Pulsar FLOWPULSE User manual

Flow Pulse
Handheld
INSTRUCTION MANUAL

FLOW PULSE HANDHELD (FIRST EDITION REV 2)
July 2017
Part Number M-564-H-001-2P
COPYRIGHT
© Pulsar Process Measurement Limited, 2013 - 2017. All rights reserved. No part of this publication
may be reproduced, transmitted, transcribed, stored in a retrieval system, or translated into any
language in any form without the written permission of Pulsar Process Measurement Limited.
WARRANTY AND LIABILITY
Pulsar Process Measurement Limited guarantee for a period of 2 years* from the date of delivery that
it will either exchange or repair any part of this product returned to Pulsar Process Measurement
Limited if it is found to be defective in material or workmanship, subject to the defect not being due to
unfair wear and tear, misuse, modification or alteration, accident, misapplication or negligence.
* Rechargeable batteries are guaranteed for a period of only 1 year on the same terms.
DISCLAIMER
Pulsar Process Measurement Limited gives nor implies any process guarantee for this product, and
shall have no liability in respect of any loss, injury or damage whatsoever arising out of the
application or use of any product or circuit described herein.
Every effort has been made to ensure accuracy of this documentation, but Pulsar Process
Measurement Limited cannot be held liable for any errors.
Pulsar Process Measurement Limited operates a policy of constant development and improvement and
reserves the right to amend technical details as necessary.
TECHNICAL ENQUIRIES
Please contact Pulsar Process Measurement Limited for technical support.
COMMENTS AND SUGGESTIONS
If you have any comments or suggestions about this product, then please contact:
Pulsar Process Measurement Limited
Pulsar Process Measurement Inc.
Cardinal Building
Enigma Commercial Centre
Sandy’s Road
Malvern
Worcestershire
WR14 1JJ
United Kingdom
PO Box 5177
Niceville
FL 32578-5177
USA
Tel: + 44 (0) 1684 891371
Fax: + 44 (0) 1684 575985
Tel: + 1 850 279 4882
Fax: + 1 850 279 4886
Web Site: http://www.pulsar-pm.com
e-mail: [e-mail] (general
information)
e-mail: support@ pulsar-pm.com (product
support)
Web Site: http://www.pulsar-pm.com
e-mail: [e-mail] (general
information)
e-mail: support.usa@ pulsar-pm.com (product
support)
Pulsar® is a registered trademark of Pulsar Process Measurement Ltd in the UK, USA and China.

Contents
Chapter 1 Introduction..........................................................................................................................................7
About this Manual...................................................................................................................................................7
About theFlow Pulse Handheld Controller............................................................................................8
Functional Description............................................................................................................................................8
Product Specification ..............................................................................................................................................9
EU Declaration of Conformity.............................................................................................................................10
Chapter 2 Setup and Quick Start.......................................................................................................................11
Power Supply Requirements................................................................................................................................11
Cabling toa Flow Pulse................................................................................................................................11
Dimensions............................................................................................................................................................13
KeyGuide..............................................................................................................................................................14
Connecting toa Flow Pulse ..........................................................................................................................15
Chapter 3 Operating the Controller...................................................................................................................17
SafetyPrecaution...................................................................................................................................................17
ChargingtheController.........................................................................................................................................17
User Interface Structure.........................................................................................................................................18
Flow Window........................................................................................................................................................19
Diagnostic Trace Window....................................................................................................................................20
Record Window....................................................................................................................................................21
Settings 1................................................................................................................................................................21
Settings 1 -Flow Pulse .........................................................................................................................23
Settings 2 -Controller...........................................................................................................................................24
Connecting to a Computer....................................................................................................................................25
System Settings .....................................................................................................................................................25
Data Logging.........................................................................................................................................................26
Sleep/Wake Logging.............................................................................................................................................27
Replaying Log Files..............................................................................................................................................29
Charting Log Files.................................................................................................................................................30
Totaliser Window..................................................................................................................................................31
Totaliser (R)...........................................................................................................................................................31
Totaliser (S)...........................................................................................................................................................31
Accessing thetotaliser options..............................................................................................................................32
Totaliser Multiplier.......................................................................................................................................32
Exporting Log Files to Excel................................................................................................................................33
Flow Pulse Parameter Files...........................................................................................................................33
Loading a Parameter File onto Flow Pulse ..................................................................................................34
System Information...............................................................................................................................................35
Internal Storage......................................................................................................................................................35
Upgrading Firmware on theFlow Pulse Handheld...............................................................................35
Chapter 4 Flow Pulse Handheld Parameters......................................................................................38
Parameter System..................................................................................................................................................38
Parameter Access ..................................................................................................................................................38
Configuration Parameters.....................................................................................................................................39
Data Logger...................................................................................................................................................39
System...........................................................................................................................................................40
Device Info....................................................................................................................................................41
Service Parameters........................................................................................................................................42
Chapter 5 Diagnostic and Troubleshooting.........................................................................................................43
Flow Pulse Diagnostic..................................................................................................................................43

