Vericom VC4000 User manual


Table of Contents
Table of Contents
1. INTRODUCTION............................................................................ 1
Features.......................................................................................... 2
What it comes with .........................................................................3
2. OPERATION BASICS ................................................................... 4
Mounting......................................................................................... 4
Powering up.................................................................................... 7
Display and Keypad........................................................................ 8
Menus........................................................................................... 10
Modes........................................................................................... 10
Tools.............................................................................................13
3. ACCIDENT RECONSTRUCTION USE.......................................14
Initial Setup...................................................................................14
Get VC4000 Ready ......................................................................15
Measuring Drag Factor.................................................................18
Testing Brake Performance..........................................................19
Measuring Coefficient of Friction..................................................20
Light Impact Testing.....................................................................23
Avoiding False Triggering.............................................................25
Measuring Slope...........................................................................26
Acceleration Testing.....................................................................27
Accel/Brake Run...........................................................................29
4. TRANSIT USE ............................................................................. 31
Initial Setup...................................................................................31
Get VC4000 Ready ......................................................................32
Testing Brake Performance..........................................................35
5. ENGINEERING USE.................................................................... 37
Initial Setup...................................................................................37
Get VC4000 Ready ......................................................................37
Testing Brake Performance..........................................................40
Acceleration Testing.....................................................................42
Monitor Data.................................................................................45
6. TOOLS......................................................................................... 46
Monitor Data.................................................................................47
Crash Mode..................................................................................51
Calibration Check .........................................................................52
Deleted Run..................................................................................55
SD Card Options ..........................................................................56
Accel/Brake Runs.........................................................................58
Enter Suffix................................................................................... 59

Measuring Slope...........................................................................60
7. VC4000 SETUP ........................................................................... 61
Setup Flowchart............................................................................63
G Threshold..................................................................................65
Vehicle ID ..................................................................................... 65
Set Defaults..................................................................................66
Date/Time.....................................................................................67
Pitch/Roll Factors .........................................................................67
User Type.....................................................................................69
English/Metric...............................................................................71
RS232 Port...................................................................................72
Brake MPH ...................................................................................72
Sensors Setup..............................................................................73
OBDII Sensors..........................................................................73
Analog Out................................................................................74
GPS Sensors ............................................................................75
Accelerometer Setup....................................................................76
G Summation............................................................................76
G Smoothing.............................................................................78
Zeroing On/Off ..........................................................................79
Accelerometer Range...............................................................79
G Adjust .................................................................................... 79
Graph Range ............................................................................80
Alarm Threshold........................................................................80
Performance Setup.......................................................................81
Vehicle Weight..........................................................................81
Countdown On/Off....................................................................82
Maintenance.................................................................................82
Unit Information.........................................................................82
Run Tests..................................................................................82
Discharge Battery .....................................................................82
8. SENSOR INPUT .......................................................................... 83
OBDII Input...................................................................................84
Analog Output...............................................................................84
GPS Input.....................................................................................85
External Activation........................................................................86
9. REVIEW - PRINT DATA.............................................................. 90
Display a Run ...............................................................................90
Print Runs.....................................................................................91
Store to SD Flash drive ................................................................91
10. PC INTERFACE......................................................................... 92
RS232 Ports ................................................................................. 93

Table of Contents
USB Port.......................................................................................95
11. UPDATING FIRMWARE............................................................ 96
12. CHARGING THE BATTERY ..................................................... 98
13. CUSTOMER SERVICE..............................................................99
Warranty....................................................................................... 99
Repairs .........................................................................................99
Options, Upgrades and Accessories..........................................100
14. TROUBLESHOOTING............................................................. 101
15. SPECIFICATIONS................................................................... 103

VC4000 Manual
1
VERICOM VC4000PC
AND BRAKE METER
OWNERS MANUAL
Revision 1.8, October 2, 2013
1. INTRODUCTION
ecades of refinement make the VC4000 the best yet. The
VC4000 has been designed for ease of use and simplicity of
operation for quick and easy results, yet has advanced
features for doing much more. The unit is preprogrammed
with standard defaults so that it is ready to operate immediately. The
new VC4000 measures X, Y and Z axis acceleration, OBDII and
GPS. The more acquainted you become with the VC4000 the more
applications you will discover.
D

