OMNI 7000 FAQs
Frequently Asked Questions
Q. How far can you mount the OMNI 7000 front panel from the chassis?
A. The new front panel can be mounted up to 18" (approximately 45cm) from the chassis using a standard cable supplied by OMNI.
Q. How far can you mount the expanded digital I/O from the main CPU Chassis?
A. The expanded digital I/O can be mounted up to 131 feet (40 meters) from the CPU chassis.
Q. How will the I/O be configured?
A. I/O will be configured with an updated version of OMNICOM 7000. It will be very similar in functionality to the current OMNICOM but will have a new visual appeal.
Q. Are there a limited number of inputs or outputs?
A. The inputs are limited by chassis space and installed process I/O modules. The digital I/O has been expanded to 256 with use of the new Digital I/O MUX module.
Q. What is the purpose of the LED on the front panel?
A. The LED will function as it does in the OMNI 6000, with red indicating an unacknowledged alarm and green indicating an acknowledged alarm, but the alarm condition is still present. There may be further alarm information in the status display of the color LCD display.
Q. When will the Modbus database be released?
A. The database will be released with the product. Advance copies will be available before, if needed, but are subject to change.
Q. What protocol is used for the Ethernet connection?
A. The Ethernet connection communicates via Modbus TCP. Support for Secure Sockets (SSL) is added for network and HMI systems that support it.
Q. Can the Dual Ethernet Cards (DE) be used with existing SE and S cards in the same chassis?
A. The new Dual Ethernet DE card replaces the SE card and is not compatible with the SE. It is compatible with the S card. You may have a maximum of 3 DE and S cards, in any combination. Ethernet communication speeds are significantly increased using the DE card.
Q. Was the power supply capacity increased?
A. The OMNI 7000 uses the latest universal power supply for 120/240 VAC that is currently being shipped with the OMNI 6000. This power supply was designed to add additional capacity to the system.
Q: Do I now need to specify an OMNI 7000 or can I continue to buy an OMNI 6000?
A. The OMNI 6000 meets the existing requirements of many metering stations without any changes. The OMNI 7000 will offer additional features that include improved performance, enhanced features, faster communications, and increased flexibility.
Q. Can I simply upgrade my OMNI 6000 with OMNI 7000 firmware?
A. The OMNI 7000 firmware upgrade requires that you install a new digital expansion I/O "mux" module and a DE Ethernet module, using the current Flash-based OMNI 6000 CPU.
Q. Can an OMNI 7000 be used with an existing OMNI 6000 chassis?
A. YES, with slight modification. The OMNI 6000 chassis can be used to accommodate the OMNI 7000 components. A complete field modification guide and drawings will be made available shortly.
Q. How is the back panel configured with expanded digital I/O?
A. The expandable digital I/O is contained on DIN rail mountable terminal strips, which are mounted separate from the main chassis.
Q. Will the WinPanel application be available for the OMNI 7000?
A. Yes, with greatly improved visual appeal.
Q. Will it be difficult to learn the OMNI 7000 and configuration software?
A. Not at all. The OMNI 7000 OMNICOM configuration software is substantially the same, receiving only a cosmetic facelift. The onscreen menus are intuitive and simple to operate.
Q. Can the OMNI 7000 measure gas and liquid?
A. The OMNI 7000 will measure gas or liquid for all meter runs in metric or standard units by simple selection but in the same unified OMNI program.
Q. Will there be the full functionality of 6 meter runs plus a prover or do you have to use one of the 6 runs for the prover?
A. The OMNI 7000 will support 6 fully-functional meter runs plus a master meter, pipe or compact prover. The master meter may also be configured to function as a backup meter run.
Q. Can different meter factors be used for different products for metering and batch switching?
A. Yes, the functionality is the same as with the OMNI 6000 CPU. Every product may have its own meter factor.
Q. How much "custom configuration" of program statements can you put into the OMNI 7000?
A. More than double the OMNI 6000. The OMNI 7000 will have configurable program statements that are 100% compatible with the current OMNI 6000. The OMNI 7000 OMNICOM will feature a new "Natural Language" editor, which makes configuring the program much easier and more intuitive.
Q. Will the reports still be customizable?
A. The report functionality will be customizable in the same way it is in the OMNI 6000.
Q. How is the remote terminal strip with expanded digital I/O attached and configured?
A. The OMNI 7000 interfaces to the expanded digital I/O using a two-wire fault-tolerant bus. Two wires are run from the back panel to the extended I/O, and multiple I/O terminal strips can be chained together. The configuration is handled within the OMNI 7000 and is assignable just like any of the on-board I/O.
Q. Will there be a conversion function for 32 bit data to 16 bit data for older DCS communication systems?
A. Yes, the OMNI 7000 will feature Modbus mapping capability for each communication port, which will support data type conversion.
Q. Is the same CPU used for the OMNI 6000 and 7000?
A. Yes, the CPU is the same, but the OMNI 7000 has an overall performance that is several times better than the current OMNI 6000.
Q. Can the Dual Ethernet card be used for redundancy across ports?
A. Yes, the new Dual Ethernet DE supports peer-peer redundancy via its integrated RS-485 serial ports. Redundant Ethernet master capability is available through multiple sockets (8 per port) and independent Ethernet ports, up to six(6) per OMNI.
Q. Is the system battery field replaceable?
A. The OMNI 7000 CPU board is the same as the latest CPU board shipped with the OMNI 6000 but with additional features turned on. The battery is solder-in for reliability.