INSTALLATION AND OPERATION OM SERIES

TROUBLESHOOTING ■■Use of water in an Aluminum meter

■■Distortion due to over-pressure

The aim of troubleshooting your device is to trace
the source of any issues/faults to a particular sec- ■■Drying/congealing of process liquid
tion of the flow meter. Having traced the fault to
a particular section of the flow meter it should be ■■Incorrect re-assembly after service/
possible to find a solution to the issue. maintenance

■■Bearing damage from over-speeding

General Troubleshooting or improper start-up (excessive flow
rate).
The first step is determining if you have followed
the manufacturer’s installation instructions, and • If it is determined that the rotors are jammed
that any issues are not the result of a poor instal- or blocked, disassemble Oval Gear Meter for
lation. inspection and repairs.

ooRefer to section Removal & Installation

• Determine if there is flow present in your of Oval Gear Rotors or the flow meter
system owner’s manual for instructions on
ooNo flow, or lower than normal flow, disassembly
may be attributed to a blocked strainer, ooOnce the meter has been disassembled
malfunctioning pump, closed valves, or it should be relatively straight forward
low liquid level in your supply tank to identify the damage, or the foreign
ooIf none of the above, it is most likely material that has caused the blockage
caused by jammed or blocked rotors ooIf there are any components showing
within your flow meter visual damage, contact the distributor for
■■Keep in mind that some flow will still guidance on the best course of action,
occur with blocked or jammed rotors, and/or to purchase spare parts
unless the liquid viscosity is very high ooIf the blockage has been caused by soft
■■Commonly found foreign materials are particles (e.g. PTFE tape) and there is no
weld slag, sealing tape, or debris visual damage to the rotors, bearings,
or measuring chambers, then it may be
■■In some cases the damage from possible to simply clean and reassemble
foreign particles can be repaired by the meter.
replacing the rotors, however due
to the fine machining tolerances of • If you determine that the rotors in your flow
the measuring chamber, meters with meter are rotating correctly, but you are not
damaged meter bodies are not always receiving a signal output, then the problem lies
repairable. within the electronics

ooOther common causes for jammed ooPulse Output Board of the flow meter
rotors ooWiring Issue
■■Chemical incompatibility ooReceiving instrument
■■Thermal shock (rapid expansion of the
rotors without sufficient time for the
meter body to expand)

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 OM SERIES INSTALLATION AND OPERATION
Troubleshooting a Pulse Output Troubleshooting Using a Display
Board A display can be used to measure the pulses out
The two different outputs on a Pulse Output of each sensor independently.
Board are the Reed Switch and the Hall Effect.
There are different methods used to troubleshoot • If you are using a Reed Switch output to
both outputs. your receiving instrument you can check the
following with a display.
• The most common cause of a Hall Effect ooNo signal,
failure is electrical damage caused by
incorrect wiring, voltage spikes, or short ooThe Reed Switch has failed
circuits.
ooYour wiring or receiving instrument has
ooHall Effect sensors are solid-state failed
devices, their failure tends to be sudden
and permanent. ooYou are set up incorrectly

ooVisual Inspection of the Hall Effect • Remove the wiring from the terminals of the
sensor will usually show if a failure has Pulse Output Board and connect a display
occurred. Over voltage, reverse polarity, directly to the Pulse Output Board with short
or short circuits will usually create lengths of wire.
visual damage and a smell of burning.
ooThis isolates the Reed Switch or
A failed Hall Effect can only be fixed by
Hall Effect. The display should be
replacement of the Pulse Output Board.
programmed to have a K-Factor of 1
• The Reed Switch is a mechanical switch pulse/gallon or pulse/liter. The display’s
enclosed in a vacuum sealed glass envelope, total display will show individual pulses
and then encapsulated in a plastic housing. as they are output from your flow meter.

ooA Reed Switch can be easily damaged ■■Be sure to check if the display
by physical impact, such as being requires a pull-up resistor when using
dropped. accepting a Hall Effect pulse.

ooDamage from physical impact does not ooIf your problem is eliminated, then
always result in immediate failure; cracks the problem is with the wiring or the
in the glass envelope will affect the receiving instrument.
performance of the sensor.
ooIf your Reed switch output does not
■■Reed Switch sensors with cracked function when tested with a display,
glass envelopes will eventually fail but you find that your Hall Effect output
as the delicate electrical contacts functions correctly, then you need to
degrade from contact with air. replace the pulse board.

■■A damaged or faulty reed switch ooLikewise if your Hall Effect output does
may operate well under ordinary not function when tested, but your Reed
conditions, but then fail to work at Switch output functions correctly, then
more extreme conditions. you need to replace the pulse board.

■■In many cases if an intermittent fault

exists with your Reed Switch it should
simply be replaced.