Troubleshooting the Handheld Controller............................................................................................................43
Sensor not connected....................................................................................................................................43
Controller does not switch on.......................................................................................................................44
Battery level drops too quickly.....................................................................................................................45

Page 7
Chapter 1 Introduction
Congratulations on your purchase of a Pulsar Flow Pulse Handheld.
It has been designed to give you years of trouble free performance, and a
few minutes spent reading this operation manual will ensure that your
installation is as simple as possible.
About this Manual
It is important that this manual is referred to for correct installation
and operation.
Additional Information
Additional Information
At various parts of the manual, you will find sections
like this that explain specific items in more detail.
References
See also text in Bold as these may be references to other parts of this or
another manual.
Drawings
It should be noted that drawings or pictures shown in this manual may not be
to scale.

Page 8
About the Flow Pulse Handheld Controller
The Flow Pulse Handheld is designed specifically for use with the
Flow Pulse sensor. It is a complete, battery-powered, portable platform
that complements the Flow Pulse, offering the ability to view traces,
perform data logging, as well as to save and program parameters on the
Flow Pulse.
Functional Description
The Flow Pulse Handheld uses the latest Li-ion rechargeable battery
technology to provide up to 5 hours of continuous use on one full charge.
The Flow Pulse Handheld uses a RS485 link for communication with
the sensor, enabling the use of a long cable.
The Flow Pulse Handheld has 4 GB of on-board storage. This offers
logging capacity of up to 1 year at 10 seconds interval.
Data transfer with the PC is achieved via a mini-USB connection, and logs
can be converted into Excel format.
Parameter files can be saved or loaded onto Flow Pulse using the
handheld, and as on the FlowPulse PC, frequently used parameters on the
Flow Pulse can be easily set.
By porting all the main features available on the FlowPulse PC onto a
battery-powered handheld controller, the Flow Pulse is immediately
transformed into a portable flow monitoring instrument.
The Flow Pulse Handheld is compatible with any existing Flow
Pulse.

Page 9
Product Specification
Physical
Outside dimensions 210 x 125 x 50 mm
(8.27 x 4.92 x 1.97 inch)
Weight Nominal 0.6 kg (1.3 lbs)
Enclosure material/description Polycarbonate UL94 V2 rated, with
weather-proof connectors.
Screen 3.2” TFT LCD
Supplied cable length 2 metres (9.8 ft.) minimum
Environmental
IP Rating (enclosure and connectors) IP65
Max. & min. temperature (electronics) -20 ºC to +60 ºC (-4oF to 140oF)
Max. & min. temperature (battery charging) +0 ºC to +40 ºC (+32oF to 104oF)
for charging batteries
CE approval See EU Declaration of Conformity
Data Logging
Storage media Internal Flash Memory
Storage capacity 3.8 GB
3.2 million entry without trace
800 000 entries with trace
Storage format PC files
Storage access File transfer to PC via USB –no driver
required.
Outputs
Analogue output Not available
Digital output Half Duplex RS485 to sensor
USB Connection to PC for file transfer
Programming
Programmed parameter integrity Via non-volatile RAM
Supply
Rechargeable battery 11.1 VDC Li-ion cells
Battery duration 4 –5 hours
Charging methods Mains charger, 12 VDC@2A
In-car charger
Power supply DC 12-18V,
Power Consumption 3.5W @ 12V not charging
15W @ 12V when charging
Pulsar Process Measurement Limited operates a policy of constant development and
improvement and reserve the right to amend technical details as necessary.

