Modulating Inputs

A modulating input is a physical input. You can configure Modulating Input blocks and use them while creating application logic.

To add and configure a Modulating Input block:

  1. Right-click ControlProgram under LonSpyder or BacnetSpyder in the Nav palette and select Views > Wiresheet View to view the wiresheet.
  2. Drag the Modulating Input block from the Spyder Palette on to the wire sheet.
  3. Type the desired name for the Modulating Input block and click OK. The block appears as a container on the wire sheet similar to any function block.
  4. Right-click the container and select Configure Properties. The Modulating Input dialog box appears. The following table defines the fields shown in the dialog box.

While using a LonSpyder Controller, the following fields are displayed.

Name Description
Point Name Type a name of the function block or use the default names provided by the tool.
Point Type Modulating Input is the default selection. You can select Constant, Modulating Input, Binary Input or Software Input if you want to change the input type.
Type Displays the list of sensors that can be connected. Select a sensor type.
  • Select type as FixedSylkInput if you want to configure this input as Sylk Sensor.
Data Category   Displays the unit of measurement for the Type. This is enabled when Custom Resistive or Custom Voltage is selected in the Type field.
Data Type Displays the engineering unit based on the Data Category.
Input State Use this to edit sensor characteristics. The Input State is editable only when a custom sensor (Custom Resistive or Custom Voltage) is selected in the Type field. You can enter values for:
  • Input Low
  • Input High
  • Output Low
  • Output High
Sensor Limits Click the Sensor Limits button to view and set the upper and lower limits.
  • Enter a lower limit in the Low Limit field.
  • Enter an upper limit in the High Limit field.

Sensor Readings Outside Limit

  • Choose Value is INVALID outside High if you want Invalid to be displayed when the limits are crossed.
  • Choose Clamp Value as High and Low Limit if you want the Low and High Limits that you enter to be displayed when the limits are crossed.
OK Saves the entered information and closes the dialog box.
Cancel Closes the dialog box. Any information entered is lost.

Note: For Spyder Micro models: PVL4024NS, PVL4022AS, PUL4024S and PUL1012S, if you select Pulse_Meter or Counter as the sensor type, a default pin UI1 is assigned. If the pin is not available, or is currently assigned to another point, the tool creates the point as an invalid point.

When the modulating input is configured to type Counter in a Spyder Lon Micro, Spyder Bacnet Micro, or Spyder Lon Relay, it reads the number of counts received in the last second. For example, if a 10Hz signal is connected to the input, the input reads 10 counts each second. Another example, suppose a 0.5Hz signal is connected to the input, the input reads a 0 in the 1st second, a 1 in the 2nd second, a 0 in the 3rd second, a 1 in the 4th second, and so on. The maximum frequency of the signal allowed is 15Hz that is, maximum counts per second that can be wired to the input is 15 per second. The user can connect this to the function block logic and accumulate counts.

When the modulating input is configured to type Pulse_Meter in a Spyder Lon Micro, Spyder Bacnet Micro, or Spyder Lon Relay, it reads the number of pulses per hour. The algorithm averages the readings depending on the rate at which the pulses come in.

When the pulses stop coming in, the power gradually decreases and goes to 0 in about 11 minutes. The maximum measured rate is 54000 pulses per hour. The calculated output of a pulse meter input is in pulses per hour. You can connect this to the function block logic (multiply by scale factor) to compute power. For example, if the pulse meter is at 3600 pulses per hour and this is multiplied with a scale factor of 10 Watt-Hours/Pulse, the current power is 3600 x 10 = 36000 Watts or 36 KW.

Note: The modulating input types Counter and Pulse_Meter can be configured to be Normally Open or Normally Close. This reverses the TRUE/FALSE logic.

Note: You can configure Custom Sensor properties only if Data Type selected is Custom Sensor. On selecting Custom Sensor as Data Type, the Custom Sensor Configuration button appears. Click this button and specify the following:

While using a BacnetSpyder Controller, the following fields are displayed.

Name Description
Point Name Enter a name of the function block or use the default names provided by the tool.
Point Type Modulating Input is the default selection. You can select Constant, Modulating Input, Binary Input, Network Setpoint, or Network Input if you want to change the input type.
Type Displays the list of sensors that can be connected. Select a sensor type.
Point Category   Displays the unit of measurement for the Type. This is enabled when Custom Resistive or Custom Voltage is selected in the Type field.
Unit Displays the engineering unit based on the Point Category.
Input State Use this to edit sensor characteristics. The Input State is editable only when a custom sensor (Custom Resistive or Custom Voltage) is selected in the Type field. You can enter values for:
  • Input Low
  • Input High
  • Output Low
  • Output High
Sensor Limits Click the Sensor Limits button to view and set the upper and lower limits.
  • Enter a lower limit in the Low Limit field.
  • Enter an upper limit in the High Limit field.

