TC-4 4 Channel Thermocouple Interface User Manual
Contents
1. TC 4 4 Channel Thermocouple Interface User Manual SSI 4 Manual 1 0 doc Pons COVEIVICW AAE EEE E T E A A levtueblean Gesds event letaantes SPECICATION fsck tess EEEE A E A E EA Thermocouple BaSS eitie ha se SERENE AEE A RE eSEE EAE SEER a e EEAS Gonnectingithe TO a ra a aa eaaa aa a r a aa Ea aut a a AATA TN Ea DAAE ia AAE aaeeieeds GOMMECTING 01011 1 AAEE EE E E E E E E Connecting Thermocouples cccccceceeceeseeeeneeceeeecaaeeeeaaeeeeeeecaaeseeaeeseeeesaeeteaeeseneeees The Innovate Log Chain concept ceeccececeeeeeeeeeeeeeceaeeeeaaeeeeeeeceaeeeseaesseaaesseneeseaeeeeaaeesenees Log Chain of 4 channels consisting Of TC 4 alone ceceeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeaeeeeaeeeeeeeeees 6 channel Log Chain example with 2 AFR channels cccccccesceeeeeeeseteeeeeeeeeneeeeeeeees 16 Channel Log Chain example cccccccceeeseeeeeeeeeeeeeeeaeeeeeeeecaeeesaaeeseaeeseeeeesiaeeeseeeeeaes Programming the TC 4 with LM Programmer cccccceeseeceeeee eee eeeaeeeeeeeeecaeeeeaeeseneeseaees Changirig the device Name aiiai dass aaeanoa aaa et ceshineeistiany devhaaaeedhlereetiebheeeedd Updating the firtnWaret 2 cccisecerhat bee soesdstevelt aayedial seveliinaeeebteveradienetihnes ded etehreiiad Gonfigurinigithe INPUTS ierta adana aaa enan aeaoe aaeeea aaea aaa aaaea Revision History 1 Overview The TC 4 device is 4 channel thermocouple interface device for a MTS Log Chain The TC 4 may also be used as a stand2. 3 To Computer Devices attached to the LM 1 s analog input count as being part of the LM 1 s 6 channels They don t count extra XD 1 s do not contribute any channels so you can add as many as needed 6 Programming the TC 4 with LM Programmer To connect the TC 4 for programming follow these steps 1 Disconnect any MTS device from the IN port Connect the 2 5mm to DB 2 computer interface cable into the Serial OUT port Your computer needs a serial port If it does not have one you will need a USB to serial adapter 3 Power the TC 4 either from 12V or a 9V Battery when using a desktop computer 4 Start the LM Programmer application The following screen will show up _ LM Programmer Version 3 05 4 10l x Info input 1 Input 2 input 3 input 4 2003 2004 Innovate Technology Inc NNOVATE MNO TO FR SPOS FT E Device Type TC 4 Firmware Version 1 00a Connected to port COM 1 Processor Version ATM64 16 Please give this device a unique name Max 8 characters The LM Programmer software then shows in its first page the type and version number of the firmware of the device 6 1 Changing the device name If multiple TC 4 s are used in a Log Chain each MUST be given a unique name so that LogWorks can identify each TC 4 Just enter a name in the edit box in this page 6 2 Updating the firmware Click on the Update Firmware button You will be presented with a file dialog b
3. a more accurate measurement of exhaust gas temperature They are commonly available in types K and J Only type K will currently work with the TC 4 To use a thermocouple probe connect the red and yellow leads of the thermocouple wire to the yellow and red leads of the thermocouple probe The junction is inside the probe You can not use normal copper wire to connect the thermocouple probe to the TC 4 You must use thermocouple wire to connect the probe If you do not there will be an extra two metal junction where the Copper wire meets the wires of the probe This extra junction will cause a large error in the temperature readings 5 Most Thermocouple probes are of the grounded junction type This means that the hot junction is also connected to the probe s body As this body is connected for example to the exhaust manifold the sensor wires are essentially grounded through that The same would be true if a home made thermocouple junction is used as described above by twisting the wires and if that wire twist is connected to some grounded engine part If the twisted ends would be grounded untwist them first and clamp the separately but close together Otherwise the clamping metal part can short out part of the thermocouple voltage See below Bolt Mount Clamped to header yi nig TC wire Clamp TC wire Washer TC wire E Exh pipe Metal surface The TC 4 will work with either isolated or grounded junction thermocouples There
