A battery monitoring system is only as reliable as the quality of your actual installation and configuration/provisioning.

You can deploy the best sensors and RTUs on the market. However, if they're installed without a solid plan, accurate thresholds, or cybersecurity protections, your monitoring results will be incomplete at best (and dangerously misleading at worst).

At DPS, we've worked on thousands of telecom and utility deployments. The difference between long-term success and chronic false alarms almost always comes down to whether the team followed a structured install process.

This article gives you the eight best practices you need to get monitoring right - from the first cable run to long-term data retention and compliance. If you're rolling out - or considering - a new battery monitoring solution, this is the checklist to follow to get maximum uptime protection and a full return on your investment.

The Hidden Cost of "Plug-and-Pray" Installs

You've got good gear. Your setup will include an RTU, battery monitoring sensors, and a clear need for monitoring your remote battery strings.

So why do so many deployments go wrong?

There's a big difference between "installed" (which is sometimes just a "rubber stamp") and properly deployed.

We've audited sites where:

• Sensors were installed backward (hello, negative voltage readings)
• SNMPv1/v2 was still enabled (a serious CISA red flag)
• Corrosion on terminals and wires had reach the point where it was affecting readings.

No one sets out to make these mistakes. But when crews are rushed or the site survey is skipped, bad habits creep in.

What's worse is these issues often won't cause an instant failure. Your system works... sort of. Until it doesn't. And by then, your batteries are damaged, your site goes dark, or maybe your compliance team is asking why last quarter's logs are missing.

Let's fix all of these problems before they begin.

Create Your Perfect-Fit Monitoring Deployment

Imagine having a remote site where all of your monitoring just works.

• Cabling is clean, no longer than necessary, and clearly labeled.
• Every sensor is properly daisy-chained.
• RTUs are locked down with SNMPv3, TLS, and ACLs.
• Thresholds reflect your actual baseline impedance - not just factory defaults.
• Historical data goes back multiple years, in one-minute resolution, ready for predictive models or audits.

This is the level of professionalism that backup power for telecom systems demands in 2025. And you can get there - with the right checklist...

1. Planning & Site Survey: Your Deployment's Foundation

Map before you mount. Before you order sensors, take the time to map every jar, string, and sensor location.

• Keep RJ-11 pigtails with only minimal slack (many "hops" need only 12 inches or less) to maximize signal clarity and minimize EMI.
• Lay out your cable runs to keep the total sensor bus under 600 feet.
• Perform a full grounding check using ANSI/BICSI 002 or equivalent - particularly for older cabinets. A poor telecom bonding network leads to sensor drift and electrostatic discharge (ESD) damage.

This is also the time to collect baseline impedance data. If you don't have a recent PM report, now's the time to generate one.

Realistic thresholds mean fewer false alarms and thus faster reactions when things go wrong.

2. Sensor Installation & Cabling: Do It Once, Do It Right

When it's time to install, follow this golden rule: inside to outside. Start at the most positive jar and daisy-chain your sensors toward ground.

This is an important step as doing the opposite creates step-potential loops. These loops introduce measurement noise and possible shock hazards.

Other important steps to follow include:

• Use smart sensors that digitize readings locally so they can be transmitted without voltage-drop distortion.
• Keeping the total sensor chain under 600 ft, which is hardly every a problem.
• Re-torquing the battery posts to OEM spec (often 65-75 in-lb for VRLA) after adding the sensor ring. Loose lugs cause higher resistance - and higher fire risk.

3. Alarm Configuration: Don't Trust Factory Defaults

Generic thresholds are fine for demos. But real-world batteries degrade uniquely.

Start by customizing thresholds to match your site's baseline:

Metric	Minor Threshold	Major Threshold
Voltage deviation	+ or -3% of nominal	+ or -5% of nominal
Internal resistance	+15% rise	+25% rise
Temperature	+ or -5 C	+ or -8 C or >45 C

Be sure to review your thresholds quarterly. Ambient temperature swings can shift "normal" resistance by up to 10% seasonally - especially in outdoor cabinets or coastal areas.

4. Secure Network Integration: No More SNMPv1

Your battery monitor talks to the network. That means it should follow network-security best practices.

Here's what top-tier deployments do:

• Enable SNMPv3 only, using authPriv mode.
• Apply Access Control Lists (ACLs) to restrict NMS IPs.
• Disable unused protocols like FTP, Telnet, and weak HTTPS cipher suites.
• Segment OT monitoring devices behind a firewall or DMZ.

