Program that can log from many multimeters.

[Messtechniker]

Setting the range for the graph manually works for UT 622 Capacitance.
For some reason "Auto" will not set the range properly. See piccies

[Messtechniker]

Now to the interesting bit. What I'm after is capacitance and the ESR temperature coefficient.
Simply by pointing a heat gun at the object of interest - an old 47 uF 350 V lytic I get the following:


 

[HKJ]

Setting the range for the graph manually works for UT 622 Capacitance.
For some reason "Auto" will not set the range properly. See piccies

I do have some special handling for very small values, but it is not active at micro level.

[Pukker]

I made some modifications to my Battery Test Script.
Removed dropout checks and calculation since my load (DL24P)
has no more dropouts since HKJ improved this in Testcontroller (Thanks HKJ)

Added some options which I liked to have.
So you can check if there is no overload for the load.
See menu.jpg for info.

I also made an version with checking the internal resistance of the battery.
Best is to use an 4-wire connection when your load supports this.
Tested also with an 0.44 ohm resistor in series and it works great.
In Result.jpg you can see how it look.
(BTW used an powersupply and 0.44 ohm resistor in series to test)

Results are dependent on accuracy of the load of coarse,
but Internal Resistance has to do with relative measurement values,
so they should be fairly accurate.

Graph.jpg is an picture made with settings 12V minimum, capacity 2200mAh
and discharge current 1A. Battery simulated by Powersupply with 0.44 ohm
in series. Starting 10 seconds with 0.2C current, 1 second at 1C current.
At this point Internal Resistance is determined.
then further discharge with 1A current.
After shutdown voltage rises a little, is the result of the series resistor.

Internal resistance testing is done by the following rules by IED61960.

According to IEC61960, the DC resistance can be measured as follows:
A DC current step is applied to measure the change in the cell’s voltage.
Battery resistance is defined as the change in voltage over the change
 in current when a discharge current of 0.2C is applied for 10s
followed by a discharge current of 1C for 1s.
The DCIR is calculated byformula DCR = (V1-V2)/(I2-I1)

where V1 and I1 are the voltage and current values after the 10s 0.2C discharge just before the current step;
V2 and I2 are the voltage and current values after the 1s 1C discharge.

Rules I have found on https://www.landtinst.com/what-is-internal-resistance-ir-and-how-to-test-ir/

[HKJ]

I made some modifications to my Battery Test Script.

I have added it to the user script page: http://lygte-info.dk/project/TestControllerUserScripts1%20UK.html
I did not remove the old script.

I have added one line to the scripts:
#scriptInterface Load setCurrent setOn readVoltage setVoltage

This line is placed just after the #scriptMenu line and will work as a filter when the script is placed in a menu. The filter means the script will only be listed if a load with the required functions are loaded (TC has a couple of these filter conditions that can be used).

[bdunham7]

I'm having trouble connecting my Fluke 8846A to TestController and I'm not seeing why.  If anyone has a moment, I'd appreciate it.  I'm getting the USA Cal Club FX reference tomorrow and trying to get some logging set up, but for some reason it won't connect.  I'm using the FT232 (Fluke branded, worked fine before) RS232-to-USB cable.  I can set up a terminal program and connect to the 8846A just fine using 9600 8/no parity/1 stop bit.  The command "*IDN?" gives me a response of

FLUKE,8846A,1293013,08/02/10-11:53

exactly as expected.  I can then enter commands and the meter responds properly.

I've previously used the 8846A successfully with TestController.  I haven't used it in a while, so I fired it up and tried, then updated TestController and tried again.  My troubleshooting is a bit stymied because I don't know, don't remember or never knew where and how the program stores its configuration information.

When I go to add the 8846A to the list of connected devices, it won't let me select "SERIAL" as the connection, it only shows "SOCKET".  If I select 'Scan Serial Ports", it does so but I get a response of

;;FT232R USB UART (COM3) Did not find any match for. *IDN?

My definition file (or whatever it is called) for the Fluke 8846A is attached.  I'd appreciate any advice on getting this going.  I may have overlooked something silly, so no idea is too basic.  Any explanation of how TestController actually works here is also helpful.

