Doran Scales PC400 User manual

Digital Portion Control Scale
Instruction Manual
DORAN SCALES INC.
1315 PARAMOUNT PKWY.
BATAVIA, IL. 60510
1-800-262-6844
FAX: [phone]
http://www.doranscales.com
MANUAL REVISION: 0.0
MAN0233 1/30/04
Model PC400
Made in USA

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Table of Contents
Section 1. Unpacking and Installation......................................................................... 1
Unpacking: .................................................................................................................................. 1
Installation: .................................................................................................................................. 1
Electrical Connections:................................................................................................................ 1
Usage: .......................................................................................................................................... 1
Section 2. Scale Operations Guide............................................................................. 3
Display Functions:....................................................................................................................... 3
Basic Weighing Operations:........................................................................................................ 3
Units Select:................................................................................................................................. 3
Battery: ........................................................................................................................................ 4
Power:.......................................................................................................................................... 4
Auto Shut-down: ......................................................................................................................... 4
Section 3. Setup and Calibration Guide ..................................................................... 5
Power connections:...................................................................................................................... 5
RS-232 Connections:................................................................................................................... 5
Calibration and Parameter Setup:................................................................................................5
Analog Setup: .............................................................................................................................. 6
Section 4. Battery......................................................................................................... 7
Charging: ..................................................................................................................................... 7
Replacement: ............................................................................................................................... 7
Voltage Levels:............................................................................................................................ 8
Battery Voltages .......................................................................................................................... 8
Section 5. Parameter Setup......................................................................................... 9
Entering and Exiting Setup Mode: .............................................................................................. 9
Changing a Parameter: ................................................................................................................ 9
Changing Start up Units: ........................................................................................................... 10
Legal for Trade Restrictions:..................................................................................................... 10
Section 6. Setup Menus Explained ........................................................................... 11
Resoluton (divisions) Setup Menu ............................................................................................ 11
Capacity Setup Menu ................................................................................................................ 11
Calibration Menu(s)................................................................................................................... 11
Reset All Parameters to Default Settings?................................................................................. 11
Auto Off Mode .......................................................................................................................... 12
Auto Zero Tracking ................................................................................................................... 12
Motion Aperture ........................................................................................................................ 12
Start Up Zero ............................................................................................................................. 12
Data Output ............................................................................................................................... 13
Data Format ............................................................................................................................... 13
Baud Rate .................................................................................................................................. 13
Convert Select ........................................................................................................................... 13
Startup Units.............................................................................................................................. 14
Operation Mode......................................................................................................................... 14
Raw Counts................................................................................................................................ 14
Section 7. Data Communications.............................................................................. 15
Introduction to data communications:....................................................................................... 15

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Printer Modes: ........................................................................................................................... 16
Data Output Format:.................................................................................................................. 17
Bi-directional Communications: ............................................................................................... 20
Section 8. Specifications ............................................................................................ 21
Section 9. Troubleshooting ....................................................................................... 23
General problem resolution: ...................................................................................................... 23
Error Messages: ......................................................................................................................... 24
Error Messages (cont.): ............................................................................................................. 25

1
Section 1. Unpacking and Installation
Unpacking:
Before unpacking your Doran scale, please read the instructions in this
section. Your new scale is a durable industrial product, but it is also a
sensitive weighing instrument. Normal care should be taken when
handling and using this product. Improper handling or abuse can
damage the scale and result in costly repairs that may not be covered by
the warranty. If you notice any shipping damage, notify the shipper
immediately. Please observe the following precautions to insure years
of trouble free service from your new scale.
! DO NOT drop the scale.
! DO NOT immerse the scale.
! DO NOT drop objects on the scale.
Carefully remove the scale from the shipping carton. Be sure to retain
all shipping materials in case the scale must be shipped elsewhere.
Installation:
Place the scale on a stable flat surface. Verify that the bubble level
located under the platter shows that the scale is level. Adjust the four
feet to obtain a level condition (bubble in center.)
Electrical Connections:
The PC400 uses a wall mounted transformer or an internal rechargeable
battery to provide power to the scale. The transformer requires 115 Vac,
50/60 Hz power. Be sure the AC power is not excessively noisy - this
can occur if large inductive loads, such as solenoids or motors, are on
the same power line. Also be sure that the power outlet and transformer
are not exposed to water while the scale is plugged in.
Usage:
Although the Doran PC400 is built with a rugged stainless steel base,
case and platter, it is intended for wipedown use only, not washdown.
Clean the scale with a damp cloth & mild detergent for maximum life.

