SPECIAL REPORT

HOW TO TROUBLESHOOT
AND CALIBRATE

4-20 mA
 www.controldesign.com

How to troubleshoot and

calibrate 4-20 mA
Best practices for troubleshooting analog circuits to the PLC
By Mike Bacidore, editor in chief

A
Control Design reader writes: We have several temperature, pressure and flow
sensors on a new medical-device cleaning skid that we are developing. These in-
struments are connected to a PLC as 4-20 mA inputs, and there is also a 4-20 mA
output used to control a pump motor speed. A recent failure of a flow sensor brought the
process skid instrumentation to my company’s quality manager’s attention. He asked how
we know that the temperatures, pressure and flow are accurate, and how do we know that
we are cleaning properly. I’ve been tasked to write a procedure for troubleshooting, cali-
brating and testing the 4-20 mA instruments on the skid. I can probably stumble through
this, but what are some best practices for troubleshooting the analog circuits to the PLC;
how do I calibrate the instruments; and how should I periodically test the devices? Should I
add programming to the PLC and HMI to simplify these functions?

How to troubleshoot and calibrate 4-20 mA 2


ANSWERS
BEST PRACTICES, CALIBRATION
AND PROGRAMMING
What are some best practices for trouble-
shooting the analog circuits to the PLC?
Once the skid has completed startup and
commissioning, there is a limited amount
of troubleshooting to maintain the system.
If a short in the wiring occurs in the analog
wires, you will likely get a blown fuse indica-
tion. If an open occurs in the analog wires,
you likely have a loose termination and
this will be found with continuity checks.
For failures in the transmitter, the indica-
tion will either be an overdriven signal (>20
mAdc, for example, 22 mAdc) or a signal
significantly below zero, such as 3.5 mAdc.
The direction the transmitter drives to in
a failure mode will depend on whether the
transmitter is set up to provide an upscale
or downscale burnout (upscale 22 mAdc
vs. downscale 3.5 mAdc). The determina-
tion of which failure mode to use—upscale
or downscale burnout—depends on the use
of the transmitter. This selection is made
based on making the loop failsafe. For ex-
ample, if it is a temperature transmitter and
it is used for a high-temperature interlock,
we would select upscale burnout. In con-
trast, assume a flow transmitter for control-
ling the cooling for motor bearings. If we
have a flow transmitter failure, we may want
to apply full cooling. If so, we would prefer
a downscale burnout so that we respond by
applying full flow.
How to troubleshoot and calibrate 4-20 mA 3
www.controldesign.com
How do I calibrate the instruments; and
how should I periodically test the devices?
Instrument calibration should be performed
by a qualified instrument technician. If you
choose to self-perform, it may be best to
shadow a third-party technician until you
have purchased the necessary calibration
equipment and learned the skills needed to
do the calibrations. Calibration serves as the
testing of the devices, and the test or cali-
bration interval is determined by the level of
accuracy required for your application. Ob-
viously the higher the required accuracy is,
the more often calibration will be required.
Typically annual calibrations are sufficient;
however, this will need to be determined
from experience with this specific equip-
ment and application.
Should I add programming to the PLC and
HMI to simplify these functions? No pro-
gramming is necessary or helpful in simpli-
fying the calibration work; however, good
alarming is always helpful in troubleshoot-
ing and maintaining a control system. While
adequate alarming is important, also con-
sider moderation when applying alarms. If
you flood the HMI with too many alarms in
an attempt to build in troubleshooting intel-
ligence, you will overwhelm the equipment
operator. Also, excessive alarms can quickly
become a nuisance, so they begin to be ig-
nored. A flood of redundant alarms can also
distract from a pertinent or critical alarm
that may be missed as a result of overuse.

In addition to a proper calibration inter-
val, quality checks of the signals can aid in
detecting a deteriorating transmitter. For
example, as a transmitter begins to lose
its accuracy, the calibrated span typically
shifts above or below zero (4 mAdc). For
example, in a flow transmitter, the 16 mAdc
span (4–20 mAdc) may still be accurate
but, with zero flow through the sensing
element, the transmitter may be sending a
signal of 4.3 mAdc. This means that a 20.3
mAdc output may represent full flow in-
stead of 20 mAdc. To detect this condition
you may consider doing off-state verifica-
tion. In short, by monitoring the flow signal
when the pump is not running, you will
catch an elevated zero as an indication of
a need for calibration. The same technique
could be used to indicate an improperly
calibrated pressure transmitter. A compari-
son of pump speed to flow and pressure is
another means of qualifying the accuracy
of these transmitters. It will only detect a
gross error, but this may be useful data
depending on the application.
— Tim Green, director of field services,
Maverick Technologies, www.mavtechglobal.com
Columbia, Illinois
LET’S GET DIGITAL
This gentleman indicates he’s using purely
4-20 mA instrumentation on his system.
There are no “smarts” in analog. If he’s using
HART on his 4-20 mA instruments, then there
is hope. Without it, then he’s only going to be
able to verify calibration and segment integ-
How to troubleshoot and calibrate 4-20 mA 4
www.controldesign.com
rity, like making sure there isn’t a VFD nearby
that would throw out electromagnetic inter-
ference that would distort signal.
Calibration of the instruments are fairly
straightforward when using standard cali-
bration tools, but will vary between instru-
ment manufacturers.
Given that 4-20 mA instruments aren’t
smart—able to diagnose themselves or alert
operations to issues—I would think there is
definitely periodic testing that should occur.
In today’s day and age, I would be recom-
mending to this individual that he consider
a digital solution that provides a lot more
robust information about the health of the
skid. HART is a simple upgrade to an exist-
ing 4-20 mA skid and provides familiarity.
If the individual wants to make a drastic
step change and go fully digital with some
increased horsepower, he should consider
Foundation Fieldbus (FF). FF actually makes
for fantastic solutions in skid mounts be-
cause everything can be completed at the
factory level and then, when delivered on
site, it’s as simple as landing a trunk line to
the host system and you can rock and roll.
— Talon Petty, marketing and business development
manager, FieldComm Group,
www.fieldcommgroup.org
CALIBRATE INPUT/OUTPUT
First, the calibration and verification of cali-
bration depends on the type of sensor used.
I will include general calibration procedure
at the end. There are several things that can

