FAAC BX3 User Manual

VIII. Loop Installation:

The vehicle detection characteristics of an inductive loop detector are greatly influenced by the loop size and
proximity to moving metal objects such as gates. Vehicles such as small motorcycles and high bed trucks can
be reliably detected if the proper size loop is selected. If the loop is placed too close to a moving metal gate, the
detector may detect the gate. The diagram below is intended as a reference for the dimensions that will
influence the detection characteristics.

General Rules:

SLIDE GATE

1. The detection height of a loop is 2/3 the shortest leg
(A or B) of the loop. Example: Short leg = 6 feet,
Detection Height = 4 feet.

2. As the length of leg A is increased, distance C must
also increase.

A = 6 ft 9 ft 12 ft 15 ft 18 ft 21 ft
C = 3 ft 4 ft 4.5 ft 5 ft 5.5 ft 6 ft

3. For reliable detection of small motorcycles, legs A

A = Loop dimension parallel to the gate

B = Loop dimension perpendicular to the gate

C = Distance of the loop from the gate

A

and B should not exceed 6 feet.

Loop Installation - Saw Cut Type

1 Mark the loop layout on the pavement. Remove sharp inside corners that can damage the loop wire insulation.
2 Set the saw to cut to a depth (typically 2" to 2.5") that ensures a minimum of 1" from the top of the wire to pavement

surface. The saw cut width should be larger than the wire diameter to avoid damage to the wire insulation when placed
in the saw slot. Cut the loop and feeder slots. Remove all debris from the saw slot with compressed air. Check that the
bottom of the slot is smooth.

3 It is highly recommended that a continuous length of wire be used to form the loop and feeder to the detector. Loop

wire is typically 14, 16, 18, or 20 AWG with cross-linked polyethylene insulation. Use a wood stick or roller to insert the
wire to the bottom of the saw slot (do not use sharp objects). Wrap the wire in the loop saw slot until the desired

number of turns is reached. Each turn of wire must lay flat on top of the previous turn.
4 The wire must be twisted together a minimum of 6 twists per foot from the end of the saw slot to the detector.
5 The wire must be held firmly in the slot with 1" pieces of backer rod every 1 to 2 feet. This prevents the wire from

floating when the loop sealant is applied.
6 Apply the sealant. The sealant selected should have good adhering properties with contraction and expansion

characteristics similar to those of the pavement material.

LOOP PERIMETER NUMBER OF TURNS

10 feet - 13 feet 5
14 feet - 26 feet 4
27 feet - 45 feet 3

46 feet - 100 feet 2

100 feet and up 1

1

1/8" to 1/4" SAW SLOT

THE WIRE IS
CONTINUOUSLY WOUND
IN THE LOOP SAW SLOT
FOR THE REQUIRED
NUMBER OF TURNS (2
turns shown)

turn 2

turn 1

3

FEEDER SLOT

REMOVE SHARP
INSIDE CORNERS

THE WIRES MUST BE
TWISTED TOGETHER
6 TWISTS PER FOOT
FROM THE END OF
THE SAW CUT TO
THE DETECTOR

ROAD SURFACE

6

SEALANT

5

BACKER ROD
1" piece spaced
about every 1'

LOOP WIRE

3 TURNS

4

END OF SAW CUT

Recommended Loop Wire: Reno LW-120 for 1/8" slots
Reno LW-116-S for 1/4" slots

Reno A & E

4655 Aircenter Circle

Reno, NV 89502-5948 USA

Telephone: [phone]

Fax: [phone]

Website: www.renoae.com

E-mail: [e-mail]

C

OPERATING INSTRUCTIONS FOR

Model BX Series

B

I. General:

Please verify source voltage before applying power. The model designation indicates the input power required,
output configuration, and Fail-Safe / Fail-Secure configura tion for the detector as follows.

The detector is factory configured for either Fail-Safe or Fail-Secure operation (see unit side label). The output
state of each output relay in either Fail-Safe or Fail-Secure mode is listed in the table below.

II. Indicators and Controls:

i. Power / Detect / Fail LEDs:

SAW SLOT

2

MIN

1"

ii. Front Panel Rotary Switch (Sensitivity):

SINGLE CHANNEL LOOP DETECTORS

Model BX-x-xx-x Blank = Fail-Safe, S = Fail-Secure
Blank = Conventional Outputs

RO = Reversed Outputs
E = Euro Outputs
3 = 120 VAC
4 = 12 VDC / 24 VDC / 24 VAC
8 = 240 VAC

Relay

Power Failure Loop Failure Power Failure Loop Failure

A
B

No Call No Call No Call No Call

The detector has one green and two red LED indicators that are used to provide an indication of the
detector’s power status, output state, and/or loop failure conditions. The table below lists the various
indications and their meanings.