2

3
Section 2. Scale Operations Guide
Fig. 1 PC400
Display Functions:
The Model PC400 controls consist of ON/OFF, UNITS and ZERO
buttons located next to the main LCD display. The display is used to
provide weight indications and operator messages describing scale
operation.
Basic Weighing Operations:
1) Remove all items from the scale platter.
2) Press ZERO to zero the scale.
3) Place an item on the scale platter and wait for the scale to stabilize.
4) Read the weight on the scale display.
Units Select:
Press the UNITS button to change weight display units from lb to oz to
kg to g to lb:oz.

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Battery:
When the battery needs to be recharged, the “LO BAT” indicator
illuminates.
Power:
The PC400 is powered by an AC wall transformer or the internal
rechargeable battery, both standard features. Turn the scale on or off by
pressing ON/OFF.
Auto Shut-down:
The PC400 has a feature called “Auto Shut-down” that turns the scale off
after a preset time of no activity. This helps conserve battery life. The
preset time is selectable from 1 minute to 60 minutes or it can be
disabled so the scale remains on continuously. The default setting is 5
minutes.

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Section 3. Setup and Calibration Guide
Power connections:
The PC400 is powered from a wall mounted transformer or the internal
rechargeable battery. The transformer has a power cord which plugs
into the power jack located on the back of the scale.
RS-232 Connections:
The PC400 has a standard RS-232 output. To use this feature, the
optional RS-232 cable is needed. Plug one end of the RS-232
connector into the RJ-12 connector located on the rear of the scale.
Attach the other end to your computer or printer.
Calibration and Parameter Setup:
1) After applying power to the PC400, remove the platter, turn the scale
over and remove the calibration bolt as shown above. Place a thin blunt
object through the hole and press straight down. The scale should enter
the Setup/Calibration mode, and the scale should display “div 2.5” (or
“div 5.0“or “div 10” depending on the scale resolution.)
2) Turn the scale upright, replace the platter and press the UNITS
button twice. The scale should now display “CAL 0”.
3) Remove any unnecessary weight from the scale platter. Press
ZERO. Wait for the scale to count down from “7” to “0”. If the scale
detects motion, the display will restart the count. When finished, the
display will return “CAL F5”.
NOTE: If “r9 Err” appears on the display, the calibration zero is out of
range. Press ZERO to clear this error. Refer to the analog setup
section for additional information.
Battery
Compartment
Cover

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4) Place full capacity on the platter and press ZERO. Wait for the scale
to count down from “7” to “0. If the scale detects motion, the count will
restart. When finished the scale will return to the weigh mode.
NOTE: If “SPnL” or “SPnH” appears on the display, the calibration span
is out of range. Verify that the calibration weight is correct and
repeat the calibration. Refer to the analog setup section for
additional information.
5) If additional parameter changes are needed, refer to Chapter 4.
Analog Setup:
The following table shows the acceptable “Raw Counts” for no load and
full load. “Raw Counts” can be viewed through the last setup parameter.
Refer to Section 4, Parameter Setup, for more information regarding
parameter viewing.
If the scale’s raw counts are not within the ranges specified in the
following table, load cell may need to be replaced.
Scale Capacity Acceptable “Raw Counts”
for no load
Acceptable CHANGE in
“Raw Counts” for full load
2 lb 18,500 – 41,000 64,500 – 92,500
5 lb 14,500 – 35,250 110,000 – 143,000
10 lb 6000 – 24,000 120,500 – 153,000

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Section 4. Battery
Charging:
The model PC400 can be operated by the Internal Rechargeable
Battery. The typical life of this battery is 15 hours of continuous use.
The life can be greatly increased by use of the Auto Off feature, which
automatically turns the scale off after a period of no activity. The scale
will indicate that the battery needs to be recharged by displaying LOW
BATT above the displayed weight. To recharge the battery, follow these
steps:
•Locate the power connector at the rear of the scale and insert the
power cord into this connector.
•Plug the power cord into an AC outlet (115 VAC).
•The PC400 needs to be turned on to recharge the battery pack.
•It will take approximately 4 hours to recharge the battery back.
•The PC400 may be used while charging.
•To operate the scale off the battery, unplug the power cord from the
scale. The scale automatically switches to battery power if AC power
is lost.
Replacement:
The Model PC400 is powered by an internal rechargeable battery. If the
battery loses its ability to maintain a charge, it will need to be replaced.
Replace the battery following these steps:
•Remove any items from the scale platter and unplug the power cord
from the rear of the scale.
•Remove the scale platter and set it aside.
•Turn the scale over and remove the phillips head screw on the
battery compartment cover.
•Remove the cover and disconnect the old battery from the battery
connector and replace it with a new battery.
•Please note that the battery connector is keyed and insertion should
not require a lot of force. If the connector will not go in place, check
to make sure the connector has the correct orientation.
•Replace the battery compartment cover and the phillips head screw.

