Mechanical Installation
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Rice Lake Weighing Systems
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3
2.0
Mechanical Installation
2.1
General Installation Guidelines for Tank Mounts
• The mounting surface for the base and top plate must be level. After
installation, the top and bottom plates must be level within ±0.5°. If the
mounting surfaces are not level, then shims and/or grout may be used to
level the mount.
• If possible, check that the mount is level when the vessel is fully loaded
because excessive deflections in legs and supporting structures may
cause additional side forces which greatly affect accuracy. Deflection of the
mounts top or base plate due to loading should not exceed ±0.5°.
Reinforcement of legs or other support structures may be necessary to
correct this. Vessels with long legs should have cross bracing applied
between adjacent legs to keep them from spreading under load.
• Compression mounting systems use three, four, or more mounts. More
than eight-mount systems should be avoided as even weight distribution
becomes extremely difficult to achieve. The load on each mount assembly
should vary by no more than 20%. Add shims where necessary to achieve
correct load distribution.
• If the actual load cells are
used during installation, take
extreme care to prevent
overload damage. A tank or
hopper can exert huge forces
when dropped only a fraction
of an inch. Dummy load cells
can be used during
installation.
• It is crucial that all piping or
conduit be horizontal and flexible. If flexible piping is not used, make sure
distance from vessel to the first pipe support is 20-30 times pipe diameter.
For details, see the “Technical Information” section of the RLWS Load Cell
Product Selection Guide (PN 22054). In smaller, lower capacity tanks and
hoppers, isolating resultant forces becomes extremely critical.
• Load cells should not be installed in mounts until all welding is completed.
The heat generated from welding current passing through a load cell can
damage the adhesive holding the strain gauge to the body. If possible, use
a dummy load cell when welding to maintain finished height. If welding is
unavoidable after load cell installation, connect the ground in such a way
that the current does not flow through the load cell. For example, if welding
on the mount top plate, the ground must be connected to the vessel, not to
the mount base or support structure. Also, protect the load cell and cable
from weld splatter.
Level - 0.5
Flexible Piping
J-Box
