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The Resource Monitoring System
Safety Precaution
WARNING!
Important: Please read and be sure that you understand this entire
user’s manual before operating the RMS system
Follow all operating and use instructions.
Strictly adhere to all warnings on the product and in this user’s
manual.
Keep children away from display device.
Keep display device away from water to avoid possible shock.
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About this Manual
Okay, you’ve got a brand new RMS system with some nice features. Now what?
Afraid you’ll press the wrong button or forget how to perform an operation? Don’t
worry! We’ve designed this guide to take you step-by-step through each functional
operation that can be done with the RMS system. This manual will help you learn about
all of the options. Follow along, section by section, and you’ll find it’s as easy as 1-2-3.
Here’s an idea of what will be covered in this manual:
First, make sure you have read the first section, “Safety Precautions,” before you go any
further. Next, there is a description of the hardware and software that makes up the RMS
system. Then there is a section that shows you, the user how to operate the system’s
buttons and display screen located on the display device. After that, the manual will
show you the way to use the software through the graphical user interface. This will
include changing modes, settings and passwords and pumping the septic tank. If you
encounter any problems along the way, this manual also contains a troubleshooting
section to help you out. The final section of this manual contains the certification and
warranty information and a part list for repairs.
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Table of Contents
Precaution ……………………………………………………2
Certifications and Warranty ……23
About this Manual …………………………………3
1. Certifications ………………………23
Table of Contents …………………………………4
2. Warranty information ………24
Introduction ………………………………………………5
3. Not under warranty ……………25
System description ………………………………6
4. Parts list …………………………………25
1. Hardware …………………………………………6
2. Software …………………………………………7
Caring for your system ……………………9
Operating the Wall Unit …………………9
1. Using the buttons …………………9
Operating the Software …………………10
1.
Program Mode …………………………10
2.
User Mode …………………………………10
3.
Settings ……………………………………11
4.
Initial Setup ………………………12
6.
Navigating the Menu ………13
7.
Data and Graphs …………………15
8.
Alert Indicators ………………17
9.
Acknowledging Alerts ……19
Troubleshooting ……………………………………20
1. FAQ ………………………………20
2. Solving Known Problems …22
3. Support contacts …………………23
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RMS System Introduction
When too much water enters a septic system, the lifespan
of the septic system is significantly reduced. The fundamental
problem consumers have in managing their use of water is that
there is no feasible way to tell how much they have used. As a
result, they are unaware of how much water is going into their
septic systems at any point in time after washing clothes, taking
a shower, or running the dishwasher.
Overflowing the septic system will eventually cause the
septic system to fail. The excess water forces solid waste and
scum to flow into the drainfield, reducing its ability to
disperse the effluent into the soil. Since the unprocessed waste
comes to the surface, a failed drainfield constitutes a health
hazard. It will require a costly excavation to repair and restore
the drainfield to its full capacity.
The RMS Solution:
The Resource Monitoring System eliminates this problem by
recording a household’s water intake and estimating the remaining
capacity of its septic tank. An RMS screen, generally located on
the wall near the thermostat in the house, can display this
information for the consumer. By sounding an alarm, the RMS
system notifies the consumer if current water usage exceeds
septic tank capacity. This system uses a central unit (See
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example at the end of this page) that accepts readings from
several water meters placed throughout the house. Installation of
an RMS system would include a central unit with display screen, a
processor, a data storage device, and several water meters.
System description
Hardware
The RMS system consists of several hardware parts.
The
most visible part to you the user is the wall unit (See figure
below). This wall unit contains your display screen, a processor
and a data storage device. It is also where you will read
information about your septic system.
The panel will display
different graphs based on what buttons you press. Detailed
information regarding the operation of this display unit can be
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found later in the manual.
The other hardware pieces are the water meters.
As a user
of RMS it is important for you to know where the water meters are
in case you need to replace one.
Information regarding
replacement of a meter can be found in the back of this manual.
Software
The Resource Monitoring System (RMS) has been designed with both
functionality and ease of use in mind. Each feature is easily
accessible within the intuitive user interface (see figure below).
The Graph Panel is your principal source of information on your
water usage patterns. RMS has several different graphs available for
you to view including the following:

