3. INT101 Connection

The INT101 needs three things: the extension port of the BMS for power and data, a GSM antenna and a nanoSIM card. The GNSS module works with its own antenna; an external one is optional.

3.1 Block Diagram

The BMS supplies the INT101 with 12 V through connector 1 and talks to the modem and to the GNSS module on two serial ports. Two control lines let the BMS switch the whole board on and off and switch the modem alone off and on again.

Fig.3.1.1: INT101 Block Diagram

INT101 v1.3 block diagram: connector 1 to the BMS extension port with the 12 V supply, the power control and the serial ports of the modem and the GNSS module; the power supply, the GSM modem with connector 2 for the GSM antenna and connector 4 for the nanoSIM card, and the GNSS module with its ceramic antenna and connector 3 for an active antenna

3.2 Mounting on the BMS

The INT101 stacks on the BMS: the 2 x 6 socket on its bottom side (connector 1) plugs onto the pin header of the BMS extension port, pin 1 on pin 1, and snap-in spacers in the holes H1 to H4 (5. Mechanical) hold the board, one wherever the BMS has a hole under the INT101 hole: four on the BMS1810, three on the BMS1820, BMS3610, BMS1601 and BCU2002; no screws are needed. The extension port is not fitted on a standard BMS; it is fitted at the factory when the BMS is ordered with an INT101.

Table.3.2.1: Extension Port of the BMS Boards

BMS	Extension Port
BMS1820	Connector 9
BMS3610	Connector 12
BCU2002	Connector 14
BMS1810	Connector 15
BMS1601	Connector 14

The figures below show it on a BMS1810, drawn from the STEP files of both boards: the four 3.2 mm holes around connector 15 of the BMS1810 have the same pattern as the holes H1 to H4 of the INT101, so the snap-in spacers line the socket of the INT101 up with the pin header of the BMS1810 by themselves. Fit the INT101 in this order; on the other boards use the extension port of Table.3.2.1 and three spacers (Fig.3.2.2 to Fig.3.2.5):

Unplug every cell connector and the supply connector of the BMS, and the GSM antenna cable if one is fitted.
Press the snap-in spacers into the 3.2 mm holes around the extension port (connector 15 on the BMS1810) until they click.
Set the INT101 over them, its socket over the pin header of the extension port and its holes over the spacer heads.
Press the INT101 down evenly, near the socket and near each spacer, until the pin header sits fully in the socket and every spacer clicks into its hole.
Connect the GSM antenna to connector 2, insert the SIM card (3.3) and switch the BMS on.

Fig.3.2.1: INT101 on a BMS1810, Exploded and Mounted

Exploded view of the INT101 over a BMS1810: four snap-in spacers in the BMS1810 around connector 15, the 2 x 6 pin header of connector 15 with its pins up, the INT101 above it with its 2 x 6 socket on the bottom side; red dashed lines from each spacer head to its hole in the INT101, blue dash-dot lines from the header pins to the socket entries, the parts behind the INT101 in light grey — a) Exploded

The INT101 mounted on a BMS1810: it sits on four snap-in spacers above connector 15, its socket on the pin header of the extension port; the spacers, the socket and the header under the INT101 in light grey; the flat GSM antenna lies beside the BMS, its thin cable ends in a uFL plug on connector 2 — b) Mounted, with the GSM antenna on connector 2

Red: spacer to hole · Blue: pin header of the BMS1810 to the socket of the INT101 · Light grey: parts hidden by the INT101

On the BMS1820, the BMS3610, the BMS1601 and the BCU2002 the INT101 sits the same way on the pin header of the extension port, turned with it, and on three snap-in spacers: these boards have no hole under the fourth INT101 hole. On the BMS1601 the INT101 reaches past the board edge.

Fig.3.2.2: INT101 on a BMS1820, Exploded and Mounted

Exploded view of the INT101 over a BMS1820: three snap-in spacers in the BMS1820 around its extension port, the 2 x 6 pin header of the port with its pins up, the INT101 above it, turned 180° against the BMS1810 figure, with its 2 x 6 socket on the bottom side; red dashed lines from each spacer head to its hole, blue dash-dot lines from the header pins to the socket entries, the parts behind the INT101 in light grey — a) Exploded

The INT101 mounted on a BMS1820 on three snap-in spacers over its extension port, with the flat GSM antenna beside the BMS on a thin cable from the uFL plug on connector 2 — b) Mounted, with the GSM antenna on connector 2

Fig.3.2.3: INT101 on a BMS3610, Exploded and Mounted

Exploded view of the INT101 over a BMS3610: three snap-in spacers in the BMS3610 around its extension port, the 2 x 6 pin header of the port with its pins up, the INT101 above it, turned 180° against the BMS1810 figure, with its 2 x 6 socket on the bottom side; red dashed lines from each spacer head to its hole, blue dash-dot lines from the header pins to the socket entries, the parts behind the INT101 in light grey — a) Exploded

The INT101 mounted on a BMS3610 on three snap-in spacers over its extension port, with the flat GSM antenna beside the BMS on a thin cable from the uFL plug on connector 2 — b) Mounted, with the GSM antenna on connector 2

