ROTARY DRILL

RD-4-018
06-27-02

TESTING OF PROPORTIONAL CONTROLLERS AND COILS TO VERIFY

OPERATIONAL CONDITION
To insure the electrical problem has been properly diagnosed, it is necessary to test
the controller and if needed the coil for a proportional valve or pump. These devices
should not be claimed against warranty or returned to Ingersoll-Rand before
verification testing and recording of test results has taken place. If one or more of
these devices are returned, the claim tag and test report must accompany each part.

Description of control signals used in blasthole products today:

Ø The controller for the FEMA valve, used for feed force, hold back, and torque limit
is usually a rotational controller and has a single or omni-directional dc linear
output signal. Normal coil resistance is 24 ohm and max current is 600 mA.
Ø The Apitec multi-spool valves have two coils per valve section, called a pulsar, and
it requires a 33Hz, 24 V PWM signal. Normal coil resistance is 65 ohm and max
current is 370 mA.
Ø The Denison 5A pump control is a bi-directional polarity device, one coil, this
means the polarity of the signal changes to change the direction of fluid flow and
variable 0-12 Vdc linear current to vary the amount of fluid flow. Normal coil
resistance is 25 ohm and max current is 350 mA.
Ø The Denison 9A pump control uses two coils to provide bi-directional control each
coil requires a 200 Hz, 24 V PWM signal. Normal coil resistance is 41 ohm and
max current is 350 mA.

Physical inspection of a typical controller, refer to photos below:

Ø Verify there are no damaged parts.
Ø Verify the handle lock is functional, if applicable.
Ø Verify all component hardware is tight. Except fiction nut for maintained handle
controllers, adjust this for smooth handle movement.
Ø Verify the handle push button circuit is operational, if applicable, by measuring
resistance across terminals 7-8-9. Contact state should change when pushbutton
is pressed.
Ø Verify wiring terminal connections to the micro switches are connected and seated
properly.
Ø Verify the cam tower does not have excessive play, side to side. Check tightness
of center screw.
Ø Verify the proper micro switches are activated when the handle is moved in both
directions. Adjust cam if needed.
ROTARY DRILL 2
Ø Verify the micro switch does not roll off the cam in maximum handle position.
Loosen micro switch mounting screws or cam and adjust if needed. With the
handle in maximum position, the roller of the switch will be on the back edge of the
cam. Slight vibration or movement of the tower will cause the cam to move
enough for the roller to drop off of the cam, this will turn output off. Make sure
there is extra cam movement available at the handle extreme positions.

Micro switches - cams and tower - friction lock-nut output transistor heat sink

Pushbutton terminals output adjustment trim potentiometers and main

terminal connection
 3 ROTARY DRILL

The test device in the photos to follow is an OEM Tester, 57042822, designed in the
80’s to assist in troubleshooting problems in proportional control circuits in the DMH
product. The OEM tester is still in use today and has been revised to include the
capability to test proportional control circuits in DM45/50/L and DMM3 products. The
tester has a built-in 120 Vac 50/60 Hz. to 24Vdc power supply, use three prong male
power cord to connect into standard wall receptacle. 24Vdc can be supplied directly
via the two-wire alligator clip cable in the back compartment. There is a voltmeter to
verify the internal power supply is operating and to monitor the voltage out of a
controller. There is an ammeter to monitor the current going from the controller to the
load, either internal or external. Two internal power resistors are sized to the nominal
resistance value of the loads used in the proportional control circuits, such as Apitec
valves, Denison 5A pump control, Dynex actuators, and FEMA valve. The front
terminal strip provides the means to connect a controller and an external load to the
testing.

Connect the suspect controller or coil to the tester by matching terminal markings.
The coil will connect to the terminals marked “EXT LOAD” and will be connected to the
controller when the selector switch is in the appropriate position. The threshold and
maximum output adjustments need to be checked and verify settings can be changed.
Many times the adjustments are so far incorrect that the controller appears to be non-
adjustable. Check the max first, with the handle in maximum position, adjust max pot
until you see a change in current, then stop, slowly return the handle to center
position. As you move the handle from max position, the current should decrease, if
not, keep adjusting max pot. The goal is to see current change throughout the handle
movement. For threshold, move handle slowly from the center, off, position until you
here one switch activate in one direction and two activate in the other. This clicking
sound is the switches turning the control card on and determining output polarity, if
applicable. You should be able to set the threshold at 50 to 75 mA. How to determine
if the controller has an intermittent problem. While the controller is active and
providing at least 300 mA of current, monitor the ammeter while tapping on the
controller in different places with the handle end of a screw driver. Watch for
fluctuations of the ammeter, take note of the area of the controller affected.
 ROTARY DRILL

RD-4-018
06-27-02

TESTING OF PROPORTIONAL CONTROLLERS AND COILS TO VERIFY

OPERATIONAL CONDITION

Shown here is the tester with a controller connected via the connection cable. Just match
the letters of the terminal strips. Connect the appropriate power cable. There is a main on/off
switch, below the fuse. The power supply check switch is to the left of the fuse. The load
selector switch is to the right of the fuse.
 5 ROTARY DRILL

This photo is to show the

power supply check, move
“on / off” toggle to the on
position, move the left toggle
to the “24 V check” position.
Voltmeter should indicate 24
Vdc. The far right two
terminals are for connecting
an external load “EXT LOAD”,
such as an Apitec pulsar or
any other load to be checked
with the matching controller.

The photo below shows the tester connected to a controller and an Apitec pulsar
valve. The selector knob is used to connect the controller to one of the internal load
resistors or to an external load. Moving the controller handle will provide current to the
external load, as seen on the volt and ammeters.

This photo shows an example of a controller with three output trim potentiometers.
The threshold pot is used to determine the point at which action will take place, such
as rotation or movement of a cylinder.