ENRAF TA3840C Marine Tank Gauging Communication Unit

Product Description

TA3840C is a 19‑inch rack‑mounted communication and data processing unit developed by Honeywell Enraf, serving as the central interface of marine fixed tank gauging systems. It collects measurement data from up to 64 radar tank gauges and supports an extra 96 external instrument inputs. Equipped with an LCD display, membrane keypad, modular I/O boards and multiple serial communication ports, the unit complies with major marine classification society standards and is widely deployed onboard tankers, FPSOs and offshore facilities. It works in conjunction with the TA3840S safety unit for cargo tank monitoring and overfill protection.

Product Functions

• Centralized acquisition of tank level, liquid temperature, inert gas pressure and calculated cargo volume data
• Modbus RTU multi‑port communication to exchange data with loading computers, DCS and monitoring workstations
• Modular analog and digital I/O for 4‑20mA signals, binary alarm inputs and relay alarm outputs
• Local LCD display and keypad for on‑site data checking, parameter setup and alarm viewing
• Dual alarm threshold configuration for each measurement channel and system fault relay warning
• Data forwarding to remote display units and integration with ship cargo management systems

Application Scenarios

• Oil and chemical tankers for cargo and ballast tank monitoring
• FPSOs, offshore production platforms and floating storage units
• Shore‑based oil terminals and bulk liquid storage tank farms
• LNG/LPG carriers and cryogenic tank monitoring systems
• Marine loading/unloading control and cargo inventory management

Common Problems

• No radar data received: Damaged RS485 communication cables, loose terminal connections, wrong bus address or radar gauge power failure.
• LCD screen blank or dim: Failed 24VDC power supply, backlight aging or defective display driver board.
• Intermittent communication dropout: Marine electromagnetic interference, poor cable shielding, corrosion of connectors or unstable bus termination.
• False tank high/low level alarms: Improper alarm threshold settings, I/O board circuit drift or signal interference on analog lines.
• System fault relay continuously triggered: Internal power board degradation, overheating caused by poor cabinet ventilation or faulty modular I/O cards.