Page 10
EU Declaration of Conformity

Page 11
Chapter 2 Setup and Quick Start
Power Supply Requirements
The Flow Pulse Handheld requires a DC 12-18V external power
supply. The typical power consumption is 3.5W when not charging and 15
W when charging. The power supply should also be correctly fused at 2 A.
Cabling to a Flow Pulse
Connection to a Flow Pulse is via a 4-core screened cable supplied with a
plug to the Flow Pulse Handheld. Cable colour code is:
Cable colour
Function
Red
+12 V DC to power Flow Pulse
Blue
Ground to the Flow Pulse
Yellow
RS485 +ve to the Flow Pulse
Green
RS485 –ve to the Flow Pulse
Take care not to short any of the cores during connection. Ensure that the
controller is powered-down while performing any cabling work.
If in doubt, isolate the 4 cores using a connector block, then plug in on the
controller side. Power-up the Flow Pulse Handheld and verify each
cable core by measuring its voltage.
Important Information
Please ensure that when carrying the Flow Pulse and Flow Pulse
Handheld the cable is held out of the way as it is a tripping hazard.

Page 12
For reference when connecting the Flow Pulse Handheld to the Flow
Pulse the connections on both the Flow Pulse and the Flow Pulse
Handheld are shown below. The table describes the connections between
the two.
The Flow Pulse connector to the Flow Pulse Handheld above and
the Terminal diagram to the Flow Pulse below.
Flow Pulse Connector
Flow Pulse
Pin
Description
Cable Colour
Terminal No.
1
Power (nom. 12VDC)
Red
2
2
0V
Blue
1
3
RS485+
Yellow
9
4
RS485-
Green
10
5
Cable Screen
Screen
NC

Page 13
Dimensions

Page 14
Key Guide
Keys
Description
Power Switch
Hold down power key to switch device on or off
F1
Toggle trace on/off
Stop file replay (only during file replay session)
F2
Toggle continuous data logging on/off
Cancel Sleep/Wake logging (when device is awake)
Stop file replay (only during file replay session)
F3
Jump to Flow Pulse setting menu
Increase screen brightness (when pressed repeatedly)
F4
Jump to Handheld setting menu
Decrease screen brightness (when pressed repeatedly)
Resets resettable totaliser on totaliser window
Left/Right
Arrows
Scroll through Main > Trace > Record > Setting1 > Setting2 >
Totaliser > Main screens
Up/Down
Arrows
Scroll through menu or submenu selections
Enter
Confirm selection or entry
Cancel
Cancel/Backspace entry, exit menu, or back to main flow screen
if pressed repeatedly.
0-9
Direct selection of menu item and entry of parameters or
alphabets where necessary.

