The Power of Zap 3

The Third installment of the series “The Power of Zap” is called Grounding 101. Jim Daggon, Rice Lake senior product engineer and Chuck Crowley senior technical support manager focus on the importance of proper grounding for safety and the performance of sensitive electronic devices. The idea of grounding is that the earth itself acts as the electrical ground, providing not only a common reference for all electrical devices, but also a standard between devices regardless of location. The earth is used as the common reference conductor.

The consideration that the earth acts as a constant conductor is the underlying principle, and in the larger sense, it does. However, the connection to the ground or “earthing” needs to have the lowest resistance possible. Any resistance due to improper or faulty connections will allow the presence of a current to flow. In the context of safety, current flowing through a vital organ is what causes injury or death. The frequency of the alternating current, the duration of contact, and the path of contact are all important factors in determining the severity of the shock. The connection to the earth consists of two basic parts: the grounding electrode and the connection (or bonding) to that electrode. Any resistance introduced in the grounding path could lead to a damaging or dangerous condition.

The relationship between resistance, current, and voltage is revealed in Ohm’s Law1:
I = V / R
Where :
I = current flow
V = voltage
R = resistance2

Using this equation, if the resistance is 0, then the current flow will be maximized in the ground circuit. (This is what you want, not current flow in another path that does not include the ground, but may include YOU!) The accepted National Electrical Code (NEC), standard for a grounding circuit is 25 ohms or less, but much lower values can be obtained using multiple grounding electrodes. Click here to read the entire part 3 article.

How To Save $500 On Your New Truck Scale System

When you’re purchasing a truck scale, there are many different items and costs to consider. So, any costs that you can possibly reduce can make a substantial difference. One area to consider is the cost of the digital weight indicator. The odds are if you’re putting in a new truck scale, you will probably be quoted an indicator that is the same brand as the truck scale you’re buying. For example, if you’re looking to buy a Cardinal Armor “EPR” truck scale, you will probably be quoted a Cardinal 225 weight indicator. If you’re looking at a Rice Lake ATV truck scale, you will probably be quoted a Rice Lake 720i weight readout. These indicators are nice and will do an outstanding job for you. But, they can be a little pricey. An alternative choice that you might want to consider is the Pennsylvania 7600E which in some cases could save you $500 or more.

The Pennsylvania 7600E Indicator is IDEAL for TRUCK SCALE, Heavy Capacity, and BATCHING applications with convenient I/O connections and Menu Driven batching sequences or 300 Truck Tare memories with menu-selected Print Sequences. It was designed for expanded capabilities (using the PLUS+ Series Main Board) and is a DIRECT EXCHANGE REPLACEMENT indicator for thousands of similar units presently in use. Simplified 5-Button front panel model has all of the features and capabilities of the 7600E but is designed for direct replacement for many existing UMC600 or IQ700 series applications; dual independent RS-232 outputs, for example drive both scoreboard / remote display and ticket printer.

POWER & FLEXIBILITY– The 7600E adapts to the most demanding applications with a wide range of outputs, options, and features.  No need for expensive programming or expensive set-up. The 7600E is one of the easiest to use, easiest to install, easiest to live with indicators available today!

TRUCK SCALE APPLICATIONS: 300 Tare Weight memories and IN/OUT program plus menu-selectable ticket formats make the 7600E the obvious choice. 10 point linearization and tweak mode for calibrating convenience. Two separate digital outputs for printers and scoreboards plus optional relay alarms for truck-on-scale, overload warnings and more.

BENCH & FLOOR PLATFORMS: Keyboard Tare entry plus storage by ID# for up to 300 Tare Weights. Two independent digital outputs for printers, remote displays, scoreboards, control I/O. Free factory calibration to any Pennsylvania platform and fully
expandable for future requirements. SS enclosure with convenient U-Bracket mount.

IDEAL REPLACEMENT INDICATOR—grams to tons, designed specifically for fast, seamless installation in a wide variety of replacement applications as well as new installations.
• (2) Programmable Serial Data Ports standard
• 300 Truck IN/OUT Tare Memories
• Smart Serial™ Setup programmable serial data strings
• Calibration designed specifically for Batching/Truck Scales
• Optional Analog Output (4-20 mA/0-10 VDC)
• Optional Digital Relay I/O with menu driven Batching features
• Drives up to (8) 350 ohm or (10) 1000 ohm load cells
• Proven PLUS+ Series Main Board fits all Pennsylvania brand products
• ESD and RFI shielding are standard
• Stainless Steel enclosure with U-bracket mount standard

So when you’re looking to put in a new truck scale, one of the easy ways to save a few bucks is to go with a less expensive digital weight indicator like the Pennsylvania 7600E, which is made in America by the way.