be done in the design stage to increase the
reliability of a system using analog sensors.
The use of 0-20 mA analog cards instead
of 4-20 mA analog cards will allow the
program to detect a signal less than 4 mA,
which could mean a sensor is bad or the
signal cable has a break in it. Without this
check, the PLC would just assume the ana-
log signal is at its lowest state.
Another design method can be to use
redundant sensors—one could be assigned
as the primary signal, and the logic could
be programmed such that if one of these
signals varies by x%, then an error message
is sent and the program could either shut
down or choose which sensor to use and
call for maintenance to resolve.
In general, there should always be a me-
chanical gauge on the equipment that
would allow an operator or maintenance
person to make sure that the measured
signal on the HMI matches the mechanical
gauge within reason.
Within the program, several checks can be
made to ensure that the sensors are work-
ing as required.
1. Verify that the signal is at its resting state,
(4 mA or 20 mA, depending on its func-
tion) when the system is turned off.
2. Verify that the signal changes when the
part of the system related to this device
is started up.
How to troubleshoot and calibrate 4-20 mA 5
www.controldesign.com
3. Verify that the signals are changing with
respect to changes in the process that af-
fects that signal.
4. If the normal response time for a certain
output to be registered as an anticipated
input can be determined, then this can be
checked on a frequent basis to determine
if the system response is within expecta-
tions. If it is not, then the system may have
to be checked and possibly re-calibrated.
5. As part of the maintenance procedure,
the gauges mentioned above could be
checked on a regular basis.
Calibration of the loops is required both at
commissioning and also when an issue has
been detected by the methods indicated
above. The loops should be verified both at
the low (zero or 4 mA) end, and then the
span is calibrated to obtain the correct set-
ting for the high (100% or 20 mA) end.
For input devices: The analog system is best
tested from the source to the PLC. Devices
can be used to inject generated signals into
the PLC, but this does not test the sensor.
1. The input sensors have a procedure to set
the sensor to provide a zero (4 mA) signal.
2. By connecting a calibrated meter with
the current loop, the actual current flow-
ing can be read.
3. The PLC should have the ability in setup
mode to consider this reading to be the
zero point, even if it is not quite accurate.
4. The sensor should be set to provide the
high (20 mA) signal or the span.

5. Again, the meter should verify this is pro-
ducing close to 20 mA.
6. The PLC should then be set to read this
value to the high setting.
7. Note that the new low setting and the
new high setting will be the minimum
and maximum set points of the scaling
of the loop.
8. Further verification can be made by ap-
plying a known value to the sensor and
verifying that the PLC reads the same
value. For instance, if the device is mea-
suring pressure and its range is 0-100
psi, then the sensor could be attached
to a pressure source with a calibrated
source. If 0 psi and 100 psi are applied,
then the PLC should read the same val-
ues. This additional calibration should
also be conducted after the meter used
for calibration has been taken out of the
circuit to make sure the circuit has been
reconnected correctly.
For output devices: Again, the whole loop
should be tested at the same time.
1. In this case the PLC setup should allow
the output loop to generate a low
(4 mA) signal.
2. A
 calibrated meter should be connected
into the current loop so the actual current
flowing can be read.
3. Once the low signal is generated, the
output of the controlled device needs to
be determined. Furthermore, the out-
put device needs to be manipulated by
changing the output loop to make sure
How to troubleshoot and calibrate 4-20 mA 6
www.controldesign.com
the output will increase linearly from this
zero position as the signal increases. If
the zero point is determined to be 4.2
mA, then the setup routine should re-
cord this value as the zero point, or the
output device should be adjusted.
4. In this case, the PLC setup should allow
the output loop to generate a high (20
mA) signal or the span.
5. A calibrated meter should be connected
into the current loop so the actual current
flowing can be read.
6. Once the high signal is generated, the
output of the controlled device needs
to be determined. Furthermore, the out-
put device needs to be manipulated by
changing the output loop to make sure
the output will decrease linearly from
this max position as the signal decreas-
es. If the span point is determined to be
19.5 mA, then the setup routine should
record this value as the span point or
the output device should be adjusted.
7. N
 ote that the new low setting and the
new high setting will be the minimum
and maximum set points of the scaling
of the loop.
— Kevin J Pitts, automation application engineer,
Eaton, www.eaton.com
4 QUESTIONS
How do we know that we are cleaning
properly?
1. There are specific cleaning requirements
that you can research through the U.S.
Food & Drug Administration. Piping,