4. alone 4 channel MTS compatible thermocouple amplifier see Chapter 2 for more details Each of the four inputs of the TC 4 can be user configured either EGT range 32 1999 degF 0 1093 degC or for CHT range to measure cylinder head temperatures 32 572 degF 0 300 degC 2 Specifications Power Power requirements Power reversal protection External Sensor power Serial Communication Serial Port Speed Packet Logging Speed Sample Resolution Input Specifications Number of Channels Thermocouple Type Input measurement range CHx max input voltages CHx max input voltages Common Mode Rejection Range Input Impedance Temperature Max Operating Temperature Mechanical Size W x Lx H Weight 8 36 Volt 50mA Yes 5V 2 5 300MA max see Note 1 19 2 kbit sec 81 92 msec sample packet 10 bits 0 5V at 0 1 resolution 4 Type K 0 to 300 degC CHT Range or 0 to 1093 degC EGT Range 2 5V to 7 5V 2 5V to 7 5V 2 5V to 7 5V 1 MOhm 20 to 80 deg Celsius 133 x 65 x 26 mm 114 grams Note 1 Supply current does not included current of external sensors powered from the 5V output 3 Thermocouple Basics Thermocouples are used to measure temperatures by relying on the phenomenon where a junction of any two different metals Copper and Iron for example will generate a small voltage This voltage is dependant upon which two metal are used and the temperature of the junction This phenomena
5. are four GND connections The two closest to the 5V terminal can be used for thermocouple shielding The GND terminals next to the TC4 terminal are no connects so they are not to be used 5 The Innovate Log Chain concept LogWorks 2 0 has the capability to log display and analyze up to 32 engine parameters Most users will use less though Each of the MTS components reads between 1 and 6 engine parameters To interface a multitude of MTS components to LogWorks with a single connection the Innovate LogChain concept was introduced The TC 4 can be used as a MTS component in a Log Chain Each of the MTS components has two serial ports except the LM 1 which has only one One serial port is designated as IN port the other as OUT port The OUT port of one device is connected to the IN port of the next device and so on This way devices can be daisy chained to build a log chain for up to 32 channels total The OUT port of the last device is connected to the computer for logging or downloading of logged data The device that s first in the chain is special It determines the logging sample rate The first device in the chain sends a data packet containing its channel data a sample to the next device downstream left to right in the diagram every 81 92 milliseconds The next device appends its data to that packet and hands that packet to the next device downstream and so on At each device the packet grows in length The devices in the cha
6. in synchronize their sampling of the engine parameters to the packets so that all the channels in a packet together represent the same instance in time At the downstream end of the log chain OUT port of the last device a computer or external logger can be connected to store or display the stream data The XD 1 display is such a device This also means that the complete channel data set is ONLY available at the end of the log chain A datalogger capable of recording the log chain data stream therefore MUST be placed at the end of the log chain This includes lap top computers or other loggers Commands for individual devices are sent upstream A device incl a computer or an XD 1 can send commands to the devices upstream of itself but not downstream Commands can include start stop recording calibration configuration commands and so on Only the device directly upstream of the command originator of course will receive the command This device then decides depending on the command whether to execute the command and whether to pass it on An example of a case where the command is executed but not passed on is the start stop record command The first upstream device capable of logging internally will execute the command but not pass it on As said before the first device is special because it is the synchronization source for the entire chain By plugging its IN port with the supplied terminator connector a device can detect that require
