Jamar Traffic Counter Tester II User manual

i
User’s Manual
Traffic Counter
Tester II
JAMAR
Technologies, Inc.

Traffic Counter Tester II User’s Manual
ii
LIMITED WARRANTY
JAMAR Technologies, Inc. warrants the Traffic Counter Tester II II against defects
in material and workmanship for a period of one (1) year limited warranty on
parts and labor from the date of purchase. For information on extended warranty
call 1-800-776-0940.
JAMAR Technologies, Inc. warrants each new instrument manufactured by the
company to be free from defective material and workmanship and agrees to remedy
any such defect. At its option, it may furnish a new part in exchange for any part
of any instrument of its manufacture which, under normal installation, use and
service discloses such defect. The instrument must be returned to our factory or
authorized service agent intact, for examination, with all transportation charges
prepaid.
This warranty does not extend to any products which have been subject to misuse,
neglect, accident, vandalism or incorrect wiring not our own. This warranty does
not extend to products which have been repaired or altered outside our factory or
authorized service agent.
In no event shall JAMAR Technologies, Inc. be liable for any damages arising from
the use of this product including damages arising from the loss of information.
This warranty is in lieu of all other warranties expressed or implied and no
representative or person is authorized to assume for us any other liability in
connection with the sale or use of our products.
JAMAR Technologies, Inc. reserves the right to make improvements on the product
and/or specifications at any time without notice.
Questions concerning this warranty or any JAMAR Technologies, Inc. product
should be directed by mail or telephone to:
JAMAR Technologies, Inc.
1500 Industry Road, Suite C
Hatfield, PA 19440
215-361-2244
COPYRIGHT NOTICE
This manual is copyrighted. All rights are reserved. This document may not
be, in whole or part, photocopied, reproduced, translated, or reduced to any
electronic medium or machine readable form without prior consent, in writ-
ing, from JAMAR Technologies, Inc.
Copyright 2018 by JAMAR Technologies, Inc.

iii
Volume 1.1 November 2018
If you have any questions about the use of the Trac Counter Tes-
ter II II, please call the following number:
215-361-2244
Monday - Friday 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM Eastern time
You may also contact us by e-mail at:
[email protected]
Address any correspondence to:
JAMAR Technologies, Inc.
1500 Industry Road, Suite C
Hateld, PA 19440

Traffic Counter Tester II User’s Manual
iv
Quick Setup Guide for the Traffic Counter Tester II
1. Attach the air tubes to the air switch ports on the Traffic Counter Tester
II (TCTII) and plug the power supply connector into it. Note: Only use the
power supply provided with the TCTII. Substitutes may cause damage.
2. Plug the power supply into an electrical outlet (110V@60Hz) and turn
on the TCTII by sliding the power switch to the ON position. Caution: Be
sure to connect to the TCTII before plugging into the outlet.
3. At this point, the unit should be on, and the LCD should display the
following:
4. Press TAB until SET SPEED is displayed at the top left corner of the
display (this should take 4 presses). The TCTII is now in SET SPEED
mode. This mode sets the vehicle speed for modes A,B; A to B, B toA; and
Classify. Pressing DO in this mode will increase the speed by 5 MPH. The
speed can be set from 5 to 80 MPH. Speeds in the range of 35 MPH to 55
MPH are recommended.
5. Press TAB until SET TUBE is displayed. This mode sets the distance
between the road tubes. Pressing DO in this mode will cycle the road tube
distance through the following options: 4 inches, 2 ft., 4 ft., 8 ft. and 16 ft.
If USER is displayed as the tube spacing, then the tube spacing has been
overridden by software, as is discussed in chapter 4. Set the tube spacing
in the TCTII to match the tube spacing in the counter you are testing. This
may require that the spacing in the counter be adjusted.
6. Press TAB again, and SET TIME will be displayed. This mode sets
the length of time that a test will run. The options are 15 min., 30 min., 45
min., 1 hr., 2 hr., 5 hr., 24 hr., and “—-“. When a test is started, it will run
for the length of time specified and then stop. If “—-“ is selected, the test
will run indefinitely, and must be stopped by pressing DO.
A,B #V:00000
CLS: 2 SPEED:35
TUBE: 2 ft
T:---- STOPPED

