EC350 Configuration Assistance

Ewon Support Ewon Netbiter
#1

We have recently become a netbiter distributer when hms purchased eWON. Our first Netbiter customer is running into some issues setting up his EC350’s. I have not had any training on these devices yet, so Im unable to help. Below is the information he has sent me. Please review and let me know if there is a resource that can help with the customers questions.

We have 4 emergency generators at different facilities that we want to monitor for status, fuel tank level and alarms with the EasyConnect EC350. I was told by someone at Netbiter that because the generator controllers communicate over Modbus RTU we couldn’t use the Netbiter fuel tank sensor because it also communicates with Modbus. Instead I bought 4 Elobau fuel level sensors that output .5-4.5 VDC over their operating range, and use the analog input 1 on the EC350 reading the voltage from the sensor.

I am setting up a Generac G Panel controller first because Netbiter already had a device template for that controller, which I knew would make the setup process much easier. I’m not able to communicate with the controller yet because I have to get a tech to come out and enable the serial port connection for the controller, but I am able to read the voltage from the analog input on the EC350 for the fuel level sensor in Argos, which currently reads 2.3VDC.

In Argos I set up a dashboard system drawing for the generator with text lines for all of the values I want to monitor; for the fuel level I have a parameter text box to link to the input from the EC350, but when I go to select a parameter to use there is nothing in the “Select Parameter” window to select from. What am I omitting? Also, how would I convert the voltage reading input to display a % value for the fuel level?

#2

Hello,

As for resources for setting up a Netbiter I strongly recommend looking at the Argos Administration manual. Chapter 5 will cover adding devices. I recommend doing the setup in a profile to allow for redeployment if another Netbiter and generator are set up.

The general flow for set up is as follows

  1. Create a template. This tells the Netbiter what it has access to.
  2. Create a profile
  3. create the Parameters in the profile. (Logging, Alarm, Visualization/live) This is Telling the Netbiter what to do with the template.
  4. Build a dashboard. This takes the Parameter data you have set up and displays it in Argos.

You can skip the profile and just add a device to the Netbiter with the profile then set the parameter info up in the Netbiters configuration.

Note: Since you are using the Analog inputs on the Netbiter these can not be included in the profile but you can set up parameters on the device to add a scale and off set to the parameter as needed.

For future reference this is not entirely true if they are both using modbus over RS485 you can configure them to use the same serial settings, and setup a BUS with both devices.

I know there is a lot here, again I recommend looking though the Argos admin manual Let me know if you have any questions.

#4

Thanks for the help Deryck.

Robert

Please review the information in the email below. Please let Deryck and me know if this does not resolve your issues or if you have other questions.

Regards,

**MIKE MAHANA | **INS

Application Engineering

800.889.1461 x129 | www.industrialnetworking.com

email_INS

#5

Thanks for the information Deryck. OK, this is what I’m trying to do now.

I am in Argos, looking at the Management/Configuration tab. I’m trying to create a visualization paramenter for the analog input 1 of the EC350. I clicked on ‘add visualization parameter’ and the add visualization parameter box comes up. I select the Netbiter EC300 Series, and the analog input 1 voltage parameter, and I can change the number of decimal places displayed; but if I want to change the valid range or enumeration values it won’t let me select the check boxes to change those. Why not?

Thanks,

#7

Without looking myself its hard to say typically if it is blocked it has to do with the data type being used. Can you provide me with the system ID and I can take a look.

#8

Deryck:

I decided to leave the range and enumeration fields alone and save the parameter anyway. After I did that and updated the configuration, I was able to go back to the dashboard display and changed the parameter text field to a gauge component which did let me define the minimum and maximum values. After saving it and going back to the presentation tab I could view the dashboard display and it showed the correct level reading on the gauge. That gives me what I need for now, until I get access to the Modbus registers on the controller I can’t do much else.

Thanks,