VC4000 Manual
2
Introduction
3-axis accelerometer
Single vacuum cup mounting
Summation of X+Y+Z vectors
Analog output of sensors or speed
Menu selection software
RS232 port
USB port
Updateable firmware via USB interface
Delete individual Runs
Battery shows charging on display and LED on front
Audible G alarm
Calculates adjusted braking distance
115 minutes of internal data storage
2GB SD flash memory card for extra storage (PC)
GPS speed and position (with GPS module) (PC)
OBDII input compatible (PC)
Selectable G range of 2 or 6 G (PC)
Profile Professional included (PC)
Can send data directly to Profile (Data Streaming) (PC)
Variable sample rate of 1, 10, 100, 500 or 1000Hz (PC)
This manual covers everything necessary to operate your VC4000.
For further information and details, see our web site
www.vericomcomputers.com and go to the support page. There
will be documents with tips on various subjects. Look to the support
pages for firmware updates for your VC4000.
How to use this manual
The gray area on the page edges allow you to quickly thumb through
to find the section you want. Use the Table of Contents at the
beginning to quickly search for the general section you are interested
in. If you can’t find what you are looking for, go to our web site’s
support pages for more detailed information. This manual covers the
VC4000 Brake Meter and the VC4000PC. When you see “(PC)”
means it applies to the VC4000PC model only.
VC4000 Features

VC4000 Manual
3
Check to see that the following items are supplied with your VC4000:
1 VC4000 with single cup mounting assembly
1 Power cord (to cigarette lighter)
1 AC wall adapter
1 USB interface cable (PC)
1 VC4000 manual
1 Profile CD (PC)
1 Carrying case
Optional Accessories:
RS232/Analog out splitter
GPS input (PC)
OBDII input (PC)
Activation switches
Reaction time switches
Portable thermal micro printer
Variety of mounting bases
Two cup mounting system
Extra carrying case
Wireless modems for up to 7 mile data transfer (PC)
What it comes with

Operations Basics
VC4000 Manual
4
2. OPERATION BASICS
This section will give you basic operating
procedures for the VC4000.
The VC4000 does not have to be level to get accurate results. It
uses a 3 axis accelerometer and calculates the vector sum of all 3
axes to calculate G force, speed and distance. G “Summation 3D
(XYZ)” must be on in Setup. It is on by default. See page 76 for
details. Mount the VC4000 so the display is roughly facing the back
of the vehicle, or so the X-axis is roughly along the front to back line
of the vehicle.
Figure 1: Single mount on windshield
Mounting

VC4000 Manual
5
Figure 2: Single mount on side window
The VC4000 uses a single mounting arm and a pump up vacuum
cup to attach to the windshield or side window. The VC4000 and the
suction cup each have a plate with a ball that the arm attaches to.
Loosen the thumb screw on the arm and position the VC4000, and
then tighten the thumb screw to clamp the arm onto the mounting
base balls. Other mounting accessories are available. See our web
site for details.
Alternatively, the VC4000 can be mounted more rigidly by using a
two suction cup kit with brackets attached to the sides of the unit.
Figure 3: Dual cup assembly

Operations Basics
VC4000 Manual
6
Figure 4: Dual cups mount
1. If you do not wish to use the batteries, plug the power cord
into the back of the VC4000 and into the vehicle's cigarette
lighter.
2. Plug external accessories such as VSI or GPS into VC4000.
See page 83 for connection description.
Figure 5: Assembly w/single vacuum cup

VC4000 Manual
7
Battery
The VC4000 has a semi-permanent internal battery pack that will
run for at least 6 hours before it needs recharging. The battery pack
can be changed by the user if it does not hold a charge anymore.
The unit can be operated from the battery or plugged into a vehicle’s
accessory jack (cigarette lighter) while testing. The battery will
charge while plugged into the vehicle. Accessories such as GPS will
discharge the battery quicker since they draw power from the
VC4000. It can also be powered and recharged from the wall
adapter. Recharging will take up to 3 hours. While charging, the
charging indicator on the front will light and if the unit is turned on the
battery gauge on the display will show arrows.
Turning on and off
Hold the power key for about 1 second to turn the unit on. To turn
the power off hold the power key for about 1 second until the unit
beeps and displays a message to release the power key.
Safety Circuit
The VC4000 has safety circuits in place for accidental shorting or
reverse polarity of sensors or power input. If a sensor draws too
much current it will shut the power off to the unit. Sometimes when a
sensor is plugged in when the VC4000 power is on the unit will shut
off due to the inrush current when the sensor first powers on. This is
why we recommend plugging in all accessories with the power off.
Static Shock
If the unit is struck with ESD (electrostatic discharge) the display may
go blank, or less likely the unit may shut off. Push a key on the
keypad to see if the display comes back. You may have to get back
to the READY screen to make the display re-appear.
Powering up

