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5.0 Operating tips
Here are some procedures and “best” practices that may ease use or help
increase the reliability of your belt tensioning efforts.
Take your tension reading as close to the centre of the selected span as
practical.
Use the longest belt span that can be readily accessed. Minimum useable span
length is equal to 20 times the belt tooth pitch for synchronous belts and 30
times the belt top width for “v” confi guration belts. Using too short a span
yields indicated tensions that may be much higher than actual belt tension due
to effects of belt stiffness.
Where possible, orientate the sensor head with the long edge of the sensor
parallel to the centre-line of the belt. This tends to eliminate any non-reading
conditions due to aiming error.
On new installations, rotate the system by hand at least one full revolution of
the belt to seat and normalise the components.
If the top surface of the belt is not accessible, try to beam the sensor against
the edge of the belt. The inside surface of the belt is equally acceptable.
The meter will not give a measurement for a belt under extremely low tension.
Simply increase the drive tensioning until the meter responds. The meter will
beep to indicate that a reading has been taken.
It is good practice to take three successive readings. This will show the consist-
ency of your methods. If the readings vary by more than 10% reassess your
measurement technique.
Taking multiple readings at different belt orientations may help you identify
problems with other drive components. Tension excursions are indicative of
component problems such as a belt shaft, poorly mounted sprocket or pulley or
an irregular pulley groove.
When tensioning an array of multiple V-belts, use a single belt toward the centre
of the array.
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