Raspberry Pi2/3 logging platform for Voltnuts

[bingo600]

What a great thread.

OK, I am ready to get my first Raspberry Pi.
But which one should I get to get best results ?
Thanks.

@HV

Get the new 3B

Kit
http://www.pollin.de/shop/dt/NzQxNzkyOTk-/Bauelemente_Bauteile/Entwicklerboards/Raspberry_Pi/Raspberry_Pi_3_Model_B_Starter_Kit.html



Or

http://www.pollin.de/shop/dt/OTQxNzkyOTk-/Bauelemente_Bauteile/Entwicklerboards/Raspberry_Pi/Raspberry_Pi_3_Model_B.html

http://www.pollin.de/shop/dt/NzQ2NzkyOTk-/Bauelemente_Bauteile/Entwicklerboards/Raspberry_Pi/Raspberry_Pi_Gehaeuse_TEKO_TEK_BERRY3_9_schwarz.html

http://www.pollin.de/shop/dt/NjEyODQ2OTk-/Stromversorgung/Netzgeraete/Steckernetzgeraete/Micro_USB_Stecker_Schaltnetzteil_STONTRONICS_5_V_2_5_A.html



Also get a "Cooler kit"
http://www.pollin.de/shop/dt/MTAxODkyOTk-/Bauelemente_Bauteile/Entwicklerboards/Raspberry_Pi/Raspberry_Pi_Kuehlungs_Kit_TEKO_RPI_COOLKIT_9.html



I'm ONLY using Sandisk Extreme cards , have had too many bad experiences with "cheap cards"
Usually i get these,  get a few ie 3 pcs.
https://www.amazon.de/SanDisk-Extreme-microSDHC-Action-Cameras/dp/B013CP5A0Y


/Bingo

[ManateeMafia]

I have been working on the BME280 server/client code. It has been tested and I have a GUI for those that want to use a PiTFT hat. There is room on the display for a second sensor readout. The RPi is installed in a black Uniker case with 2.2 display. My photo doesn't do it justice as my camera phone adds a blue tint.

I am not sure if this is too much to add up front to the project but it may be worth considering for a future version. It has push buttons and a user interface might be added for launching python scripts without a remote login.

[plesa]

I have been working on the BME280 server/client code. It has been tested and I have a GUI for those that want to use a PiTFT hat. There is room on the display for a second sensor readout. The RPi is installed in a black Uniker case with 2.2 display. My photo doesn't do it justice as my camera phone adds a blue tint.

I am not sure if this is too much to add up front to the project but it may be worth considering for a future version. It has push buttons and a user interface might be added for launching python scripts without a remote login.

Nice, displaying IP address and some status info is helpful. Any preference for used display ( character, matrix, size??)

What we needs to check is EMI which comes from RPi and power supply. and also EMI related to GPIB adapters. Any volunteer with experience?

[ManateeMafia]

This 2.2" display is pretty small at 320x240. The smallest text size is 10 point and the largest is 24.

I have the Kuman 3.5" display with case. It looks like it would be a better choice but I haven't assembled it yet to see how durable it is. There doesn't seem to be any protection for the screen like the Uniker.

[bingo600]

@plesa

You'd need these for Agilent USB adapters & clones.

Code: [Select]

sudo apt-get install fxload

#Get the USB adapter firmware
wget http://linux-gpib.sourceforge.net/firmware/gpib_firmware-2008-08-10.tar.gz
tar xvzf gpib_firmware-2008-08-10.tar.gz

/Bingo

Ps: I don't have any EMI antennas 

[plesa]

@plesa

You'd need these for Agilent USB adapters & clones.

Code: [Select]

sudo apt-get install fxload

#Get the USB adapter firmware
wget http://linux-gpib.sourceforge.net/firmware/gpib_firmware-2008-08-10.tar.gz
tar xvzf gpib_firmware-2008-08-10.tar.gz

/Bingo

Ps: I don't have any EMI antennas 

Yep, I know. I also tried to repair fake 82357B adapter from ebay, but it lost vendor ID, anyone know how to restore it?
EMI antennas are not required ferite beads and some wire will be enough
https://interferencetechnology.com/the-hf-current-probe-theory-and-application/

[lukier]

Yep, I know. I also tried to repair fake 82357B adapter from ebay, but it lost vendor ID, anyone know how to restore it?

Check CY7C68013A user manual, it describes (AFAIR in the boot section) what to put at the beginning of the I2C EEPROM.

If I remember correctly it was something along these lines:
- mode (0 - shows up as Cypress device, used only for development, 1 - initial VID & PID from EEPROM, then upload the actual firmware - that's the mode used by Agilent, 2 - VID & PID & firmware in the EEPROM)
- VID
- PID

Initial (EEPROM) PID is different from the final one after firmware upload from the host, but I don't remember the numbers off the top of my head. It's somewhere online in the various linux-gpib guides.