Operations Basics
VC4000 Manual
8
Display
The VC4000 uses a graphic and text display. It has large letters so
it is easy to see from a distance, such as on a windshield when
viewing from the drivers’ seat. The display and keypad are lighted
for viewing in low light. The light will go out after a few minutes if a
key has not been pressed. It will light again when a key is pressed.
Keypad
The keypad has 16 keys with the numeric side laid out like an
industry standard telephone keypad.
Figure 6: keypad
Many keys have more than one function, depending on what the
display shows. See the following table.
Display and Keypad

VC4000 Manual
9
Key function table:
Key
Function
Auto Start
Press after pressing Braking or Acceleration to sense
the G-Force activation threshold.
Select
Run
Select a run from memory to display or print.
Graph
Data
While viewing a run, press to toggle between graphs
and data of run.
POWER
Hold down for 1 second to turn unit on. Hold down for
1 second to turn unit off.
1
Acceleration
Start an acceleration test or enter the numeric 1.
2
Braking
Start a brake test or enter the numeric 2.
3
Tools
Show the Tools menu or enter the numeric 3.
Time
4
Enter the numeric 4 or display a time graph.
Speed
5
Enter the numeric 5, display a speed graph or scroll up.
Distance
6
Enter the numeric 6 or display a distance graph.
G-Force
7
Enter the numeric 7, scroll the cursor left, display a G-
Force graph or display detailed G-Force data for an
acceleration run.
RPM
8
Enter the numeric 8, display an RPM graph or display
detailed RPM data for an acceleration run.
Sensor
9
Enter the numeric 9, scroll the cursor right or scroll
through GPS or VSI graphs.
0
Enter the numeric 0 or scroll down.
ENTER
YES
Enter information, select a menu item or respond YES
to a prompt.
CLEAR
NO
Clear memory, clear information, go back to previous
screen or respond NO to a prompt.

Operations Basics
VC4000 Manual
10
The VC4000 uses Menus when several choices are available. Use
the up and down arrows to scroll through the list. Hold down the up
or down arrow to quickly scroll through a list. The menus use wrap
around so when you reach the end of a list the cursor jumps to the
other end of the list. Press ENTER / YES to select your choice.
Press CLEAR / NO to go to the previous screen.
The VC4000 has 2 modes: Braking and Acceleration.
Braking
Use the Braking mode to test a vehicle’s brakes or measure the drag
factor of a road surface. From the “READY” screen press
2
Braking
.
Press the Braking key while at a complete stop. If the Braking key
was pressed while reviewing data from a previous test, or if the
zeroing setting was turned off, it’s not necessary to come to a
complete stop before pressing the Braking key. The VC4000 will
use the zero reference from the previous test or if zeroing was turned
off it will use the zero reference established at the factory. See page
79 in setup for more details on zeroing. The VC4000 will zero adjust
the accelerometers to the current angle the unit is facing. Press the
“Auto Start” key before accelerating up to your target speed, or press
it after you’ve reached your target speed if conditions might cause
vibration to prematurely activate the unit.
Menus
Monitor
Cal. Check
Setup
Delete Run
Print
SD Card Options
Accel/Brake Run
Crash Mode
Modes

VC4000 Manual
11
Basic steps for brake testing:
1. Connect GPS or VSI if you are using them. (PC)
2. Mount the VC4000.
3. Position the vehicle on the same incline as the test is being
performed.
4. Press the Braking key. Unit will zero adjust itself.
5. Press the Auto Start key.
6. Accelerate up to target speed.
7. Apply the brakes hard and fast and come to a complete stop.
8. Use the arrow keys to scroll through the data.
For further details see application specific sections. Note: Braking
mode always uses 100Hz sample rate regardless of what the sample
rate is set to in Setup.

Operations Basics
VC4000 Manual
12
Acceleration
Use the Acceleration mode to measure time, speed, distance,
average G and peak G during acceleration. From the “READY”
screen press
1
Acceleration
. Press the Acceleration key while at a
complete stop. The VC4000 will zero adjust the accelerometers to
the current angle the unit is facing. A menu will appear showing
some pre-defined tests and a custom choice. Choose Custom to
make your own test. You may also press the Auto Start key to
start a QuickSet™ ¼ mile test.
Basic steps for acceleration testing:
1. Connect sensors if you are using them.
2. Mount the VC4000.
3. Position the vehicle on the same incline as the test is being
performed.
4. Press the Acceleration key. Unit will zero adjust itself.
5. Select a test from the menu or Press Auto Start key for ¼
mile testing.
6. Accelerate up to the end point.
7. Use the arrow keys to scroll through the data.
If the Acceleration key was pressed while reviewing data from a
previous test, or if the zeroing setting was turned off, it’s not
necessary to come to a complete stop before pressing the
Acceleration key. The VC4000 will use the zero reference from the
previous test or if zeroing was turned off it will use the zero reference
established at the factory. See page 79 in setup for more details on
zeroing.
For further details see application specific sections.
0-30 mph
0-60 mph
0-80 mph
0-100 ft
0-300 ft
0-15 sec
Custom
AutoStart 1/4 mile

