218 Series 5.0 in. Remote Display
The driver reads the weight from the cab, at 300 ft
Nobody walks to the scale house window, which keeps a pedestrian out of the truck lane. Reflect mode reverses the digits, so a driver reads them in a side mirror while the trailer fills. Up to four 218s share one 20 mA loop, so each end of the platform can carry its own display. If data stops, the display blanks after 5 to 15 seconds instead of holding a stale weight.
Six 5.0 in. high-intensity red LED digits, three rows of LEDs per segment, carry LB, KG, GR and NT legends. The housing is NEMA 3 painted steel with a visor, on AC power. RS232C, 20 mA and RS485 inputs are standard, for runs of 50 ft, 1,000 ft or 4,000 ft. Learn mode reads the incoming string, so a 218 suits a TS3300 or an indicator already in service.
Features & benefits
Six 5.0 in. high-intensity red LED digits
Readable from the cab at up to 300 ft; three rows of LEDs per segment thicken each stroke for daylight.
RS232C, 20 mA and RS485 inputs standard
All three are on the board, for cable runs of 50 ft, 1,000 ft and 4,000 ft respectively.
Learn mode
Matches the format and protocol of the incoming string instead of needing one fixed protocol.
Wires to the TS3300 standard 20 mA port
Active or passive current loop, with no option card on the indicator.
Reflect mode for mirror viewing
Reverses the digits so a driver reads the weight in a side mirror while the trailer fills.
Blanks when the data stops
After an idle time-out of 5 to 15 seconds the weight clears, so a stale reading is not left on display.
Auto or fixed brightness
Auto follows ambient light; fixed levels from 20 to 100 percent suit constant lighting.
Time and date from the display's own clock
The indicator does not have to send time and date for the display to show them.
What's included
- 218 display, 5.0 in. characters (27745)
- Visor over the display face
- Rear steel mounting bracket
- Accessory 334 DB9 connector kit, item 13486
- AC power cord exiting a watertight gland in the base
The technical picture
The 218 repeats the indicator's weight where the driver can read it. Six 5.0 in. high-intensity red LED digits carry LB, KG, GR and NT legends, in a NEMA 3 painted steel housing with a visor against sun and weather. It mounts on a pole or a wall at the platform.
RS232C, 20 mA current loop and RS485 inputs are all standard, and the one chosen sets the cable run: 50 ft, 1,000 ft or 4,000 ft. Learn mode reads the format of the incoming string, which is what lets a 218 go onto an indicator already in service. On a TS3300 it wires to the standard 20 mA port, active or passive.
Reflect mode reverses the digits for reading in a truck mirror. Brightness follows ambient light or holds a fixed level. If data stops arriving, the display blanks after an idle time-out rather than holding the last weight.
At a glance
| Type | Remote Display |
|---|---|
| Display | Six-digit, seven-segment high-intensity red LED; decimal and colon; LB, KG, GR and NT legends |
| Digit Height | 5.0 in. (127 mm), three rows of LEDs per segment |
| Viewing Distance | Up to 300 ft (91 m) |
| Data Link | RS232C to 50 ft (15 m); 20 mA current loop, active or passive, to 1,000 ft (305 m); RS485 to 4,000 ft (1,219 m) |
| Enclosure | NEMA 3 painted steel, with visor |
| Material / Mounting | Pole or wall; rear mounting bracket included, pole hardware ordered separately |
| Power | 117 VAC ±15%, 50/60 Hz, 100 mA |
| Operating Temperature | -20 °F to 120 °F (-29 °C to 49 °C) |
| Certifications and standards | NEMA 3 rated painted steel enclosure |
Complete specifications are in the product documents below. Confirm current figures with your distributor before specifying.
Options & accessories
Item numbers and availability are confirmed at quotation. Ask your distributor to verify configuration and compatibility before ordering.
Added in the field Order any time
4-conductor 22-gauge cable
Required from the indicator to the display and ordered by the foot. The interface sets the run: 50 ft on RS232C, 1,000 ft on 20 mA, 4,000 ft on RS485.
Temperature module
Field installed in any 218 display. Shows temperature from -50 F to 150 F, in Fahrenheit or Celsius.
Remote display pole mount plate
For the 5.0 in. displays. The plate needs one clamp set to fit a pole: 15808 for 3 in., 15809 for 4 in. or 15810 for 5 in.
Pole clamp sets3 in. / 4 in. / 5 in.
One set mounts plate 15807 to a pole of the matching diameter. Order the clamp that matches the pole, not the display.
8 ft pole kit4.5 in. OD aluminum pole, natural finish
A 4.5 in. OD x 8 ft aluminum pole with base, pole cap and drill-in-place anchor bolts. Pole mount plate 15807 and a clamp set are ordered separately.
LED traffic light
A separate 5 in. green dot and red X signal, for a light position of its own beside a 218. AC power is hard wired in the field; mounts on slipfitter 86573 or wall plate 29769. Control box 30006 and relay box interface card 30920 are ordered separately.
Manual traffic light control box
For 218T and ACC 778 lights only. Box 11340 is for the 85293 and 86019 lights and must not be used with a 218T or an ACC 778.
Specifier & operator FAQ
Which indicators will drive the 218?
An indicator with a continuous serial output on RS232C, 20 mA or RS485. The TS3300 wires to it on its standard 20 mA port, active or passive, and the 218 is offered as an option on the TS600. Learn mode reads the format of an unfamiliar string, which is how a 218 is added to an indicator already in service.
How far from the indicator can it be mounted?
The interface sets the limit: 50 ft on RS232C, 1,000 ft on 20 mA current loop and 4,000 ft on RS485. Interface cable is ordered by the foot, separately from the display. Where no cable path exists, the 218 RF carries the weight by radio instead.
Can several displays run from one indicator?
Yes. Up to four 218s daisy-chain on one 20 mA current loop, and RS232 and RS485 connections can also be daisy-chained. On a shared line from a Thurman indicator, a two-character ID code sets which scale's data each display shows.
Is a remote display required on a truck scale?
In some states, yes. Check with the local weights and measures office before the scale is commissioned. Either way, the display is programmed to meet the applicable weights and measures requirements before the installation is complete.
Why does an indicator menu call it a 1605?
1600 Series is the engineering name for the 218 family, and indicator menus and wiring diagrams use it. The 5.0 in. displays appear as the 1605, the 1605T (218T) and the 1605 RF (218 RF). Order by the 218 model name and item number.
Manuals & literature
Spec sheet · LiteratureDownload
In the same family
218T Remote Display with Integrated Traffic Light
The 5.0 in. 218 weight display with a 5 in. green dot and red X LED traffic signal in the same NEMA 3 housing, so one pole carries both.
218 RF Remote Display
The 5.0 in. 218 display on a 902-928 MHz radio link instead of a data cable, with radio range up to 1,000 ft outdoors in line of sight. AC power is still needed at the display.
218 Series 1.5 in. Remote Display
LED remote display with six 1.5 in. digits in a NEMA 4X stainless housing, readable at up to 75 ft, for washdown rooms, benches and packing lines.