3M Electronic Marking System EMS Marker Locator with iD ReadWrite 7420 User Manual

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Step 11. The prompt line will display:  Download Completed Successfully , when 
finished. The marker types legally allowed in the country selected in Step 6 
above will be activated at this time.
Step 12.  Multiple units may be configured at this point by simply connecting the next 
locator, powering it on, and clicking Download.
Step 13.  Click Exit when all locators have been updated.
C. Enabling/Disabling Marker Types 
Menu [6] + >>More [SK:4] + Setup [SK:6] + >>More [SK:6d] + Marker Type [SK:6f]
Step 1.  Press the up/down arrows [SK] to highlight 
a utility to enable or disable.
Step 2.  Press Enabl/Disabl  [SK].
 
− Only the markers that are enabled () 
will be available in the locate mode.
Step 3.  Press OK [5] to save settings or Exit  [SK] 
to cancel.
D.  Single Marker Locate (EMS/iD Markers)
Step 1.  Press OK [5]
Step 2.  Press Utility  [SK Toggle] to select 
desired utility.
Step 3.  Marker should have EMS/iD selected.
E. Path Marker Locate (7600 Series EMS Caution Tape)
Step 1.  Press OK [5].
Step 2.  Press Marker [SK]. 
Step 3.  Press Utility  [SK Toggle] to select desired 
utility.
Step 4.  Press Marker  [SK Toggle] to select path.
Note: Only the marker types enabled in the setup menu will be shown. (See 4.C. 
Enabling/Disabling Marker types). When scanning for markers, the Gain Level [12] 
should be set high.
 
− The third soft key will populate with depth. 
						

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The Path Marker option is used to locate a path marker, such as EMS Caution Tape of 
choice (TEL, GAS, WTR and WWTR). This mode has two search methods—Search and 
Track—which can be selected in the locate screen through [SK3].
Search Mode: On Mode entry, the Search Mode is optimized for highest signal to noise 
ratio (SNR) that gives maximum detection range.
Track Mode: After locating the path marker using the Search Mode, it is optimized for 
detection area. Once path markers are located in Search Mode the user can select Track 
Mode while over a path marker.
• The bar graph will increase, the audio will increase, and the signal strength will be 
maximum when the locator detects a marker of the specified utility.
Single Antenna: Use this antenna arrangement for all normal locates. If there seems to 
be high noise then try the Dual Antenna to help filter out ambient noise.
Dual Antenna: This mode can help locate when ambient noise is 25 or higher on the 
signal strength display [10].
F.   Sweeping and Locating the Tape/Pipe
Step 1.  Make wide locate sweeps across suspected pipe direction inside the suspected 
pipe corridor, every 2.5 ft (75 cm) until you detect the first marker.
Step 2.  When the first marker is detected, the pipe/tape direction can be determined by 
rotating the locator and finding the direction of the highest signal strength.
Step 3.  Walk straight in the direction of the handle, making smaller left/right sweeps to 
follow the path.
Step 4.  Press depth directly over a marker with maximized orientation, for the 
estimated depth to the tape. 
						

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G. Estimating Depth
Step 1.  Lower the bottom of the locator to the ground over the targeted marker or 
caution tape.
Step 2.  Press Depth [SK].
 
− The locator will calculate the 
estimated depth to the marker or 
caution tape. (Calculating, please 
wait...)
Step 3.  To save the depth reading, press Mem 
Select [SK].
 
− Five depth readings can be saved with 
the time and date.
 
− Save [SK] will place each entry in 
sequential order in memory (M1 - M5) 
until five readings have been stored. 
The unit will overwrite saved entries 
in excess of five, beginning with M1.
Optional: Press Clear All  [SK] to delete all stored depth information.
Press  Mem Select  [SK] to select a specific memory location to store the depth readings. 
When the preferred location appears on the screen, press Save  [SK]. The display and 
memory location will populate with the current information.
Each memory location can be reviewed by pressing Mem Select  [SK].
Press  OK [5] to return to Marker Locate Mode. 
						

