I currently have 28 Predictive Maintenance Sensors deployed. Of the 28 I have issues with 5. All of the sensors are installed the same way, keeping the sensor cables as far away from high voltage lines and motors as possible. The vibration sensor cables have been shielded with EMI shielding tape, copper foil tape, and copper-nickel mesh tape encased in shrink tubing and grounded to the antenna jacks. All of the sensors have been reset numerous times, a few of them factory reset and then reconfigured. Multiple locations have been tried for the vibration sensors.
For the sake of identity I’ll include my node ID’s:
Node 4 - Getting all data except the thermocoupler temperature is way off, varying from 8 to 12 degrees Fahrenheit, almost 60 degrees below the ambient temperature of the plant.
Node 8 - Getting all data but the amps fluctuate wildly from 0 to 15. On a 5 minute cycle my last 10 amps readings were 2.34, 3.72, 2.95, 0, 4.13, 5.89, 0, 6.16, 4.94, 0. This obviously isn’t the case as it would immediately be evident in the operation of the machine. Results are the same when the vibration sensor is disconnected.
Node 11 - Completely stopped sending data after 19 days of operation. During those 19 days the sensor performed perfectly. Power level was set at 3 with brand new batteries when installed.
Node 20 - All data except amps.
Node 27 - No vibration or vibration temp data, amps data and thermocoupler temp is good.
Any help or advice would be greatly appreciated, my deadline is the end of this week.
Jeff,
Node 4,8, and 20 – Check thermocouple and current connection ( inside M12 connector)
Node 11 – if it doesn’t send anything then it could be something related to radio module
Here is what i will recommend
Here is what could have happened – if sensor power switch was at "ON " position while you are changing batteries that could corrupt the radio module memory and it will reset to default settings.
Node 27 - -Does is send vibration data when probe is removed from the machine and device is reset
Here’s a new one that just occurred. Node 27 was sending all data properly and then just stopped sending vibration and vibration temperature data. Thoughts?
Hello, I did some more experimentation today. After disconnecting the vibration sensor and resetting node 27 I started to get all of the data so I did the same to the other machines I’m having problems with. Unfortunately the results from 27 did not follow through. Here are my notes:
Node 4 – Checked M12 connector, all connections good on both male and female. Reset sensor, same result. Detached vibration sensor from machine and reset, thermocoupler temp still 50 degrees under ambient.
Node 8 – Checked M12 connector, all good. Moved location of box away from machine, reset sensor. Getting all data but amps still fluctuating from 0 to 16. Detached vibration sensor from machine and reset. Amps still bouncing from 0 up to 16, still getting vibe and temps.
Node 11 – Swapped it out with my spare sensor. Getting only Amps consistently. No vibration data or vibe temp. Thermocoupler temp is sporadic. 2 to 5 good reads and then a zero, the pattern repeats. Detached vibration sensor from machine and reset. No change.
Node 20 – This line is down right now but the connections in the M12 all were solid. Reset sensor. Getting all temp and vibration data right now but will have to wait until machine is powered up to see what happens.
NODE 27 – GETTING ALL DATA FROM SENSOR WHEN VIBE SENSOR IS NOT ATTACHED TO MACHINE.
I have received the sensors back and have reconfigured and installed them: Here is where we are at now:
Node 4 - Getting all data except the thermocoupler temperature is way off, varying from 8 to 12 degrees Fahrenheit, almost 60 degrees below the ambient temperature of the plant. - SAME ISSUE.
Node 8 - Getting all data but the amps fluctuate wildly from 0 to 15. On a 5 minute cycle my last 10 amps readings were 2.34, 3.72, 2.95, 0, 4.13, 5.89, 0, 6.16, 4.94, 0. This obviously isn’t the case as it would immediately be evident in the operation of the machine. Results are the same when the vibration sensor is disconnected. – THIS ONE NOW WORKS. *** CORRECTION: Amps are still fluctuating wildly***
Node 11 - Completely stopped sending data after 19 days of operation. During those 19 days the sensor performed perfectly. Power level was set at 3 with brand new batteries when installed. – SAME ISSUE. You can configure it but it will not broadcast regardless of the sensors being connected or not.
Node 20 - All data except amps. - SAME ISSUE. Maintenance is going to swap out the current sensor with a new one to be sure. The way it’s going I have my doubts.
**Node 27 - No vibration or vibration temp data, amps data and thermocoupler temp is good. - Not sure of this status, machine is currently down for repairs.
I’m not sure if any components were actually replaced in these sensors but they did send back the same exact units I returned. I suspect they just re-flashed the firmware, bagged them up, and sent them right back to me.
Any help would be appreciated. There is a lot of pressure to get this project completed, it is far past schedule.
No, I configured them and then installed and reset them after they were hooked up and mounted. The only one I’ve tried off of a machine is 11 which is sending nothing.
This is strange. I moved 3 which was working properly to 4 and 4 to 3. Got good temps on both. Moved them back to the original machines and 4’s thermocouple temp is back to being way too low. I swapped them back and they worked properly again. I’m beyond baffled.
Anyway, they’re going to stay that way for now.
I swapped 11 with my spare unit and that works, so we’re good there. I’m still waiting on maintenance to swap out the current sensor on 20.
That brings us to 8 and the amps fluctuating so bad. Could it maybe be the amps sensor?