Septic Tank Capacity Remaining

Water Use over the Previous Day

Average Water Use over the Previous Week

Average Water Use over the Previous Month
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The Graph Panel also provides Alert Indicators, showing you how close
to a given alert level you currently are (see figure on below).
The second display component we will discuss is the Information
Panel. The purpose of this panel is to describe what’s occurring in the
graph panel.
For example, if you choose to display the water use over the previous
day, the Information Panel will show the current rate of water
consumption (ex: 15 gallons per hour), the remaining capacity of the
septic tank, and the total water consumption (in gallons) over the past
twenty-four hours. The Information Panel will always show you the
current state of the alert level.
The final component we will take a look at is the menu. The menu
system provides you with an intuitive way of selecting options. The
options in the menu include graph type, time, mode, alarm, and help.
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Each of these will be discussed later in the section titled,
“Navigating the Menu.”
Taking care of your system
When cleaning your display screen, use a dry, lint-free
cloth. Do not use any cleaning solutions or liquids directly on
the display screen. Do not hit or pound on the buttons all it
requires is a soft push.
Operating the Wall Unit
Using the buttons (see figure below)
Power Indicator Light: When the red light is on, the wall unit is
connected to its power source.
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Enter Button: Used to select from the menu
Cancel Button: Used to cancel a selection
Graph Type Button: Used cycle through the graphs displayed in the Graph
Panel (used in conjunction with the Time Button)
Time Button: Changes the Time Interval displayed in the Graph Panel
Arrow Buttons: UP, DOWN, LEFT and RIGHT are used to browse different
areas in the display screen and to move through the user menu. (See the
section titled “Navigating the Menu”)
Operating the Software
Program Mode
Move to the right in the menu to Mode and click the enter button on
Program Mode
User Mode
In the main menu move the RIGHT arrow to Mode and select User.
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To displaying the data & graphs again, click on “display data & graphs”
in the menu.
(See below)
Settings
 Go to Program Mode

Click on Change settings

Click on your selection from change settings
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Initial Setup
In Program Mode click on initial setup
Enter the following information

User Name

Password (must be re-entered)

The Septic Tank Capacity (in U.S. gallons)

Enter the Drainfield dispersal rate (see documentation on your
septic system for this information)
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Navigating the Menu
The RMS menu has five categories to choose from:
1.
Graph Type
2.
Time
3.
Mode
4.
Alarm
5.
Help
To navigate to an option, simply press the LEFT or RIGHT button
until you reach the desired option (see at the top of the next
page).
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Once you’ve reached the option you want, press the DOWN button to
list the options within that menu item. Continue pressing the UP
or DOWN button until you’ve reached the desired option then press
ENTER to select that option (see figure on below). You may press
cancel at any time to exit the menu and display the default
graph. To find out what each option does, see the corresponding
section within this manual.
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Data and Graphs
In order to display a different graph you need to press
either the GRAPH TYPE or the TIME button.
The GRAPH TYPE button
will change what data is displayed to the screen.
Pressing the
button multiple times will cycle through the various graphs
available in our system.
These graphs include:
 Estimated Remaining Septic Capacity
 Current Water Usage
 Average gallons per
By pressing the unit button you can change the accuracy of
the graph.
The various times in the time menu include:
 12 Hour Time Period
 24 Hour Time Period
 1 Week Time Period
 1 Month Time Period
By pressing these two buttons all of the graphs of the RMS
system can be cycled through.
Shown here is the graph of with a 12-hour period.
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By Pressing the GRAPH TYPE button the display will change
to a different graph.
In this case the graph becomes the
estimated remaining septic capacity.
Note that note only does
the graph change but the title bar also changed (See figure
below).
By pressing TIME button the display will change to a
different time period (see figure below).
This means that the
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time that the graph covers will change.
In this instance the
time changes from a 12 hours period to a 24-hour period.
It is therefore by using only these two buttons that you
can access all of the graphs that RMS has to offer.
You can also
change the graph type and time period displayed in the graph
using the menu. Feel free to experiment to see what combination
you like the best.
Alert Indicators
Your Resource Monitoring System comes standard with an
alert indicator that tells you when you are about to exceed your
septic tank’s capacity. There are three alert states described as
follows:
 OK (green)
 CAUTION (yellow)
 DANGER (red)
During the OK Alert Level (See figure below), the Information
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Panel will have a green background. This condition tells you
that you are currently at a safe level of water use.
The CAUTION Alert Level is designed to tell you that your
septic tank capacity is close to being exceeded and you should
stop using water for the time being. The background of the
Information Panel turns yellow in this condition. (See figure
below)
During the DANGER Alert Level, the background of the
information Panel will turn red and the Central RMS Panel will
start beeping (see figure on next page). At this point, you
should stop using water immediately because the septic tank is
now past its capacity. It is likely that some damage has been
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done to the drain field at this point, but continuing to use
water will only cause more damage and may cause a back up into
the house.
Acknowledging Alerts
If the Alert Level does go to DANGER, an alarm will sound.
This alarm will continue sounding until the Alert Level goes down
to CAUTION or until the alert is acknowledged. To acknowledge the
alert simply navigate to the alarm option in the menu (see the
section titled “Navigating the Menu”) and press the enter button.
NOTE: This does not change the alert level. You should still
discontinue your use of water until the Alert Level has gone back
to OK.
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Troubleshooting
Frequently Asked Questions
Q:
What do I need to do when I get my septic tank pumped?
A:
Go to the Program Mode on the RMS wall unit menu and select the
option “Tank Pumped.”
Selecting this option will notify the RMS system
that your septic tank has been pumped.
It is important that you do
this in order for RMS to be able to display the correct information to
you.
Q:
What happens if a power outage occurs at my home?
A:
If you have a power outage RMS will stop working until your power
comes back on.
It is important to remember that because of RMS is not
on it is unable to keep track of what water you use during a power
outage.
Q:
What happens if I need a replacement part?
A:
You can replace the part by ordering it.
Information on how to
order parts can be found in the last section of this manual.
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Q:
If I sell my home do I need to notify RMS of this ownership change?
A:
No. However, if you are still under the warranty period the warranty
will end with the sale of the house.
Q:
I am replacing the water pipe that RMS is installed on.
How do I do
this?
A:
Our recommendation is that you call a professional plumber for such
an installation.
If instead you choose to do the installation yourself
it is important to keep in mind that you will violate the warranty if
you damage or attempt to modify any component of the system including
but not limited to the water meter that was on the old pipe. See the
Installation Manual for instructions on this.
Q:
The screen went blank.
A:
More than likely nothing is wrong.
screen saver turned on.
What is wrong with my system?
What likely happened is that the
To turn off the screen saver simply press any
of the buttons on the RMS wall unit and the display will once again
become active.
Q:
My system is beeping.
A:
This beeping is to notify you that you are close to the capacity
What is wrong?
limits of your septic system.
To turn the beep off press the enter
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button on the RMS wall unit or navigate the menu to the alert option
and press enter.
If the beeping occurs on a regular basis then there
are several things that you must consider.
First of all you should
think about getting your septic tank pumped, as it is possible that
your tank capacity has been reduced.
You should also consider ways to
use less water. If the problem still persists contact customer support
service.
Solving Known Problems

