Serial Communication

[JohnGalt]

The PCI Controller
    It is an RS232 
    Yes, pins 2 and 3 show no voltage.
    I can see it on my hardware list.
    The flow control is set to zero on all of the Meilhaus ports.
The Temperature Controller
    You are correct. I have the manual.It is also available at http://www.omega.com/manuals/manualpdf/M3944.pdf

[K C]

Hi Cole,

I hope you don’t mind that I check every word you write ?

You wrote ‘Flow control set to zero’ you mean ‘none’ I think

I am running out off ideas over here for your Meilhaus ports.

That you don’t measure any voltage is strange. The only thing that I can think off now is that the hardware drivers for the RS232 ports are enabled when you configure a port. But this is rarely used.

Can you tell me which IC’s on the board are connected to the RS232 port (pin 2 and 3)

OR

Can you make a VI (see attachment) with: an initialize COM port with VISA, While loop with stop button and a close VISA outside the loop.

Run this VI and while it’s running measure all voltage between pin 5 (Gnd) and the other pins of that port.

Meanwhile I will have a look at the temperature controller manual.

[JohnGalt]

Yes, i did mean none, but thank you for confirming that anyway. What do you mean by IC's? (sorry, kind of a noob)  Idid run the program you had me write and tested all the pins against pin 5, I still got no voltage. That makes me wonder about the Meilhaus board even more. Is it broken? I think I am going to test some of the other devices on the COM 1 port. I hope it's not broken as well.

[K C]

If you don't measure anything on the Meilhaus ports there must be something seriously wrong. Most pins should have 8-10V (+ or -)

Are you absolutely sure it's a RS232 board and not a RS485/422. This would explain the absence of voltage.

Forget the IC's part. It would go to far.

No time found yet to have a good look at the manual for the temperature device. What I saw after a quick scan was a communication menu setup. Nothing changed in this menu ? All parameters are Factory default ? If that  is OK I will read the manual and make a VI to communicate with this device.

We have to get some results after all this work. Get back to you

[JohnGalt]

It can be used for both RS232 and RS485/422. What effect would that have on it? I don't know about RS485/422. Do they have 9 pins as well? I assume they do, since this is supposed to work wth both. If so, should I try using them instead?  The temperature controller should still be set to factory default. If it isn't, I will run a hard reset.

[K C]

RS232 and RS485/422 are different they use different voltages. You temperature controller is RS232 (as far i can see)

What type is your Meilhaus board exactly ? What kind of connectivity box or cable are you using ?

[JohnGalt]

The board is ME-9100. I am using the breakout box that is listed on the website somewhere. The cable connecting this ti the computer is some big thick thing It says something about style 2990 or something like that. It came with the card and box.

[K C]

There must be more then just the 9100. Please look in the manual at table-1 there all different boards are listed.

The style 2990 means data cable> It's written on all cables. Can you point out what box your are using in the manual.

[JohnGalt]

It's on the table as ME-9100i/ 8 RS232 PCi/cPCi. It has opto isolation, and eight ports up to 921.6 kBd (although the manual has it typed in European style with a "," instead of a ".")
That seems to be the one I have, although I can't tell you much about what those things mean.

[K C]

Your answer is clear to me. I am stuck, so back to the beginning...........but i won't give up  (yet) 

In reply 46 you say there is an error in your device manager when you look at the Meilhaus ports. Can you tell me if this is still the case.?

At a point you told that the board or PC was returned for test. Was this the PC where you are working on now ?