Picolog 1012 and EL001...

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old_robin
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Picolog 1012 and EL001...

Post by old_robin »

I have purchased a 1012 to log data from my solar panels, but realise perhaps this is the wrong starting point. It logs the time that the circulating pump switches on and off fine, but I need the temperatgure and particularly the temperature diffferential of the flow to and from the panels.
Will an EL001 connect simply to a 1012, or will there be a compatability problem?
Thanks. Old_Robin

PeterF
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Re: Picolog 1012 and EL001...

Post by PeterF »

Hi,
There is no need to use an EL001 converter to measure temperature on the PicoLog 1012 (it would not be compatible anyway!). You can easily measure multiple temperatures using one resistor and one thermistor for each channel required. We can help you with settings so that PicoLog displays readings in degrees C but we will need to know which resistors/thermistors you will use.
Please contact us on help-desk:-
support@picotech.com
Regards,
PeterF.

old_robin
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Re: Picolog 1012 and EL001...

Post by old_robin »

A year has gone from last-years attempt by and I have decided I REALLY ought to finally do this project this summer.

My water-heating solar panels have a water flow and return, and a pump on/off. When the pump is on the flow is almost completely constant at (from memory) 5 Litres/min so I do not need a flowmeter.

I have bought a Picolog 1012 and terminal board. It is 8-bit so if I measure temperatures that vary from 5 degrees to over 100 degrees the resolution is about a degree. When I take the difference in the temperature of the flow and return I can then be up to 2 degrees wrong due to rounding errors. fairly pointless as most of the time the difference will be between 5 and 10 degrees.

As the Irish says whe giving directions " I wouldn't have started from here if I were you". But I am, and want to inexpensively if poss monitor my panels.

The motor on/off is no issue, and is logging nicely on the Picolog software on the laptop.

What I need is to quite accurately measure and log the DIFFERENCE in temperaure between the flow and return to work out the KWHrs that I am getting. This difference will be from 5 degress (when the pump comes "on" because there is "energy to be had from the roof panels" to probably no more than 35 degrees absolute max (more probably 10 to 15 degrees max on a baking hot day in reality). So I need to measure the temperature difference between two pipes which are within 150 mm or each other and record it on the Picolog 1012 occasssionally (say every 5 minutes at the very fastest.

Can you advise or even supply the sensors and recommendations to do this?

Many thanks - Old_robin

old_robin
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Re: Picolog 1012 and EL001...

Post by old_robin »

Oops! I said Pico1012 was 8-bit and it is 10 bit! Someone is going to spot that!
Sorry
Old_Robin

Martyn
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Re: Picolog 1012 and EL001...

Post by Martyn »

This was answered through our helpdesk
The cheapest and easiest way to do this is to use two precision thermistors. Choose ones which are 30k ohm at 25 degrees C (fairly standard). Connect them each across one input to ground. Use two 10k ohm resistors to pull-up from each input to the +2.5V reference supply on the terminal board. This will give you +2.242V at 0 degrees C and +0.430V at 100 degrees C. The resolution of t he PicoLog 1012 should give you better than 0.25 degree C resolution at the ends of the range and almost 0.1 degrees C in the middle. Subtract one reading from the other to get the difference.
There are other, better ways to measure a temperature difference but they are all more complicated and not suitable for the PicoLog 1012 without amplification.
Martyn
Technical Support Manager

old_robin
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Re: Picolog 1012 and EL001...

Post by old_robin »

Very helpful and now got it working --- thanks Robin

old_robin
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Re: Picolog 1012 and EL001...

Post by old_robin »

I am having Picolog crashing problems.

i have three channels with thermistors all reading the same calibration file (.txt) successfully.

I need to offset one channel to correct for variation in resistors by around 0.5 degree.

Each time I try to make a new calibration file and then change the calibration file in the "settings" of the one channel I want to change, either I get the dialogue offering "parameter help" or the Picolog crashes and "sorry we have to close" message comes up and "Advise Microsoft".

Is there a bug regarding changing the calibration file? Can I "change" the file or do have to create a complete new definition of the five channels with the appropriate calibration files for each channel, which is an annoying work-around if I have to do this.

I have tried to create the new .txt files using both Excel and Notepad without success. I cannot remember exactly how I created the original calibration file but I think using Excel.

Regards

Robin

Martyn
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Re: Picolog 1012 and EL001...

Post by Martyn »

Martyn
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JoshCraig
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Re: Picolog 1012 and EL001...

Post by JoshCraig »

old_robin wrote:A year has gone from last-years attempt by and I have decided I REALLY ought to finally do this project this summer.

My water-heating solar panels have a water flow and return, and a pump on/off. When the pump is on the flow is almost completely constant at (from memory) 5 Litres/min so I do not need a flowmeter.

I have bought a Picolog 1012 and terminal board. It is 8-bit so if I measure temperatures that vary from 5 degrees to over 100 degrees the resolution is about a degree. When I take the difference in the temperature of the flow and return I can then be up to 2 degrees wrong due to rounding errors. fairly pointless as most of the time the difference will be between 5 and 10 degrees.

As the Irish says whe giving directions " I wouldn't have started from here if I were you". But I am, and want to inexpensively if poss monitor my panels.

The motor on/off is no issue, and is logging nicely on the Picolog software on the laptop.

What I need is to quite accurately measure and log the DIFFERENCE in temperaure between the flow and return to work out the KWHrs that I am getting. This difference will be from 5 degress (when the pump comes "on" because there is "energy to be had from the roof panels" to probably no more than 35 degrees absolute max (more probably 10 to 15 degrees max on a baking hot day in reality). So I need to measure the temperature difference between two pipes which are within 150 mm or each other and record it on the Picolog 1012 occasssionally (say every 5 minutes at the very fastest.

Can you advise or even supply the sensors and recommendations to do this?


Many thanks - Old_robin
Hello friend I know thread is bit old but which sensors have you got for your panels? I do have similar water system so need sensors.. Waiting for quick reply

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