The incorrect septic system capacity can be entered into the
system.
In order to resolve this problem contact customer
support.

A meter could break.
In order to test for this enter Program
Mode and select option “Test Meters.”
This will perform
calculations on your meters and will notify you if there seems to
be a problem with any of your meters.
If it finds anything wrong
with the system or if it doesn’t find anything wrong, but you
still suspect a problem, you should contact customer support.

Your display screen will no longer display anything.
In this
case it is possible that your display screen is broken.
Press a
button on the RMS wall unit to make sure that the screen saver is
not on.
Also check to make sure the power light is on. If the
screen still does not display anything or if the power light is
off, contact customer support.
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Support Contact Information
Phone Number:
1-757-683-3653
Fax number:
1-757-555-1234
Address:
Department of Computer Science
Old Dominion University
Norfolk, VA 23529-0162
Web page:
www.cs.odu.edu/cs411W/Fall03
Email:
ray@cs.odu.edu
Certifications and Warranty
Certifications
This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the
limits for a Class B digital device, pursuant to Part 15 of the
FCC Rules.
These limits are designed to provide reasonable
protection against harmful interference in a residential
installation.
current.
This equipment generates and uses electrical
FCC Regulations state that any unauthorized changes or
modifications to this equipment not expressly approved by the
manufacturer could void the user’s authority to operation this
equipment.
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Warranty Information
This limited warranty is valid for U.S. RMS Systems
manufactured for sale in and purchased and operated in the
United States.
Resource Monitoring System (RMS), Inc warrants to the
original consumer purchaser that the RMS unit and all
component parts shall be free from defects in material
workmanship for a period of one year from the date of
purchase. If a defect covered by this limited warranty
occurs during this one-year warranty period.
RMS will
repair or replace the defective device or component part,
at its option, free of charge. This limited warranty does
not apply if the RMS device is used with products not
distributed or licensed by RMS or if the defects have been
caused by negligence, accident, unreasonable use,
modification, tampering or any other causes not related to
defective materials or workmanship. Additionally, this
warranty shall not be valid if the serial number of the RMS
unit has been altered, defected or removed in any way.
Please retain the original or a photocopy of your dated
sales receipt to easily establish the date of purchase for
in-warranty repairs. To receive warranty service in the
U.S. you must contact customer support at the web site or
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phone number listed in the support contact section.
Customer support will give you instructions to send in
defected unit. The purchaser shall pay for the cost of
returning the unit to the RMS Service Center.
Not under warranty
If your RMS unit requires repairs after termination of
the one year limited warranty period, you may contact RMS
at the web site, email address, or phone number listed in
the support contact section for instructions.
Parts List
Parts
Manufacture
Water meter
Central RMS Wall Unit
Price
$80.00 per meter
Contact RMS for
this information.
$200.00