[bingo600]

From
https://www.eevblog.com/forum/reviews/using-a-raspberry-pi-with-linux-gpib-and-a-beiming-or-agilent-usb-gpib-adapter/msg329067/#msg329067

Code: [Select]

cd ~/linux-gpib
sudo apt-get install fxload

#Get the USB adapter firmware
wget http://linux-gpib.sourceforge.net/firmware/gpib_firmware-2008-08-10.tar.gz
tar xvzf gpib_firmware-2008-08-10.tar.gz

cd gpib_firmware-2008-08-10/agilent_82357a/

#Find the adapter
lsusb
#It will show something like this : Bus 001 Device 007: ID 0957:0518 Agilent Technologies, Inc.

#load firmware 1'st time
sudo fxload -t fx2 -D /dev/bus/usb/001/007 -I ./measat_releaseX1.8.hex

#Find the adapter (Device will usually increment by 1 , after a fw load)
lsusb
#It will show something like this : Bus 001 Device 008: ID 0957:0518 Agilent Technologies, Inc.

#load firmware 2'nd time
sudo fxload -t fx2 -D /dev/bus/usb/001/008 -I ./measat_releaseX1.8.hex

#Find the adapter
lsusb
#It will show something like this : Bus 001 Device 009: ID ID 0957:0718 Agilent Technologies, Inc. , note the change to ID 0957:0718

The green led's should be lit , and we're ready to go.

[plesa]

Thanks Bingo600 and Lukier for info, unfortunately this adapter has VID/PID set to zero. So It looks to me that it will require programmer to load correct FW.

Btw, one problem I have with RPi and NI USB-GPIB-HS is random crashed when running long time (hours). I used wheezy and jessie images from raspi site, different kernels, latest and one before that linux-gpib, RPI 1 and RPI 3 boards and various SanDisk SD cards. After crash gpib_config can't talk to dongle anymore, even thou it shows ok in lsusb. Reboot doesn't help , only dongle powercycle does.
Same NI dongle however works happily logging simultaneous data from 3x2001, 2x2002, 3458 over more than 70 hours now, running same python snake app on DE1SoC board with Trusty LTS 14.04 linux.

I only found that some instruments do not like connecting and disconnecting instruments to/from GPIB when running.
After hooking up K2001, the response time of 3458A incresed and power supply E3631A was in remote, but does not respond to commands at all.
After restarting E3631 everything is OK.
Setup was running for 3 weeks.

[TiN]

Didn't see such stuff with my K2001's/3458 mixes.
Btw, I also had Agilent pod version of linux setup guide, using clone I have here.

[mimmus78]

Just my two cents: you can also use a DS18B20 as a second temperature monitor thing. It's more small and I suppose more cheap too.
It don't even share pins with the BME sensor, so you can just slap over the BME without doing any rewiring.
I'm actually using one it for TC characterisation of resistors for my LTZ1000 project.

[plesa]

Just my two cents: you can also use a DS18B20 as a second temperature monitor thing. It's more small and I suppose more cheap too.
It don't even share pins with the BME sensor, so you can just slap over the BME without doing any rewiring.
I'm actually using one it for TC characterisation of resistors for my LTZ1000 project.

If you needs DS18B20 sensors support you can inspire here
https://www.modmypi.com/blog/ds18b20-one-wire-digital-temperature-sensor-and-the-raspberry-pi

BME280 is unique for it's humidity measurement.
Lot of things are sensitive to humidity and not only to temperature. Price of BME280 is almost same like DS18B20, only absolute accuracy is better with DS18B20 ( 1C vs 0.5C).

[mimmus78]

plesa:

I know you need at least one BME. What I tried to explain is that you don't need a second BME for a second temperature sensor.
You can connect ONE BME and one DS18B20 to the same RASPBERRY.

Anyway BME and DS18B20 have not the same price.
For the BME sensor you need to buy also the miniPCB and it costs 5 to 10 EUR.
As for the DS18B20 I can easily find one at less than 2 EUR locally.
And at least in Italy is more easier to find than the BME that is relatively new component.

Than if you consider to that it has TO92 package you also realise that is more easier to put on the right place and has very low thermal mass.

[FrankBuss]

Nice project. I have a HM8012 benchtop multimeter with RS232, a RK8511 DC electronic load with RS232 and a Siglent SPD3303D power supply with an USB port, do you plan to support this? Would be cool to control and read it all from Python on a Raspberry Pi for measurements and experiments, like power on/off stress tests. I can help to implement drivers for it.

Looks like the xdevs site is down. Maybe you could create a github repository with a script (and additional programs and config files etc. if needed), which you can just start to turn a fresh Raspian image into this special distribution? Only one wget from a root shell would be required and then starting the script. Bonus: add some Dialog menus (can be implemented in bash) what instrument drivers you want to install and how you want it to configure, just like the raspi-config. Then you don't need to host gigabytes of data, too. Everyone could fork the github repository and send you pull requests for new things they have implemented.

[plesa]

Hi Frank,

USB and LAN connection is already implemented and tested in image. It has been made by Alex.
USB is working over USB-RS232 converter (Keyspan 19HS).
The major problem with support is that I do not have such gear.
If it became bigger maybe we can consider creating wrapper for instruments, which can make the srips universal. and if we needs some rare instrument from same category only the interface needs to be made.

