Transducers for Ultrasonic Flow Meters

Have you asked for any technical support from Ebay?

Why would you choose to buy this type of equipment from a non-technical, used equipment sales organization, which offers NO TECH SUPPORT and then come here to ask us to do your technical research for you?

Contact the makers of the used stuff you buy and see if they will give you free tech support.

You bought this equipment on ebay because it was CHEAP, AS-IS equipment, with no tech support offered, nor should any have been expected.

Call the manufacturers and ask them, or make the connections and power it us. Never mind set-up and calibration, just plug it in and go!

Let us know how it works for you.

Unfortunately, probably not- at least not easily and reliably.

As pointed out in the first 2 posts these sort of systems are designed for specific functions- if you have the skill and time to make it work to the parameters you need that's great for you, but otherwise you get what you pay for (what I call the Walmart effect).

Unlike with many pressure and temperature devices, transit time based transducers have not evolved to where there are standards of function that would allow easy interchange of transducers between manufacturers. I am the owner of an engineering software company (www.elitesoft.com) so with experimentation I could probably end up making mixed brand items work together. But from what you guys are saying, that is something not commonly done with ultrasonic meters.

My current need of an ultrasonic flowmeter is for my personal ranch use on irrigation equipment and pumps. I already have a number of inexpensive paddlewheel meters and small variable area meters, but I have often wanted to be able to walk up to different pipe and flow situations and get a quick external read on flow. That ability for whimsical personal use is quite expensive, hence the thought of cobbling together some cheap ultrasonic components to make this happen. Although now, it looks like I may be better off just trying to find a complete "suitcase" ultrasonic kit used off ebay.

Of course, ebay itself doesn't provide technical support, but I have never encountered any problems getting technical support from companies concerning used items I have bought whether they were acquired off ebay or direct from individuals. Just spoke with a Blue White rep today about a technical issue with an F-2000 unit and options on changing sensors. All the long lived companies with good reputations have used products out there over many years of doing business. It makes good business sense to support those used products because the company is able to sell parts, upgrades and recalibrations routinely.

This sounds like something I've dealt with a few times, and the compact flow meters from ifm efector might be able to help since they have a local display and are easy to program.

Check out this link: http://www.ifm.com/ifmus/web/pmain040_030_010.htm

Feel free to PM me with any more specific questions.

Cheers,

Tim

Don't mind the GURU's they sometimes go off half cocked. Highly strung I suppose.

Once they cool down, they may come back and, have a constructive exchange of information with you. Who knows temperamental beasties these GURU's.

Hope you find what your looking for.

All the Best.

Transducers are just sensors of whatever parameter(s) that needed to be measured or determined. Serving like interpreters for two differing languages.. They convert any sensed or detected information to an electrical form that in turn can be converted or interpreted to an understandable level that one can comprehend to..

Now for your your personal and intended application(s), it is very possible that you may find any transducer(s) of choice on Ebay.

The key important things to consider in my opinion that will enable you to accomplish your goal is to; find and match the input and output characteristics of the chosen transducer(s). Be sure that it is sensitive enough to detect the parameter you want sensed... Next is to find the corresponding amplifier that has a matching input and output characteristics that will in turn convert the sensed information to a form or level that will be understandable and relate to you as the user!

Good luck!

Vsar, I agree with everything you said and that's why I thought I could probably mix transducers and meter brands. But in the time transit ultrasonic world, there are probably some nuances that would have to be dealt with. To pursue that path I would need to be prepared to experiment quite a bit and go through a number of trial and error purchases.

If you look on ebay for ultrasonic flow meters, there are Chineese brands like Tuf and TDS that offer their own matched transducers and meters for very low prices. If these things worked decently and reliably enough, they would be perfect for my casual, personal use. Kind of in the same way that a Harbor Freight $12 electric drill is perfect for being used to make pilot holes for a DeWalt drill to follow up on and drive screws into. Optimal use of resources involves matching up just the right level of quality for the task at hand.

That being said, quality and reliability can only go so low for any task before money is wasted. Ultrasonic flow metering is not a trivial task so I am quite nervous about putting money into low cost and uncertain quality instruments. By any chance, has anyone here ever experimented with these low cost Chineese branded ultrasonic devices?

As I suggested, things you should focus on and study during your searches are the technical specifications of the product(s) you think that suitably can provide the data you need and in the particular format that are within your expectations thus achieving your goal!

Since you prefer to use a non-standardized or a pre-configured system, but instead prefer to develop a system basically from scratch, you will need to find and select the ff:

1) a transducer that is sensitive enough to detect or sense then convert it into an electrical form and usable range to your application.

2) the output range and impedance of this converted minute electrical form of energy must then needed to be fed to a matching signal processing unit (amplifier) for further signal conditioning and conversion to a much higher and better form of information, such as a digital display where any user can relate to..

Bear in mind the jump from step #1 to step #2 is very important and may not be a simple task for you to do? To be effective you'll need to see to it that both the output impedance of the chosen sensor will match the corresponding input impedance of the signal processor /conditioning / display (amplifier unit)! Proper impedance matching of the two different devices must be achieve to ascertain maximum power transfer, sensitivity and ranging of the processed signal!

You will need to review and study the technical specifications for both devices as your starting point, if you so decide to go this route! It is a learning process but very doable as well as possibly less expensive..