Data Delivery Devices VHF, UHF & ISM Wireless RTU RFScada 8ADI-9DO 4ADI-5DO User Manual

							RFScada 8ADI-9DO/4ADI-5DO Manual Ver 3.6 Copyright ©2005 Data Delivery Devices LLC Page - 61 – Bartlesville OK Tel 918-335-3318      FAX 918-398-9990  
						

							RFScada 8ADI-9DO/4ADI-5DO Manual Ver 3.6 Copyright ©2005 Data Delivery Devices LLC Page - 63 – Bartlesville OK Tel 918-335-3318      FAX 918-398-9990 
Special Control Modes. 
The RFScada units allow remote signal routing of analog and digital signals. In some 
situations additional control modes are needed, for example controlling outputs depending on input 
conditions, or sequences of input conditions. Typically a PLC or similar control computer is used to 
provide this control ‘logic’. The RFScada devices have certain control routines built in, for common 
control applications, saving the expense of additional controls. The 
special control modes may be enabled via Modbus register 615, or 
by using the drop down ‘Control Mode’ selection in the configuration 
program. All other RFScada functions operate normally even when 
the special control mode is enabled.  
Generally all of the special control modes operate by 
‘overwriting’ the non existent unit 31’s registers, so the special 
modes may only run in systems with less than 30 units. Each mode 
has specific registers in Unit 31 assigned for specific functions, 
depending on the mode selected. By routing signals in the normal 
way to and from Unit 31’s registers any input or output on the system 
may be used as the control logic ‘source’ and ‘destination’. A 
physical unit assigned to ‘Unit 31’ need not be present for special 
control mode operation, and the master configuration should be set 
to ‘disable’ unit 31, although it may be temporarily enabled to allow 
changes in Unit 31 routing and assignments.   
Additional control modes may have been added since this 
was written, please contact the factory for further details or special requirements.  
  
Digital Pump(s) Control Mode (1)   
This mode is typically used to control the level in a tank, where the tank is equipped with a 
‘Full’ level switch and also an ‘Low’ level switch. The tank is filled by one or more pumps, driven from 
relay outputs on the RFScada. In normal operation the pump is on until both the low and full inputs 
are active, when the pump will switch off (i.e. tank is full). The pump will remain off until both the full 
and low inputs become inactive, when the pump will turn back on (i.e. the level is just below the low 
switch). An error relay output will activate (and the pump / pumps will shut off) if just the ‘full’ but not 
the ‘low’ switch is active, since this condition should never occur in normal operation. Additional inputs 
can also be used to force the pump / pumps off and activate the error relay, these inputs would 
typically be connected to access door switches, gate interlocks etc. The full and low inputs may be 
supplied by any digital input on the network, and the pump and error relays may be any one (or more) 
relays on the network.  
Many systems just run one pump at a time but have two for backup purposes, and a common 
requirement is to operate them sequentially, to verify operation of both units and to share wear 
between them. The control mode supports toggling of dual pumps, effectively replacing more external 
control logic. 
   
In this mode the following assignments need to be made.  
 
Unit 31 Relay 1 must be assigned to the ‘Full’ input (any digital input on any physical unit) 
Unit 31 Relay 2 must be assigned to the ‘Low’ input (any digital input on any physical unit) 
Unit 31 Relay 3 may be assigned to cause an error (Optional, any digital input on any unit) 
Unit 31 Relay 4 may be assigned to cause an error (Optional, any digital input on any unit) 
Unit 31 Relay 5 may be assigned to cause an error (Optional, any digital input on any unit) 
Unit 31 Relay 6 may be assigned to cause an error (Optional, any digital input on any unit) 
Unit 31 Relay 7 may be assigned to cause an error (Optional, any digital input on any unit) 
Unit 31 Relay 8 may be assigned to cause an error (Optional, any digital input on any unit) 
 
Unit 31 Digital Input 1 is ‘active’ to run a single pump. (assign pump relay to this input) 
Unit 31 Digital Input 2 is ‘active’ to for an error. (assign error relay to this input)  
						

							RFScada 8ADI-9DO/4ADI-5DO Manual Ver 3.6 Copyright ©2005 Data Delivery Devices LLC Page - 64 – Bartlesville OK Tel 918-335-3318      FAX 918-398-9990 
Unit 31 Digital Input 3 is ‘active’ to run the toggling pump 1. (assign pump 1 relay to this input) 
Unit 31 Digital Input 4 is ‘active’ to run the toggling pump 2. (assign pump 2 relay to this input) 
 
  
Tank
RFScada Full Switch 
RFScada 
Pump 
Low Switch 
Error Alarm Out 
Error Alarm Out 
Complete, Standalone, Remote Pump & Tank Control System Using 
RFScada Digital Pump Control Mode 
Pump  
						

