×
INTELLIGENT WORK FORUMS
FOR ENGINEERING PROFESSIONALS

Log In

Come Join Us!

Are you an
Engineering professional?
Join Eng-Tips Forums!
  • Talk With Other Members
  • Be Notified Of Responses
    To Your Posts
  • Keyword Search
  • One-Click Access To Your
    Favorite Forums
  • Automated Signatures
    On Your Posts
  • Best Of All, It's Free!
  • Students Click Here

*Eng-Tips's functionality depends on members receiving e-mail. By joining you are opting in to receive e-mail.

Posting Guidelines

Promoting, selling, recruiting, coursework and thesis posting is forbidden.

Students Click Here

Jobs

4-20 mA output to transmitters

4-20 mA output to transmitters

4-20 mA output to transmitters

(OP)
All,
I am doing a wiring diagram and need some help. I need to run instrument pairs from analog output board of a GE GF868 ultrasonic gas flowmeter, see attached pic, to respective transmitters. The plant uses traditional black (+24vdc) and white wires. Can someone tell me for one loop, what wire color lands on the signal terminal. I am assuming that the black will land at the + terminal of transmitter. Thank you in advance.

RE: 4-20 mA output to transmitters

I couldn't make sense of your file.

Here's what I think I know:

Any 4-20mA current loop comprises three components:
- a transmitter that limits the current through it in a controlled way.
- a receiver that measures the current through it, and typically sends the measurement data to some sort of recorder or display.
- a source that will apply sufficient voltage to cause current to flow through the loop.

Each such component has two terminals.

So there are six wires in a loop, some of which may be internal short jumpers when the source is combined with something else.

Mike Halloran
Pembroke Pines, FL, USA

RE: 4-20 mA output to transmitters

Call your GE rep or their call center...

______________________________________________________________________________
This is normally the space where people post something insightful.

RE: 4-20 mA output to transmitters

Your attachment 'E' is a blank document, as far as I can tell.

The installation guide for the GE GF868 is downloadable from here:
https://www.gemeasurement.com/flow-measurement/ult...

Pg 18 is a drawing showing the wiring terminal locations and pin functions.

There appear to be two sets of AOs. I'm guessing that the 2 pair of AOs is the standard pair, the set of 4 AOs is probably an option board. The labels on the pins AO are SIG(+) and RTN(-). That's pretty straight forward (+) to (+), (-) to (-).

I assume one maps variables to the AOs with the configuration software/firmware.

There is not mention of 'passive' or 'loop powered' or 'sinking', and since the flow meter is line powered, I would conclude that the AO's are active, powered outputs.

If the receiver system you are connecting to has only provision for powering a loop powered signal, then you will need a loop isolator module whose output is loop powered to be compatible with the receiver unit.

pg 14, sec 1.7.6 is titled "Wiring a 0/4-20 mA Analog Inputs Option Card".
Analog inputs are for pressure and temperature transmitter signals used for mass flow calculations.
Field transmitters connect to Analog inputs, not analog outputs.

Red Flag This Post

Please let us know here why this post is inappropriate. Reasons such as off-topic, duplicates, flames, illegal, vulgar, or students posting their homework.

Red Flag Submitted

Thank you for helping keep Eng-Tips Forums free from inappropriate posts.
The Eng-Tips staff will check this out and take appropriate action.

Reply To This Thread

Posting in the Eng-Tips forums is a member-only feature.

Click Here to join Eng-Tips and talk with other members!


Resources