4-20ma_alive_or_kicking.pdf

October, 1998 Control Engineering 4-20 mA Transmitters Alive and Kicking Fieldbus is everyones hot topic, but 4-20 mA measurements are still the mainstay. Dave Harrold, CONTROL ENGINEERING Sidebar List of 4-20 mA Terms Because theyve been around so long, everyone already knows all there is to know about 4-20 mA transmitters and how to install them. But, if so much is known about selecting and installing 4-20 mA transmitters, why do the same questions keep coming up? Questions like: What is the difference between two-, three- and four-wire transmitters? Are there issues when mixing two- and four-wire transmitters in the same control system? When and why would line isolators be necessary? When and why would intrinsic safety barriers be used? What happens if there are isolators, intrinsic barriers, and HART transmitters all in the same installation? And my personal favorite, Why doesnt the process variable ever reach 100%? ISA S50.01 categorizes transmitters into two-wire, three-wire, or four-wire types. Transmitter classifications Understanding differences between two-, three- and four-wire devices will help clear up several of 1 of 6 10/25/2001 2:38 PM 4-20 mA Transmitters Alive and Kicking /archives/1998/ctl1001.98/10a929.htm the questions. ANSI/ISA-S50.1-1982 (R-1992) standard Compatibility of Analog Signals for Electronic Industrial Process Instruments established transmitter type classifications as being the number of wires (2, 3, or 4) required to provide power and output circuits (see Transmitter Type). (Shield and input circuit wiring are excluded.) Four-wire (Type 4) transmitters use two wires to power the transmitter and two wires to provide the 4-20 mA output signal and are usually not used for conventional pressure, temperature, or level measurements. For example, magnetic flowmeters often include a sensing element and separate enclosure containing a power supply and other electronic components requiring a separate power source. The elect