Choose BTSB-IoT for cellular cloud reporting, BTSB-420 for Sensus FlexNet AMI integration, or base BTSB with Modbus RTU for third-party gateways.
03
03
Choose Connectivity
BTSB-IoT for cellular cloud reporting, BTSB-420 for Sensus FlexNet AMI integration, or base BTSB with Modbus RTU for third-party SCADA/IoT gateways. All work on battery power.
04
04
Monitor Remotely
Set critical thresholds for low residual and receive immediate push notifications. Configure measurement frequency from the mobile app — every 15 minutes, once per hour, or once per day.
BTSB Smart Box — Choose Your Connectivity
Every remote installation needs a BTSB Smart Box. Choose the variant that matches your communication requirements.
BTSB-IoT
Cellular Cloud Reporting
Built-in LTE/4G cellular modem with eSIM. Transmits to Halogen cloud, customer cloud, or both. Available in NA and EMEA variants. Works on battery — sensor sleeps in 4-minute cycles.
BTSB-420
Sensus FlexNet AMI
4–20 mA adapter with four outputs. Designed for utilities using Xylem Sensus gateway infrastructure. Integrates directly into existing AMI networks for automated meter reading.
BTSB
Bluetooth + Modbus RTU
Basic Bluetooth Smart Box. Connects to the Halogen mobile app for on-site configuration and data retrieval. Modbus RTU output for third-party SCADA or IoT gateways.
Sensors & Installation Options
Choose the sensor and mounting method that fits your site.
Sensor Models
MP-MONO
PN: MP-MONO
Monochloramine, free chlorine, pH, conductivity, and temperature. Ideal for chloraminated distribution systems.
MP-5F Free Chlorine
PN: MP5
Five-parameter flagship — free chlorine, pH, ORP, conductivity, and temperature.
Installation Methods
Wet Tap
MP-5F: D-H2WT-P / MP-TOTAL: MP-T-H2WT-P
Live installation under pressure up to 145 PSI. Use with RMR-WT remover kit and corp stop valve.
Immersion or Side Stream
MP-5F: D-H2LF-P / MP-TOTAL: MP-T-H2LF-P
Immersion in tanks/reservoirs with cables up to 200 ft, or use with FC-02 Flow Cell Kit for side stream.
PVC Tee
MP-5F: D-H2MF-P / MP-TOTAL: MP-T-H2MF-P
Most economical option when the pipe can be shut down. Sensor glues into a 2″ PVC tee with PT-01 adapter.
Typical Vault Installation
A typical vault installation uses a wet-tap sensor inserted into the water main, connected via M12 cable to a BTSB Smart Box mounted on the vault wall. Size the battery using the sensor duty cycle, reporting interval, site temperature and service reserve.
check_circleSensor wet-taps into live main — no shutdown required
check_circleBTSB mounts outside metal housing for wireless signal
check_circleOptional solar trickle charger extends runtime
Battery Life Calculator
Select your sensor model, battery size, and measurement frequency to estimate battery life and power consumption.
36.7
Months Estimated Battery Life
48
Measurements / Day
0.081
Ah / Day Consumption
Mode
Duration
Current
Ah / Cycle
Ah / Day
Fundamental
5s
0.05 A
0.000069
0.0033
Startup
1s
0.479 A
0.000133
0.0064
Chlorine + Measurement
44s
0.101 A
0.001234
0.0593
Deep Sleep (remainder)
—
0.0005 A
—
0.0117
Total Daily Consumption
50s active
—
—
0.0806
Battery life estimated at 90% depth of discharge (DoD) — standard for LiFePO₄ batteries.
Actual battery life may vary based on temperature, calibration frequency, BLE interaction time, and manual power-on events.
MP-TOTAL features a shorter measurement cycle and lower standby current for extended battery life.
Where to Deploy
Common deployment scenarios for unattended remote monitoring.
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Remote Reservoirs & Tanks
Immersion sensors on chains or floats, battery-powered with cellular reporting.
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Rural Distribution Dead Ends
Wet-tap into dead-end mains where chlorine residual drops — no power needed.
cell_tower
Water Tower Monitoring
Monitor disinfectant levels at elevated storage tanks with long-range cellular telemetry.
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Booster Stations
Track chlorine before and after re-chlorination at remote booster pump stations.
local_gas_station
Rest Stops & Campgrounds
Continuous compliance monitoring at unattended recreation and travel facilities — proven at 50+ sites.
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Mobile Home Parks
Add continuous monitoring between scheduled reference samples at small community water systems.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long can a remote chlorine sensor operate on battery power?
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Halogen Low Power sensors paired with the BTSB Smart Box operate for 6 to 12 months on a single battery charge, depending on measurement frequency and battery capacity. Estimate runtime from usable battery capacity, temperature, sensor duty cycle and reporting interval; these durations are not guarantees for every configuration. The D20 controller is NOT recommended for battery sites due to high power draw.
What connectivity options exist for remote monitoring without infrastructure?
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Three connectivity paths via the BTSB Smart Box family: BTSB-IoT (built-in LTE/4G cellular with eSIM) for cloud reporting, BTSB-420 for Sensus FlexNet AMI integration, and base BTSB with Modbus RTU for third-party SCADA or IoT gateways. All variants operate on battery power.
Can remote sensors be installed without shutting down the water main?
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Yes. The wet-tap installation method allows sensor insertion into a live pipe under pressures up to 145 PSI without a system shutdown.
What water quality parameters are measured?
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A single Halogen MP-5F sensor measures free chlorine, pH, conductivity, ORP, and temperature — five parameters from one probe. The MP-MONO variant adds monochloramine and total chlorine measurement for chloraminated systems.
How is remote sensor data accessed and what alerts are available?
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Data is accessible from any browser or mobile device through the Halogen cloud dashboard. Operators can configure SMS and email alerts for low chlorine residual, battery warnings, and connectivity loss. Sampling intervals are configurable via the mobile app — every 15 minutes, once per hour, or once per day.
What does a typical remote monitoring system cost to operate?
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Budget separately for the installed model’s service parts, reference testing, labour, battery service and data plan. The A-kit includes impeller and pH components; replacing the whole kit annually is not a standard budgeting assumption. Extreme water conditions may require more frequent pH replacement. Field labour savings are deployment-specific; keep the required reference-sampling program.
Eliminate Manual Grab Sampling
Join the utilities saving thousands of man-hours per year with unattended remote chlorine monitoring. Contact us for a site assessment and system recommendation.
Plan mounting, service access, power and communications together. This field example shows the sensor and controller; remote power and telemetry must be selected for your site.