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5. Creating/Editing Templates for 3M™ iD Markers
In the User Template screen, the operator can create and modify templates for writing 
to iD markers. Note that the easiest way to create user templates is by using the 3M™ 
Dynatel™ PC Tool Kit software on a PC and then downloading them to a locator via 
the RS232 Serial Port [14] on the locator and the provided RS232 cable or RS232-to-
USB adapter cable. The 3M
™ Dynatel™ PC Tool Kit software is available free of charge 
at www.3M.com/dynatel under the Software section; 2550/2573/2250M/2273M/7420 
Locator PC Tools xx.x.x (EXE xx.xMB).
A.  Creating New Templates
Menu [6] + Data/Templat [SK:2] + User Templat [SK:2c]
Step 1.  Select Create New by pressing the up/down 
arrows [SK].
Step 2.  Press View/Edit  [SK].
Step 3. Name the template.
Step 4.  Press Modify  [SK] to manually enter the 
name of the template.
Step 5.  Select UserEdit.
Step 6.  Press OK [5]
Note: Older Gen 1 markers have less memory and 
the operator will see a message asking if you are 
creating an X-Type template. Only continue adding 
data if the marker is an X-Type marker. 
						

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Step 7. Move the boxed cursor by pressing the left/
right arrows [SK] or up/down arrow [SK] to 
move the cursor up or down.
Step 8.  Press Select  [SK] to enter the alphanumeric 
character.
 
− Entry will appear at the top of the screen.
Step 9.  Press OK [5] when the entries are complete 
and to save the entries, or press Exit [SK] 
to cancel entries. Pressing OK [5], or Exit 
[SK], will return to the template display.
Note: To clear the previous field entry, select 
the ‘back arrow’ with the cursor and delete the 
previous entry.
Step 10.  Navigate through the fields by pressing the 
left/right arrows [SK].
Step 11.  Press Modify  [SK] to populate the 
highlighted field.
Step 12.  When modifying the Labels (left hand side 
of template information) there are three 
options for editing that are presented: 
a. UserEdit
b.  Choosing one of the common 
(compressed) terms from the available 
list of terms.
c.  Del Row (delete row)
Step 13.  When modifying the Descriptions (right 
hand side of template information) there are 
four options for editing that are presented: 
a. UserEdit
b.  Delete Row
c.  Last 10 UserEdits
d.  Show All - lists common compressed 
terms 
						

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Step 14. Populate as many fields as possible from 
the drop-down list of common (compressed) 
terms available to conserve marker memory 
space, or choose UserEdit  if a term is not 
found to meet the user's requirements. Select 
term by pressing the up/down arrows [SK] 
and press OK [5].
Step 15.  Navigate to the next field by pressing the 
left/right arrow [SK].
Step 16. Press Modify  [SK] to populate the 
highlighted field.
Step 17.  Populate additional fields, as needed, 
using the above procedure steps 15 and 16. 
Templates are limited to six Label and six 
Description fields.
Step 18.  When the template is complete, save the 
template by pressing OK [5].
B. Editing Templates
The operator can select an existing template and 
make changes to it in the same manner described in 
5.A. Creating New Templates. The following save 
screen will appear.
Over Write:  Saves all modifications that have been made to the original template.
Rename:  Overwrites the old template with the new name and all modifications. Display 
will return to the template name field. Modify the name of the template and press OK [5] 
to save. 
						

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Save New: Creates a new template containing all information. Original template remains 
unchanged. Display will return to the template name field. Modify the name of the 
template and press OK [5] to save.
Cancel: Clears all modifications made to any unsaved template.
6. Writing 3M™ iD Markers
The Write Mode enables the user to write information into 3M™ iD markers. It is also 
possible to edit the information to be written into an iD Marker.
Menu [6] + Write Mode [SK:1]
Step 1.  Select a template from the list on the display 
to be written into the marker by pressing 
the up/down arrows [SK] to highlight the 
preferred template. ‘Last Written /Read’ is 
the most recent data that was written to/read 
from a marker by the locator.
Step 2. Press View/Edit  [SK].
 