installation of instruments and cleaning
methods all need to be researched.
2. S
 ome of these methods, such as clean-
in-place (CIP) or remove and clean, will
depend on his application.
3. There are also specific chemicals to use,
as well as a time limit for cleaning.
4. L
 astly, the way the instruments are in-
stalled, the actual materials used in the
process and whether they will affect the
instruments all come into play as to how
you would clean the system.
How do we troubleshoot, calibrate and test
the instruments?
1. The instrument manufacturer should have
a documented procedure for testing and
calibrating each instrument.
2. T
 here are specific pieces of test equip-
ment used for each device in-place.
3. The International Society of Automation
(ISA) has a number of good manuals that
cover calibration, testing, startup and
troubleshooting.
How do I test the PLC?
1. PLCs normally do not need calibration
after the initial programming and testing.
My experience is that they are pass/fail.
By that, I mean the input is either good or
it is bad. The PLC should have the capa-
bility to differentiate between the two
conditions. The same goes for outputs.
How do we know that the instruments are
accurate?
How to troubleshoot and calibrate 4-20 mA 7
www.controldesign.com
1. Each Instrument has an accuracy state-
ment and depending on how you calibrate
and test will determine how accurate your
instruments really are.
2. This is where you need a good instrument
service company to take a role in your
maintenance and calibration process.
3. Look to partner with a service company
that is ISO and ISA quality-compliant and
certified.
4. Your relationship with that service orga-
nization will increase your confidence in
the accuracy of your instruments.
— Antonio J. Biondo, northeast regional service account
manager, measurement & analytics, ABB,
www.abb.com
LOOK FOR LINEARITY
First and foremost, the questions you are
asking about are handled differently be-
tween companies and even between lines
with different requirements. So, the short
answer is there is no real “standard” to go
by. In our experience, calibration of analog
equipment should occur every year, but it
may be more frequent depending on how
accurate the signal is required to be. As for
the procedure to troubleshoot the equip-
ment, it may closely resemble the calibra-
tion procedure, or at a minimum include
components of the calibration process. If
possible, consider side-by-side testing for
equipment calibration or better yet, NIST
traceable paths. Using NIST traceable tests
may help to confirm the display readings
and that the equipment is accurately cali-
brated. Realistically, there should be a linear

relationship between the required signal
accuracy and how often the equipment is
maintained, or calibrated.
— Jeff Thornton, product manager—automation,
Red Lion Controls, www.redlion.net
BETTER TO PREDICT AND PREVENT
I cannot offer much on best practices,
troubleshooting and calibration procedures
since these are all post-mortem steps after
an incident occurs. I am suggesting hav-
ing the foresight to see these events occur
before a downtime or quality event causes
action to be taken. Predictive analytics and
applying machine-learning agents detect
early onset anomalies that can prevent
such events. The need for developing good
troubleshooting and calibration procedures
will always be standard practice, but the
value to the client to predict and apply pro-
active procedures to see a problem develop
surpasses any traditional methods.
— Aldo Ferrante, president and CEO,
ITG Technologies, www.itgtec.com, CSIA
(www.controlsys.org) member, Jacksonville, Florida
BLACK BODY TAPE
This is directly from our instruction manual
for our temperature sensor lineup. The
black body tape will have a fixed emissivity,
so, as long as you can adjust the emissivity
of your sensor, this will work fine. If it isn’t
adjustable, likely the sensor will be set at a
.95 emissivity. At this point, take a target
with a known temperature and apply the
black body tape to it and follow the se-
quence below.
How to troubleshoot and calibrate 4-20 mA 8
www.controldesign.com
If the emissivity and temperature of the
measurement target are unknown, use the
optional black body tape to take simplified
measurements.
1. Stick the black body tape to the measure-
ment target, heat it to a suitable tem-
perature (+20 °C (+68 °F) or more above
room temperature), and maintain that
temperature as best as possible.
2. Set the emissivity to 0.95 (emissivity of
black body tape).
3. Measure the temperature of the portion
of the target covered in black body tape
and take note of the measured value.
4. Remove the black body tape and measure
the temperature of the target on an area
that is close to the area measured in 3.
5. Choose “set by temperature” and enter
the temperature measured in 3 to set the
emissivity.
6. The emissivity of the measurement target
is set.
In terms of frequency of monitoring, the
more often the better, but monthly is typi-
cally adequate, depending on how dirty the
process is. These checks can be done in a
manual or an automated fashion, but I’ve
seen HMI buttons for calibration that would
require setting master parts in the fixtures.
Doing it manually will take time, but hav-
ing a constant-temperature-rated item with
the black body tape applied can be a quick
check any operator can perform during
changeover. Based on the complexity of the
PLC programming, making sure it is aware
of a calibration will be important if the cali-