Fig.3.2.4: INT101 on a BMS1601, Exploded and Mounted

Exploded view of the INT101 over a BMS1601: three snap-in spacers in the BMS1601 around its extension port, the 2 x 6 pin header of the port with its pins up, the INT101 above it, turned 90° against the BMS1810 figure, with its 2 x 6 socket on the bottom side; red dashed lines from each spacer head to its hole, blue dash-dot lines from the header pins to the socket entries, the parts behind the INT101 in light grey — a) Exploded

The INT101 mounted on a BMS1601 on three snap-in spacers over its extension port, with the flat GSM antenna beside the BMS on a thin cable from the uFL plug on connector 2 — b) Mounted, with the GSM antenna on connector 2

Fig.3.2.5: INT101 on a BCU2002, Exploded and Mounted

Exploded view of the INT101 over a BCU2002: three snap-in spacers in the BCU2002 around connector 14, the 2 x 6 pin header of connector 14 with its pins up, the INT101 above it, turned 90° against the BMS1810 figure, with its 2 x 6 socket on the bottom side; red dashed lines from each spacer head to its hole, blue dash-dot lines from the header pins to the socket entries, the parts behind the INT101 in light grey — a) Exploded

The INT101 mounted on a BCU2002 on three snap-in spacers over connector 14, with the flat GSM antenna beside the BCU2002 on a thin cable from the uFL plug on connector 2 — b) Mounted, with the GSM antenna on connector 2

Warning

Fit or remove the INT101 only after every cell connector and the supply connector of the BMS are unplugged; switching the BMS off is not enough, because a slip while the cells are still connected can damage both boards. Check before you press it down that every pin of the header sits under the socket: a socket that is off by one row connects the wrong pins.

3.3 GSM Antenna and SIM Card

The INT101 comes with a flat GSM antenna on a thin cable that ends in a uFL plug (Fig.3.2.1 b). The cable is held in a small notch at the edge of the INT101; it leaves the board there and bends gently towards the antenna, never sharply. Set the plug straight over connector 2 and press it down until it clicks; to take it off, lift it straight up, never by the cable. Stick the antenna flat on a plastic part of the enclosure, outside any metal and away from power cables; a battery in a metal case needs an antenna on the outside of the case, with a cable through the wall.

Keep the antenna away from the analog wiring

The GSM antenna sends short radio bursts that can disturb the analog measurements of the BMS. Place the antenna and its cable away from the cell voltage wires, the NTC wires and the current sensor cable, and do not run the antenna cable along them.

The INT101 takes a nanoSIM card with a data plan that works on a 2G (GSM/GPRS) network; check that a 2G network is available where the battery will be used. The holder (4) is a push-push type: one push locks the card, the next push releases it. Switch the BMS off before you insert or remove the card.

To insert the card (Fig.3.3.1 a):

Hold the card with its contacts down, towards the board, and its cut corner first, as in the figure.
Slide it straight into the slot of the holder at the board edge.
Push it in with a fingertip until it clicks; the card stays in, flush with the holder.

To remove the card (Fig.3.3.1 b):

Push the card in once more until it clicks.
Let go: the spring pushes the card half out of the slot.
Pull it straight out.

Fig.3.3.1: nanoSIM Card in Holder 4

The INT101 with a nanoSIM card in front of the slot of holder 4 at the board edge, contacts down and the cut corner first, and a red arrow pushing it in — a) Insert: push the card in until it clicks

The INT101 with the nanoSIM card half out of holder 4 after a second push, with a red arrow pushing it in and one pulling it out — b) Remove: push once more, then pull the card out

3.4 GNSS Antenna

The GNSS module (6) works with its ceramic antenna on top, which needs a view of the sky. Metal surfaces and closed spaces weaken or block the GNSS signal, so inside a metal enclosure, or under a metal lid, the module may find no position at all. If the metal has a small opening, for example a plastic window, place the INT101 so that the GNSS module sits right under it. Otherwise connect an external active GNSS antenna for 3.3 V to the uFL connector 3 and place it outside, where it sees the sky more freely; the INT101 powers the antenna and switches to it as soon as it is connected. Without an external antenna the ceramic antenna is used.

Fig.3.4.1: GNSS Antenna Inside, Under an Opening and Outside

Three cases: a) the INT101 with its ceramic GNSS antenna inside a closed metal enclosure, the satellite signals stopped at the metal lid, no position fix; b) a plastic window in the lid right above the GNSS module, the signals pass through it, position fix; c) an external active GNSS antenna on top of the enclosure, its cable through the wall to uFL connector 3, position fix

3.5 Cloud Connection

The BMS firmware runs the modem and the GNSS module and sends the battery data to the LiBat™ cloud over a secure connection; LiBat™ sets the cloud connection up for each BMS. LiMon™ shows the connection ID and the GPS status of the BMS (4.3 In LiMon™).

Fig.3.5.1: Remote Connection Details in LiMon™

The Remote Connection Details card of the LiMon Connection screen: Connection ID, the IMEI of the INT101 modem (partly masked here), and Location Stat reading No GPS Signal