7. is known formally as the Seebeck Effect Because every junction of different metals contributes its own voltage into the measurement it is important to have as few junctions between dissimilar metals as possible in order to record an accurate measurement This is why thermocouple wire is made completely of two different metals The Type K thermocouple to be used with the TC 4 kit is composed of Cromel and Alumel one lead being made of each the red and yellow leads To make a thermocouple strip approximately 3 4 of insulation form one end of the thermocouple wire Twist the two exposed metal ends together You may optionally solder them also But twist them first Do not solder them in parallel This will form what is called the Hot junction This Hot junction is what you will connect to the surface that you want to measure This is usually either a under the copper gasket of a sparkplug for cylinder head temperature CHT or b clamped to a primary header tube for exhaust gas temperature EGT Note that clamping to the primary tube will NOT measure real EGT but the surface temperature of the header pipe For real EGT measurements use an EGT probe that extends into the header itself There is also the Cold junction This is where the 2 leads of the thermocouple come together again at the TC 4 terminals The TC 4 has an internal temperature sensor at the T C input terminals It uses this sensor to offset the effect of the Cold j
8. ment when it powers up The terminator connector just connects the transmit and receive line of the IN port together Each device sends a special command out on it s IN port when it powers up This command is ignored and not passed on by any device if received on it s OUT port If the sending device immediately receives that command on its IN port again because the terminator is plugged in it assumes it is the first and special device in the chain The LM 1 having only one serial port is ALWAYS a special device and MUST be connected to the beginning of the chain The following are some examples of Log Chains using the TC 4 and other MTS devices NOTE The TC 4 does NOT need a terminator plug on it s IN port It automatically detects if another device is plugged into it s IN port and terminates the IN port if nothing is plugged in 5 1 Log Chain of 4 channels consisting of TC 4 alone To Ser Ser Computer IN OUT TC 4 5 2 6 channel Log Chain example with 2 AFR channels To Computer a Terminator Plug nr l LC 1 TC 4 XD 1 XD 1 Notice that the LC 1 s are connected BEFORE the first TC 4 LC 1 s should always be connected before the first non LC 1 device except if the first device is an LM 1 5 3 16 Channel Log Chain example The example chain consists of a LM 1 LMA 2 a LC 1 a TC 4 a LMA 3 and 2 XD 1 s In this case the chain has 16 channels 6 from LM 1 1 from LC 1 4 from the TC 4 and 5 from the LMA
9. ox that allows you to select a firmware file Firmware files end with the file extension dld TC 4 firmware file names start with TC4 The first part is followed by a dash then a V then the version number without dots Example TC 4 firmware version 1 00 alpha release would have the file name TC4 V100A dlId TC4 firmware version 1 00 would have the file name TC4 V100 dld After you opened the firmware file this new firmware will be downloaded in the TC 4 device 6 3 Configuring the Inputs Click on the appropriate Input tab in the top of the window to configure one of the TC 4 inputs You can select for each input whether it is to be used for CHT or EGT range 7 Revision History 6 27 06 Initial Release
10. unction in the measurement This is called Cold junction compensation Once the effects of the cold junction are neutralized the TC 4 can accurately read the temperature of the Hot junction which is the twisted lead pair at the opposite end of the thermocouple wire 4 Connecting the TC 4 The TC 4 looks like this Power for Switched 12 external Not Used Inputs Power for SSI 4 Sensors A a Al TC 4 4 CHANNEL THERMOCOUPLE INTERFACE INNOVATE MOT ORMASPORNARA T SERIAL SERIAL OUT IN y f Serial Ports 4 1 Connecting power Connect switched 12V power switched on when the cars ignition system is on from the car to the terminal marked 12V on the TC 4 connector Connect one of the terminals marked GND to a good ground on the car The engine block will supply a good ground connection 4 2 Connecting Thermocouples One thing that is counter intuitive for many people is that the negative side of a thermocouple wire is always red There are many different types of thermocouple wire types K J and T being the most popular All have a red negative lead and a yellow black or blue positive lead respectively When connection the thermocouple to the terminals on the TC 4 be sure to connect the yellow lead to the and red lead to the terminals Several manufacturers offer EGT thermocouple probes which are actually inserted into the exhaust gas stream through a hole in the headers or exhaust manifold These provide
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