brated black body item is not going to be in
the exact temperature range.
— Michael Gorsky, sales specialist,
Keyence, www.keyence.com
TROUBLESHOOT, CALIBRATE,
TEST AND PROGRAM
I manage the instrumentation service group
for Interstates. I have techs based in the
Midwest that troubleshoot and calibrate
instrumentation on a daily basis. I ran across
your questions and wanted to offer my ad-
vice regarding your request. I will touch on
each of the following areas below regarding
your medical device cleaning skid, including
pressure, temperature and flow devices, as
well as a control valve and a PLC.
Troubleshooting: Each of your devices
should be sending a 4-20 mA single to the
PLC, and the PLC should be sending a 4-20
mA to your control valve. I recommend the
following if issues occur:
First start by checking the signal to/from
each device. A good, non-intrusive method
of checking for this signal would be to use a
clamp-on dc Amp meter, such as the Fluke
773. This device allows for measuring the
current, without having to lift any wires.
If your loop current is above 20 mA, you
likely have an error in the device or a short
in the wiring.
If your loop current is below 4 mA , your
How to troubleshoot and calibrate 4-20 mA 9
www.controldesign.com
instrument may be in error, or your device
(PT, TT, FT, or valve) may not be receiving
voltage (check analog output point, check
fuses, check wiring).
Calibration instructions: Calibration of these
devices will determine if they are accurately
reading the process variable (flow, pressure
or temperature), as well as verify that they
are accurately outputting the mA represent-
ing the measured variable. Special equip-
ment is needed for each type of device: a
hand pump and pressure gauge for the PT;
a temperature calibrator (hot block) for the
TT; and a flow calibration skid for the FT.
Finally, a mA meter will be needed for mea-
suring the output. It is recommended that
all of this special equipment is certified (for
example, NIST traceable) to ensure it is ac-
curate enough to serve as the reference for
the calibration.
If, after the calibration testing, it is determined
that any of the devices are outside of the pre-
determined accuracy specs, adjustment can
be done to the device to bring it into toler-
ance. This is typically carried out by operating
the user interface on the device (buttons and
display, if equipped), or by communicating to
the device via HART communication, such as
HART 475 handheld device.
PLC testing and troubleshooting: The
instructions in the above section serve as a
good method for periodically testing the de-

vice. Typically, we perform the above checks
for our clients’ instruments annually at the
very least. If any of the devices are critical to
the process or to the safety of their opera-
tors, we typically test them once per quarter.
Testing of the PLC: This is most easily done
by simulating a 4-20 mA signal into the
inputs or the PLC (directly at the card) or
measure the output of the PLC. If the PLC/
HMI is properly displaying the simulated
valve and outputting the measured value, it
is typically fair to assume that your PLC is
properly functioning.
Add programming to PLC? Some additional
programming to the PLC that could aid in
troubleshooting and/or calibration would
be the following:
• Interlock bypassing: If there are any
control loops on the skid, it would be
beneficial to add a bypass button to the
HMI that could be used during testing. For
example, if the control valve is modulated
off of the signal received by one of the
devices (pressure, temperature or flow), it
would swing open or closed if the output
of any of the devices is being simulated.
A bypass button would allow for stopping
the valve from moving, while simulating
the output of any of the devices.
• Remote access to skid for monitoring and
troubleshooting: Each of the instruments
and valves likely has HART communica-
tion if it is an analog device. Assuming it
How to troubleshoot and calibrate 4-20 mA 10
www.controldesign.com
does, the technology exists for commu-
nicating, configuring and troubleshooting
each of these devices without being on-
site. This is done by using HART-enabled
analog input/output cards, as well as
connecting the skid to the client’s network
via Ethernet. To access the instruments
remotely, all that would be needed is a
VPN connection to the client’s network, as
well as some special software to commu-
nicate with the devices. Interstates com-
monly uses this technology to offer clients
troubleshooting advice, or even fix instru-
ment issues without being on-site.
—A
 dam Dittbenner, PE, instrumentation service man-
ager, Interstates Construction Services,
http://www.interstates.com/
CSIA, www.controlsys.org
certified systems integrator
TROUBLESHOOT THE LOOPS
The temperature, pressure and flow sen-
sors on the skid are most likely connected
to 4-20 mA process transmitters. These
transmitters will accept the temperature
sensor, flow sensor or pressure sensor
as input and in turn produce a 4-20 mA
output signal, which is connected to the
PLC analog input channel. At some point,
a linear scaling would need to have been
implemented in the PLC software for each
4-20 mA loop in order to get the process
readings in engineering units (°F or °C for
temperature, gpm for flow, psi for pres-
sure). For example, if the pressure sensor
measures 0-30 psi and the transmitter
produces 4-20 mA output, then a signal

of 4 mA is equal to 0 psi, and a signal
of 20 mA is equal to 30 psi with a linear
relationship (y = mx + b) in between these
points. Once this type of relationship is
programmed into the PLC for each chan-
nel, then assuming that everything else in
the loops is working properly the readings
should be correct. If the process readings
(temperature, pressure, flow) appear to
be incorrect, then there could be several
reasons why. There could be an issue
with the 4-20 mA loop wiring (broken or
loose wire), loss of power supply (most
4-20 mA loops require 24 Vdc power) or
a defective transmitter. To troubleshoot
the loops, make a visual inspection of the
wiring and confirm that 24 Vdc power is
in fact being provided by the loop power
supply by testing with a digital voltmeter.
If the wiring and power supply are veri-
fied, then the transmitter can be checked
by disconnecting the 4-20 mA output
signal from the PLC analog input and sub-
stituting a 4-20 mA input from a process
loop calibrator. With this type of calibra-
tor, a current value anywhere between
4 mA and 20 mA can be simulated to
verify that the PLC analog input chan-
nel is reading correctly. If the PLC analog
input channel reads correctly with the
calibrator input but not when the actual
process transmitter output is connected,
then most likely the transmitter needs to
be replaced.
— Anthony Corvini, product manager,
Omega Engineering, www.omega.com
How to troubleshoot and calibrate 4-20 mA 11
www.controldesign.com
CALIBRATION
Periodic calibration is a vital procedure to
maintain seamless operation and optimize
uptime for nearly all machines. But at what
interval should you perform these peri-
odic maintenance operations? The answer
depends entirely on your individual opera-
tion, how the environment changes and
how susceptible the instrumentation is to
the change in environment. Periodic calibra-
tion ensures that measurements are within
prescribed tolerance limits.
Typically, calibrations are performed on
an annual basis, but that could change
based on the system requirement. Measur-
ing environmental factors, such as shock,
vibration and temperature, as well as opera-
tional figures within the chosen tolerance,
will help to build an historical basis upon
which necessary calibration intervals can be
determined. A robust accounting of system
health and operating figures will enable
maintenance personnel to address possible
issues before they escalate into inefficient
operation or worse, downtime.
EtherCAT diagnostics are a standard feature
set in the EtherCAT fieldbus. This establishes
built-in topology recognition down to the in-
dividual I/O terminals. EtherCAT system veri-
fication cannot only take place during start-
up; automatic read-in of the network is also
possible (configuration upload). Bit faults
during data transfer are reliably detected
through evaluation of the CRC checksum in

