Rice Lake RL2200 Series Stainless Steel - Manual (Page 7)

RL2200 Load Cell Mounting Kit Installation 3
2.0 Mechanical Installation
2.1 General Installation Guidelines for Tank Mounts
1. The mounting surface for base and top plate must be level. After installation, the
top and bottom plates must be level within ±0.5°. If the mounting surfaces are not
level, then shims and or grout may be used to level the mount.
If possible, check that the mount is level when the vessel is fully loaded because
excessive deflections in legs and supporting structures may cause additional side
forces which greatly affect accuracy. Deflection of the mount’s top or base plate
due to loading should not exceed ±0.5°. Reinforcement of legs or other support
structures may be necessary to correct this. Vessels with long legs should have
cross bracing applied between adjacent legs to keep them from spreading under
load.
2. Compression mounting systems use three, four, or more mounts. More than
eight-mount systems should be avoided as even weight distribution becomes
extremely difficult to achieve. The load on each mount assembly should vary by
no more than 20%. Add shims where necessary to achieve correct load distribu-
tion.
3. If the actual load cells are used during installation, take extreme care to prevent
overload damage. A tank or hopper can exert huge forces when dropped only a
fraction of an inch. Dummy load cells can be used during installation.
4.
Level - 0.5
Flexible Piping
J-Box
It is crucial that all piping or
conduit be horizontal and flexi-
ble. If flexible piping is not
used, make sure distance from
vessel to the first pipe support is
20-30 times pipe diameter. In
smaller, lower capacity tanks
and hoppers, isolating resultant
forces becomes extremely
critical. For details, see our
Weigh Modules & Vessel Weigh-
ing Systems manual, P/N 43918.
5. Load cells should not be
installed in mounts until all
welding is completed. The heat generated from welding current passing through
a load cell can damage the adhesive holding the strain gauge to the body. If possi-
ble, use a dummy load cell when welding to maintain finished height. If welding
is unavoidable after load cell installation, connect the ground in such a way that
the current does not flow through the load cell. For example, if welding on the
mount top plate, the ground must be connected to the vessel, not to the mount
base or support structure. Also, protect the load cell and cable from weld splatter.
6. Use only “hermetically sealed” load cells in washdown applications. “Environ-
mentally protected” load cells are not suitable for such applications and will be
damaged. If tanks and surrounding equipment are frequently steam cleaned or if
the load cell is subjected to direct washdown, a protective shroud for the weigh-
ing assembly is recommended. Proper drainage is necessary so the weighing
assembly is not standing in water.
7. All support points should be equally stiff so that they deflect by the same amount
as the vessel is loaded.