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Voltage Levels:
To view the voltage of the battery, perform the following steps:
•Turn on the scale and wait for a stable weight to be displayed.
•Press and hold UNITS.
•Press and release ON/OFF.
•Release UNITS.
The battery voltage is now displayed.
Battery Voltages
Battery/Scale condition Voltage Level
Fully Charged 8.4V
Low Battery 6.3V
Shut Off 6.0V

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Section 5. Parameter Setup
The PC400 has 15 setup and calibration parameters which can be changed. This
flexibility makes these scales versatile weighing instruments capable of meeting all
common weighing needs.
Entering and Exiting Setup Mode:
To enter the setup menu, apply power to the PC400, remove the
platter, turn the scale over and remove the calibration bolt. Place a
thin blunt object through the hole and press straight down. The scale
should enter the Setup/Calibration mode, and the scale should display
“div 2.5”, “div 5.0”, or “div 10”, (depending on the scale’s resolution.)
The parameters are accessed by pressing the UNITS button. Pressing
this button will cause the scale to step to the next parameter on the list.
To exit the setup mode, press and release the UNITS button until the
scale returns to the weigh mode.
NOTE: No setup information is saved until the PC400 exits the setup
mode. In the event of a power failure while in the Setup Mode,
any changes that have been made will be lost. This includes
calibration parameters generated during calibration.
After all setup changes have been completed and the scale is in the
normal operating mode, replace the calibration bolt on the bottom of the
scale. If it is necessary to seal the scale, run a lead and wire seal
through the calibration bolt on the bottom and the cross drilled next to
the calibration bolt.
Changing a Parameter:
Once the desired parameter has been found, it may be necessary to
change the option associated with that parameter. Press and release
“ZERO” to step through the individual options. When you have stepped
through all of the choices, the scale will return to the weigh mode.

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Changing Start up Units:
The PC400 has been designed to allow the user the opportunity to make
weighments in Pounds (lb), Ounces (oz), Kilograms (kg), Grams (g) or
Pounds and Ounces (lb:oz). Any of these units may be used as the
“power-up” units. The scale will “power-up” with the same units that it
was using when it was last turned off.
Legal for Trade Restrictions:
The Legal for Trade mode disables the pound-ounce mode.

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Section 6. Setup Menus Explained
Resoluton (divisions) Setup Menu
div Select Scale Capacity (lbs)
2.5 # of scale displayed divisions is 2500.
(default for 5lb and 10lb scales.)
5.0 # of scale displayed divisions is 5000.
10 # of scale displayed divisions is 10000.
(default for 2lb scales.)
Capacity Setup Menu
CAP Select Scale Capacity (lbs)
2 Scale capacity set to 2 pounds
5 Scale capacity set to 5 pounds
10 Scale capacity set to 10 pounds
Calibration Menu(s)
CAL Zero Calibration Point
0 Press ZERO to calibrate zero point
CAL Span Calibration Point
FS Full scale calibration
NOTE: This parameter is only visible after
a zero calibration is performed.
Reset All Parameters to Default Settings?
rst Default parameters?
nNo. Parameters are not defaulted.
y Yes. Set all parameters to their default
values when UNITS is pressed.

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Auto Off Mode
Ao Auto Off Mode
The amount of time before the scale will
shut off, if not in use.
oF Off. Scale will run continually
60 60 minutes
30 30 minutes
20 20 minutes
10 10 minutes
55 minutes
4 4 minutes
3 3 minutes
2 2 minutes
1 1 minute
Auto Zero Tracking
Zt * # of displayed divisions that are
automatically zeroed from displayed
zero, while the scale is stable.
0.5 1/2 division
3.0 * 3 divisions
1.0 * 1 division
Motion Aperture
nnA * # of displayed divisions that must
change before motion is detected.
11 division
3 * 2 divisions
5 * 3 divisions
Start Up Zero
Suo * Controls the start-up zero point
no * Scale will NOT zero on power up.
Calibrated zero is loaded on power-up.
on Scale will zero on power-up.
NOTE: The Legal for Trade mode disables certain options and selections
listed above. These items have been indicated by an asterisk ( * ).