each EtherCAT device. Apart from breaking-
point detection and localization, the pro-
tocol, transfer physics and topology of the
EtherCAT system enable quality monitoring
of each individual transmission segment.
The automatic evaluation of the associated
error counters enables precise localization of
critical network sections. Gradual or chang-
ing sources of error such as EMC influences,
defective connectors or cable damage are
detected and located.
This diagnostic functionality provides an
excellent means to monitor system health,
particularly by leveraging the speed of the
EtherCAT industrial Ethernet system and
the data management and analytics capa-
bilities of IoT solutions. System and pro-
duction data can be accessed in real-time,
anywhere in the world, enabling analysis by
decision-makers and/or engineers who may
or may not be on-site.
— Andy Garrido and Sree Potluri, I/O specialists, Beck-
hoff Automation, www.beckhoff.com
NO CALIBRATION NECESSARY
PLC analog inputs should not need calibra-
tion. As a matter of fact, how would you do
it when the analog modules have no adjust-
ments and are all solid-state components/
microprocessor chips? Calibrating the
transducers of the devices connected to the
analog inputs should probably be done ev-
ery six months to a year, but there’s nothing
to calibrate/adjust on a PLC analog module
to my knowledge.
How to troubleshoot and calibrate 4-20 mA 12
www.controldesign.com
Contact the manufacturer of whichever PLC
that is being used and ask that question.
They will most likely say that no calibration is
needed. They also publish analog input accu-
racy and it may even vary with temperature,
but again there are is nothing to adjust.
— Jim Rosner, lead industrial application engineer, con-
trols and power conversion division, Eaton,
www.eaton.com/electrical
TWO-POINT SHIFT
Verifying analog sensor readings are ac-
curate can improve product quality and
increase machine uptime. The use of this
maintenance and troubleshooting proce-
dure for a system containing a transmit-
ter with a 4-20 mA analog signal, receiver
(PLC) and possibly a loop power supply can
show you how to optimize your machine.
Measure transmitter signal: The technician
can measure the transmitter by removing
the wires to the PLC and checking the wires
from the transducer with a current meter
to see if the device is producing 4-20 mA.
A signal present means the PLC input is
bad and should be replaced. If the signal is
not present, check the transmitter and loop
power if present.
Transmitter loop power: Some transmit-
ters produce their own internal loop power,
while other transmitters require an external
loop power supply (Figure 1).
If the system uses an external loop power
supply, a digital multimeter (DMM) can be
 www.controldesign.com

EXTERNAL LOOP POWER

INTERNAL LOOP POWER

XMITER XMITER

+ +

–
– 4 to 20mA
PWR PWR
+
+ +
–
– –
PLC
PLC
+ +

–
–

LOOP POWER
Figure 1: Some transmitters produce their own internal loop power, while other transmitters require
an external loop power supply.

used to measure the power supply to see if
it is producing at the correct voltage. If this
is faulty, the power supply needs to be re-
placed. If the power supply checks out, then
most likely the transducer is bad.
If the device has an internal loop power, a
DMM set in current mode can be used to
measure the signal at the transmitter. If the
signal is not present and the power sup-
ply powering the device is good, then the
transducer is bad. If the signal is present,
the same test can be done at the PLC input
with the system’s wiring removed from
the PLC input and the meter attached to
the transmitter wiring. If the signal is not
present at the PLC, the wiring needs to be
checked for loose or broken connections.
Signal accuracy: In some cases, the accura-
cy of the process signal needs to be tested.
It is recommended to use a high-quality
process meter that is calibrated to calibrate
the system. With most transducers, the
manufacture will supply the scaling for the
device in the data sheet. The information
provides the scale the device will produce
based on the 4-20 mA. For example, a tem-
perature device may produce a -50 °C to
200 °C based on the 4-20 mA signal. Know-
ing this ratio allows the technician to supply
a 4-20 mA current into the system to see if
the readout is correct.
Other times the system needs to be cali-
brated to the application. This requires an
external device to measure the amount of

How to troubleshoot and calibrate 4-20 mA 13

 www.controldesign.com

Temperature indicated
by Controller
After offset
Upper limit of
set range, YH Upper-limit
(e.g., 260 C) temperature Input

Indicated temp. after Before offset

offset, X2 (e.g., 110 C)

Indicated temp. before

offset, Y2 (e.g., 105 C)

Indicated temp. before

offset, Y1 (e.g., 40 C)
Indicated temp. after
offset, X1 (e.g., 25 C)

Lower-limit
temperature Input
X1, Room temp. X2, Near set point Temperature
Lower limit of (e.g., 25 C) (e.g., 110 C) Indicated by
set range, thermometer
YL (e.g., 0 C)

TWO-POINT INPUT SHIFT

Figure 2: This example uses temperature, but this can be used for any linear application. The input
value is shifted at two points: near room temperature and near the set point. Check the temperature
of the sensing object with a calibrated device and the temperature indicated on the controller/dis-
play at both near room temperature and near the set point.

heat or flow. Then compare the reading from the external device to the actual sensor. In this
case, an offset may need to be entered into the raw signal the measuring device is produc-
ing. If this is the case, one way to do this is to take two separate readings. The further away
the two readings are, the more accurate the calibration will be. How accurate the system
needs to be determines if a single offset will be sufficient or if a two-point shift would need
to be implemented. With a single shift the slope remains the same and a positive or nega-
tive offset would be applied. Providing a two-point shift allows the ability to change the
slope of the overall readout.

