Field I/O to pulse meters using a TCP/IP network

(Collecting pulse outputs from devices using a BACnet/IP Collection Client Computer)

Generally pulse output devices have documentation which indicates how many pulse for how much flow. And one can use various methods to get the calibration factors.

Then one wants to collecting the pulses in an ongoing fashion.

With BACnet client software and a Cimetrics B6070 four channel pulse collection device, one can accomplish this connectivity.

The BACnet/IP port on the B6070 connects to the network Ethernet/TCPIP port using a standard CAT5 cable. The pulse input I/O connects to the target pulse output devices ( this can be almost any cable pair shorter than about 20 feet).

Perhaps the most important feature of the B6070 is its non-volatile storage of pulses it sees. While it is powered on it will always get pulses and never lose them, even through power outages. This is unlike most digital IO on control system modules. They can certainly count pulses, but, one way or another, often lose counts at power down or at times when their program is reloaded. In fact with a B6070 one cannot reset the pulse count short of returning the B6070 to the factory. The counts are stored in 32bit non-volatile registers and in most normal applications, there is little danger of roll-over during the devices lifetime.

The B6070 is best at accepting dry contact closures. These can be from relays, or KYZ outputs on meters or reed switches or others. The pulse capture frequency range is from DC to 50Hz. The inputs can sense pulses as short as 10 milliseconds allowing duty cycles of down to ten percent at maximum frequency. The inputs are optically isolated and internally excited with DC-DC converters. This allows one spurious ground/potential to be present in any contact pulse source. Contact chatter is compensated for in both optical isolation hardware and software sensing.

The B6070 can be powered from any 9VDC, 300mA+ source (one possibility is to use a special non-communication USB to 9VDC adapter, another is to use a 802.3af Power over Ethernet injector, and still another is to use the included 9VDC power supply).

The B6070 is setup using its embedded webpages. The scale factors and pulse offsets can entered to get the desired BACnet Analog Value portrayal of the devices..

[Place holder for diagram of B6070 attached to pulse out laptop and pulse device]

 Tags:  BACnet, Router, MS/TP,

Commissioning pulse meters using a PC/Laptop

(Commissioning a pulse output device using a BACnet/IP Commissioning Computer)

Generally pulse output devices have documentation which indicates how many pulse for how much flow. But sometimes (actually- often) one is confronted by a device where the scale factors for pulse to flow translation are not evident.

To commission pulse devices one has generally been forced to appeal to documentation or structural analysis of the device. No one really makes a good software application for analyzing pulse rates. But with BACnet client software and a Cimetrics B6070 four channel pulse collection device, one can accomplish this connectivity.

The BACnet/IP port on the B6070 connects to the PC’s Ethernet/TCPIP port using a standard CAT5 cable. The pulse input I/O connects to the target pulse output device (this can be almost any cable pair shorter than about 20 feet).

The B6070 is best at accepting dry contact closures. These can be from relays, or KYZ outputs on meters or reed switches or others. The pulse capture frequency range is from DC to 50Hz. The inputs can sense pulses as short as 10 milliseconds allowing duty cycles of down to ten percent at maximum frequency. The inputs are optically isolated and internally excited with DC-DC converters. This allows one spurious ground/potential to be present in any contact pulse source. Contact chatter is compensated for in both optical isolation hardware and software sensing.

The B6070 can be powered from any 9VDC, 300mA+ source (one possibility is to use a special non-communication USB to 9VDC adapter, another is to use a 802.3af Power over Ethernet injector, and still another is to use the included 9VDC power supply).

The B6070 is setup using its embedded webpages. The scale factors and pulse offsets can then be manipulated until one understands the nature of the pulse output from the device.

[Place holder for diagram of B6070 attached to pulse out laptop and pulse device]

  Tags:  BACnet, Router, MS/TP, Protocol Analyzer, Diagnostics, Fault finding

B6070 pulse output meters (4) to BACnet/IP

The B6070 provides BAcnet/IP devices and objects for commodity/utility flow meters. This allows integrators to use simple meters to provide rich BACnet dtat (the same as one would expect from much more expensive TCPIP enabled meters). The B6070 Meter interface can take in fout meters (pulse channel inputs) and portrays each chaennel as a rich set of BACnet objects. One is always a 10/100 Ethernet port and the other can be chosen from any of the above.  

The B6070 is enclosed in a metal case that can be mounted standalone, in a 1U rack shelf or on a DIN rail. It is powered by 9V at 1A DC via a 5.0/2.1mm barrel connector which can be supplied from an includes external power supply which uses 120VAC  at 100mA at 60 Hz. An optional International supply with 50-60Hz and 100-240AC support is available. The unit has one ten pin inline Euro-style 3.05mm plug connector for pulse channel inputs and one Ethernet 10/100 RJ45 connector.

 There are (4) pulse input channels. The pulse input channels are each optically isolated. Each channel is self-ppowered through a DC-DC converter. Each channel can tolerate one stray potential/ground. This is optimal for flow meters which output dry contact closure, and which migh have stray grounds somehwere in their output circuits (water meters often have such stray grounds).

The Ethernet port uses a standard shielded RJ45 connector with integral LEDs. Connection status can quickly be ascertained from the Link and Activity LEDs on each interface.

 An embedded web server allows for commissioning and configuration and troubleshooting via a standard web browser. A power LED is present along with the LEDs for interface status on each interface. 

 The meter counts are stored to flash memory and the device senses a loss of power and will immediately write the latest pulse count so that data is not lost. This value is made available to the BACnet network.

Scale factors are able to be selected during setup so that the appropriate data representation of usage (gas, water, electrical) is also available to devices on the network as an analog object.

Flexible connections:

• BACnet/IP
• (4) Pulse channels
• Pulse inputs optically isolated
• Each channel can tolerate one stray potential/ground

IP network support:

• Web server for commisiioning and troubleshooting
• Status page for diagnostiocs
• Secure login to web configuration and status interfaces
• BACnet Device Object support

Standard Communications:

• 10/100 Mbps Ethernet.
• Convenient Installation.
• 9VDC at 1A input.
• Standard power supply included allows use of 60Hz 120 VAC mains
• Available 1U server rack mount shelf
• Available DIN rail mounting bracket. 

[IMAGE of setup screens] [Note these should be consolidated to make them one webpage – only BBMD and such should be down in an advanced section]

[At least for the primary Ethernet interface]

B6070 Pulse Inputs to BACnet/IP - Specifications:

• Power: 100-120VAC at under 100mA, DC at 9V at 10W
• Operating temperatures: 0 to 40C
• Storage temperature: -20 to 80C
• Dimensions: 102 x 127 x 26 mm (4.0 x 5.0 x 1.0 inches) [without feet]
• Relative Humidity: 0-90% @40C non condensing
• Physical protection: IP41 DIN EN 60529 (VDE 0470) (no entry of probe, drip waterproof)
• System LED: power as labelled  ON=OK

Ethernet:

• IEEE 802.3 10/100 MBPS
• 10BaseT, 100BASETX phsyical. RJ45 connector
• Half/Full duplex
• 100m (max) CAT5 cable length.
• LEDs: link and activity as labelled.

Regulatory Compliance:

• FCC and CE mark pending
• ROHS components used throughout

Options:

• International power supply.
• DIN rail mounting kit.
• Rack mounting kit.
• Wall mounting plate.

Applications - see AppNotes

Documentation and Downloads:

B6070 BACnet/IP Flow Meters (four pulse inputs)

•  B6070 Login (16.31 kB).
•  B6070 User Manual (246.75 kB).
•  B6070 Datasheet (523.35 kB)