The LC level controllers offer a variety of smart features that push the boundaries of what can be expected from a pumping station controller. With its ability to communicate with other components within a pumping station, it offers connectivity with Modbus and BACnet as well as integration with Grundfos iSolutions Cloud. With this new-found ability, the LC level controllers offer a host of communication features, which have been unavailable in previous LC level controllers from Grundfos. In this module, we’re going to go through a selection of these features and show you exactly how you can benefit from them. Let’s get started.

We’ll start with one of the main features of the LC level controller: the configurable inputs and outputs. The LC level controller is equipped with a number of free inputs and outputs for extra sensors. And with several of them being configurable, it makes for a quite unique offering as it gives full flexibility for all applications. The configurable inputs/outputs – or CIO – fit almost any type of signal and can, for instance, be used as a digital input/output, analogue input, and a PT100/1000 input. As we touched upon in the previous module, the CIO ports can be easily configured using Grundfos GO. This rather unique feature makes the LC controllers a highly flexible solution suitable for all applications.

"Next, we’re going to look at the anti-seizing feature.

Imagine a wastewater pit located in a beach house area. In these areas, it is very quiet during the winter, meaning that a very low amount of water runs through the wastewater pit. In such a scenario, some of the water in the wastewater pit evaporates, while some of it lies completely still. This can lead to the build-up of limestone, which can block or seize the pump all depending on the quality of the water. Essentially, this means that when the pump is set to start again, it simply can’t because of the blockage. However, thanks to the anti-seizing function of the LC level controller, this challenge can be overcome. The anti-seizing function ensures that the pump will start – even in off-peak seasons –  according to a defined interval and continue to run for a few seconds. That way, you can prevent blockages and avoid unnecessary maintenance when the peak season arrives again. Just like a host of other settings, you can define the anti-seizing in Grundfos GO."

Then, there is the smart security feature. As security is a top priority, the LC controller is pin-code protected to safeguard your installation from unauthorised use. The display can be locked on two levels, allowing you to lock either the settings, or the settings and the operation. You can also lock the settings menu in Grundfos GO, requiring a code from anyone looking to tinker with the settings. Generally speaking, this feature will improve your peace of mind when using the level controller.

The LC controllers offer a variety of features that are in line with the digital transformation that the industry is currently undergoing. Features such as historical data, and alarms and warnings right at your fingertips make troubleshooting a much easier task, and it increases the likelihood of reducing operational costs. Let’s take a closer look.

With its historical data log, the LC controller can help to ensure the most efficient operation of your pumping station. You can, for instance, trend the pumps based on motor current or the number of start/stops to see whether maintenance is required. A wide range of data is available including the total on-time, runtime, and energy consumption of the pump system. But you can also get detailed information on each pump, including its total operating hours, latest runtime, operating hours in the last 24 hours, number of starts on average per hour and much more.

Finally, the LC level controllers offer a clever alarm and warning log. The controller saves a detailed alarm and warning log, containing information on the last 20 alerts, when they happened, how long they lasted, how they were fixed and much more.  You can access this log remotely via SCADA or Grundfos iSolutions Cloud, once again demonstrating the importance of connectivity in the LC level controller. Furthermore, you can use Grundfos GO to examine your logs in your preferred language, enabling easy troubleshooting at the pumping station.

So, that covers the main features of the LC level controller. If you would like to learn more about this new range of level controllers, please download our brochure.