The formula is a good way to determine what values are needed when doing a two-point
shift (Figure 2). The example is using temperature, but this can be used for any linear
application.

How to troubleshoot and calibrate 4-20 mA 14

 www.controldesign.com

1. The input value is shifted at two points: near room temperature and near the set point.
Check the temperature of the sensing object with a calibrated device and the temperature
indicated on the controller/display at both near room temperature and near the set point.
2. Use the following formulas to calculate the upper-limit temperature value (offset) and
lower-limit temperature value (offset) settings based on the values checked above.

Lower-limit temperature input offset:

Example:

Upper-limit temperature input offset:

Example:

Set both the upper-limit and lower-limit temperature input offsets and then check the tem-
perature of the sensing object and the temperature indicated on the controller/display both
near room temperature and near the set point for accuracy.

Although two points were used, near room temperature and near the set point in the
example, accuracy can be increased further by using two points as far away from each
other as possible.

Entering the equations into a PLC can simplify the procedure by applying the offset auto-
matically to display values and establish a process.

Testing/validating of the analog values should be done on a scheduled basis. Typically the
manufacture of the device provides some guidance, but it is up to the design engineer to
ultimately decide when this should be done. Documentation should be provided to note the
time interval and values to be used for the calibrations.

How to troubleshoot and calibrate 4-20 mA 15


Cleaning the devices should also be done
on a scheduled time basis. Since there are
so many different types of devices that
produce an analog output, check with the
manufacture of the device to determine the
best way to clean the device.
With these steps completed on a regular
maintenance interval, your system can run
more efficiently and produce better out-
comes.
— Keith Hill, product engineer, control components & re-
lays, Omron Automation and Safety, www.omron.com
TROUBLESHOOT AND CALIBRATE
Troubleshooting analog circuits: There are
a number of different theories and tech-
niques for troubleshooting analog circuits.
As with any troubleshooting process, your
first goal is to narrow down the location of
the problems. From there you can get into
more specifics. I have put together a few of
the general steps that I typically take when
confronting a potential analog issue.
1. Housekeeping: Let’s face it, we live in
the real world. Lighting does strike, fork-
lifts do knock into enclosures, people
will crimp the insulation and vibration
does cause wires to work their way free.
A quick inspection and tightening of
connection points can work wonders
to fix an issue. While rarely is there just
a single issue causing the problem, a
quick inspection can provide an initial
How to troubleshoot and calibrate 4-20 mA 16
www.controldesign.com
direction. At the same time the act of
tightening connections has the potential
to solve issues and give you confidence
in the wiring as you move forward with
further tests.
2. Check your sensor or analog output
device: The goal of this step is to ensure
your sensor or other analog output de-
vice is sending a reference signal. For this
step, you will need a multimeter that can
read either 0-20 mA or 0-10 Vdc, de-
pending on your reference signal.
Whenever you test an analog reference, test
it at the furthest point from the source. This
will ensure you don’t just test the sensor’s
or analog output device’s ability to gener-
ate the reference signal; you also test all the
wiring up to that point.
For example, you have a 4-20 mA refer-
ence signal from a pressure mMeter being
fed into a PLC. You would want to confirm
you are able to read 4-20 mA at the analog
input terminals of the PLC. Once again, this
will ensure that not only are you generating
a signal, but you are able to transmit it in
your system, as well.
Utilizing your meter in its correct setting:
• Measure the 0-20 mA current signal by
placing the probes in a series connection
with the circuit (break the circuit).
• Or measure the 0-10 Vdc signal by placing
the probes in parallel with the circuit.

One of my go-to tools for troubleshooting
current analog references is my mA pro-
cess meter. This was different from your
classic Amp meter because it could read
down to the 0-20 mA level. The benefit is
that you can read the current value without
breaking the circuit. This is not only a time-
saver, but it eliminates the balancing act of
trying to hold a meter, two probes and the
signal wires at the same time. Additionally,
some of the more advanced versions can
generate a 0-24 mA or 0-10 Vdc signal for
testing analog input devices (this will be
discussed in more detail in Step 3).
If you do not read an analog signal, per-
form another test at the sensor or analog
output device. If you are able to read a
reference signal, you have a wiring issue. If
you are not able to read a reference signal,
you have a sensor issue.
If you are reading a signal, move on to the
next step, checking the analog input device.
3. Check your analog input device: The goal
of this step is to ensure your analog input
device is able to read the analog reference
that is being fed into it. To do this, you need
the ability to feed an active analog refer-
ence into your device and the ability to read
or confirm that the analog input device is
reading said reference.
If you have performed Step 2 and confirmed
via meter that you are actively feeding a
How to troubleshoot and calibrate 4-20 mA 17
www.controldesign.com
reference signal into the device, you can use
this signal for your test. If you do not have
that reference you will need to find some
way to create one to perform this test.
In the past I would keep a 9 Vdc battery
and potentiometer in my bag for these
types of situations. By wiring the two
together I could create a quick adjustable
current or voltage source to feed my analog
input device. By turning the potentiometer
I could also confirm that the values seen in
the PLC, HMI, ac drive or SCADA system
were able to update in real time.
Once you can confirm you are feeding your
analog input device, you need to confirm
that it is properly reading that value. This
step is dependent on the device in question.
If the device is a PLC, you will need to either
log onto the software or create an object
on your touchscreen (HMI) to display this
value. Otherwise the device will most likely
have a sub menu, or at the very least status
lights that you can reference.
4. Check for noise issues: These are some of
the more difficult issues to identify and fix.
The only real way to determine if you have
a noise issue is to scope the analog input
and see if you are experiencing a clean or
“choppy” reference. Many times a system
that is experiencing noise-related issues
doesn’t have an issue all the time. In many
cases it will only experience it when a large
load is turned on, or during certain times of

