topic Re: Labview should run with a Multimeter in LabVIEW

Labview should run with a Multimeter

HerrPeetz — Fri, 04 Nov 2016 07:34:36 GMT

Hello,

i hope you can help me with my Problem.

My Multimeter shall run with Labview.

Can someone name a Multimeter witch work together with Labview?

Best regards

HerrPeetz

Re: Labview should run with a Multimeter

Norbert_B — Fri, 23 May 2025 23:13:44 GMT

Let me rephrase your question:

Can you recommend a DMM (digital multimeter) which provides a driver API which integrates into LV?

Well, besides the NI DMMs, which naturally integrate their API into LV (when keeping installation order), it is up to the vendor of the DMM if they provide a LV API for their driver. So you should ask DMM vendors about that kind of support. Or simply go here.

Norbert

Re: Labview should run with a Multimeter

Yamaeda — Fri, 04 Nov 2016 11:07:16 GMT

I've read from Fluke, it's a standard VISA communication.

Re: Labview should run with a Multimeter

Hooovahh — Fri, 04 Nov 2016 12:56:19 GMT

Oh yeah lots of DMMs work with LabVIEW. Basically if it has GPIB, Ethernet, RS-232, or RS-485 you can make it work assuming you have a datasheet explaining how to talk to it. A few years ago I was in the market for a new hand held DMM and bought one from Amazon for $35 with a RS-232 interface. I wrote some basic drivers for it ans posted it here. The thing does have a way of turning off the auto-sleep function, so if you power it with something like a DC supply, you could actually integrate it into a tester pretty easily, assuming you are okay with the slow sample rate and 3 1/2 digits.

Re: Labview should run with a Multimeter

RTSLVU — Fri, 04 Nov 2016 14:30:28 GMT

Keysight 34401A (Keysight used to be Agilent, who used to be HP)

http://www.keysight.com/en/pd-1000001295%3Aepsg%3Apro-pn-34401A/digital-multimeter-6-digit?cc=US&lc=eng

The 34401A LabVIEW drivers are part of the stantard instrument drivers install

Re: Labview should run with a Multimeter

GerdW — Fri, 04 Nov 2016 15:11:11 GMT

Well, the 34401A will be obsolescent in 4 weeks…

(Use the recommended replacements instead!)

Re: Labview should run with a Multimeter

RTSLVU — Fri, 04 Nov 2016 15:27:10 GMT

@GerdW wrote:
Well, the 34401A will be obsolescent in 4 weeks…
(Use the recommended replacements instead!)

Yeah I saw that too, but the 34401A is tried and true with a long track record, mature LabVIEW drivers, a large installed base, and programming history, so there is lots of comunity support for it from people who have used it and probably will be for a long time just like the 34970.

We are still using a few Hewlet Packard 34970's in our lab.

Buying something just released you can end up with incomplete or worse yet flawed LabVIEW drivers and very little comunity support.

Re: Labview should run with a Multimeter

GerdW — Fri, 04 Nov 2016 15:30:11 GMT

Hi RTSLVU,

yes, but now the 34401 is more expensive then it used to be - because Keysight raised the price by intention!

(And for company use I would always buy new hardware instead of used units.)

I keep my suggestion to avoid buying obsolete hardware…

Re: Labview should run with a Multimeter

RTSLVU — Fri, 04 Nov 2016 15:38:40 GMT

I have Hewlet Packard 34970's still running in the lab but have had more than one Agilent/Keysight 34970/34972 units fail since what's her name sold off HP Test and Measurment.

I would by a used HP from the 90's before buying a new Keysight.

Re: Labview should run with a Multimeter

crossrulz — Fri, 23 May 2025 23:14:12 GMT

The meters I have had the most success with are the Keithley 2000 and PXI-4072.

Re: Labview should run with a Multimeter

NIquist — Mon, 07 Nov 2016 14:52:48 GMT

We used to use the Keithley 2001's which I thought were great. We combined with another company that used all Agilents and I also found the 34401s and 34970s were excellent. I hate to say it but I bought 9 Keysight 34972As to expand some thermal drift tests because they were newer, cheaper and had convenient USB connections but I've found the old GPIB units are more reliable communicating with the PC AND we had one fail (power supply) within 6 months. I don't think we've ever had to service the old Agilent models. That's not much by way of statistics but it still gives me a bad feeling about Keysight's quality going forward. I hope they get their act together because it's really important to be able to trust your basic tools like DMMs and multiplexors.

On the other hand we are also seriously considering an overall paradigm switch to NI options (cRIO or PXI) for our test stations which I would love.