Status PWR (Power) LED DET (Detect) LED FAIL LED

Off
On

No power or low power Output(s) Off Loop OK

Normal power to detector Output(s) On Open Loop

Flash

Note: If the supply voltage drops below 75% of the nominal level, the PWR LED will turn off, providing a
visual indication of low supply voltage. Model BX detectors will operate with supply voltage as low as 70%
of nominal supply voltage.

The eight-position rotary switch selects one of eight (8) sensitivity levels as shown in the table
belo w. 0 is low est and 7 is hig hes t, w ith nor mal (fa cto ry d efau lt) bei ng 3. Use the lowest sensitivity
setting that will consistently detect the smallest vehicle that must be detected. Do not use a sensitivity level
higher than necessary.

Position 0 1 2 3 * 4 5 6 7

-∆L/L

1.28% 0.64% 0.32%

* Factory default setting.

Fail-Safe Fail-Secure

Call Call No Call No Call

N/A

4 Hz - Two second timing

delay activated

0.16%

0.08% 0.04% 0.02% 0.01%

*

1 Hz - Shorted Loop

3 Hz - Prior Loop Failure

Model BX Operating Instructions 04-21-05 4 Reno A & E P/N 551-2900-02

iii. Front Panel DIP Switches:

Switch ON OFF Factory Default

1
2

3
4
5

6
7

8

(Overrides Switches 7 & 8)

Presence Mode B Relay Pulse Mode B Relay OFF

(See Table under Frequency Section)

Limited Presence True Presence

Sensitivity Boost No Boost OFF

Two Second Delay No Delay OFF

Fault Output B Relay

Exit Pulse B Relay Entry Pulse B Relay OFF

Frequency

TM

OFF

Presence / Pulse B Relay OFF

OFF
OFF

Frequency (DIP Switches 1 and 2):

In situations where loop geometry forces loops to be located in close proximity to one another, it may be
necessary to select different frequencies for each loop to avoid loop interference, commonly known as
crosstalk. DIP switches 1 and 2 can be used to configure the detector to operate at one of four frequencies
corresponding to Low, Medium / Low, Medium / High, and High as shown in the table below.

NOTE: After changing any frequency switch setting(s), the detector must be reset by momentarily
changing one of the other switch positions.

Switch

1
2

* Factory default setting.

Low (0) Medium / Low (1)

ON OFF ON OFF *
ON ON OFF OFF *

Frequency

Medium / High

(2)

High (3) *

Presence Hold Time (DIP Switch 3):

Output A always functions as a presence output. DIP switch 3 can be used to select one of two presence
hold times; Limited Presen ce or T rue Presenc eTM. Both modes provide a Call output when a vehicle is
present in the loop detection zone. True PresenceTM is selected when DIP switch 3 is OFF. If DIP
switch 3 is ON, Limited Presence is selected. Limited Presence will typically hold the Call output for
about one to three hours. True PresenceTM will hold the Call as long as the vehicle is present in the loop
detection zone provided that power is not interrupted or the detector is not reset. TruePresenceTM time
applies only for normal size automobiles and trucks and for normal size loops (approximately 12 ft2 to 120
ft2). The factory default setting is OFF (True PresenceTM Mode).

Sensitivity Boost (DIP Switch 4):

DIP switch 4 can be turned ON to increase sensitivity during the detect period without changing the
sensitivity during the no detect period. The boost feature has the effect of temporarily increasing the
sensitivity setting by up to two levels. When a vehicle enters the loop detection zone, the detector
automatically boosts the sensitivity level. As soon as no vehicle is detected, the detector immediately
returns to the original sensitivity level. This feature is particularly useful in preventing dropouts during the
passage of high bed vehicles. The factory default setting is OFF (no Sensitivity Boost).