the day when other machines in your facility
are running at the same time.
If you determine you have a noise issue, the
next course of action is to mitigate it.
• Ensure electrical connections are properly
terminated (connections are tight and
wires are not crimped on the insulation).
• Ensure that signal wires are properly
shielded and grounded.
• Ensure the signal wires do not run parallel,
or close to, higher-voltage lines.
• When possible, apply an input filter to the
analog reference to smooth out any short
unwanted behavior.
For example, if in the course of your investi-
gation you determine that the analog refer-
ence experiences a large spike when Pump
Motor 3 starts up, first steps may include:
•E
 nsure the signal wires are well clear of
any of the power wires feeding Pump
Motor 3.
• If possible, apply a ramp up to that motor
with either a soft start or ac drive.
• If possible, apply a smoothing filter
across that PLC analog input, which
will slow down the response time of the
system; however, it will ensure you are
getting a more reliable signal.
Calibrating: This really depends on the ap-
plication and what aspect of your process
that you are trying to measure. However,
the basic process is still the same.
How to troubleshoot and calibrate 4-20 mA 18
www.controldesign.com
1. Expose your sensor to a known process
value.
2. Determine what value your analog input
device interprets that known process
value to be.
3. Once you obtain those two points of data
above, you can subtract to determine if
you have any error in your system.
4. If this error is determined to be outside
the acceptable range, you will then need
to adjust your PLC settings/calculations
to offset the difference.
Before we run through an example, it’s
worth mentioning system accuracy. In this
case, accuracy is the difference between
the actual measured value and the value the
PLC interoperates it as in order to perform
its calculations. The user needs to under-
stand this value and know at what point
the process is affected by an error between
actual and interpreted values.
Error is created and compounded by sev-
eral factors.
• Sensor accuracy to read the process value
• Sensor output resolution of the analog
signal
• Any noise or interference that is generated
in the transmission of that analog signal
• Your PLC input card’s resolution, filter and
update time
Let’s give an example for your temperature
sensor. For calibration to take place, you

will need a method to expose the tempera-
ture sensor to a known/calibrated tempera-
ture and a way to monitor what the PLC is
interpreting that value to be.
Every application is different, but when
possible I recommend removing the tem-
perature sensor and performing this test
independent of the machine. A popular
method for testing temperature probes is
a calibrated bath; however methods need
to be evaluated on an application-by-ap-
plication basis.
Change the known/calibrated temperature
the sensor is exposed to. Begin recording
several data points relating known tem-
perature vs. PLC interoperated tempera-
ture. The difference between these two
values is your error.
If you determine the error above is not
acceptable in your application, you then
will need to adjust your PLC settings and/
or code to compensate for this error. If
you’re lucky, the error is linear. These are
the simplest to compensate for. Nonlinear
errors are not the end of the world; it will
just require a bit more math to determine
the corrective equation to apply to your
raw value.
— Robert Ruber, product manager, Schneider Electric,
www.schneider-electric.us
How to troubleshoot and calibrate 4-20 mA 19
www.controldesign.com
ISOLATOR RECOMMENDATION
Accuracy and consistency are crucial ele-
ments in any machine or manufacturing
process in the medical industry; we are
literally dealing with someone’s quality of
life and not just a machine production at the
end of it.
Typically best practices and aids to trouble-
shoot are implemented not just from the
plant maintenance personnel, but should
be a whole design philosophy from OEM
engineering down. The tug of war between
production downtime for calibration and
verifications vs. loss of sales during that
period can be lessened when a machine is
designed to be not only accurate, but have
minimal downtime.
A key design feature is to keep the cable
runs as short as possible. The longer the
cable run, the more prone it is to errors or
fluctuations based on noise and surround-
ing interference. If a cable has to be in
place, we normally recommend an isolator
for a couple of reasons.
An isolator will prevent any voltage fluctua-
tion at the sensor itself since it controls/
isolates the power and signal both to the
sensor and to the PLC. By decreasing any
potential voltage or current spikes, the lifes-
pan of the instruments is extended and the
calibration remains tighter.