[HKJ]

I'm having trouble connecting my Fluke 8846A to TestController and I'm not seeing why. 

The definition only support network connection, you can easily change that:
Find the line:
#port 3490
in the definition and change it to:
#port 3490 com
After restarting TestController, removing 8846A from the loaded list and adding it again, you can click on the "Socket" text and select serial instead.

[Pukker]

Made an new script for testing Power Supplies with an Electronic Load.
Start with giving up the parameters off the supply and starting from Zero current
to maximum current in number of steps you want.
Stops when the supply is overloaded.

[bdunham7]

The definition only support network connection, you can easily change that:
Find the line:
#port 3490
in the definition and change it to:
#port 3490 com
After restarting TestController, removing 8846A from the loaded list and adding it again, you can click on the "Socket" text and select serial instead.

OK, I did that and I now get the error message:

;;FT232R USB UART (COM3) Device FLUKE,8846A, do not match. *IDN?

When I successfully connected way back when, I did need to use "Scan Serial Ports", so I assume it was finding it that way.  Now it will find my attached 34401A just fine by scanning serial ports even if I don't have it specifically loaded, so that much is working.  However, even with the Fluke 8846A loaded, I get this error.  The 8846A does have newer firmware than when I used it previously. 

I also am connecting an HP 34401A and that seems to be working reliably.  I have two identical Fluke-branded RS232 to USB cables and if I swap them between the two meters, TestController finds the 34401A right away just by scanning the serial ports.  I used the terminal program to look at the 34401A, and *IDN? returns the exact string (up to the second comma) as shown in the #idstring entry of the configuration file. 

[HKJ]

OK, I did that and I now get the error message:

;;FT232R USB UART (COM3) Device FLUKE,8846A, do not match. *IDN?

When I successfully connected way back when, I did need to use "Scan Serial Ports", so I assume it was finding it that way.  Now it will find my attached 34401A just fine by scanning serial ports even if I don't have it specifically loaded, so that much is working.  However, even with the Fluke 8846A loaded, I get this error.  The 8846A does have newer firmware than when I used it previously. 

I also am connecting an HP 34401A and that seems to be working reliably.  I have two identical Fluke-branded RS232 to USB cables and if I swap them between the two meters, TestController finds the 34401A right away just by scanning the serial ports.  I used the terminal program to look at the 34401A, and *IDN? returns the exact string (up to the second comma) as shown in the #idstring entry of the configuration file.

Do you have any echo enabled? You get the answer "*IDN?", not the device id (The text if do not match: is the actual answer TC tries to match to the device id).
Starting TC in debug mode may help a bit.

[HKJ]

Made an new script for testing Power Supplies with an Electronic Load.
Start with giving up the parameters off the supply and starting from Zero current
to maximum current in number of steps you want.
Stops when the supply is overloaded.

I will add that to the user script, but I do not have the time today.

Just a note: TC do not use {} in its language, they are obvious ignored (That may change at a later date) or your script would not work.

[bdunham7]

Do you have any echo enabled? You get the answer "*IDN?", not the device id (The text if do not match: is the actual answer TC tries to match to the device id).
Starting TC in debug mode may help a bit.

So I got it to nominally work at this point, but I'm still not 100% sure of the real issue and I'll test more later.  What I did was add the line #baudrate 9600N81 to the Fluke8846A.txt file, and then in the meter's RS232 menu I changed the EOL setting from "CRLF" to "LF".  I tried using the line #eol CRLF in the TestController config file, but that didn't work.

I was looking in the documentation for a complete list or explanation of the appropriate arguments to go after #baudrate and #eol, but I didn't find it.  Is it there?

[HKJ]

So I got it to nominally work at this point, but I'm still not 100% sure of the real issue and I'll test more later.  What I did was add the line #baudrate 9600N81 to the Fluke8846A.txt file, and then in the meter's RS232 menu I changed the EOL setting from "CRLF" to "LF".  I tried using the line #eol CRLF in the TestController config file, but that didn't work.

I was looking in the documentation for a complete list or explanation of the appropriate arguments to go after #baudrate and #eol, but I didn't find it.  Is it there?