Quick Setup Guide for the Traffic Counter Tester II
v
7. Set the Output Dial to a value of 10. This dial adjusts the strength of
the air pulse that is generated. This can be used to test the functionality of
the air switches in the counter. A more in-depth discussion on this can be
found in chapter 3.
8. The TCTII is now ready for use. The chosen settings have been saved,
and will remain set in the future. Additional information on using the sup-
plied software to configure tube spacing and classification can be found
later in this manual.
Operating modes
A,B
Simulates a Class 2 vehicle with 9’ wheelbase. For speeds of 35 MPH and
above, 1 vehicle will be simulated every second. For speeds below 35 MPH,
the time between vehicles will increase to allow the counter to recognize
the new vehicle. Vehicles travel in the direction of A to B.
A to B, B to A
Simulates a Class 2 vehicle with 9’ wheelbase. For speeds of 35 MPH and
above, 1 vehicle will be simulated every second. For speeds below 35 MPH,
the time between vehicles will increase to allow the counter to recognize the
new vehicle. Vehicles alternate directions. The vehicle count will increment
after every second vehicle, to show the total for each direction. Note: The
tube spacing for this mode is fixed to 4.5 inches.
Classify
Simulates each of the FHWA classes traveling at the selected speed. Vehicles
will be simulated at a rate of 1 vehicle every 6 seconds, or 10 vehicles per
minute. The scheme simulates all 13 FHWA scheme F classes, with classes
2 and 3 repeated for a total of 15 vehicles. Vehicles travel in the direction
of A to B.
Speeds
Simulates a Class 2 vehicle with 9’ wheelbase traveling at speeds from 35
to 80 MPH. Vehicles will be simulated at the rate of 1 vehicle every six
seconds, with each vehicle increasing speed by 5 MPH. Vehicles travel in
the direction of A to B.

Traffic Counter Tester II User’s Manual
vi
Technical Support ........................................................... iii
Quick Setup Guide for the Traffic Counter Tester II ........................iv
Introduction to the Traffic Counter Tester II .................................. 1-1
What is the Traffic Counter Tester II?..................................... 1-2
Operation of the Traffic Counter Tester II ...................................... 2-1
Using the Traffic Counter Tester II ......................................... 2-2
Setting Up the Traffic Counter Tester II ................................. 2-3
Operating Modes ......................................................... 2-4
A,B ......................................................... 2-4
A to B, B to A ......................................................... 2-4
Classify ......................................................... 2-4
Speeds ......................................................... 2-4
Setup Modes ......................................................... 2-5
Set Speed ......................................................... 2-5
Set Tube ......................................................... 2-5
Set Time ......................................................... 2-6
Set Default ......................................................... 2-6
Certifying Counters with the Traffic Counter Tester II ................. 3-1
Certifying Counters with the TCTII ..................................... 3-2
Step 1- Set the Time and Speed........................................ 3-2
Step 2 - Test the Air Switch Sensitivity ........................... 3-2
Step 3 - Test Volume......................................................... 3-2
Step 4 - Test Class ......................................................... 3-3
Step 5 - Test Speeds ......................................................... 3-3
Appendix ........................................................ A-1
Table of Contents

Chapter 1 — Introduction to the Traffic Counter Tester II
1-1
Chapter 1
Introduction to the
Traffic Counter Tester II

Traffic Counter Tester II User’s Manual
1-2
What is the Traffic Counter Tester II?
The JAMAR Traffic Counter Tester II (TCTII) is a tool used to test auto-
matic road tube counters/classifiers by simulating vehicles passing over a
pair of road tubes. It is capable of simulating a variety of vehicle classes
(including all those in the FHWA Scheme F) traveling at speeds from 5
MPH to 80 MPH. The TCTII is designed to work with the JAMAR TRAX
road tube counters/classifiers, but should also work with other brands of
road tube counters.
Note: The TCTII is designed to test counters/classifiers. It is not designed
to simulate all possible road tube configurations that could be used in the
field. Specifically, it is not designed to simulate short tube-long tube setups,
such as the L2, L11 and L12 layouts that can be used with TRAX counters.
The TCTII was designed to allow you to test the accuracy of your road tube
counters in the office before placing them in the field to collect important
data. This unit will allow you identify potential problems before they occur
in the field, saving time and money.

