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Reserve Your Seat TodayAn international operator managing 2,000+ pump sets needed a practical way to remotely monitor pump rooms and receive SMS notifications for faults and status changes. DPS Telecom proposed a solution built around a NetGuardian DIN RTU feeding alarm data to a master station for email and Text-2-Cell-style SMS delivery, improving visibility and response without adding a subscription requirement.
| Industry | Industrial fluid and water pumping operations |
|---|---|
| Company Type | Large pump-room operator upgrading and standardizing pump monitoring |
| Geography/Coverage | International (client location withheld) |
| Scale | 2,000+ pump sets across pump rooms and distributed locations |
| Primary Challenge | Remote run/fault and tank-level monitoring with SMS notifications for maintenance response |
| Solution Deployed | RTU-based alarming with centralized master station notifications (email and SMS via Email-to-SMS gateway) |
| Key Result | Centralized alarm visibility with automated notifications to staff for faster awareness of pump and tank conditions |
| Products Used |
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The client operates pump rooms and pump sets that move required fluids to where they are needed across a facility. In this environment, pump rooms act as centralized points for monitoring, control, and maintenance coordination, while individual pump sets perform the localized work of moving and distributing liquid.
The client described two common pump set roles in their operation:
Because the client was actively developing and upgrading this fleet, they needed a monitoring approach that could scale across many pump rooms and support future expansion.
With many moving parts, pump rooms and pump sets require continuous status monitoring and clear alarm escalation paths. The client specifically requested Text-2-Cell capability so their team could receive notifications via SMS, but they also needed the underlying telemetry that makes alarm notifications reliable and actionable.
In practical terms, the client needed remote visibility into:
They also wanted a solution sized appropriately for smaller pump room panels and were not interested in an ongoing subscription arrangement.
DPS Telecom recommended an alarm monitoring architecture using an RTU at the pump room to collect discrete and analog points, then forward alarms to a centralized master station that can distribute notifications to email and SMS. For small control panel deployments, DPS Telecom recommended the NetGuardian DIN, a compact industrial RTU designed to bring enterprise-grade alarming into space-constrained applications.
This type of RTU-to-master-station design is a common fit for pump monitoring because it allows each pump room to be instrumented and alarmed locally, while the master station provides consistent alerting rules, escalation, and a single view across many sites.
Run status is one of the most important points to track because it indicates whether the pump motor is operating as expected. The client discussed several common ways to determine run status:
In many pump room applications, a discrete current sensor can provide a clear run indication by opening/closing a contact based on whether current is flowing. The RTU then reads that contact as a discrete alarm point, turning electrical state into an actionable alarm/event.
For teams evaluating RTUs for pump rooms, DPS Telecom NetGuardian RTUs are designed for this exact role: collect alarms from sensors and panels, then report those events upstream using standard protocols like SNMP.
Pump fault status typically originates from the pump controller/starter panel. When a fault occurs, the control logic may stop the pump depending on how the system is configured. The monitoring system then needs to capture that fault output and notify the right people.
The client requested text notification and email notification so their in-house maintenance team could respond quickly. DPS Telecom supports this through centralized notification workflows often described as Text-2-Cell - turning alarm events into outbound email, and then into SMS when an Email-to-SMS gateway is used.
Tank level is a common operational dependency in pump systems. The client described using tank level sensors (such as float-based level indication) to detect conditions like low level, and in some installations also high level.
In a typical discrete float level approach, a float (with a magnet) moves up and down a stem. When it reaches a set point, a reed switch closes, completing a circuit that the RTU can read as a discrete alarm. DPS Telecom also supports other tank monitoring approaches, including analog level transmitters where continuous level measurement is preferred.
For reference, DPS Telecom supports a wide range of compatible field devices, including sensors commonly used in industrial monitoring environments.
The client asked for SMS alerts, and the recommended RTU was Ethernet-only. DPS Telecom clarified how the architecture would still deliver Text-2-Cell outcomes without requiring a cellular module in the RTU.
This design keeps pump room wiring simple while centralizing notification logic and reporting at the master station.
The proposed pump room deployment also highlighted two practical implementation considerations:
By standardizing on RTU-based alarming for pump rooms and using a centralized master station for notification routing, the client could receive remote visibility into pump and tank conditions while they upgraded their large pump fleet.
The recommended design also aligned with key constraints the client raised during engineering discussions:
Diagram of the proposed pump room monitoring architecture (with omissions to protect client identity).
Common approaches include current sensing on the motor feed (run/no-run), flow sensing, and pressure sensing. In many sites, a discrete current sensor feeding an RTU input provides a clear run indication that is easy to alarm.
Yes. The RTU can forward alarms to a master station (for example, the T/Mon platform) which then delivers email notifications that can be routed to SMS using your carrier's Email-to-SMS gateway.
Many starter panels provide relay outputs for fault/trip and status. Those dry contacts connect directly to RTU discrete inputs, allowing the monitoring system to alarm on changes and report them upstream.
Discrete level points (low/high) are often implemented with float switches, while analog transmitters provide continuous level measurement. DPS Telecom RTUs support both approaches so you can match instrumentation to operational needs.
PoE can reduce local wiring by delivering power and communications on one Ethernet cable. This is helpful in space-constrained pump rooms or where simplifying installation reduces deployment effort.
If you are planning pump room monitoring, remote alarming, or SMS notifications for maintenance response, DPS Telecom can help you design the right mix of RTUs, alarm points, and master-station notifications for your environment.
Get a Free Consultation or call 1-800-693-0351 to speak with a DPS Telecom expert about your project. You can also email sales@dpstele.com.
Andrew Erickson
Andrew Erickson is an Application Engineer at DPS Telecom, a manufacturer of semi-custom remote alarm monitoring systems based in Fresno, California. Andrew brings more than 19 years of experience building site monitoring solutions, developing intuitive user interfaces and documentation, and opt...