These practices are intentionally strict. CISA reports that SNMPv1/v2c remains a top attack vector for critical infrastructure. Don't let a $500 battery sensor open the door to a ransomware attack.

5. Retention & Analytics: Make Your Data Work for You

Monitoring is more than watching numbers. With the right data strategy, you can predict failures before they happen - and justify budget for timely replacements that ultimately reduce your spending.

For the best ROI:

• Store at least 24 months of 1-minute samples. That gives you enough granularity to spot resistance creep over time.
• Export CSV backups quarterly, and store them off-site for compliance. NFPA 111 requires that battery records be "readily retrievable."
• Looking to meet ESG mandates? Add install dates and estimated end-of-life (EoL) tags per string. This way, you'll be ahead of the curve for EU CSRD and EPA 2025 disposal rules.

6. Firmware & Change Management: Don't Get Bricked

Firmware isn't just about features - it's about security and survival.

• Schedule quarterly firmware checks.
• Apply critical patches within 30 days.
• Use only signed firmware packages to prevent tampering.
• Keep a known-good rollback image on hand - especially for remote sites.

This follows NIST 8259A best practices and aligns with DPS's proven update protocol (inspired by Siemens Industrial Edge procedures).

A failed update in a remote desert hut is more than a hassle - it's a needless truck roll that (annoying) probably has to happen immediately.

7. Maintenance & Alarm Verification: Trust but Test

Even the best systems need a gut check to verify the quality of its functions.

• Run annual discharge tests and track capacity loss alongside resistance. A 25%/year slope, even with good voltage, suggests sulfation is starting.
• Verify full alarm-to-NMS path by shorting a test lug and confirming SNMP trap receipt.

You don't want to skip these steps. Many insurance providers now require verified alarm testing as part of their audit process.

8. Training & SOPs: Invest in Your People

Your techs are smart. But they're only as effective as their training.

Provide 4-6 hours of hands-on instruction covering:

• Resistance graphs
• Temperature-voltage relationships
• Alarm interpretation

It also helps to create a written SOP with instructions for sensor replacement, threshold adjustments, and bypass procedures.

This is why DPS even offers on-site training tailored to telecom crews to help ensure everyone's fluent in your monitoring setup - not just the person who installed it.

Overall Checklist: Are You Deployment-Ready?

You can be confident in the success of your system if you have:

• Site survey done, grounding verified
• Sensor layout mapped, cable runs no longer than necessary
• Dual-fed RTU powered and online
• SNMPv3 + ACLs configured
• Thresholds customized to baseline
• 24+ months of data retention ready
• Firmware current, rollback image saved
• Alarm test passed
• Staff trained and SOP published

Planning for the Future: Built into our DPS DNA

The next 10 years will bring new battery chemistries, stricter codes, and evolving threats. Luckily, DPS system is ready.

To prepare for what's ahead, DPS has engineered the G6 NetGuardian RTUs and BVM (Battery Voltage Monitor) sensors with these best practices in mind.

A G6 NetGuardian is not just a central brain for your monitoring network. It's a hardened, cybersecurity-ready hub that supports modern protocols like SNMPv3, TLS, and role-based access. Whether you're integrating with an NMS or segmenting traffic through a DMZ, the G6 NetGuardian adapts without compromise.

Meanwhile, BVM sensors offer high-precision internal-resistance, voltage, and temperature readings that support both legacy VRLA banks and emerging lithium chemistries. They daisy-chain cleanly and log history in customizable resolution.

When combined with onboard storage and real-time analytics from the G6 RTU, these sensors empower teams to spot early signs of sulfation, imbalance, or thermal drift - before they turn into outages or compliance failures.

From firmware management with rollback safety to training-friendly diagnostics, DPS helps make your field deployments durable, secure, and smart from day one.

Bottom line: You're not just buying a monitoring system. You're buying 10+ years of resilience, insight, and uptime (or failing to do so if you make the wrong choice).

Ready to Build It Right the First Time?

DPS clients consistently report fewer false alarms, lower maintenance costs, and better compliance scores - all because they followed a structured install playbook.

Now it's your turn.

Let's talk about your next deployment. Whether you're retrofitting old strings, standardizing across regions, or deploying new tech, we're ready to help.

Call me directly at 559‑454‑1600, or email sales@dpstele.com

I'll walk you through your first steps - or review your existing plan and spot any gaps.