							RFScada 8ADI-9DO/4ADI-5DO Manual Ver 3.6 Copyright ©2005 Data Delivery Devices LLC Page - 65 – Bartlesville OK Tel 918-335-3318      FAX 918-398-9990 
 
Analog Pump(s) Control Mode (2)   
This mode is typically used to control the 
level in a tank, where the tank is equipped with 
an analog level transducer. Two analog ‘trigger’ 
levels are set by the operator by using the 
configuration program, one for the full tank level 
and another for the empty tank level. The tank is 
filled by one or more pumps, driven from relay 
outputs on the RFScada. In normal operation the 
pump is on until the measured level is above the 
full set point, when the pump will switch off (i.e. 
tank is full). The pump will remain off until the 
level drops below the ‘empty’ set point, when the 
pump will turn back on. The dialog to set the full 
and empty points may be found by using the 
‘Special Control Settings’ menu. The units are 
displayed in raw analog input levels for the 4-
20mA input, from 0 to 1023, (4mA = 204, 20mA 
=1023) and may be scaled to match the tanks 
feet, PSI or whatever scale is used. The actual 
reading being measured may be viewed on the 
‘Display Registers’ screen. 
Additional inputs can also be used to 
force the pump / pumps off and activate the error 
relay, these inputs would typically be connected to access door switches, gate interlocks, tank 
overflow switch etc. The analog level may be supplied by any analog input on the network, and the 
pump and error relays may be any one (or more) relays on the network.  
Many systems just run one pump at a time but have two for backup purposes, and a common 
requirement is to operate them sequentially, to verify operation of both units and to share wear 
between them. The control mode 2 also supports toggling of dual pumps, effectively replacing more 
external control logic.   
In this mode the following assignments need to be made.  
Unit 31 Analog Output 1 must be assigned to the level transducer source (any analog input on 
any physical unit)  
 
Unit 31 Relay 1 may be assigned to cause an error (Optional, any digital input on any unit) 
Unit 31 Relay 2 may be assigned to cause an error (Optional, any digital input on any unit) 
Unit 31 Relay 3 may be assigned to cause an error (Optional, any digital input on any unit) 
Unit 31 Relay 4 may be assigned to cause an error (Optional, any digital input on any unit) 
Unit 31 Relay 5 may be assigned to cause an error (Optional, any digital input on any unit) 
Unit 31 Relay 6 may be assigned to cause an error (Optional, any digital input on any unit) 
Unit 31 Relay 7 may be assigned to cause an error (Optional, any digital input on any unit) 
Unit 31 Relay 8 may be assigned to cause an error (Optional, any digital input on any unit) 
 
Unit 31 Digital Input 1 is ‘active’ to run a single pump. (assign pump relay to this input) 
Unit 31 Digital Input 2 is ‘active’ to indicate an error shutdown. (assign error relay to this input) 
Unit 31 Digital Input 3 is ‘active’ to run the toggling pump 1. (assign pump 1 relay to this input) 
Unit 31 Digital Input 4 is ‘active’ to run the toggling pump 2. (assign pump 2 relay to this input) 
 
  
						

							RFScada 8ADI-9DO/4ADI-5DO Manual Ver 3.6 Copyright ©2005 Data Delivery Devices LLC Page - 66 – Bartlesville OK Tel 918-335-3318      FAX 918-398-9990 
Tank
RFScada 
4-20mA 
Level 
Transmitte
r
RFScada 
Pump 
Error Alarm Out 
Error Alarm Out 
Complete, Standalone, Remote Pump & Tank Control System Using 
RFScada Analog Pump Control Mode 
Pump 
Error shutdown 
Switch (optional) 
Error shutdown 
Switch (optional)  
						

							RFScada 8ADI-9DO/4ADI-5DO Manual Ver 3.6 Copyright ©2005 Data Delivery Devices LLC Page - 67 – Bartlesville OK Tel 918-335-3318      FAX 918-398-9990    
Analog Store Control Mode (3).   
  In some situations it may be required for the RFScada system to store (and preserve 
through power fails) analog values. In a typical application analog process values may be written via 
Modbus to an RFScada device, which outputs these values as normal to another device depending 
on its configuration. Rather than being a typical constant Modbus connection, these writes to the 
RFScada device may occur sporadically, for example via a low orbiting satellite that may only be in 
contact occasionally or perhaps via a dial up phone line that incurs call charges. If power to the 
RFScada is interrupted it needs to maintain the analog values that were written before the power 
failed. Selecting the Analog Store control mode allows these functions.  
In this mode the following registers are affected. 
 
