Frequently Asked Questions
General
Advanced Analysis
Bump Tests: Using a Hammer to Trigger Recordings
Dual Channel Simultaneous Measurements
Fault Types and their Phase Relationships
Induction Motor Current Analysis with the vb Instrument
Measuring the Phase Difference Between Two Channels
Octave Band Analysis with Ascent
Operating Deflection Shapes: Extracting ODS from Cross Channel Phase Data
Recording Sound with a vb instrument and Microphone
Run-up and Coast-down Recordings, Waterfall and Bode Plots
Simultaneous Collection of Current and Vibration Data
What is the Accuracy of the Low Frequency (slow speed) Response of the vb Instrument?
Ascent Software
Adding a Photo Image to a Machine
Adding a vbSeries or vbOnline Instrument to the Ascent Software
Applying Different Rotational Speeds Across a Machine
Copying Items to Multiple Locations
Estimating the Measurement Recording Time
General Data Importing/Exporting
Setting a vbSeres Instrument's IP Address Automatically
Troubleshooting USB Communications
Upgrading an Instrument Using Proflash
Balancing
Balancing by Drilling Out Weight
Balancing kit items (vb7 and vb8 instrument models only)
Comparison of vbSeries® and vb1000b Balancing Capabilities
Determining Balance Weight Placement Angles
Phase Angle Does Not Settle When Balancing
Static and Couple Components of Dynamic Balancing
Storing and Retrieving Historical Balance Jobs
Unstable Phase/Amplitude Readings when Balancing
Unstable RPM Measurement When Balancing
Using Ascent vbSeries Print Function Setup
Using a Strobe as Phase Reference for Balancing
vb Instrument Specifies Very Heavy Balance Weights on Both Ends
vbBalancer Changing USB Communications Mode
vbBalancer Instrument Connections
Battery Questions
Charging the vbSeries Battery Pack
Incorrect Battery Charge Shown After Inserting a New Battery
Bearings
How Many Bearings Are There in The Bearing Expert?
Calibration
How Often Should the vb and Accelerometers be Calibrated?
Dongle Information
How to Reprogram an Ascent Security Dongle
Install vbSeries instrument USB drivers
Installing Ascent Using a Parallel Port Security Dongle
Installing Ascent Using a USB Security Dongle
Proflash Warning: Avoiding Instrument Lockup
Reinstalling the Dongle Driver
Upgrading a Dongle in Ascent 2008 and Later
Windows 2000 Dongle Driver Uninstall
Windows 98 Dongle Driver Uninstall
Error Messages
'Checksum failed' Error when Transferring Data to Windows XP
'You can't send routes to a USA vb Instrument'
Getting Started - Setting up the Instrument and Software
Importing/Exporting Data
Exporting Ascent/MASData to External Programs
How to Reduce Large .vb Export files
Importing a Database from Another Vendor to Ascent
Instrument Questions
Can't Attach .mas files to E-mails
Current Readings With the vb Instrument
Displaying a Baseline Overall rms in Ascent/MAS VB and the Instrument
MMS Data Logger Questions
Displaying Recorded Data on a Graph
How Do I Make Long Recordings?
Instrument/Software Communication Problems
MMS/Profiler Data Logger Memory Error
T6V4 Channel 5 and 6 Input Setup with Thermocouple Leads
Misc
I Can't Delete Items from the Navigator
What are IP and NEMA Ratings and What Levels of Protection do they Offer?
What are NEC/CSA Hazardous Location Classifications?
vb Instrument Anti-alias Filters
Profiler
MMS1000/2000 Technical Support and Repairs
Sensors and cables
Cable Types, Grounding and Routing
Can I Connect my own Tachometer or Strobe to the Tach Input of my vb Portable Instrument?
Cleaning Dirty BNC and Battery Connectors
How Do I Wire a Triax Sensor to the 7-pin LEMO Connector on my vb6 or vb8 Instrument?
How Strong is the Accelerometer Magnetic Mount?
Long Cable Runs (Accelerometers)
Long Cable Runs (Speed Sensors)
Ski Slopes: Testing Sensor Cables for Faults
Tachometer will not Display an RPM Value
Universal Sensors for the MMS6000 Profiler Instrument
Using Custom Accelerometer Settings on a Route
Using Velocity and Displacement (Prox) Transducers with the vb Instrument
Which Model of Laser Tach Should I Use with my vbSeries (vb7, vb8, vbBalancer, etc.) instrument?
Software Questions
Ascent with Non Administrator account
Avoiding and Restoring a Corrupted Database
Can I Network Ascent/MAS VB? Is it Client/Server?
Converting rms, 0-Peak and Peak-Peak Overall Values
Cursor Jumps Off the Spectrum in Ascent/MAS VB When I Click a Peak
How Do I Renew My AscentView License?
How do I ensure that OnlineManager is always running?
Making COM Ports Settings Compatible with Report Grabber
Overall rms Variations when Converting Waveforms to Spectra
Power Band Alarms in 0-Peak Scaling Instead of RMS
Problems with InterBase Indexes (Ascent 7.30 only)
Running Ascent/MAS VB on Microsoft® Windows XP
Speeding up Backup/Restore on Large Databases
TCP/IP Network Connection Ports
The Word Button in Ascent 8.00 Does Not Work
Upgrading your Software or Firmware
Why Does the Ascent Software Run So Slowly on my New PC?
Upgrading your Software or Firmware
vbClassic Instrument
Difficulty Measuring Low-Frequency, Large-Amplitude Displacement Signals
Displaying your Instrument's Firmware and Hardware Information
Frequency Filtering of the vb Instrument's Overall rms Calculation
vbOnline
Accelerometer Maximum Cable Length
Proflashing the vbOnline Device with New Firmware
ROI Potentials for an Online Monitoring System
Recording Speed with Multiple vbOnline Devices
Troubleshooting a vbOnline Network Connection Using a Ping Test
Using Dual Output (Acceleration + Temperature) Sensors
Viewing the Data - OPC Clients
What are the vbOnline Device's Dimensions?
vbSeries Instrument
Adjusting vbSeries Sound Volume
Backing Up the Instrument Database
Checking How Much Memory is Available
Ethernet Connection Lost in Vista Ultimate
Export/Import Data via an External USB Flash Drive
Getting Started - Setting up the Instrument and Software
How Do I Connect an Ultraprobe 2000 to a vbX Instrument?
Network Communications Problems
Overlap % Value - Explanation and Uses
Resetting an Unresponsive Instrument
Selecting Your Local Timezone on the vbSeries Instrument
Set the vbSeries Instrument Language
Setting the Date and Time on the vbSeries Instrument
Troubleshooting Network Communications
Upgrading Instrument Firmware (Proflashing)
vb7 & vb8 Printing Directly to a Network Printer
vbSeries Demodulation Explained
vbSeries Instrument Connections