Remote Module Warning

[RBPLC]

Well,
To get you started, I installed the beta EBC firmware that you sent (referencing the system shown in ModuleError.png that I uploaded). After updating, it cleared the error in the I/O system window that I had been seeing associated with the 08UT. Then it brought up errors for the next module, the 8 channel 8AD on channels 7 and 8. When I set up the AD I only had 6 of the channels hooked up to sensors. Channels 7 and 8 I believe are currently open. It was reporting channels 7 and 8 being out of range as they were left set-up to the (I believe) default of 4-20 mA. I went in and changed these channels from 4-20 mA to +- 10V and these errors went away. This got me to thinking, why is there no option to disable AD channels like there is for 08UT channels? It appears that part of the problem that I was seeing had to do with incorrect reporting of errors that were on a different module. Does this make sense based on the changes you made? 

*Edit: The error reported was Channel Failure, not Out of Range on the AD module.

[BobO]

Well,
To get you started, I installed the beta EBC firmware that you sent (referencing the system shown in ModuleError.png that I uploaded). After updating, it cleared the error in the I/O system window that I had been seeing associated with the 08UT. Then it brought up errors for the next module, the 8 channel 8AD on channels 7 and 8. When I set up the AD I only had 6 of the channels hooked up to sensors. Channels 7 and 8 I believe are currently open. It was reporting channels 7 and 8 being out of range as they were left set-up to the (I believe) default of 4-20 mA. I went in and changed these channels from 4-20 mA to +- 10V and these errors went away. This got me to thinking, why is there no option to disable AD channels like there is for 08UT channels? It appears that part of the problem that I was seeing had to do with incorrect reporting of errors that were on a different module. Does this make sense based on the changes you made? 

*Edit: The error reported was Channel Failure, not Out of Range on the AD module.

On the FACTS built modules (-1 and -2B), there is an option to change the number of channels enabled. The number of channels enabled affects performance and will show errors for disconnected channels (-1).

On the Host built modules (-3), the default setting is voltage (0-5VDC), not current, and due to parking resistors, shouldn't give an error if disconnected. All channels enabled doesn't affect performance, so we didn't feel like the added complexity was necessary or beneficial.

On the UT modules, there are numerous things affected by how channels are configured, so it was important to start fully disabled.

[RBPLC]

Well to confuse the issue even further:

Channels 7 and 8, when set at 4-20 mA return constant faults for those channels with a "Channel Failure" fault. When those channels are set at 0-10V, the fault bits for those channels are cycling on and off intermittently and reporting a "Channel out of range" fault. The indicated voltage with this setting is 1.13V on both channels. When those same two channels are set -10-10V there are no faults for those channels and the reported voltage is 0.63 volts on both channels. Setting them 0-5V causes the same intermittent faults and setting them -5-5V causes no faults.

[BobO]

With it in a bipolar mode, and the inputs grounded, what does it read?

[RBPLC]

It'll be a while before I can get into the panel to check this.

[MikeS]

I just published new firmware (v4.2.134) to our LiveUpdate server that fixes the problem of the BX-EBC100 returning the wrong slot number for modules reporting an error or warning, (the slot number is off by one). You can get this firmware update in NetEdit3 by using the File->download Newest Firmware (LiveUpdate) menu selection.

At your convenience, you should update your EBC100 to use this version instead of the beta version.

[RBPLC]

Any idea with analog issues I'm seeing. Is this a hardware or software thing?

[BobO]

Any idea with analog issues I'm seeing. Is this a hardware or software thing?

It's really neither. An ungrounded high impedance voltage input is showing out of range because it's going out of range due to noise. In general this hasn't been an issue due to the parking of the input amplifier (first report I've heard), so I'm just wanted to ensure that when grounded, the input shows (near) zero and stays at zero.

It's really best policy to ground high impedance inputs, just to prevent them from wandering. Alternatively, put them into +-20ma mode. The current sense resistor will park them.

[RBPLC]

I was trying to tie the fault reporting issue and the analog issue together (can't see the forest for the trees type of thing). It does appear to be a noise issue. When in -10-10V mode, I'm seeing cyclic counts of -8300 to 12300 counts. When in +-20mA mode I'm seeing -70 to 70 counts.

[BobO]

I was trying to tie the fault reporting issue and the analog issue together (can't see the forest for the trees type of thing). It does appear to be a noise issue. When in -10-10V mode, I'm seeing cyclic counts of -8300 to 12300 counts. When in +-20mA mode I'm seeing -70 to 70 counts.

-8300 to 12300? That's quite noisy. They park above zero due to (insert electrical engineering jargon here), hence the asymmetry in your noise range, but at 10 megaohms it doesn't take much noise to move them. Grounding is best, but the current sense resistor parks well enough.

As I said, I've never heard anyone complain, but maybe we need to investigate whether ADC deals with calls on this. We could add a disabled option, but honestly, it's better to tie them rather than letting them flap in the breeze.

[RBPLC]

As far as I can tell, I haven't really seen any issues with sensors that are actually connected. When I can, I'll ground them to see what that does. Maybe have the default set to +-20mA? When I was initially commenting on the fault bits, I had the filter set at 2 seconds and I couldn't see the noise. The voltages I was reporting (with the noise) were through the 2s filter. To see the noise I set the filter at 0s. 

[BobO]

As far as I can tell, I haven't really seen any issues with sensors that are actually connected. When I can, I'll ground them to see what that does. Maybe have the default set to +-20mA?

That's the best in that it parks and doesn't ever generate a warning, but it's the worst in that it's the least common mode. So uncommon that we got funny looks from many involved people when we added it.