− Four Write Mode options will be 
displayed at the bottom of the screen. 
[SK1] Overwrite: Will overwrite any 
data existing on an unlocked marker if 
‘Ye s ’ is selected and ‘No’ will prevent 
overwrite. [SK2] X-Type: Choose ‘Ye s ’ 
if writing to a Gen 2 marker and ‘No’ 
if writing to a Gen 1 marker. Gen 2 
markers will have an “X” following 
the serial number that is printed on the 
attached tag. SK3] Marker: Select type 
of marker to be written by repeatedly 
pressing  Marker [SK Toggle]. [SK4] 
Lock/Unlocked: Press [SK4] to toggle 
between locking and unlocking the 
marker. The default setting is unlocked 
and note that a locked unit cannot be 
modified once locked. 
						

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Step 3. Press Menu/OK [SK].
 
− The selected template will be 
displayed. The arrow on the right side 
of the display indicates there is more 
information than can be displayed on 
the screen (scroll down by pressing the 
down arrow [SK]).
Step 4.  Enter user information that will be written 
to this marker. (See 6.A. Modifying Marker 
Data to be Written  section.)
Step 5.  Verify that all information is correct.
Step 6. Hold the locator directly over the top of 
the marker. The locator should be within the 
following maximum writing ranges for each 
of the different iD Marker formats;
 
− Near Surface iD Marker = 6 in (15 cm) 
maximum
 
− Ball iD Marker = 12 in (30 cm) 
maximum
 
− Full Range iD Marker = 24 in (61 cm) 
maximum
Step 7.  Press Start Write [SK].
Step 8.  After writing to the iD Marker is 
completed,the following screen will be 
displayed. 
						

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The following messages may appear in the writing 
process.
Message 1. If the overwrite option was set to "No" 
and there was data present on the target 
market then the following screen will be 
displayed:  
Message 2.  When writing to a passive marker or the 
wrong frequency then the following will 
be displayed:  
Message 3.  This screen indicates that X-Type 
marker option was incorrectly set to 
"Yes" or "No".  Verify the serial number 
that is displayed on the marker ends 
with an “X” to select "Yes" for X-Type, 
else select "No": 
Note: Once the marker data has been locked, the information contained on\
 the marker 
is PERMANENT. Choosing to permanently lock the marker data is irreversible. Once 
the data is locked it can not be overwritten. Assure that the data that is being written is 
correct before proceeding.
A. Modifying Marker Data to be Written
To alter the information to be written into the marker
Step 1.  Press Menu [6] + Write Mode [SK].
Step 2.  Select a template from the list on the display to be written into the marker by 
pressing the up/down arrows [SK] to highlight the preferred template. ‘Last 
Written/Read’ is the most recent data that was written to/read from a marker by 
the locator.
Step 3.  Press View/Edit  [SK].
Step 4.  Press the up/down arrows [SK] to highlight 
the information to change.
Step 5.  Press Modify  [SK]. The percentage 
displayed in the upper right portion of the 
display indicates the remaining memory 
available on the marker. 
						

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Step 6. The operator may select  User Edit in order 
to ‘type’ the modification, or Delete Row to 
remove the entire row from the template, or 
select  Show All  to display a list of common 
compressed terms. 
Note: Using a common compressed term requires 
less memory in the marker.
Step 7.  Select an option from the list by pressing the 
up/down arrows [SK]. Press OK [5].
Step 8. If User Edit  is selected, the following screen 
will appear.
Step 9.  Move the boxed cursor to the ‘back arrow’ 
and press Select  [SK] to delete the entry to 
be modified.
Step 10.  Move the boxed cursor by pressing the left/
right arrows [SK] or the Up/ Down Arrow 
[SK] to move the cursor to the next row.
Step 11.  Press Select  [SK] to enter the alphanumeric 
character.
 
− Entry will appear at the top of the 
display.
Step 12.  Press OK [5] when entry is complete.
Step 13.  If Show All  is selected, the following screen 
will appear.
Step 14.  Select a common compressed term from the 
list by pressing the up/down arrows [SK].
Step 15.  Press OK [5]. The modification will 
automatically populate the marker template.