High Country Tek PLD, Powerline / universal single / dual coil PWM Valve Driver - Manual (Page 35)

Part No:- 021-00155 RevD7 PowerLine System Controller User Guide Page | 35
PowerLine User Guide
Valve not being driven to maximum:
If the card passes the "full on test" above, the problem is potentially in the system or wiring.
1. Check the controllers ‘I Max’ settings through the GUI and make sure they are correct.
2. Dry test the valves:
a. Turn off the hydraulics pump.
b. Ensure there is NO system flow or trapped pressure.
c. Make the equipment safe to work on for you and others.
d. Command the valves using GUI manual mode to maximum.
e. Measure the voltage
at the power supply or battery and ensure this is at least 20% above the
specified coil voltage that you are driving ( see note 1 below )
f. If there is a difference of >1VDC at full load between the measurement at the power supply and
at the module power input, there is excessive voltage drop in the connection wires and they
should be shortened or replaced by bigger wires( larger cross sectional area ).
g. Also check for bad 0V or ground connections as this can also cause large voltage drops.
Note 1:
Ohms Law says that when a coil heats up in use, it increases Ohmic resistance which de-creases the current
flow. Most manufacturers coils, even when hot should still be able to fully shift the valve 100% if their rated
voltage is supplied to them.
In some instances, a voltage slightly greater than the coils rating is needed to maintain the valve 100% position.
On a mobile application, nominal system voltage is quoted as being 12VDC. When the alternator is running, the
fully charged battery voltage should be in the 13.8 – 14.3VDC region. This extra voltage should be sufficient to
enable the valve to drive to 100%.
When an increased supply voltage is not a possible option, you must use a coil rated for less voltage. The
controller will have no trouble driving a 12 V coil from a 24 V supply, or a 10 V coil from a 12 V supply for
example.
If the valve shift is erratic
Electrical interference on the command wires connected to the controller can also cause erratic behavior if the
field is strong enough. Observe the control inputs on the PC GUI. If the electrical noise greater than a few
percent of full scale is noticed on an unchanging PULSE IN or COMMAND IN input, or if the digital inputs are
‘switching’ randomly, try changing the routing of the control wires to see if the problem changes.
The use of
shielded signal cables is strongly reccomended to avoid the affects of induced input errors.
Power supply interference or brown-outs ( power supply voltage ‘dips’ as loading increases or when starting an
engine e.t.c. ) can also cause erratic behavior. Observe the power supply on the graph on the PC GUI. If large
dips are noticed, test for a poor supply by running the card off its own fully charged battery.
Further information
Visit our website
www.highcountrytek.com for additional documentation and assistance.