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 INSTALLATION AND OPERATION OM SERIES

Testing with a Digital Multimeter stuck Reed switch contacts

A digital multimeter (DMM) can be used to check ■■Check continuity across Reed switch
the condition of your wiring, the presence of terminals with the Pulse Output Board
power at the Pulse Output Board terminals, or can removed from meter
be used to check the operation or accuracy of an
■■All of these tasks are carried out using
analogue loop (4-20mA signal) The DMM cannot
the resistance or continuity setting on
be used to check the presence of a pulse output.
the DMM
• When troubleshooting a Hall Effect output the • When troubleshooting an Oval Gear flow
DMM can be used to measure the following meter fitted with a 4 – 20 mA module or RT12
Electronic Instrument, the analogue output
ooInput Voltage to your Pulse Output Board
can be checked using a DMM in series
■■Connect the DMM across the +VDC
ooThe DMM acts as the receiving
and -0V (COM) terminals of the Pulse
instrument, and will display the
Output Board
circuit current during programming or
ooMeasured voltage should be between operation. It is important that the series
5-24VDC for correct function of the Hall resistance shown be used (see figures
Effect sensor. 5-32 & 5-33)

ooIf voltage is not present or is below ooThis method isolates the instrument from
5VDC, then the Hall Effect sensor will not the PLC or receiving instrument, and will
function allow the user to attribute any faults to
either the 4 – 20 mA module (or RT12), or
■■Check the DC voltage supply and the to the receiving instrument.
associated wiring
■■If the current measurement on the
ooVoltages above 28VDC will have caused DMM is correct, then the PLC or
over-voltage failure, and over 24VDC receiving instrument should be
may have caused failure if voltage spikes inspected for defects
have occurred.
■■If the current measurement on the
■■In cases of over-voltage failure, DMM is absent, or inconsistent,
replacement of the Pulse Output then the 4 – 20 (or RT12) should be
Board will be required. inspected for defects
ooThe other factors that can be checked ■■The problem could be with the signal
with a DMM is the presence of a pull-up output from the flow meter to the 4 –
resistor 20 module (or RT12)
■■Check resistance across the +VDC
terminal and Signal terminal

■■Check the condition of the wiring

■■Check the presence of welded or

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 OM SERIES INSTALLATION AND OPERATION

Figure 5-32

Figure 5-33

Testing with an Oscilloscope • Shown Below there are various output signals
that can be seen when inspecting signal
The Oscilloscope can be used for more advanced outputs on an oscilloscope
pulse output board troubleshooting.
ooThe first signal trace (see figure 5-34)
• An oscilloscope is most useful for detecting shows a normal output from a Hall Effect
the presence of an output signal, and will sensor; there is some cyclic variation
allow diagnosis of some output problems in pulse width in the signal, which is a
function of magnetism tolerances in the
• The oscilloscope should be connected to magnet manufacture. Pulse widths are
voltage between the signal terminal () and the usually even within 10%, but the amount
-0V (COM) terminal; and will chart the voltage of variation shown below is normal and
measurement against time allowing you to not a cause for concern.
view the signal in real time
• Signal traces 2 and 3 are examples of normal
ooIt measures features of your signal such signal output from a Reed Switch;
as voltage, frequency, and duty cycle.
ooTrace 2 (see figure 5-35) is showing low
frequency operation (approximately 5Hz)

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 INSTALLATION AND OPERATION OM SERIES

■■In trace number 2 the square wave the switch will reach a point where it
output can be seen with a nice square does not have sufficient time to open,
‘ON’ transition and more of a gradual before closing again. At this point
transition to the ‘OFF’ state (note operation becomes very inconsistent
that the voltage measurement across and unreliable.
the Reed Switch will measure zero
volts when the switch is ‘ON’ and will • The error shown here in Trace 4 (see figure 5-37)
measure the supply voltage when has 1 missing pulse in every 4 pulses, which is
‘OFF’) a symptom of a bad magnet

■■The gradual ‘OFF’ transition is due • Similarly, if you are missing 2 pulses in every
to the mechanical nature of the Reed 4 pulses, this is a symptom of a failed Hall
Switch, and is caused by the time Effect sensor (1” meters and larger). This type
taken for the contacts to open after the of diagnosis should always be confirmed by
magnetic field is removed. testing the Hall Effect K-factor to avoid a false
diagnosis.
ooTrace 3 (see figure 5-36) is showing high
frequency operation (approximately 60Hz).

■■Trace number 3 shows the same switch

operating at full speed; it can be seen
that the gradual ‘OFF’ transition is
more significant here. If the switch is
operated at a frequency that is too high,

Figure 5-34 Figure 5-35

Signal Trace 1 - Hall Effect Normal Operation Signal Trace 2 - Reed Switch Low Frequency

Figure 5-36
Figure 5-37

Signal Trace 3 - Reed Switch High Frequency Signal Trace 4 - Hall Effects Fault Diagnosis

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