Failing Self Calibration PCI 6221 ( password ? )

[reteb1]

I installed an unused PCI 6221.

External calibration in Daq Assistant works fine and meaSUREMENTS

However, the self calibration.vi returns error 200545 ( " Calibrate teh device externally to recalibrate the onboard voltage reference that is usef ro self cslibration " ).

Trying to use the external calibartion.vi's return " asks for a password.

Where could I sinf a password ( no self calibration has done before this this card is unused : MAX also says that 

[reteb1]

Sorry, something went wrong in the previous post.

So, here we go again.

Under LV 8.5 I  installed an unused PCI 6221.

External calibration in Daq Assistant works fine and measurements values ( thru DAQ Assistant ) seem OK and very precise compared to my ovenized voltage reference standards ( 1-2-5-10 Volts ).

However, I cannot use any suitable Ni-Daq(mx).vi for measurement ( error code 200016 ) since  " ...the device has never been self-calibrated using the self-calibrate NI-Daqmx API : ( do ) self calibrate the board using the NI-Daqmx API ".

However, this self-calibration.vi returns error 200545 ( " Calibrate the device externally to recalibrate the onboard voltage reference that is used for self-calibration " ).

However, trying to use the external calibration.vi's asks for the password.

Where could I find this password ?

Why has a new board a calibration password ?

Thanks for any help.

Peter

[Mcdan]

reteb1,

DAQmx does require a password be entered before external calibration is preformed.  From the detailed help for DAQmx Initialize External Calibration, "password is the current calibration password for the device. This password is case sensitive. The default password for all NI products is NI."  Each device has a password associated with it, and this can be changed by using DAQmx Change External Calibration Password.vi.

It sounds strange to me that you are receiving the 200016 warning... I'm not sure how your board *could* have never been calibrated before.  Does this device pass self-test?  Can you display the calibration tab in MAX?  What shows up there?

Hope this helps,

Dan

[reteb1]

Dan,

Thanks so much, you were effectively helpful.

The " DAQmx Initialize External Calibration.vi " didn't buy the " password " password but it did accept " NI ".

I  feel I had scrutinized the various very extensive NI documentations but apparently I have overseen this important clue.

Yes, yet, my board was never calibrated before ( it is new ).

It passes the self test ( in MAX ) but the MAX self-calibration says " failed, the self-calibration date has not changed " ( which is correct, there was no self calibration before ).

In " DAQ-Assistant>Calibration tab " it says " Calibration data is 1-1-1904 " which appears to me the default non-self calibration prompt.

I am the first user and I did not ( even could not ) calibrate, neither externally, nor internally self calibrate  ( that being the reason for my question in this discussion forum ) thru the DAQmx (internally self and externally ) calibrations.vi's.

Only in DAQAssistant's ( not MAX's )  tab " Calibration " ( externally ) I can calibrate and the result is perfect.

However, this cal works only within the DAQAssistant  and any other ( non DAQAssistant - ) DAQ(mx).vi keeps ( warning 200016 ) asking for " blah blah ...self calibrate the board .. " and presents weird measurement values, be it in differential or RSE or NRSE.

After running  " DAQmx Initialize External Calibration.vi " ( with the default password " Ni ", which, btw, I can change  properly ) I get a calibration handle value which value I tried to fill out in the " DAQmx Adjust M-Series Calibration.vi "  ( I run a M-Series PCI 6221 ), but the result is an error 200112 ( " Calibration handle is invalid " ).

Apparently, again, I do miss something, maybe I misunderstand the relation between " Initialize External Calibration " and " Adjust M-Series Calibration ", but I cannot find other relevant calibration.vi's. 

Please advise.

Thanks alot.

Peter.

[Mcdan]

Peter,

I have attached a VI which you can use to externally calibrate your device.  Essentially, you need to connect a stable reference voltage to your device as described by the comments on the block diagram of the attached VI.  On the front panel of the VI, you need to give it the value of the reference voltage you are using.  Give this VI a try, and let me know if this works or not.

Hope this helps,

Dan

[reteb1]

Dan,

Wow, this works.

I am most grateful.

I followed the instructions as per your supplied " MSeries-External Calibration.vi " and  guess what :

- in MAX the Self-Calibration works and the cal date and temp do show up poperly and

- now I can use the non-Daq Assistant.vi's as well.

There is just a peculiar warning # 50202 ( in MAX self-cal as well as in various DAQmx.vi's ) " A system call returned a warning. The operation was completed but the state of the system may be unreliable " ( my very stable voltage standards cannot be the culprits here ).

However, I feel I could discard this warning, since my 6221 measurement  results ( calibration and measurement were performed with different voltage ref standards ) present, after proper warm up times, in the +/- 10 V range ( at +10 V )  better than 100ppm accuracy which is well within the 6221 absolute accuracy specs of 300 ppm ( my voltage ref's are ovenized at 5 ppm/oC , 15 ppm/1000 hrs ).

So, I am very satisfied.

Just one more thing ( just curious.. ).

I run LV 8.5 and NIDAQ 8.60 but I couldn't find your supplied .vi in LV's search function

Is it custom made by you or else where did you get it ?

Thanks again.

Peter.

[Mcdan]

Peter,

I am glad to hear that works for you, and that your device is reading well within its accuracy specs.  I've not seen the 50202 warning before, so I'm not quite sure what is causing that.  It would be interesting to know if that happened with a different device in the system, or if it happened with the same device in a different system.

The VI I gave you was a VI which I had written.  I've spent quite a bit of time working on calibration of some of our various Multi-function DAQ devices, so I know my way around the calibration pallet pretty well 🙂

Dan

[reteb1]

Dan,

Using another of my MultiFunction NIDaq's ( PCI 6031E ) in my ( very stable ) very same system ( XP Prof , AMD 64 x 2 6000+) , I never saw this warning.

Also, my PCI 5911, though not being a mf NIDaq but being a NIScope hi speed digitizer, didn't ever show such a warning.

Anyone who has a clue what the meaning of warning # 50202 is ?

Thanks,

Peter,

[RikPrins]

Hi Peter,

Unfortunatly this warning can be caused by numerous things. On of the most know causes is discribed in the KB linked below:

http://digital.ni.com/public.nsf/allkb/ECFBB4C79B2F07238625720D007DFB6E?OpenDocument

Regards,

RikP - National Instruments Applications Engineering

[NI-Bongo]

Hi All,

The document RikP posted has been moved to:

KnowledgeBase 4CDAP7QA: Why Do I Get Error 50202?
http://digital.ni.com/public.nsf/allkb/61060FCCEFD2D5EF86257337005B9ED7?OpenDocument

Regards,
John B.
Applications Engineering
National Instruments