VEGAFLEX 61 Level Transmitter

alexFSC

Member
Join Date
May 2010
Location
Louisiana
Posts
38
I am having problems connecting to a VEGAFLEX 61 Level Transmitter with my
computer using Pactware software. If i use a Hart communicator I am able to
connect fine.
can anybody help me with this problem please.
 
It helps you if your subject line includes all the things you are having problems with, which in this case include HART and Pactware, neither of which was in the subject line, because I'm not a Vega guy so I skipped your thread until now.

Some comments on HART with Pactware.

Your HART modem should have some kind of utility program to prove that the modem is successfully talking to the field device. The Mactek modem has a utility that reads the primary variable once per second. If you don't see the primary variable once per second, something is wrong with the HART modem or the electrical characteristics of the loop.

Some things that can go wrong with the HART loop are
- insufficient loop resistance.
- connecting directly across the power supply (best to connect across the input loop resistor or the (+)/(-) terminals on the transmitter
- poor connections between HART modem cable clips and the field device
- HART function is turned off in the field device.
- The field device is on some network node ID other than 0 (zero). Node ID 0 is used for point-to-point communication with either a handheld or a HART modem
- the power supply is too noisy and doesn't meet HART specs
- the field device is not powered
- a USB HART modem is not talking on the correct virtual COM port. Use Windows Device Manager > ports > to determine which serial COM port the USB HART is installed and talking on.
- Same deal as above with a serial RS-232 HART modem - is the HART modem talking on the correct COM port with the software?

Some issues with Pactware
- Pactware needs a HART driver installed (Pactware can also run a Profibus driver). It shows up in whatever Pactware calls its device catalog.
- Pactware should have the specific DTM for the field device installed. Does the device DTM show up in the device catalog? The device DTM can be downloaded from the device vendor. It installs by clicking the executable. It must be added to the device catalog by refreshing the device catalog once the DTM is executed. There's a poorly worded message when refreshing the device catalog, something along the lines of "do you want to reset the device catalog" to which you have to answer yes, even though it sounds like you're going to wipe it out with a reset (or whatever term is used).

There's a method for establishing comm via Pactware, but I can't do it without experimenting in front of the screen.

What exactly have you done so far and where has your effort stalled?
 
Danw has pretty much covered it above. The Hart driver I have seen most often used with Pactware is the CodeWrights one. I think it used to bundled with the Pactware software but you now have to download it from CodeWrights seperately. Once you have installed it and added it to your Pactware project you will need to configure it to use the correct serial port. I would also set the maximum node number to 1 unless you have a reason to believe that your Vegaflex has been given a higher one as it can take forever to scan the default 15 nodes when you try to connect.
I have never had a problem with the Vega DTM's so once you are connected the system should work well.
 

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