Portal 2.0 - Sensor Input Calibration

Within Portal 2.0, it is possible to calibrate sensor inputs either by knowing the range of values that a sensor provides for a given input type (such as PAR sensors), or making a custom equation by recording the values provided at two specific endpoints (such as pH, TDS, and Tank Level Sensors). One can use this sensor calibration UI on Batch Tank pH and TDS probes, 4-20mA sensor inputs, Metz Analog Input Modules, and the Universal Input Modules on the Connect Controller.

 

One can locate the sensor calibration screen by going to the Settings Tab within Portal 2.0:


Selecting the registered controller from the list of controllers and left-clicking the sensor input module associated with the controller. In this example, we would select the Universal Input Module on the Connect Controller:

With the Universal Input Module selected, click the icon of 3 dots next to the input to be calibrated:

When editing the input, one can designate the name of the sensor, the Input type for the sensor (0-20mA, 4-20mA, 0-10VDC for Analog Inputs and Universal Inputs that have multiple applicable sensor inputs), the sensor type, and the unit of measure for the appropriate sensor. At the bottom of the form, one is able to calibrate the sensor input:



There are two options for sensor calibration type: Min/Max Range, and Manual Calibration.


When Min/Max Range is selected, there are four fields to input data for:

Point 1 Value – The desired value displayed on the dashboard when the sensor is reading the minimum value in its input range.

Point 2 Value - The desired value displayed on the dashboard when the sensor is reading the maximum value in its input range.

Calibration Point 1 – The low value of the input range specified for the sensor.

Calibration Point 2 – The high value of the input range specified for the sensor.



In this example, a 4-20mA PAR sensor that reports a PPFD value between 0-4000 PPFD for that range of values. The snippet below shows how those values are input for this calibration type, and the subsequent equation generated from those values:


For manual calibrations, there are two fields to input data for:

Point 1 Value – The desired value displayed on the dashboard when the sensor is reading the lowest value in its range. The sensor reading locked for Calibration Point 1 is tied to the Point 1 Value.

Point 2 Value - The desired value displayed on the dashboard when the sensor is reading the highest value in its range. The sensor reading locked for Calibration Point 2 is tied to the Point 2 Value.


There are also two fields that record the current values being reported by the sensor, with a ‘Lock’ button that holds the recorded value in that field. The purpose of these locks is to allow the user to place a pH sensor between two buffer solutions and record the value held in each solution, or allow the user to lift a tank level sensor out of a tank in order to record the value the sensor reports in open air and the value reported by the sensor when the tank level sensor is submerged and the tank is at the desired fill level.

The example below shows how one would setup a manual calibration for a 0-10V Tank Level sensor to read between 0 and 100% with recorded values of the Tank level sensor being 0.1V in open air and the tank level sensor reporting 8.5V when the batch tank is 100% full and the tank level sensor is placed at the bottom of the tank:



The Reset button at the bottom right of the form allows the user to remove the current calibration made for the input so that one can re-do the current calibration held or remove the existing calibration when repurposing a sensor input:


Once a calibration has been made, click the ‘Save Changes’ button in the form, followed by the ‘Update Controller’ button for the controller within the Settings tab in order to push that new sensor input calibration to the controller: