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SMC-520 User Guide revision 1.3 SMC Ship Motion Control www.shipmotion.eu
7
FAQ AND SUPPORT
If no communication is seen or bad data is displayed, please refer to the FAQs below which cover the
most common configuration problems.
Configuration
Is the unit sending data with RS485 or RS232?
The sensor is
always on
and sends data over an RS485 serial channel.
Check the wiring as per the Electrical configuration guide to see which output is being used.
Data is being received but is either seen as bad data or wrong data.
Check which serial mode your sensor has been wired for, RS232 or RS485. The receiving comport
would have to match the sending data.
Verify that there is a signal ground connected for RS232, if not the data would not be readable.
Parameters changed in the configuration software are not being set in the sensor.
If after pressing the
Set
button the parameters set in the sensor are not changing, check if the sensor
Serial number, Hardware number, Firmware version and Calibration date are displayed in the
configuration software.
If not, press the
Read Settings
button. If the data is still not showing this is typically due to the lack of
two-way communication to the sensor. The Receive data lines are connected but not the Transmit
data lines. Check the wiring through to the sensor.
Are the cables connected correctly?
No communication with the sensor
Check the cable connection and disconnect and reconnect is necessary.
Is the sensor powered up? Voltage should be 12 to 30 VDC
Check what Baud Rate and Output Rate should be used or has been set up. Use the
Detect sensor
button to scan all available ports.
The default baud rate set when the sensor is shipped from SMC is 38400 and the standard output
rate is set to 1Hz.
If there is a chance that the baud rate has been changed and the
Detect sensor
button does not find
the sensor, systematically check each baud rate option in the SMC sensor Configuration Software
until the correct rate is found.