An isolator with a split output will provide
feedback or reassurance at the PLC and
locally. The benefit of using a splitter is to
maintain the integrity of the signal from the
sensor without introducing excess imped-
ance into the line. Signal isolators and split-
ters enable the user to make measurements
both close to the sensor and down the line
at the PLC.
When choosing isolators for 4-20mA sig-
nals, the important factor is to verify if it
can be configured to handle loop powered
(sinking) or powered (sourcing) loops. One
unit to do it all greatly helps to reduce the
training of the maintenance staff, and it can
easily be replaced with one from stock no
matter what the input source is. Current
measurement with Hall-effect sensors allow
for simple wiring and the 4-20 mA signal
can be fed into the PLC with limits and set
point preconfigured on the isolators to
stop and cut off power if the currents get
too high or low. To maintain the accuracy
of a temperature sensor, converting it to a
4-20 mA signal first maintains the accuracy
of the signal by eliminating any potential
losses that might occur on long runs for
RTD or T/C wires. The 4-20 mA isolators
should provide the choice of cold junction
compensation inside the isolator or via ex-
ternal devices.
As devices move toward Industry 4.0, we
increasingly see devices with onboard log-
How to troubleshoot and calibrate 4-20 mA 20
www.controldesign.com
ging features and direct Modbus TCP con-
version. This conversion to a bus protocol
now enables users to monitor the system
from practically anywhere when combined
with cloud service. The set points and limits
can be set via the HMI/PLC or via the user’s
phone through a simple webpage.
—A
 ndrew Barco, business development and
marketing manager, Weidmuller North America,
www.weidmuller.com
LOOK TO THE LOOP
The most common problem in the simplest
and most reliable method of transmitting
a sensor signal is the current loop. It has
two critical components: the signal and
the power for the signal, all in just a pair
of wires. Its limitation for transmission is
the EMF of the transmitter, usually 24 Vdc.
However, what if the sensor fails or the load
opens or the operator doesn’t pay attention
or is absent?
The same problem occurs in many critical
applications, including medical and nuclear.
Address those three important variables.
Look for a solution that is powered by the
loop and detects and alarms if the signal
fails, even post-mortem; that includes auto-
tricolor bargraph with set points to warn
the operator and PLC via serial I/O of the
alarm status; and that can monitor its 4-20
mA output to ensure load integrity via a
second loop-powered channel that moni-
tors the output, as well.
— Dr. Otto Fest, president, Otek, www.otekcorp.com

4 QUESTIONS
There are four questions to address here.
1. Is the instrument working?
2. Is the instrument performing within ac-
ceptable tolerances?
3. C
 an periodic tests be performed in the
PLC to indicate an out-of-tolerance per-
formance?
4. Can a control-system function automate
any of these tasks?
Is the instrument working? In typical control
systems where the measured instrument
provides a 4-20 mA signal to the control
system indicating the process variable, the
control system is blind to what this signal
actually represents and if it is actually work-
ing. Useful instrument diagnostic informa-
tion can only be communicated via digital
network protocols like HART, Profibus, Eth-
erNet/IP or Foundation Fieldbus. Without
digital instrument data the only indication
a control system might get that I/O signals
are not working properly would be from
I/O card diagnostics, if available. Examples
would be short circuit detection and over/
under voltage and current. Today, most
4-20 mA instruments have HART function-
ality, so if your control system I/O cards
have HART modems on them, instrument
diagnostic data can be obtained.
Is the instrument performing within accept-
able tolerances? In order to know whether
instrument measurements are in tolerance
requires regular calibration. Depending on
How to troubleshoot and calibrate 4-20 mA 21
www.controldesign.com
the risk analysis and risk mitigation strat-
egy for your control process, these device
calibrations may be completed on-site or
may require the devices to be sent back to
a calibration provider.
Using a calibration provider that is certified
ISO17025 compliant means they are accred-
ited by a third party, thus ensuring that all
calibrations are completed by competent
personnel. A calibration provider will have
procedures where all instruments are cali-
brated to their best capability.
These procedures are necessary to ensure
metrological traceability when following
the ISO17025 standard. The uncertainties
of measurement devices are reduced when
sending a measurement device back to a
laboratory and—depending on the required
accuracy of the transducer—may determine
how it is calibrated.
The fastest way to complete calibrations
will be on-site. However, on-site calibrations
may increase the transducer inaccuracy as
compared to the factory-delivered speci-
fication. If this increased inaccuracy is not
acceptable for your risk-mitigation strategy,
it will require replacing the device with a
newly calibrated transducer kept in stock or
simply sending it to a calibration provider
to meet factory accuracy.
After ensuring the measurement device has
been properly ranged and put back in the

process, a loop calibration is then neces-
sary to make sure that all of the remaining
control items are within specifications. This
will require using a traceable multimeter to
simulate the process variable input of the
control loop.
Having completed an instrument/loop cali-
bration, a customer can then be confident
that the process is now in control and the
measurement device is functioning within
factory specifications from the manufacturer.
Can periodic tests be performed in the
PLC to indicate an out-of-tolerance perfor-
mance? Yes, it can, if normal/typical run-
ning process conditions can be determined.
Programmed upper and lower control limit
tests can be applied to any process vari-
able indicating when the measurement has
drifted outside a predetermined accept-
able tolerance. The PLC can be set to alarm
users through the operator interface. If the
How to troubleshoot and calibrate 4-20 mA 22
www.controldesign.com
procedures for calibration and verification
stated in the prior question have been fol-
lowed, then confidence can be high that the
process is not running properly, and appro-
priate action can be taken.
Can a control system automate any of
these tasks? The only function that cannot
be automated via the control system is the
calibration process. This involves techni-
cians performing the work. There are instru-
ments coming into the marketplace that will
perform onboard verifications and indicate
back to the control system if a device has
failed a verification. This technology will
begin to address automating evaluation of
device performance, but it is not a true cali-
bration and thus users still have to deter-
mine if a verification can adequately reduce
the out-of-tolerance risk in any particular
process application.
— Michael Robinson, national marketing manager,
Endress+Hauser, us.endress.com