VC4000 Manual
13
The VC4000 has several tools available. Press the
3
Tools
key to
bring up a list of available tools. Below is a list of the tools and a
short description of each tool.
Tool
Description
Monitor
Continuously display Acceleration, GPS data (PC)
or OBDII sensors (PC)
Crash Mode
(PC)
Saves data 1 second before a high G-Threshold
and up to 30 seconds after
Cal. Check
Check calibration on internal accelerometers
Setup
Change VC4000 Setup including G-Threshold,
User type and turn GPS (PC) or VSI (PC) on or off
Delete Run
Delete a run from memory
Print
Print a single or all runs in memory
SD Card
Options (PC)
Copy or erase runs from SD Card
Accel/Brake
Run
Perform an acceleration test followed by a brake
test without stopping to re-zero
Enter Suffix
Adds a suffix letter to the run file when saved
using Profile 5
Measure Slope
Measure slope of a road in Grade and Degree
Tools
Monitor
Cal. Check
Setup
Delete Run
Print
SD Card Options
Accel/Brake Run
Crash Mode

Accident Recon Use
VC4000 Manual
14
3. ACCIDENT RECONSTRUCTION
USE
This section gives specific instructions on how to
use the VC4000 in accident reconstruction.
User Type
When you first receive your VC4000 the User Type will be set
“General” which displays all available data. You should change this
setting to “Accident Reconst.” User Type. This will show all the
data necessary for the accident reconstructionist.
To change the User Type to Accident Reconstruction, follow these
steps:
1. Press the Tools key.
2. Scroll to Setup and press ENTER / YES .
3. Scroll down to User Type and press ENTER / YES .
4. Scroll up to Accident Reconst. and press ENTER / YES .
5. Press CLEAR / NO to get back to the READY screen.
Or use Profile to change the setup in the VC4000 from your PC:
1. Start the Profile program
2. Connect the VC4000 to your computer
3. Turn on the VC4000
4. In Profile, Click on the VC4000 Setup icon (VC4000 tab,
VC4000 Setup)
5. VC4000 will beep and Profile will read the setup on the
VC4000
6. Click the User Type drop down box
7. Select Accident Reconst.
8. Click the “Send Setup” key
ALL settings can be changed using Profile. Not all settings can be
changed using the VC4000 keypad.
Initial Setup

VC4000 Manual
15
Do not use this unit in violation of federal, state or local laws. For
safety reasons the driver should never press any keys on the
VC4000 while the vehicle is in motion. If observation and operation
of the VC4000 is required from a moving vehicle, use a separate
observer/passenger. Please buckle up and drive safely.
Mounting
The VC4000 does not have to be level to get accurate results. It
uses a 3 axis accelerometer and calculates the vector sum of all 3
axes to calculate G force, speed and distance. G “Summation 3D
(XYZ)” must be on in Setup. It is on by default. See page 76 for
details. Mount the VC4000 so the display is roughly facing the back
of the vehicle, or so the x-axis is roughly along the front to back line
of the vehicle.
Figure 7: Single mount on windshield
Alternatively mount the VC4000 flat and level using the single
suction cup mount or the dual bracket option with two pump-up
suction cups.
Get VC4000 Ready

Accident Recon Use
VC4000 Manual
16
Figure 8: Dual cups mount
Mounting Flat and Level
If mounting flat and level, it is not necessary to use the Z axis for
calculating the vector sum. In fact, using the Z axis may introduce
some error due to vertical vibration caused from the road surface.
Either use X or X+Y summation if mounting flat and level. Use the
bubble levels on the front and left side of the VC4000 to level it, if
your vehicle is reasonably flat and level. Within 3 degrees of level is
sufficient to get accurate data. The VC4000 must be parallel to the
road surface both longitudinally and laterally. If using X only
summation, the VC4000 must be positioned parallel to the road
surface and the X axis in line with the front to back line of the vehicle.
Slope of the road and zero adjusting
When performing a test the VC4000 will zero adjust itself for the
slope of the road when you press the Braking or Acceleration key.
If the Braking or Acceleration key is pressed on the same slope, the
Average G-Force (Drag Factor) given by the VC4000 will include the
grade of the road. When vehicle testing or measuring Drag Factor
the road surface does not have to be level; however, you must press
the Braking key at the same slope you are testing. This will allow
the VC4000 to compensate for slope and all data will be accurate.
When measuring coefficient of friction () you must zero adjust on a
level surface. The vehicle must be at a complete stop during zero
adjusting.
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