AB's Useful Box - ITERRA Mk V by Scienapps

The Iterra Mk V by Scienapps was used by road authorities to perform traffic signal linking or synchronization during the 1980s.

ITERRA Mk V

Manufactured by Scienapps in Sydney, Australia during the early 1980's.

EPROMs inside the Iterra pictured above, suggest the last software revision was performed 20-May-1985 and hence the date of manufacture proposed above.

Iterra EPROM

A look inside these magnificent units quite a simple design, which no doubt has contributed to their longevity.

iterra inside

While in use by road traffic authorities, they were known as Linking Controllers. With the introduction of traffic signal controllers with built-in modems and the ability to communicate with a central control computer, the Iterra became redundant.

All was not lost for these trusty units, and can still be occasionally found a number of domestic installations, controlling all manner of things, from Watering Systems, Heating Systems or just providing a reliable time clock for other similar tasks.

Following are some notes of Instruction:

To Start up ans set time:
Startup:
  1. Plug unit in, switch power on. The 24V red led should come on and the red HALT led should also be on.
  2. After approx 10 seconds the HALT led should go off. Note that the unit can not be accessed while the HALT led it on.
Setting the time:
  1. Gain access to unit by pressing [D][8]. The small display to the left of the keypad should now come on.
  2. Press [D][0] and the current time will be displayed.
    e.g. 0 02 103835
    the first digit "0" is the mode that was selected ([D][0]).
    The second digit is the daylight saving field. To set press [D][0][4] then [0] for normal time or [2] for daylight saving time then [#] to enter the data.
    The third digit is the day of week field. To set press [D][0][5] then [1] to [7]. [1] = Sunday. The press [3] to enter the data.
    The last remaining 6 digits are the time field in hours, minutes and seconds and is expressed as a 24 hour clock. To set time press [D][0] then the hour, eg 7 o'clock am = [0][7], 3 o'clock pm = [1][5] etc.
    then enter the minutes eg 5 minutes = [0][5], 34 minutes = [3][4]
    then enter the seconds eg 8 seconds = [0][8], 47 seconds = [4][7]
    then press [#] to enter the data.
    Therefore if the time 9:45am and no seconds were to be entered, the following would be pressed [D]0][0][9][4][5][0][0][#].
    Also make sure the special days field are clear, press [D][0][3][C][#].

Programming the ITERRA

If the unit has not been programmed before, the memory will need to be cleared, error log cleared and output data set.
  1. To clear the memory press [D][7][0][0][#], this will clear all the memory except for the time setting.
  2. To clear the error log press [D][4][C][#], this will clear all errors that are indicated by the 1-8 leds in the data display.
  3. To set up the output data table two functions need to be entered, the cycle length and output data. The cycle length is the time period in which the output data will operate. The output data contains the time in a cycle the output comes on and length of time the output is on during the cycle. In this applicaiton this function is not used but needs to be set. This is because the cycle length will be 2 seconds, output 1 will come on at the first second and will be on for the 1st and 2nd seconds, then the cycle will begin again, so the output will always be on during a cycle.
  4. Setting Cycle Lenght Table 1. Press [D][2] then press [A] or [B] to scroll through the plans until you come to plan no.1, the first digit is the mode that was selected ([D][2]), the second digit is the plan number and the last three digits are the cycle length. Now enter in a cycle length of 2 seconds by pressing [0][0][2][#]. Now while still in plan No.1 goto the output data table, press [D][3]. The first digit is the mode that was selected ([D][3]), the second and third digits are the index numbers, of which we will only need 01 and 02. Press [A] or [B] to scroll through to index number 1. The forth and fifth digits will be the output number, in this case output 1. The last three digits are the time the output will come on in the cycle, in this case the first (1) second. So to enter output 1 on at the first second press [0][1][0][0][1][#]. To set the output on duration time press [A] to goto index 2 and enter 2 seconds, press [0][0][2][#].
  5. Now that plan 1 is set to turn on output 1, it is possible to program the ITERRA when to or not to run plan 1, thus turning output 1 on and off.
    Select plan start time mode, press [D][1]. Then press [A] or [B] to scroll to index or time slot number one (01). Before entering dat into any index jpress [C][#], to clear that slot for new data.
    The times do not have to be all entered in order of time of day, but it does make it a lot easier to fault find. There are 24 index or time slots, so some planning on paper first, of when the outputs on and off would be a good idea. As an example, if from Monday to Friday it is required the output on from 6:30am to 9:30am, off until 5:00pm and on until 10:00pm. Then Saturday and Sunday on from 8:30am until 10:30pm. But Sunday off from 11:00am until 12:30pm.
    Index Time On/Off Day Key press entry
    01 0630 on 2,3,4,5,6 [2][3][4][5][6][9][0][6][3][0][1][#]
    02 0830 on 1,7 [1][7][9][0][8][3][0][1][#]
    03 0930 off 2,3,4,5,6 [2][3][4][5][6][9][0][9][3][0][0][#]
    04 1100 off 1 [1][9][1][1][0][0][0][#]
    05 1230 on 1 [1][9][1][2][3][0][1][#]
    06 1700 on 2,3,4,5,6 [2][3][4][5][6][9][1][7][0][0][1][#]
    07 2000 off 2,3,4,5,6 [2][3][4][5][6][9][2][0][0][0][0][#]
    08 2030 off 1,7 [1][7][9][2][0][3][0][0][#]
  6. Now all data has been entered into the ITERRA's time table all that is left to do is to tell it to run the outputs, press [D][5] to run the programmed outputs, press [D][6] to stop running the programmed outputs.

version 1.1 4/7/86 12:00pm

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Updated: 09-Jan-2005
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