The INTECONT Plus is the older Schenck belt weigher integrator, and there are still plenty of them weighing well on Australian sites. When one throws a fault, the message tells you which part of the system stopped making sense, not what broke. Most of the time the answer is on the belt, in a junction box or in the setup data, not in the box on the wall.
This guide covers the fault messages we see most, what a calibration involves, and why the zero moves. For bookings, parts and replacement enquiries, see Schenck belt weigher and INTECONT servicing.
What is the INTECONT Plus, and does it need replacing?
It’s the generation of Schenck weighing electronics before the INTECONT Tersus. On a belt weigher it does the same job as any integrator: it multiplies belt loading by belt speed to give a rate in t/h and a running total. What it can connect to depends on the boards fitted and the software loaded, so two Plus units on the same site can be quite different inside.
Age on its own isn’t a reason to replace one. If it still repeats, still talks to the plant and parts are available, keep it running. We’d suggest a change when a board has failed and parts have dried up, or when you need something the old unit can’t do. If you do move to a Tersus, it needs setting up and commissioning properly, not just a copy of the old numbers.
What do the common INTECONT Plus fault messages mean?
Write down the full message exactly as it appears, the software version, and what happened just before it. Code numbers depend on the software version, so the words on your screen matter more than the number. Then work through it like this:
| Message type | What we check first | When to call us |
|---|---|---|
| Load cell input or supply fault | Water in the junction box, cable damage, loose terminals, then the excitation reaching the cells. | If it comes back after the box is dried out and resealed. |
| Speed sensor fault or no speed | Is the wheel turning? Seized bearing, lost belt contact, cable, and whether the sensor suits the fitted input. | If the sensor turns and the cable checks out but there’s still no signal. |
| Speed out of range | Time a marked length of belt against the displayed speed. More than about 2% out needs investigating. | If the belt speed is right and the reading still isn’t. |
| Load above or below range | Something touching or binding the frame, build-up, a seized idler, then the configured limits. | If the frame is clean and free and the reading is still wrong. |
| Zero correction over its limit | Is the belt really empty? Clean the frame and idlers, check nothing is binding, then re-zero. | If it comes straight back after a proper clean. |
| Missing release or interlock | The permissive signal the integrator is waiting for from the plant. | If the plant signal is there and the message won’t clear. Never bypass the interlock to clear it. |
| Memory or internal fault | Note the message and don’t keep resetting or power-cycling it. | Straight away. Keep a record of the settings somewhere outside the box. |
Resetting a message over and over hides the evidence without fixing anything. If the same one keeps coming back, the condition never went away.
What does an INTECONT Plus calibration involve?
Work on or near a conveyor, or inside an electrical enclosure, needs isolation under your site’s procedures and trained, authorised people. If that’s not you, stop and call us on 1300 101 666.
First, the setup data has to match the scale in front of you: load cell capacity and sensitivity, effective weigh length, frame geometry, units and speed. Entering those numbers is setup, not proof the scale is right. Then it’s the same order as any belt weigher:
- Record the as-found condition. Settings, recent results and symptoms, before anyone touches anything.
- Inspect the scale. Weigh idlers in line with the idlers either side (typically within about 0.3 mm), the frame free to move, the belt tracking centrally, sensors and wiring sound.
- Check belt speed and length. After a belt change or a new splice, re-measure both and re-enter them.
- Zero on a clean, empty belt over whole belt revolutions, not a few seconds.
- Span against a known load: test weights, a calibration chain or a material test, whichever suits the scale.
- Record the as-left figures and anything still limiting the result.
The numbers we work to: repeat span runs within about 0.1%, and a routine span that has moved more than about 0.25% needs attention. On lever or inclined frames, the lever ratio and incline correction follow that frame’s own geometry, not a figure borrowed from another scale.
Who adjusts what. On our service visits we adjust the zero and span when the checks show it’s needed. Between visits, site should run a zero about every two weeks and after a big change in the weather, and check the span but record it rather than accepting it. We recommend a service calibration every quarter so the scale keeps up with the seasons. See belt weigher calibration methods and what happens during a calibration visit.
Why does the zero keep moving?
Almost always because something physical changed in the weigh area: build-up on the frame or idlers, a seized or dragging idler, a binding frame, belt tracking or tension changes, or water in a junction box. After a proper clean, a one-off zero change of around 1% is normal. A zero that keeps walking after cleaning and alignment needs investigating, not re-zeroing. A new belt usually takes a week or two to bed in, so check the zero after the belt work and again once it has settled.
Don’t widen the zero correction limit to make an alarm go away. That hides the problem instead of fixing it. See why a belt weigher zero drifts.
What speed sensor and load cell points matter?
Speed. Check which input is fitted before you connect a spare sensor. If the unit has a NAMUR input, a PNP or NPN sensor won’t work as a direct swap. More in our belt weigher speed sensors guide.
Load cells. Check the excitation type before you measure anything: a meter on the wrong setting gives a misleading reading. The integrator’s raw readings are a good starting point, but they can’t tell a wet terminal from a damaged cell. See is it the load cell, the cable or the junction box?
How does the INTECONT Plus talk to the plant?
Through whatever outputs are fitted: analogue, pulse, relays, and serial or fieldbus on some units. Don’t assume every Plus has the same option cards. When the PLC and the local display disagree, the local display is the reference: check the output scaling, pulse weight, wiring and how old the data in the PLC is. See getting belt weigher data into your PLC or SCADA.
Need a manual for your equipment?
The operating manual and the installation data sheet do different jobs, and you may need both. Gather the full type and serial number, software version, option-board details, wiring drawings and any saved parameter list.
Talk to us about manuals for your equipment. Send the make, model, serial number and software version (a photo of the label is fine) and we’ll help you find the right document.
When should you call us rather than keep resetting it?
Call when a fault comes straight back after a reset, the zero won’t repeat after a proper clean, settings or totals have changed without anyone touching them, or the scale no longer passes its checks. Note the message and the as-found figures before you reset anything. We look at the whole scale, so any recommendation to repair or replace is based on what we find. See booking a belt weigher service.
Frequently asked questions
Do I have to replace an INTECONT Plus with a Tersus?
No. If it still repeats, talks to the plant and parts are available, it can stay in service. If you do replace it, the new unit needs proper setup and commissioning.
Why is there no speed reading when the belt is running?
Usually the speed sensor: a seized bearing, lost belt contact, a damaged cable, or a sensor that doesn’t suit the fitted input. The tonnes are wrong the whole time it lasts, so get it looked at.
Can you calibrate without static test weights?
Yes, with a calibration chain or a material test, depending on the scale. Setup from the rated data alone isn’t proof the installed scale is accurate.
Do you service the frame as well as the integrator?
Yes. We check the weigh frame, idlers, load cells, speed sensor, wiring and electronics on the same visit. Call 1300 101 666.