Sensor Readings Outside Limit

  • Choose Value is INVALID outside High if you want Invalid to be displayed when the limits are crossed.
  • Choose Clamp Value as High and Low Limit if you want the Low and High Limits that you enter to be displayed when the limits are crossed.
Advanced Displays the Bacnet object details. Object Name, Object Type, Object Instance are the fields provided. Object Name is automatically provided by the tool and can be edited. Object Instance number can also be edited. Object Type is a read only field and cannot be edited. If the GPU option in the advanced dialog box is set to True, Send Heartbeat is enabled.
OK Saves the entered information and closes the dialog box.
Cancel Closes the dialog box. Any information entered is lost.

Note: You can drag IOs on to the wiresheet even when all pins are used up. Honeywell Spyder allows IOs to be dropped but they are not assigned with a pin. Such IOs are termed as invalid IOs.

When a modulating input is deleted, if it had a valid IO pin assigned, the freed pin is automatically assigned to any invalid modulating input or an invalid binary input.

When a physical IO (Modulating input, Binary input, Modulating output, Binary output) with a valid IO pin is copied and pasted in the wiresheet, the resulting IO gets the same configuration as the source and a new available pin. If no free pin is available, the resulting IO becomes an invalid IO.

When an invalid physical IO (Modulating input, Binary input, Modulating output, Binary output) is copied and pasted in the wiresheet, the resulting IO gets the same configuration as the source and it is also an invalid IO.

When you copy and paste a modulating input of type standard and custom sensors on the wiresheet, the same configuration is retained. Even though an On Board Pressure Sensor can be configured, it is a consequence of the copy and paste action on the wiresheet.

Adding an Onboard Pressure Sensor

The on-board pressure sensor is always assigned to the Universal Input # 0, in case where the model supports this fixed physical point, whether it is physically present or not.

Note: The number of On Board Pressure Sensors you can add are dependent on the Controller model selected. If you exceed the allowed limit of On Board Pressure Sensors in an application logic, you cannot configure the modulating inputs as On Board Pressure Sensor.

Example: To the LonSpyder II model PVL6436AS, if you add more than six modulating inputs in your logic, the seventh Modulating input you add is automatically configured as an On Board Pressure Sensor and is assigned to Pin0.

To add an Onboard Pressure Sensor:

  1. Drag a Modulating Input from the Spyder Palette to the wiresheet.
  2. Right-click the Modulating Input you just added and select Configure Properties.
  3. Select On_Board_Pressure from the Type list.
  4. Click OK to complete adding an On Board Pressure Sensor.

Point Conversion

What do I want to convert? To what do I want to convert? How do I do it? What is the effect?
Modulating Input Constant
  1. Right-click the Modulating input block and select Configure Properties.
  2. Select Constant from the Point Type list.
  3. Select a Point Category.
  4. Select Units to be used within logic.
  5. Select Value.
  6. Click OK.
  1. If the Modulating Input was connected to a slot of a function block, the slot is converted from Connector type to Constant.
  2. IO pins used by the Modulating input are freed.
Modulating Input NCI
  1. Right-click the Modulating input block and select Configure Properties.
  2. Select Constant from the Point Type list.
  3. Enter a Value.
  4. Select Share Point on Network.
  5. Click OK
  1. The IO pins used by the Modulating input are freed.
  2. A new NCI of type Snvt is created, determined by the Point Category, Internal Data Type unit selected.
  3. The new NCI is seen in the NVs table in the NV Configuration View.
Modulating Input Software Input (NVI)
  1. Right-click the Modulating input block and select Configure Properties.
  2. Select Software Input from the Point Type list.
  3. Select a Point Category.
  4. Select Units to be used within logic.
  5. Click OK
  1. The IO pins used by the Modulating input are freed.
  2. A new NVI of type Snvt is created, determined by the Point Category, Internal Data Type unit selected.
  3. The new NVI is seen in the NVs table in the NV Configuration View.
Modulating Input Binary Input
  1. Right-click the Modulating input block and select Configure Properties.
  2. Select Binary Input from the Point Type list.
  3. Select Type.
  4. Select Data Type.
  5. Click OK.
  1. If there are no IO pins available for the target physical IO (in this case, the Binary input that is created), the point becomes an invalid IO.
  2. A warning message appears indicating that there are no more pins to allocate, and an unassigned IO is created.
Modulating Input Network Setpoint
  1. Right-click the Modulating input block and select Configure Properties.
  2. Select Network Setpoint from the Point Type list.
  3. Select Type.
  4. Click OK.  
  1. The IO pins used by the Modulating Input are freed.
  2. The new setpoint input is seen in the Objects table in the Object Configuration View.
Modulating Input Network Input
  1. Right-click the Modulating input block and select Configure Properties.
  2. Select Network Input from the Point Type list.
  3. Select Type.
  4. Click OK
  1. The IO pins used by the Modulating Input are freed.
  2. The new network input is seen in the Objects table in the Object Configuration View.

Note: When you copy and paste an On Board Pressure Sensor (modulating input) on the wiresheet such that the maximum allowed count for that model is exceeded, it is converted to a custom voltage sensor .

Terminal Assignment View