I already created Github
https://github.com/PlesaEEVBlog/RPi_LogNut
And I will put there scripts and webpages for data visualization soon.
Currently I'm migrating to D3js version 4.4.
You can start with fresh Raspbian. The intention was to create easy startup for Voltnuts without Rpi experience which can help all of us to use same platform and share our work.

[carl_lab]

"Yes, post type of instrument and type of interface (GPIB,Prologix,USB,LAN, RS232)"

Instrument: several 3458A's

Interface: Agilent 82357B GPIB to USB

[plesa]

"Yes, post type of instrument and type of interface (GPIB,Prologix,USB,LAN, RS232)"

Instrument: several 3458A's

Interface: Agilent 82357B GPIB to USB

So you are exactly the user for this. Image ready to go including plots available on website is ready on xDevs site.

Ok! So what hardware I have to buy?
Raspberry version?
Memory card for sytem and enough space for logging data (4x 3458A voltage and TEMP readout over a month or more).
What else?

Which GPIB adapter you have?

...Agilent 82357B GPIB to USB interface

Also logging of environmental conditions over BME280 is there including visualization.

Is internal TEMP from one or all of the 3458A's sufficient?
Or oven thermistor out from 732A read out over another 6 1/2 digit DMM?
Unfortunatelly I have to remove the whole setup from temperature controlled cal lab to another room without air condition (I think it will be within 22 +/-1 Celisus, anyway).

RPi you should buy is:
https://www.raspberrypi.org/products/raspberry-pi-2-model-b/
or
https://www.raspberrypi.org/products/raspberry-pi-3-model-b/
RPi3 is faster and has WiFi and Bluetooth.
Do not forget case
https://www.raspberrypi.org/products/raspberry-pi-case/
as a power supply I'm using E3631, 6V rail for RPi and 15V for LTZ.
SD card - I can recommends Samsung PRO, SamSung EVO+ or others recommended Sandisk extreme.
Minimum is 8GB on this size of microSD card will be still plenty of space left. I expect some logging on NPLC >10 and not digitizing. One week of logging is about 10MB.
Many components are sensitive to pressure and humidity changes not only temperature.
So I propose to log everything.
BME sensors are chep on eBay of if you are in hurry purchase Adafruit or Sparkfun ones ( $20/pcs) on eBay it is about $5/pcs.

[Bud]

@OP, for crap sake please please make it easy to use for us end users who are not linux nuts. "Bash, fork, pull requests" and such gibberish will turn many like me away. Thank you.

[bingo600]

@Bud

AFAIK he did 

Just download the ready built image from TiN's site , write it to a SD card.
Showe it in the RasPi and boot from it.

/Bingo

[Bud]

I am waiting for the Agileng clone adapter implementation, i only have that one.   

[FrankBuss]

@OP, for crap sake please please make it easy to use for us end users who are not linux nuts. "Bash, fork, pull requests" and such gibberish will turn many like me away. Thank you.

Well, these common software developer practices will attract more developers, which in turn will help to create a better end user solution

[carl_lab]

So you are exactly the user for this.
Image ready to go including plots available on website is ready on xDevs site.
...
RPi you should buy is:
https://www.raspberrypi.org/products/raspberry-pi-2-model-b/
or
https://www.raspberrypi.org/products/raspberry-pi-3-model-b/
RPi3 is faster and has WiFi and Bluetooth.
Do not forget case
https://www.raspberrypi.org/products/raspberry-pi-case/

Does RPi-2 or -3 make a difference for needed image?
Where can I find the image? I scanned xdevs site several times, but was not able to find it.

Does the raspberry need additional (DDRx)-RAM cards or is RAM already on board?
It's quite confusing for me without linux or raspberry experience...

As far as I understood xdev site, Agilent's GPIB to USB interface adapter loads firmware via bootloader on each startup.
Is that firmware loaded into adapters RAM or why is it not loaded permanently?

[plesa]

Does RPi-2 or -3 make a difference for needed image?
Where can I find the image? I scanned xdevs site several times, but was not able to find it.

Does the raspberry need additional (DDRx)-RAM cards or is RAM already on board?
It's quite confusing for me without linux or raspberry experience...

As far as I understood xdev site, Agilent's GPIB to USB interface adapter loads firmware via bootloader on each startup.
Is that firmware loaded into adapters RAM or why is it not loaded permanently?

Image is here https://xdevs.com/doc/_Images_RPI-DL/
Also the scripts are there. Image works on RPi2 and RPi3, there is no significant difference in perfomance for logging.
RAM is integrated on RPi board already.
Yes 82357B and clones require load firmware when plugged. It will be automated, so in next release you will not found difference to NI GPIB or E5810 usage.

[z01z]

I've tried to put the image on a 8GB Sandisk Ultra but it has a few sector less than needed (20MB actually):
Not enough space on disk: Size: 15564800 sectors  Available: 15523840 sectors  Sector size: 512

It's just great that a "8GB" card is 7.4 in reality...

[plesa]

OK, so I will in next release resize image. and you will needs to resize image back to full size of SD card.
Thanks for info.