2-1
Chapter 2
Operation of the
Traffic Counter Tester II
Chapter 2 — Operation of the Traffic Counter Tester II

Traffic Counter Tester II User’s Manual
2-2
Using the Traffic Counter Tester II
The front panel of the TCTII has several key components that must be iden-
tified. The first of these is the power switch. The power switch is located
on the lower left corner of the front panel. Sliding this switch to the right
will turn the tester on, and sliding it to the left will turn the tester off. The
next components that must be identified are the two air hose nozzles on
the right side, labelled A and B. These are the output of the TCTII, and are
used to connect it to a counter. The third item is the LCD panel at the upper
left. This panel displays the current configuration of the TCTII, informa-
tion about the last vehicle to pass, as well as the current operating mode.
There are two push-button switches located at the bottom of the front panel.
These buttons, labeled TAB and DO, are used to step through each operating
mode, as well as to activate a mode. There are two LEDs located above the
switches, labelled A and B. These LEDs correspond to the output nozzles,
and give a visual indication of the air pulse. To the left of the LEDs is the
Output dial. This dial controls the intensity of the air pulses generated by
the TCTII.

2-3
Setting Up the Traffic Counter Tester II
First, attach the air tubes to the nozzles on the TCTII, making sure that
each tube is the same length. At this point, it may be useful to mark the
tube for channel A with a piece of electrical tape to aid in identifying the
two channels. Next, plug the TCTII power supply into an electrical outlet
(110V@60Hz) and connect it to the TCTII.
Caution: Only use the power supply provided with the TCTII. Substitutes
may damage the unit. Be sure to connect to the TCTII before plugging into
the outlet.
Once the power supply has been connected, turn on the TCTII by sliding
the power switch to the ON position. At this point, the unit should be on,
and the display should show the following:
Connect the air tubes to the air switch inputs on traffic counter that you
are going to test. If you are testing a four tube counter, the pair of splitters
supplied with the tester should be connected to the end of the air tubes.
The Output dial, which is used to adjust the strength of the air pulse gener-
ated, should be set to 10. Refer to chapter 3 for more information on the
Output dial.
A,B #V:00000
CLS: 2 SPEED:35
TUBE: 2 ft
T:---- STOPPED
Chapter 2 — Operation of the Traffic Counter Tester II

Traffic Counter Tester II User’s Manual
2-4
Operating Modes
The TCTII can simulate two channel volume data in one direction (A,B),
two channel volume data in two directions (A to B, B to A), class data and
speed data. To choose the mode you would like to simulate, press the TAB
key until the desired mode is shown at the top left of the display then press
the DO key.
A,B
This mode simulates a Class 2 vehicle with 9 ft. wheelbase. For speeds of
35 MPH and above, 1 vehicle will be simulated every second. For speeds
below 35 MPH, the time between vehicles will increase to allow the counter
to recognize the new vehicle. Vehicles travel in the direction of A to B.
A to B, B to A
This mode simulates a Class 2 vehicle with 9 ft. wheelbase. For speeds of
35 MPH and above, 1 vehicle will be simulated every second. For speeds
below 35 MPH, the time between vehicles will increase to allow the coun-
ter to recognize the new vehicle. Vehicles alternate directions. The vehicle
count will increment after every second vehicle, to show the total for each
direction. Note: The tube spacing for this mode is fixed to 4.5 inches.
Classify
This mode simulates a variety of classes of vehicles traveling at the selected
speed. Vehicles will be simulated at a rate of 1 vehicle every 6 seconds, or 10
vehicles per minute. The default scheme simulates all 13 Federal Highway
Administration scheme F classes, with classes 2 and 3 repeated for a total
of 15 vehicles. Refer to the Appendix for more information on the FHWA
class scheme. Vehicles travel in the direction of A to B.
The classification scheme to be simulated can be modified by using the
WinTCTII software to upload a new scheme into the unit. When an uploaded
Class table is being used by the TCTII, the display on the unit will add the
letter ‘u’ next to the class number that is shown during the test. Refer to
chapter 4 for more information on the WinTCTII software.
Speeds
This mode simulates a class 2 vehicle with 9 ft. wheelbase traveling at speeds
from 35 to 80 MPH, in 5 MPH increments. Vehicles will be simulated at the
rate of one vehicle every six seconds, with each vehicle increasing speed
by 5 MPH. Vehicles travel in the direction of A to B.