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Data Output
d.o. Controls when information is
transmitted from the scale though the
serial port
C.P. Continuous data transmission. Transmits
data each time the display is updated.
A.1 Prints every stable weight.
A.2 The same as A.1, except the weight must
return to zero before the next weight is
printed.
t.d. Transmits data when the “W” command is
received through the serial port.
Data Format
For. Format of transmitted data from the
serial port
FO Basic data format.
2P Basic dual print format. Includes metric
weight.
F1 Enhanced data format.
Output NOT Legal for Trade.
SP Basic format for an Eltron SSP printer.
Call Doran for details.
Baud Rate
b.r. Serial port transmission rate
12 1200 Baud (bits per second)
24 2400 Baud (bits per second)
48 4800 Baud (bits per second)
96 9600 Baud (bits per second)
Convert Select
CSL Controls which units are available for
use
CA All units are available.
L9 lb, oz, kg, g are available
Lh lb, kg are available
Lo lb, oz are available
9o oz, g are available

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Startup Units
UNITS Unit of measure that the scale displays
upon power-up
lb The scale will power-up in pounds.
oz The scale will power-up in ounces.
kg The scale will power-up in kilograms.
g The scale will power-up in grams.
lb-oz The scale will power-up in pounds and
ounces.
Operation Mode
oP Sets the scale for Legal for Trade mode
St Standard mode. NOT legal for trade.
44 Handbook 44. Legal for trade.
Raw Counts
###### Raw counts from A/D converter
View these numbers if calibration is
unsuccessful. Refer to Section 3 for
interpretation of these numbers. Press
UNITS to exit.

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Section 7. Data Communications
Introduction to data communications:
In the PC400, data is sent to a printer or computer by using “asynchronous
serial data communications.” Data is broken up and sent one piece at a time to
the printer or computer. In spite of this apparent simplicity, a basic
understanding of serial data communications is needed when setting up the
PC400.
The PC400 transmits letters and numbers by replacing the letter or number with
an eight bit ASCII code. This code is then transmitted one bit at a time. A bit is
the smallest unit of data and can have a value of “1” or “0”. By combining eight
bits into a byte, it is possible to get 256 unique bit patterns. These patterns are
used to create the ASCII codes used by the PC400 to represent letters and
numbers.
When setting up a serial communications system, there are several concerns
which affect the configuration of that system. These are:
•transmission rate
•knowing when data starts and stops
•the ability of the receiving equipment to digest the data sent
The transmission rate determines how fast the data is sent from the scale and is
measured in Baud or bits per second. (For applications such as the PC400,
Baud and bits per second are interchangeable.) The transmission rate controls
how many bits can be sent in a given time. It is important that the sending and
receiving units are set to the same Baud settings. Typical values are 1200,
2400, 4800 and 9600 baud.
The term “Asynchronous Serial Data Communications” implies that the sending
unit has no way of telling the receiving unit when a data bit has been sent or
when to expect the next bit. To correct this problem, both the sending and
receiving units use the baud rate setting to determine how fast data should be
sent. If the baud rates at the sending and receiving units differ, the receiving
unit will expect data to arrive at a different time than when the transmitting unit
sent it. When this happens, data will be lost. When the baud rates match, the
receiving unit has no problem with the data arriving early or late. The only
problem is knowing when the data transmission started.
The PC400 and the equipment connected to it resolve this dilemma by sending
a “start bit” at the beginning of each data byte. This bit tells the printer or
computer that a new data byte is on the way. When the start bit is received, the
bit timer starts running and runs until it has received the correct number of bits.

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The number of bits sent by the PC400 is controlled by the data bits, parity and
stop bit configuration. The PC400 is factory set for eight bits, no parity and one
stop bit. This means that the eight bits following the start bit will be data,
followed by a stop bit. The stop bit signals the end of the data and permits the
bit timer a chance to reset itself before the next data byte is sent. No parity bits
are sent.
Printer Modes:
The PC400 offers four different print control modes. These modes dictate when
data is transmitted though the serial port.
Transmit on demand (tod): In this mode, scale data is transmitted
whenever a print request is received from the serial port. The scale must be
stable and the weight must be valid (no error codes displayed) before data is
printed.
Continuous print (CP): In continuous print, data is transmitted each time the
scale has a reading ready (each time the display is updated with new data).
Readings which occur when the scale is in motion are called out by the
abbreviation “MOT.” following the data.
Auto Print 1 (AP1): Auto Print 1 transmits the first scale reading after the
scale leaves motion. The reading must be stable and must be a valid reading
before it can be sent.
Auto Print 2 (AP2): Like Auto Print 1, Auto Print 2 transmits the first scale
reading following the scale leaving motion. In Auto Print 2, no further
readings will be sent until the scale returns to displayed zero. The reading
must be stable and must be a valid reading before it can be sent.