Alicat Monochrome Displays Standardized with Backlight On

June 19th, 2023

Since 2017, Alicat has offered a monochrome display with a backlight for bright or dark areas. The light toggles on/off with a button behind the logo on the front of the device. With the release of 8v firmware in 2019, Alicat gave customers the ability to automatically turn on the backlight every time the device powers on – referred to as ‘Backlight on Power Up.’

Now, Alicat has made this beloved setting a standard. Any devices manufactured on June 19th, 2023 or later have Backlight on Power Up enabled at the factory. The Backlight on Power Up setting is not available on -X devices due to the certification requirements for their monochrome display.

How can I check if my devices will have a backlit monochrome display?

Devices with a backlit monochrome display have -D, -RD, or -RDE in its part number, which you can find in your quote. Devices with color TFT displays will not be affected by this change. CODA, BASIS, and EP series devices are not offered with a backlit monochrome display.

How do I turn this feature on for my existing devices?

Devices equipped with 8v firmware or higher can change this setting within the display’s menu. Devices with 7v firmware must be modified through a register. This can either be done at the factory through a service request or in the field with the help of an applications engineer.

Will the devices I send in for service be affected?

No, devices sent in for unrelated service and recalibration will not have this option enabled. It must be requested by the customer in their service request.

How will this change affect the performance of my Alicat?

The impact on temperature from self-heating in a no-flow condition is +0.1 Celsius with the backlight on versus off. Since Alicats compensate for temperature change in their mass flow measurement, a 0.1 Celsius change will have no affect on accuracy. Current draw will also increase by .031 watts (or 1.3 mA at 24Vdc), which is well within stated specifications. Battery life specifications on portable devices are also unaffected.

What if I don’t want this feature enabled for future orders?

When requesting a quote, simply ask that Backlight on Power-up not be enabled. This will not affect the price of your device. 

Contact an applications engineer for more support