2-5
Set Up Modes
Before you begin to simulate traffic with the TCTII, there are three setup
modes that should be adjusted to your specifications.
Set Speed
The Set Speed mode is used
to set the speed of the vehicles
to be simulated. This setting
is shown on the second line of
the display to the right. To set a
speed, press the TAB key until
Set Speeds is shown at the top left of the display. Then press the DO
key to increase the speed of the vehicles by 5 MPH. The speed can be
set from 5 to 80 MPH. Speeds in the range of 35 MPH to 55 MPH are
recommended for normal use. Note: This setting does not affect the
SPEEDS operating mode.
Set Tube
The Set Tube mode is used
to program the TCTII for the
tube spacing you would like to
simulate. This setting is shown
on the third line of the display to
the left. To set the tube spacing,
press the TAB key until Set Tube is shown at the top left of the display.
Then press the DO key to cycle the road tube distance through 4 inches,
2 ft., 4 ft., 8 ft. and 16 ft.
Note: This setting does not affect the A to B, B to A operating mode,
which uses a default setting of 4.5 inches.
SET SPEED #V:00000
CLS: 2 SPEED:35
TUBE: 2 ft
T:---- STOPPED
SET TUBE #V:00000
CLS: 2 SPEED:35
TUBE: 2 ft
T:---- STOPPED
Chapter 2 — Operation of the Traffic Counter Tester II

Traffic Counter Tester II User’s Manual
2-6
Set Time
The Set Time mode is used to
set the length of time that a test
will run. This setting is shown
on the fourth line of the display
to the left. To set the time, press
the TAB key until Set Time is
shown at the top left of the display. Then press the DO key to cycle
through the options of 15 min., 30 min., 45 min., 1 hr., 2 hr., 5 hr., 24
hr., and “—-“. When a test is started, it will run for the length of time
specified and then stop. The option “—-“ is used to specify continuous
operation.
Set Default
The Set Default mode is used
to restore the setting in the
TCTII to the factory defaults.
To restore the defaults, press
the TAB key until Set Default
is shown at the top left of the
display. Then press the DO key and you will be asked if you want to
reset the TCTII to factory defaults. Select Continue to reset the TCTII
or Cancel to return to the main menu without resetting to the defaults.
SET DEFAULT #V:00000
CLS: 2 SPEED:35
TUBE: 2 ft
T:---- STOPPED
SET TIME #V:00000
CLS: 2 SPEED:35
TUBE: 2 ft
T:---- STOPPED

3-1
Chapter 3
Certifying Counters
with the
Traffic Counter Tester II
Chapter 3 — Certifying Counters with the Traffic Counter Tester II

Traffic Counter Tester II User’s Manual
3-2
Certifying Counters with the TCTII
Once you are familiar with the how the TCTII is setup and operates, you
can begin to use it to certify the accuracy of the counters you are using to
collect data in the field. The tests described in the steps below will enable
you to determine how accurate your equipment is, and whether or not a
counter is in need of service.
Step 1 - Set the Time and Speed
Set the time on the TCTII to 15 minutes by pressing the TAB key until
Set Time is shown on the display, then pressing the DO key until 15
min. is listed. Next, set the speed to the typical speed expected for the
upcoming study, normally between 35 to 55 mph, by pressing the TAB
key until Set Speed is shown on the display, then pressing the DO key
until the speed you want is listed.
Step 2 - Test the Air Switch Sensitivity
To test the sensitivity of the air switch, set the Output dial to 0. Set the
counter you are testing to display each axle hit as it occurs and start a
count. Start the TCTII in A,B mode by pressing DO when A,B is listed
on the display. Slowly turn up the Output dial until the axle hits begin
to register on the counter. Continue to increase the output until the air
switches are recording every pulse. For most air switches, every pulse
should be picked up by the time dial is up to 4 or 5. Record the value
of the dial to track the quality of the air switches over time.
If the output value is high, inspect the nozzles on the counter for an
obstruction. Re-test to see if this has corrected the problem. Note: If
a T connector is used to connect the tester to a 4 channel (or larger)
counter, then the required Output setting will be higher.
Step 3 - Test Volume
Reset the Output dial to 10. Reset the counter being tested for a
volume count and restart the TCTII in A,B mode. The counter and
the TCTII should increment their count at the same rate. After the 15
minutes has ended and the TCTII has stopped, both the counter and the
TCTII should display the same count values.
Next, test the A to B, B to A mode. If your counter does not have the
capabilities for a bi-directional count with a tube spacing of 4.5 inches,
or it has been deemed unnecessary to certify this mode, then proceed