Output Delay (DIP Switch 5):

A two second delay of Outputs A and B can be activated by setting DIP switch 5 to the ON position.
Output delay is the time the detector outputs are delayed after a vehicle first enters the loop detection zone.
If the two second Output Delay feature is activated, the output relays will only be turned on after two
seconds have passed with a vehicle continuously present in the loop detection zone. If the vehicle leaves
the loop detection zone during the two second delay interval, detection is aborted and the next vehicle to
enter the loop detection zone will initiate a new full two second delay interval. The detector provides an
indication that a vehicle is being detected but that the outputs are being delayed, by flashing the front panel

DET LED at a four Hz rate with a 50% duty cycle. The factory default setting is OFF (no Output Delay).
Relay B Fault Output (DIP Switch 6):

When DIP switch 6 is in the ON position, Output B will operate in Fault mode. When operating in Fault
mode, Relay B will provide a fault indication only when a loop fault condition exists. If a loss of power
occurs, Relay B will operate as a Fail-Secure output. If the loop fault condition self-corrects, Relay B will
resume operation in the No Fault output state. The factory default setting is OFF (Relay B Presence or
Pulse).

NOTE: Setting this switch to the ON position overrides the settings of DIP switches 7 and 8.

Relay B Output Mode (DIP Switches 7 and 8):

Relay B has four (4) modes of operation: Pulse-on-Entry, Pulse-on-Exit, Presence, and Fault. Fault mode
is selected with DIP switch 6. (See the Relay B Fault Output section on page 2 for details.) DIP
switches 7 and 8 are used to configure the Presenc e and/or Pulse output modes of Relay B.

When set to operate in Pulse mode (DIP switch 8 set to OFF), Relay B can be set to provide a 250
millisecond pulse when a vehicle enters or ex its the loop detection zone. DIP switch 7 is used to select
Pulse-on-Entry or Pulse-on-Exit. When DIP switch 7 is OFF, Pulse-on-Entry is selected. When DIP
switch 7 is ON, Pulse-on-Exit is selected.

When set to operate in Presence mode (DIP switch 8 set to ON), Output B presence hold time is the same
as Output A.

The table below shows the various combinations of sw itch settings and Relay B modes of operation.

Switch Pulse-on-Entry * Pulse-on-Exit Presence Presence

7
8

* Factory default setting.

OFF * ON OFF ON
OFF * OFF ON ON

III. Reset:

Changing any DIP switch position (except 1 or 2) or the Sensitivity level setting will reset the detector. After
changing the frequency selection switche s, the detector must be reset.

IV. Call Memory:

When power is removed for two seconds or less, the detector automatically remembers if a vehicle was present
and a Call was in effect. When power is restored, the detector will continue to output a Call until the vehicle
leaves the loop detection zone (loss of power or power dips of two seconds or less will not bring a gate arm
down onto cars as they wait at the gate).

V. Failed Loop Diagnostics:

The FAIL LED indicates whether or not the loop is currently within tolerance. If the loop is out of tolerance,
the FAIL LED indicates whether the loop is shorted (one Hz flash rate) or open (stead y ON). If and when the
loop returns to within tolerance, the FAIL LED will flash at a three flashes per second rate to indicate that an
intermittent loop fault has occurred and has been corrected. This flash rate will continue until another loop fault
occurs, the detector is reset, or power to the detector is interrupted.

VI. Pin Connections (Reno A & E Wiring Harness Model 802-4):

Pin Wire Color

1
2

3

4

5

6
7

8
9

10

11

Note: All pin connections listed above are with power applied, loop(s) connected, and no vehicle detected.

Black AC Line / DC + AC Line / DC + AC Line / DC +
White AC Neutral / DC Common AC Neutral / DC Common AC Neutral / DC Common

Orange

Green No Connection No Connection
Yellow

Blue
Gray Loop Loop Loop

Brown Loop Loop Loop

Red

Violet or

Black / White

White / Green or

Red / White

Conventional

Outputs

Relay B,
Normally Open (N.O.)

Relay A,
Common
Relay A,
Normally Open (N.O.)

Relay B,
Common
Relay A,
Normally Closed (N.C.)
Relay B,
Normally Closed (N.C.)

Function

Reversed Outputs Euro Outputs

Relay B,
Normally Closed (N.C.)

Relay A,
Common
Relay A,
Normally Closed (N.C.)

Relay B,
Common
Relay A,
Normally Open (N.O.)
Relay B,
Normally Open (N.O.)

Relay B,
Normally Open (N.O.)
Relay B,
Common
Relay A,
Normally Open (N.O.)
Relay A,
Common

No Connection
Relay A,

Normally Closed (N.C.)
Relay B,
Normally Closed (N.C.)

VII. Warnings:

Separately, for each loop, a twisted pair should be created consisting of only two (2) loop wires running the
entire distance from the loop to the detector (including runs through all wiring harnesses) at a minimum of six
(6) complete twists per foot. For trouble free operation, it is highly recommended that all connections
(including crimped connectors) be soldered.

2 3