Page 15
Connecting to a Flow Pulse
The Flow Pulse Handheld can be connected to any existing Flow
Pulse. Flow monitoring, diagnostic trace and normal data logging
functions are supported.
However, the following features will only be supported by Flow Pulse
firmware 1.2.4 and later:
a) Sending parameter file to a Flow Pulse sensor using the Flow
Pulse Handheld.
b) Maximum power-saving during sleep/wake logging.
c) Reduced trace length for greater data storage efficiency.
For connecting to a Flow Pulse:
a) Check that the Flow Pulse sensor has the appropriate connector and is
correctly wired (refer to Cabling to a Flow Pulse section).
b) Secure the lead to the sensor connector and switch on the handheld.
c) If the sensor is being connected to the controller for the first time,
press F4, choose Tools, then select Modbus to PC-485.
d) Connection will be initiated automatically, and the Flow Pulse
icon will be displayed in the top bar when complete.
e) The parameters on the Flow Pulse will be uploaded to the controller
upon connection.
The Flow Pulse can be unplugged from the controller at any time.
Important Information
Always disconnect the Flow Pulse from the handheld controller before
servicing the Flow Pulse.
The sensor can be switched back to Modbus mode if necessary by going to
Setting1-Flow Pulse menu, select Modbus and set Mode to 1.

Page 16
This page is left blank intentionally

Page 17
Chapter 3 Operating the Controller
Safety Precaution
The device contains Li-ion rechargeable batteries that are potentially
hazardous, and may pose a fire-risk when mishandled or subject to
temperatures beyond the specified maximum.
Never attempt to operate, recharge or subject the device to temperature
beyond 60 degree Celsius or below -20 degree Celsius (-4 - 140 degree
Fahrenheit).
Never submerge the controller in liquid.
Always power-down device, disconnect charger or any external power
source and unplug sensor connector before performing any servicing to the
Flow Pulse Handheld or the Flow Pulse.
Charging the Controller
A charger is supplied for charging the battery on the handheld. Other
chargers may be used, but the power rating must be within 12-18 VDC and
fused @ 2A max.
The battery indicator icon provides indication of the available
charge on the Flow Pulse Handheld.
During charging, the battery icon will have a blue background to
indicate that the charger is present.
During charging, the charge LED lights up with red when the battery
contains approximately 90% charge or less, and turns green when the battery
has more than 90% charge. When the battery level falls to 0%, the Flow
Pulse Handheld will be automatically powered-down. This is to avoid
over-discharging the battery, which may damage the batteries.

Page 18
The Flow Pulse Handheld has an internal temperature sensor that
monitors board temperature and will power-down the Flow Pulse
Handheld and taper charging rate when temperature rises beyond the
specified threshold.
User Interface Structure
Important Information
Charging should only be performed within an ambient temperature range of 0
to 45°C (32 to 113°F). Never perform charging where contact with liquid is
possible.
Always disconnect the charger and the Flow Pulse sensor before attempting any
form of cable or wire servicing.
Important Information
Due to the risk of the batteries igniting, under no circumstances should the
Flow Pulse Handheld be permanently powered from the charger or any
other external power source.
Totaliser
Trace
Flow
Settings 1
Record
Settings 2

Page 19
Flow Window
The main window is the Flow window. This page displays both the flow
velocity and the associated flow rate. The expected mA output on the
Flow Pulse and the name of site for data logging are also shown.
The units of flow rate can be changed in Setting1 Flow Pulse Setup
(F3 shortcut key).
The ‘S’ bar shows the strength of flow signal received on the sensor. A high
value will indicate a suitable application.
The ‘C’ bar shows the expected stability of the flow reading from the sensor.
A high value will indicate better measurement stability and is associated
with increased repeatability.
Press cancel key repeatedly at any stage to return to this window.
Site: mA:
3
0
6
1
2
5
4
0.0
m/s
Pipe: 15mm
Flow
64%
0.00
ltr/s
0%
0%
S:
C:
SITE1 0.0
10:41:52
04-05-2017

Page 20
Diagnostic Trace Window
The Trace window displays the diagnostic trace from the Flow Pulse.
The red dot on the trace indicates the amount of flow perceived by the
sensor.
Use F1 key to enable or disable traces from the Flow Pulse. Trace
function is enabled by default upon connection. The trace icon will
appear to indicate when traces are being polled.
The trace function must be enabled before starting a data logging session to
ensure that diagnostic traces are saved onto file.
Trace
64%
Flow
Sig
0
100
200
300
400
500
10
30
20
40
50
60
70