Floating point.

[whec720]

Double post. My apologies.

[whec720]

Learning a lot from this thread. I'm by no means a controls guy, but have looked up why floating point is claimed to be superior at less wear than that of an analog actuator. I'll let you guys debate the facts and will just shut up and read. Great posts, BTW.

This system and method receives input command signals from an actuator controller, and effectively integrates these signals until the controller has requested a large enough movement of the actuator that the actuator can actually effectuate. At this point, the system and method drive the actuator to the commanded position. As a result, excessive mechanical wear in the actuator caused by small command signal perturbations and dither is reduced or eliminated.

[jogas]

I've never tried it, but couldn't you use a clamp-on ammeter on each of the actuators "open" and "close" wires to see which has the greatest amperage?
Then compare it to the common wire amperage for reference.
jogas

[rad1]

I have two d.m.m.'s on my truck, a Fluke 179 & a Fluke 16.
The Fluke # 16 has a feature that they call lo-z or something like that. If you connect to a triac with the meter in ohms range it'll auto-switch to this lo-z mode and dampen the "ghost voltage" to a reading of zero, if the triac is closed (on) then the reading will show the voltage like a normal meter would. My 179 was expensive (for me) but I grab the less expensive 16 ($120.00) 90% of the time. I used to use the relay test until I discovered this feature on my meter.

[ddcfan]

...........I OFFICIALLY PROCLAIM ALL YUS.....NERDS!

A 4-page thread on FP?!!!!

bUT i LOv IT.....

[osiyo]

Learning a lot from this thread. I'm by no means a controls guy, but have looked up why floating point is claimed to be superior at less wear than that of an analog actuator. I'll let you guys debate the facts and will just shut up and read. Great posts, BTW.

In the case of the common Belimo actuators, I believe the mechanical parts are essentially the same between the analog and floating point actuators. What is different is simply the built in electronics of the device. I could be wrong. I've never asked Belimo. But I have disassembled a few non-working actuators out of curiosity and the mechanical parts looked identical to me.

I'm personally unconvinced that there is any significant difference in wear over time between the two, based upon any difference in design.

However ...

I have on a number of occassions seen situations where an analog Belimo actuator was doing some excessive hunting (minor, continual movements) as a result transient, induced voltage fluctuations on the signal wire. Exact source of the induced fluctuations, I most often did not determine. <Shrug> No time to fool with it and investigate.

When such a situation was found, I'd usually ensure that ....

1. Common on the actuator 24 VAC power supply and common for the signal source ... were in fact common to each other.

2. Check for differences in ground potential between equipment at which the actuator was mounted and where the controller was mounted. ie At one job site controller was mounted (and grounded) inside building envelop inside a storeroom and Belimo was attached to a rooftop unit. Actuator was "wandering". I ran a wire from controller enclosure up to roof and attached it to RTU metal. Checked with voltmeter, from ground of controller to ground of RTU and found a varying voltage differential. Only a few volts, but it was there. Bonded my temp wire to frame of RTU and to same ground controller used. Problem went away.

3. Occasionally have found small, nuisance induced voltage on signal wire (yes, it was shielded and shield drain wire connected to common at controller) which was corrected by simply readjusting minimum output voltage of controller analog-out signal from 2.0 VDC down to 1.8 VDC (for example). How and why small fluctuations were occurring despite a constant commanded voltage output ... who knows? I don't. Doesn't happen often but I've seen it, time to time. Usually haven't the time to investigate in detail.

I've noted that floating point actuators, by the nature of how they work, don't have this problem. Rock steady, transients don't effect them.

But as noted, either analog or floating point motors CAN BE severely affected and excess wear occurs if the control loop allows too frequent position readjustment (hunting). I always purposely design in a slow response in the control loop and a healthy deadband. After all, does it really matter, in the case of dampers and valves, in average comfort HVAC applications, if one sets up a control loop that allows a half degree, or even a full degree, of temperature swing off setpoint before a valve or damper moves? The fact that you CAN control to much tighter tolerances ... does NOT mean it's a good idea. Or even worthwhile. Is the increased wear and tear worth the results? Not often.

Just my opinion, worth no more than that.

[CONTROLMANIAC]

great info. here