PCI-6259, cannot set ao0, self-calibration fails.

[Mark Kness]

Hi - I am having problems with a new PCI-6259 card. I have installed this in place of a previous PCI-6221 card that was used (and worked) previously.

Many of the problems seem related to an inability to set the output signals.

With the new card, I have done the following in MAX:

1) Self-test : This completed successfully.

2) Self-calibration: This fails. I get the message 'Self-calibration failed. The self-calibration date has not changed.'

3) Reset Device: I have tried this, and this does not fix anything.

4) Test Panels: I apply  an Analog Output to ao0, say 5 V or so, and select 'Update'. Then I look at, in Analog Input, '_ao0_vs_aognd' and press Start.

Instead of seeing an expected signal of around 5 V, I get a signal of about 0.

The same thing happens with ao1.

If I try these steps with the old 6221 card, the self-calibration works, and I get the expected signal in _ao0_vs_aognd and so forth.

I am using NI-DAQmx 8.9 with this. The card came with disks for 8.7.1 but I installed the most recent version instead.

Any ideas what could be wrong?

Thanks,

  Mark

Message Edited by Mark Kness on 06-29-2009 04:20 PM

[HeatherBaker]

Hi Mark,

Will you please run the DAQ Diagnostic Utility ? This will perform a series of tests to verify the basic operations.

[Mark Kness]

Thanks - I ran this, and some of the analog output tests failed.

Diagnostic output is attached. (I tried this twice, once skipping the self-calibration, and once trying it.)

6/30/2009 3:03:15 PM



Results saved to:  C:\Documents and Settings\MKNESS\Desktop\Diagnostic Results.txt



Selected Device: Dev1



Device Type: PCI-6259



Serial Number: 142354D



Device Support: (PASS)



NI-DAQmx Version: 8.9 (PASS)



Device Reset: (PASS)



The device was last self-calibrated on: 3/27/2009 1:35:10 AM



Running Calibration ...   FAILED for the following reason:  

Error -200545 occurred at DAQmx Self Calibrate.vi:1



Possible reason(s):


Measurements: Self-calibration failed.  The self-calibration date has not changed.

Disconnect the device from external signals, as they might introduce noise.  Externally calibrate the device to recalibrate the onboard voltage reference that is used for self-calibration.







-------------------- Testing Counters... --------------------



Testing CTR Buffered Pulse Generation...   (PASS)



Testing CTR Single Pulse Generation...   (PASS)







-------------------- Testing Analog Input... --------------------



Testing AI Ground Reference...   (PASS)



Testing AI Voltage Reference...   (PASS)



Testing AI Finite Sample Clock...   (PASS)



Testing AI Finite Sample Clock Frequency...   (PASS)







-------------------- Testing Analog Output... --------------------



Testing AO Finite Sample Clock...   (PASS)



Testing AO Finite Sample Clock Frequency...   (PASS)



Testing AO Single Point...   (FAIL)

************ Test FAILED for the following reason ************

This test failed to output 4.000000 Volts on Dev1/ao0.  The actual value written was 0.936806.

*******************************************************



Testing AO Accuracy...   (FAIL)

************ Test FAILED for the following reason ************

This test failed to generate a voltage waveform with an error of less than 0.038104 Volts on Dev1/ao0.  The actual average error was 3.235750 Volts.

*******************************************************







-------------------- Testing Digital IO... --------------------



Testing DIO Lines...   (PASS)



Testing DIO Ports...   (PASS)



 ----- DIAGNOSTIC TEST COMPLETE -----

[HeatherBaker]

Hi Mark,

Thanks for verifying with the DAQ Diagnostic Utility.  May I have permission to have your information retrieved from the system to contact you, so we can set up a RMA for this device?  Please be aware that our office will be closed tomorrow and Friday for the holiday.  

[Mark Kness]

Yes, please feel free to look up our information. I think we may already have made a request for a RMA. (I didn't do that part, but somebody else says they did.) BTW - You will probably not find my email address in your system, I can give you my address if you like (I am reluctant to post it online of course, so I am not sure how to tell you.)

Thanks,

  Mark