It may sound counterintuitive, but you are going to get a better bang for your buck with a transducer over a typical ECM current switch. While there may be a higher upfront cost, you’ll be seeing major savings once all is said and done.
The Hidden Cost of Recalibrating ECM Current Switches
If you’re a contractor who’s frequently installing Electronically Commuted Motors, you know that the biggest pain point in the process is finishing off with recalibration, testing, and balancing. The efficiency and control of modern ECMs make them an attractive option for many projects, but sometimes they require one or even two return trips to get the job done.
With an hour or two spent on each trip, the costs can quickly jump up to hundreds of dollars in labor out of your pocket.
How Transducers Eliminate Callbacks and Rework
When you use a switch, you get either a “yes” or “no” as to whether your motor is pulling a certain amount of current. As the construction process is completed, settings can change, and may require recalibration of the switch and the motor.
If you use a transducer instead, you will not need to do any recalibration at installation—and you will receive an analog signal telling you how much current is being pulled, rather than just the “yes” or “no” of the switch. You can even check the current by logging into a controller program without having to visit the unit. Once installed, you will not need to come back to double check or readjust.
How to Monitor Current Draw Remotely and Adjust from Your Controller
When you log into your computer controller program, you will be able to quickly and easily see just how much current is running through the system. If needed, you can change to whatever threshold is required. Adjusting from afar is simple, especially compared to the prior need for costly and time-consuming return trips.
Real-World ROI: Spend $20 More, Save $150 Per Trip
With the $50 average price tag for a transducer, you may not have considered using it over the $30 switch. But when you can check the controller program from the comfort of your office rather than driving all the way out to the site, that $20 difference quickly becomes a savings of $150 or more in labor. When you stack this up for each job, the savings become significant.
Pick up one of Functional Devices’ many transducers and see the savings for yourself.
FAQs
Why do ECM current switches often need recalibration?
A switch gives a “yes” or “no” answer at installation, but the response can change as the conditions of the ECM fluctuate during the remainder of the construction. This means returning to the site and recalibrating, with another trip to test and balance for air flow in some cases.
Are transducers more expensive than current switches?
Yes, transducers cost roughly $20 more than current switches on average. However, the decrease in labor costs more than makes up for the increased purchase price.
Which Functional Devices products work best for ECM motor monitoring?
Functional Devices offers various transducer options to fit the needs of your next project, from an enclosed solid-core transducer like the RIBXKTV5-10 to an enclosed split-core transducer like the RIBXGTV10.
If you are not yet sold on the idea of switching to a transducer, Functional Devices also has plenty of current switches for you to choose from, like the enclosed split-core AC sensor RIBXGTA, the enclosed solid-core AC sensor RIBXKTF, or the RIBXGTA-ECM (optimized for ECM loads).