3-3
to step 4. Otherwise, set the counter to operate in this mode, and start
a count. Start the TCTII in A to B, B to A mode. The TCTII will simu-
late a 9 foot vehicle in alternating directions. The count on the display
will be updated after every second vehicle. After the 15 minutes has
ended, both directions should have the same value as is shown on the
TCTII display.
Step 4 - Test Class
Reset the Output dial to 10. To test the classification mode of your
counter (if it has the capabilities to do so), set the TCTII to CLASSIFY
mode and setup the counter to classify with two road tubes. After en-
suring that the counter and the TCTII are set to the same tube spacing,
start the count and the TCTII. The class of the vehicles that are then
shown on the counter should match the TCTII.
Step 5 - Test Speeds
Reset the Output dial to 10. To test the counter’s ability to measure
speeds, set the TCTII to SPEEDS mode and setup the counter to mea-
sure speeds. After ensuring that the tube spacings are the same on the
counter and TCTII, start the count and the TCTII. The speed of the
vehicles that are then shown on the counter should match the TCTII.
After the TCTII has stopped, use your analysis software to verify the
results. Each speed (in steps of 5 mph) should have the same number
of counts, with the possibility of the higher speeds being low by 1 or
2 depending on your speed groupings. The total number of vehicles
recorded should match the number on the TCTII.
If you encounter a discrepancy during any of these steps, double check
your setup to be sure the tubes you are using for the testing are the same
length. Also check that the Output dial is set to the proper level and that
there is no blockage in the counter’s nozzles. Once you have verified your
setup, retest the counter. If the same discrepancy occurs, the counter many
need to be serviced.
Chapter 3 — Certifying Counters with the Traffic Counter Tester II

Traffic Counter Tester II User’s Manual
3-4

A-1
Appendix
Appendix

Traffic Counter Tester II User’s Manual
A-2
FHWA Type F Vehicle Classification Scheme
Class 1 - Motorcycles. This class includes all two- or three-wheeled motor-
ized vehicles. These vehicles typically have a saddle-type of seat and are
steered by handlebars rather than a steering wheel. This includes motor-
cycles, motor scooters, mopeds, and three-wheel motorcycles.
Class 2 - Passenger cars. This class includes all sedans, coupes and station
wagons manufactured primarily for the purpose of carrying passengers,
including those pulling recreational or other light trailers.
Class 3 - Pickups, Vans and other 2-axle, 4-tire single unit vehicles. This
class includes all two-axle, four tire vehicles other than passenger cars,
which includes pickups, vans, campers, small motor homes, ambulances,
minibuses and carryalls. These types of vehicles which are pulling recre-
ational or other light trailers are included.
Class 4 - Buses. This class includes all vehicles manufactured as traditional
passenger-carrying buses with two axles and six tires or three or more axles.
This includes only traditional buses, including school and transit buses,
functioning as passenger-carrying vehicles. All two-axle, four tire minibuses
should be classified as Class 3. Modified buses should be considered to be
trucks and classified appropriately.
Class 5 - Two-Axle, Six-Tire Single Unit Trucks. This class includes all
vehicles on a single frame which have two axles and dual rear tires. This
includes trucks, camping and recreation vehicles, motor homes, etc.
Class 6 - Three-Axle Single Unit Trucks. This class includes all vehicles
on a single frame which have three axles. This includes trucks, camping
and recreation vehicles, motor homes, etc.
Class 7 - Four or More Axle Single Unit Trucks. This class includes all
vehicles on a single frame with four or more axles.
Class 8 - Four or Less Axle Single Trailer Trucks. This class includes all vehicles
with four or less axles consisting of two units, in which the pulling unit is a tractor
or single unit truck.
Class 9 - Five-Axle Single Trailer Trucks. This class includes all five-axle vehicles
consisting of two units in which the pulling unit is a tractor or single unit truck.
Class 10 - Six or MoreAxle Single Trailer Trucks. This class includes all vehicles
with six or more axles consisting of two units in which the pulling unit is a tractor
or single unit truck.