ECM-1240 counter questions

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paulb
Posts: 122
Joined: Fri Jun 04, 2010 11:11 am

Re: ECM-1240 counter questions

Post by paulb » Tue Jul 13, 2010 7:42 pm

jfisher wrote:I am also trying to get the pulse counter to work. When shorted it out by putting a resistor between the Gnd and Aux 5 inputs, it is still registering 150+ pulses per second, without the flow meter even connected.
As far as I can tell we have done everything right and are getting around 150 pulses per second on the engine g software. In another setup it was constantly changing between 60 pulses per second and 100 pulses per second. None of this is correct because the pulse counter we are using is for natural gas and is 1 pulse/cubic foot. We are running air through it which should give us around 1 pulse per second.

Any ideas what might be going on? It seems to be a problem with the ECM 1240.
If you wish to use AUX 5 for pulse counting, you must set the AUX5 option for pulse counting then click the "Reboot" button (all under the ECM-1240 Setup tab). You can cycle the power to the ECM-1240 instead of clicking "Reboot".

If this is not done, any stray noise on the AUX 5 input will be interpreted as AC current and the WS counter will increment at a high rate.
paulb
Posts: 122
Joined: Fri Jun 04, 2010 11:11 am

Re: ECM-1240 counter questions

Post by paulb » Tue Jul 13, 2010 7:45 pm

Ira wrote:
jfisher wrote:I am also trying to get the pulse counter to work. When shorted it out by putting a resistor between the Gnd and Aux 5 inputs, it is still registering 150+ pulses per second, without the flow meter even connected.
As far as I can tell we have done everything right and are getting around 150 pulses per second on the engine g software. In another setup it was constantly changing between 60 pulses per second and 100 pulses per second. None of this is correct because the pulse counter we are using is for natural gas and is 1 pulse/cubic foot. We are running air through it which should give us around 1 pulse per second.

Any ideas what might be going on? It seems to be a problem with the ECM 1240.
What kind of meter are you using for your NG usage? Do you have a link to one on the web? I have two LPG tanks (one 250 gallon tank for my home and a 500 gallon tank for my genset) that I would like to monitor.

Ira
You can check with this company. They do have a low-cost water meter: http://www.buygpi.com/minomess130reside ... meter.aspx
paulb
Posts: 122
Joined: Fri Jun 04, 2010 11:11 am

Re: ECM-1240 counter questions

Post by paulb » Tue Jul 13, 2010 8:56 pm

Ira wrote:What kind of meter are you using for your NG usage? Do you have a link to one on the web? I have two LPG tanks (one 250 gallon tank for my home and a 500 gallon tank for my genset) that I would like to monitor.

Ira
The Gallus 2000 gas meter may be used for natural or LP gas and has a pulse O/P

http://norgas.com/metering.htm
jfisher
Posts: 12
Joined: Wed Jul 07, 2010 5:59 pm

Re: ECM-1240 counter questions

Post by jfisher » Wed Jul 14, 2010 3:12 pm

We are using the IMAC Ester AMCO G4 http://www.imacsystems.com/bkg4-g4-meter.pdf
paulb
Posts: 122
Joined: Fri Jun 04, 2010 11:11 am

Re: ECM-1240 counter questions

Post by paulb » Wed Jul 14, 2010 6:32 pm

jfisher wrote:We are using the IMAC Ester AMCO G4 http://www.imacsystems.com/bkg4-g4-meter.pdf
What is the approximate cost for these? I should note that Ben will include options for gas and water in the new version of the software.

Paul
Ira
Posts: 53
Joined: Sat Jul 10, 2010 11:06 am

Re: ECM-1240 counter questions

Post by Ira » Wed Jul 14, 2010 7:11 pm

paulb wrote:
jfisher wrote:We are using the IMAC Ester AMCO G4 http://www.imacsystems.com/bkg4-g4-meter.pdf
What is the approximate cost for these? I should note that Ben will include options for gas and water in the new version of the software.

Paul
This place has them for about $160. They have other larger, more expensive ones, too. They are also on eBay.

If you "back up" a page or two on the link that jfisher provided to get to the listing of all the gas meters that company offers, it shows this one as being "indoor only".

Ira
Ira
Posts: 53
Joined: Sat Jul 10, 2010 11:06 am

Re: ECM-1240 counter questions

Post by Ira » Wed Jul 14, 2010 7:31 pm

Paul,

Since I don't know the pulse duty cycle for the flow meter (so I don't know how "fast" the relay needs to be), and I don't know if the flow meter or softener electronics would be negatively affected by the draw on the circuit that the relay coil would cause, my best chance may be the "diode" route. Is it really as simple as the diagram looks? Just run a tap off the flow meter's ground lead to the AUX5's ground terminal, and run a tap off the flow meter's signal lead to one side of the diode and connect the other side of the diode to the AUX5's "AUX5" terminal?

Regarding pulse duty cycle? What are the requirements as far as minimum pulse width, etc.? Does it matter if the pulse width changes due to increase/decrease in flow?

How's the divider circuit diagram coming along? :)

Thanks,
Ira
paulb
Posts: 122
Joined: Fri Jun 04, 2010 11:11 am

Re: ECM-1240 counter questions

Post by paulb » Wed Jul 14, 2010 9:34 pm

If you are using the pulse divider circuit, the duty cycle doesn't matter. I have attached the pulse divider circuit. There is less than $2 worth of parts used in this circuit.

Paul
Attachments
Pulse Isolator.png
Pulse Isolator.png (134.77 KiB) Viewed 6531 times
Pulse divider.png
Pulse divider.png (227.08 KiB) Viewed 6531 times
Ira
Posts: 53
Joined: Sat Jul 10, 2010 11:06 am

Re: ECM-1240 counter questions

Post by Ira » Wed Jul 14, 2010 11:15 pm

Thanks Paul,

I think I can probably build these.

I am a little confused though. The first diagram is for the isolator. The second is for the divider. Do I use both if I want both isolation and a divider, or does the divider circuit have isolation built into it, too? If I need both, how do they fit together?

Thanks,
Ira
paulb
Posts: 122
Joined: Fri Jun 04, 2010 11:11 am

Re: ECM-1240 counter questions

Post by paulb » Thu Jul 15, 2010 4:40 pm

I should have explained this..... The opto circuit is not related to the divider. I included the opto circuit because the one in an earlier post had not component values assigned.
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