Question for O/G Intrumentation/PLC/Electrical junkies

[JordanEG6]

This is a for sure shot in the dark, but if anyone can help, that'd be great.

Anyone here work for Spectrum Controls or have worked with any of their products?

I have a question- I am designing/drafting up a PLC cabinet that uses Allen-Bradley ControlLogix PLCs. The plant and metering buildings contain flowmeter pulses/high speed inputs that need to be sent back to the PLC. These inputs are too fast for the 1756-IB32s (DI module) to pick up, so this results in using a totally different module that I haven't seen before.

I have to use a Spectrum Controls 1756sc-CTR8 8-Channel Counter/Flowmeter to pick up these inputs. I don't know how to wire it or know if it even needs power from distribution. No one here has ever used it. Is it just wired like a regular DI on a DI module? Does it need DC/AC power?

I found a manual, but the wiring looks wierd (page 21)...looks like wiring for AI with sheilded cable that doesn't require power...do I just CAD it like that? It looks really stupid to CAD it like an AI when it's digital.

http://www.spectrumcontrols.com/pdfs/abio/1756sc-CTR8_Manual.pdf

Anything helps, lol. I'm stuck and I've been on hold with Spectrum for like half hour and no responses to my e-mails far.

[Nufy]

Wire it as per the dwg on pg 21.

The meter will either have an open collector or dry contact o/p.

If it is open collector the card has to be configured as such since it will be counting 0's instead of 1's.

Then you may have to look at a pull up resistor.

Either way the loop will not have to be powered.

[IggyB]

You are supposed to me a project guy now.

And not admit that you know anything remotely technical.

:D

[Nufy]

Wait til he gets my invoice..............

[JordanEG6]

Originally posted by Nufy
Wait til he gets my invoice..............

hahaha

Got it figured out.

Very unconventional wiring for high speed DI. Gotta wire it like Analog with a sheild as well.

Thanks anyways guys.

[cotang]

Why use a Digital input, why not a counter card? Those counter should be able to detect up to 10 or more khz. I doubt anything in that plant can generate a pulse more then 10 khz.

[JordanEG6]

^ It is a counter card. just using them to pick up prove pulses.

We're upgrading the old school Modicons to ControlLogix. The thing is they didn't have the Prosoft modules with the com cables back then when they did it, they used digital inputs individually for communication to the Omni meters.

They dont wanna spend money on extra wiring and changing the field devices, so I'm simply changing the panel only using existing wiring. It's stupid and tedious...recession problems....

We used hockey pucks to support a transformer once. Haha.

[Nufy]

Who is re-doing the program....

I am available................:D

[JordanEG6]

Originally posted by Nufy
Who is re-doing the program....

I am available................:D

Actually, thats part of the problem LOL

The client (because of the recession) wants to save as much money as possible, so they refused to pay to replace field devices, rewiring, junction boxes or any PLC programing.

It was hard enough convincing them to switch to ControlLogix in the first place, but we didn't wanna touch the existing I/O or add anything to it without upgrading control.

But thanks for the offer! Honestly, it'd be alot easier on me if they were able to authorize reprograming and rewiring instead of using these stupid cards and running off of old school, non-standard exsiting I/O.

[Nufy]

Well if they are switching from Modicon to AB there is no way they cannot re-program.

[JordanEG6]

Originally posted by Nufy
Well if they are switching from Modicon to AB there is no way they cannot re-program.

My mistake, what I meant was they don't want to have to change the program ladder logic. They are just going to re-write it to AB software.

EDIT: The client's doing that I believe.

[Nufy]

Gotcha....

[Euro838]

Just a question for you guys, but what design tools do you guys use for I&W? i.e. Bentley, Intools, etc. If you have used some, from a user/admin point of view, which would you recommend and why? Looking for objective rather than bias answers. Thanks.

[msommers]

Wiring up PLCs, boy that takes me back