The #eol needs a byte arguments, that can be: \r \n
Maybe I need to explain a bit more in the documentation

#baudrate works with a standard baudrate definition, but is not used when you specify "com", there you use the Baudrate column on the "Load devices" page.

There is probably a couple of tags that could use a better documentation and I do look in this thread for requests.

[Pukker]

I will add that to the user script, but I do not have the time today.

Just a note: TC do not use {} in its language, they are obvious ignored (That may change at a later date) or your script would not work.

OK, I will remove them and update the script as soon as posible. Maybe better to wait a while before adding.

[HKJ]

OK, I will remove them and update the script as soon as posible. Maybe better to wait a while before adding.

I will wait for a ready from you.

[Pukker]

Done. Replaced script files in both posts with scripts for Battery- and Powersupply test.

[HKJ]

Done. Replaced script files in both posts with scripts for Battery- and Powersupply test.

Added it, but you did not change both scripts for the first one.

[Pukker]

Added it, but you did not change both scripts for the first one.

I had not added the line:
#scriptInterface Load setCurrent setOn readVoltage setVoltage
OK now.
{} were removed allready.

Just for information PX100 owners. I get reading errors when make settings during running.

[HKJ]

I had not added the line:
#scriptInterface Load setCurrent setOn readVoltage setVoltage
OK now.
{} were removed allready.

Just for information PX100 owners. I get reading errors when make settings during running.

It is up now (The issue was that one of files was called "old" and was not updated, you probably uploaded the wrong one).

[Pukker]

On / Off buttons in Device PopUp for Atorch PX100 devices is not working.

Replacing with:

#cmdSetup buttonsOn On/Off
:read: on?
:write: on
:updatedelayed: 0.5
Off 0
On 1
:tip: Turn load On or Off

works OK.
Did not attach my devicefile because I enabled Temperature etc.

[Pukker]

Made some modifications in the Riden 60xx device file.
In PopUp in the tab for memory settings itow was not working, wrong register adresses.
Working now. Tested with RD6012

In the main tab, recalling M9 doesn't work for me. Don't know why.
I use the modified Unisoft firmware in the Riden.

[HKJ]

On / Off buttons in Device PopUp for Atorch PX100 devices is not working.

Replacing with:

#cmdSetup buttonsOn On/Off
:read: on?
:write: on
:updatedelayed: 0.5
Off 0
On 1
:tip: Turn load On or Off

works OK.
Did not attach my devicefile because I enabled Temperature etc.

I am not sure what the difference is to the existing definition?

Made some modifications in the Riden 60xx device file.
In PopUp in the tab for memory settings itow was not working, wrong register adresses.
Working now. Tested with RD6012

Thanks, I have update it for next version.

[Pukker]

I am not sure what the difference is to the existing definition?

Sorry, had an old version off the device file.

[Pukker]

Updated my Powersupply test.
Can be used for checking internal and serial resistance.
External cable and connector resistance can so be checked.
Four wire connecting with the load is preferred.
In the graph you can see internal resistance check (left) is done.
Internal Resistance check is done with 10% and 80% of the maximum current.

Mwah, programming / scripting is not my best business,
so script can have some flaws, but it works.
Comments are welcome.

Merry Christmas and a Happy 2024 to everyone.

[Pukker]

Just to share for what it's worth.
Once I bought an ADC10F103C and didn't nothing with it.
3.3 volt max. input makes it not always useful for me.
I liked to have an universal voltage logger,
so I made an resistor interface and so it is an usefull voltage logger to max. 60v.
Made different maximal input voltages over the 10 channels.
2x5, 3x10, 3x30 and 2x60 Volt input.
First made 10 math calculation for calculate and calibration.
That works fine, but lazy I am, modified my device file,
so it works out of the box.

Modification in the device file:
*** Only as indication.****
#rxFormat 9e5*1.6958885 26e5*1.6958885 43e5*3.2600326 60e5*3.268149 77e5*3.2476453 94e5*10.284538 111e5*10.259917 128e5*10.259917 145e5*19.173553 162e5*19.179894