Unit 31 Analog inputs 1 to 8 (Modbus Registers 311 to 318) will retain their last written value 
indefinitely. Even if the Modbus timeout occurs these registers will be preserved. These registers are 
stored in non-volatile memory which has a write limitation of 1 million writes, so the RFScada will only 
store the value in non volatile memory if it has not changed for more than two minutes (this time is 
pre-set at the factory, it may be displayed in the ‘About’ menu using the configuration software). 
Therefore for the process values to be stored correctly the power must remain on and the process 
values must not change for at least two minutes.  
						

							RFScada 8ADI-9DO/4ADI-5DO Manual Ver 3.6 Copyright ©2005 Data Delivery Devices LLC Page - 68 – Bartlesville OK Tel 918-335-3318      FAX 918-398-9990 
Mixed Operation with RFScada 2DI-4DO Models.   
  If fitted with the low power ISM radio modules the RFScada 8ADI-9DO and 4ADI-5DO units 
may communicate with the RFScada 2DI-4DO models, typically for systems that require limited inputs 
and outputs without analog signals in some locations. In this case any 2DI-4DO models will be pre-
configured at the factory with unique slave addresses (1 to 31) and they may then be accessed just 
like a normal 8ADI-9DO model. Instead of 8 digital inputs there will be three transmitted (the two 
physical inputs plus the state of the 2DI-4DO AC power). The four outputs, normally configured for 2 
standard outputs, plus remote AC state and network integrity now reflect 3 outputs and the network 
state. The network state will respond in a similar manner to the standard 8ADI-9DO mode, on 
continually for correct network operation, toggling on and off for a network error, and off for no signals 
detected at all. All analog levels reported from the 2DI-4DO units will be zero. The 2DI-4DO models 
only operate with the low power ISM radios so can only communicate with other models that have the 
same radio options installed. 
 
  The following tables summarize the capability. 
 
RFScada 2DI-4DO Transmitted  Inputs  Physical Input 
Digital 1  1 
Digital 2  2 
Digital 3  State of AC power (1 = OK) 
Digital 4-8  All reported as zero (off) 
 
 
 
RFScada 2DI-4DO Relay Outputs  Physical Output 
Relay 1 (SPDT)  Output 1 
Relay 2 (SPDT)  Output 2 
Relay 3 (SPST)  AC OK Output / Output 3 
Relay 4 (SPST)  Network State 
  
						

							RFScada 8ADI-9DO/4ADI-5DO Manual Ver 3.6 Copyright ©2005 Data Delivery Devices LLC Page - 69 – Bartlesville OK Tel 918-335-3318      FAX 918-398-9990 
Standalone ‘Master’ System with no slaves.   
  This mode allows remote control and monitoring of a single unit. Simply set the units 
configuration as a Master and disable all slave units. By using Modbus or the configuration program 
all the inputs and outputs on this unit may be monitored and controlled remotely, via the RS-232, RS-
485 or over a phone line if suitable modems are used. Since the unit does not expect a response from 
any other units it may be operated in a standalone mode without any errors being generated. It may 
also be configured to route all its own inputs to outputs.  
						

							RFScada 8ADI-9DO/4ADI-5DO Manual Ver 3.6 Copyright ©2005 Data Delivery Devices LLC Page - 70 – Bartlesville OK Tel 918-335-3318      FAX 918-398-9990 
Comm Fail Override Mode.   
  Normally the RFScada devices will only maintain outputs when all of the units in a network are 
communicating correctly. If communications are lost then all remaining units still communicating will 
turn off all outputs (analog and relays) and the communication status relay and LED (by J11) will 
toggle. For most applications this is the optimum way to handle signal loss; as a failure anywhere in 
the system will result in the complete system shutdown, and typically alarm generation, plus complete 
network integrity may be monitored from all locations.  
For some specialized applications it would be better for the remaining units to maintain 
outputs, and the RFScada devices may be programmed to operate this way. This may be required for 
example where several remote pumps, each controlled by an RFScada device, fill a common tank 
where another RFScada device monitors the fluid level then sends commands to the remote pumps. If 
one well is down for service its RFScada device may be without power, resulting in communications 
failure in the network and a shutdown of the remaining wells. By selecting the ‘Comm Fail Override’ 
mode the remaining units may continue operation when signals are lost from one (or more) units. The 
slaves will not be aware that one (or more) other slaves are not operating. The master unit will toggle 
the comms status LED and relay however, so the error will be detected. If response from all slave 
devices is lost the masters ‘comms status’ relay and LED will become inactive. 
The ‘comm fail override’ mode may be selected from a menu when the master configuration 
screen is displayed. A warning will be displayed during selection and when the feature is enabled.  
    
    
 
 
As always ensure that the settings are saved using the ‘Write to RFScada EEPROM’ button so 
the changes will survive subsequent power fails.