Counter/Timer/Tach (CTT) Stage 1: Up-Counter Demo from AutomationDirect

Here we have a live video feed of a Counter Timer Tach Module - Here’s my pen just so you can see something move. The inputs on this module are being driven by a USB board connected to this computer – each time we hit this button, the I/O module toggles the input to the this Counter – you can see the pulse here on the graph, and the count increment each time I press the button. Here’s a couple more pulses. Our set point is 5, so when we issue the 5th pulse, we see these output indicators light up and we can see the outputs change on the graph – all of these signals go “low” because Output 1 has an NPN or “sinking” output AND an SPST relay output, and output 2 has an NPN sinking output because we are using this model of the Counter Timer Tach with the NPN output – you can also get it with a relay output and you can get both of those in a DC model – we’re currently using the AC version right here. You set the set point by moving the cursor with this yellow button (unfortunately you can’t see the cursor blinking on this webcam) and then change the value using these buttons right here – let’s change our set point to 8. Press the MODE key to lock that in and we are ready to go. This counter can operate in a number of different output modes, this one is in mode “F” right now which looks like this – the counter counts up, when it hits the set point – both outputs toggle. The counter continues to count up until a RESET is issued which resets the counter and the outputs. Let’s issue a reset – you can see the pulse here – the outputs went back high and the counter cleared to zero. We issue some pulses, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 – the outputs go active but the counter continues to count up – until we get a reset. What if we wanted to have the counter automatically reset when the set point is reached and not wait for a RESET? That’s easy – just go back to the datasheet … we were in MODE F – this guy right here – and we scroll down through until we find one where the counter counts up and automatically resets when it hits the set point – not that one – oh, this one looks good … here the counter counts up and automatically resets each time it hits the set point. That’s “MODE C We’ll, all we do is go back over here to our counter module, hold down the mode button for 3 seconds – to put us in the configuration mode – then use the MODE button to cycle through the various functions. We’re in Counter Mode, Stage1, Up Counting, and here’s our mode F. To change that we just hit our button, go to mode C, lock it in by hitting the mode button, now hold the mode button down for 3 seconds to get back to normal operation, and we are ready to go. Let’s see what happens. So again, we are in MODE C now, not MODE F so it should count up and automatically reset when it hits the set point. So when we hi 8 pulses, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 it automatically resets to zero and counts over again and automatically toggles the outputs which you can see on the graph here. Well that’s all there is to using the Up Counter function. All the other counter modes are just variants of this so experiment with them to see which one best fits your application. And as always, please send us any topics you would like to see covered – or - any other comments for that matter – we appreciate the feedback!