Page 1 L Series and FCS-18 AC Power Source Graphical User Interface Software User Manual Contact Information Telephone: 800 733 5427 (toll free in North America) 858 450 0085 (direct) Fax: 858 458 026 Email: Domestic Sales: domorders.sd@ametek.com International Sales: intlorders.sd@ametek.com Customer Service: service.ppd@ametek.com Web: www.programmablepower.com...
Page 5 About AMETEK AMETEK Programmable Power, Inc., a Division of AMETEK, Inc., is a global leader in the design and manufacture of precision, programmable power supplies for R&D, test and measurement, process control, power bus simulation and power conditioning applications across diverse industrial segments.
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Page 7 Neither AMETEK Programmable Power Inc., San Diego, California, USA, nor any of the subsidiary sales organizations can accept any responsibility for personnel, material or inconsequential injury, loss or damage that results from improper use of the equipment and accessories.
Page 8 AMETEK will, at its expense, deliver the repaired or replaced Product or parts to the Buyer. Any warranty of AMETEK will not apply if the Buyer is in default under the Purchase Order Agreement or where the Product or any part...
Page 9: Table Of Contents
L-Series and FCS-18 Graphical User Interface User Manual Table of Contents 1. Introduction ..............................9 1.1 About this program ..........................9 1.2 About this manual ............................ 9 1.3 Software version ............................ 10 2. Requirements ............................... 11 3. Setup and Installation........................... 12 3.1 Connecting an L-Series AC source to PC .....................
Page 10 L-Series and FCS-18- Graphical User Interface User Manual 7.1.2 Error checking ..........................50 7.2 Transient types ............................51 7.2.1 Voltage dropout transient ....................... 52 7.2.2 Voltage step transient ........................53 7.2.3 Voltage surge or sag transient ....................... 54 7.2.4 Voltage sweep transient ......................... 55 7.2.5 Frequency sweep transient ......................
Page 11 L-Series and FCS-18 Graphical User Interface User Manual 13.2 Interface problems ..........................102 13.2.1 Wrong IEEE address ........................102 13.2.2 Incompatible IEEE card ......................103 13.2.3 Card not at specified I/O address ....................104 13.3 Constant or Frequent Syntax Error messages .................. 104 13.4 Configuration errors ...........................
Page 12 L-Series and FCS-18- Graphical User Interface User Manual (This page intentionally left blank) California Instruments Rev D – March 2011...
Page 13: Introduction
1. Introduction 1.1 About this program The L Series Graphical User Interface program - LSGUI - was developed as a companion product to the California Instrument line of AC power sources. It’s main purpose is to provide a soft front panel to the instrument when connected to a PC through the IEEE-488 bus interface.
Page 14: Software Version
L-Series and FCS-18- Graphical User Interface User Manual 1.3 Software version From time to time, it may be necessary to release a new version of the LSGUI software to fix bugs and or add new features and capabilities. This will result in the decimal portion of the version number being increased. In this case, it is unlikely that a new user manual would be required.
Page 15: Requirements
L-Series and FCS-18 Graphical User Interface User Manual 2. Requirements To successfully install and operate the LSGUI program, you will need the following equipment : L-Series AC power source. Supported models are : 751L 6000L 1501L 9000L 1503L 12000L 2000L 13500L 2750L 18000L...
Page 16: Setup And Installation
L-Series and FCS-18- Graphical User Interface User Manual 3. Setup and Installation This section covers installation of the LSGUI from the distribution disk to the user’s PC. Make sure the PC is capable of running Windows 3.1™ Enhanced mode or equivalent with at least 4 Mbyte of memory and 2 Mbyte of available hard disk space.
Page 17: Installed Files
L-Series and FCS-18 Graphical User Interface User Manual 3.3 Installed files The installation program will install the following files in the directories specified. Note that files with the same name that already exists in these directories will be overwritten as part of the installation process. As long as the files being overwritten are of an older date (previous version), this should not cause any problems.
Page 18: Manual Installation
L-Series and FCS-18- Graphical User Interface User Manual 3.4 Manual installation If the installation program is unable to complete the installation process successfully, you may attempt to manually install the files listed in section 3.3. All files on the distribution diskette are compressed so they cannot be copied directly to the hard disk.
Page 19: Software Registration
L-Series and FCS-18 Graphical User Interface User Manual 3.5 Software registration We encourage you to send in the software end-user registration form located on the next page. Only registered users will be informed of software updates and bug fixes that may be released from time to time. Please mail the completed end-user registration form to the following address: California Instruments Corporation Attn: Customer Satisfaction Department...
Page 20 L-Series and FCS-18- Graphical User Interface User Manual (This page intentionally left blank) California Instruments Rev D – March 2011...
Page 21 L-Series and FCS-18 Graphical User Interface User Manual California Instruments Corporation Complete and submit to: Software End-user Registration Form California Instruments Corporation Attn: Customer Satisfaction Department 9689 Towne Centre Drive San Diego, CA 92121 United States of America End-user information Company _________________________ Division __________________________ Contact...
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Page 23: User Interface Aspects
L-Series and FCS-18 Graphical User Interface User Manual 4. User Interface aspects This chapter reviews the various user interface aspects of the LSGUI program. It covers menus and mouse operation. Experienced Windows users can skip sections 4.4 and 4.6. 4.1 Starting the LSGUI Use the mouse to double click on the LSGUI icon ().
Page 24: Main Program Window
L-Series and FCS-18- Graphical User Interface User Manual 4.3 Main program window The LSGUI software is operated through a series of modal dialog boxes or screens that are all accessed from the main menu bar. The main menu bar is shown along the top edge of the main program window. Located directly below the main menu bar is the toolbar or buttonbar.
Page 25: Menu Structure
L-Series and FCS-18 Graphical User Interface User Manual 4.4 Menu Structure The main menu provides access to all windows and screens available in the LSGUI program. It is organized in logical groups that cover different aspects of AC source control. The purpose of each menu group is discussed briefly in this chapter.
Page 26: File Menu
L-Series and FCS-18- Graphical User Interface User Manual 4.4.1 File menu The File menu allows access to instrument setup files that are stored in setup files. It also provides the means to close and exit the program. The following File Menu entries exist : Submenu Purpose Resets all setup information to default values.
Page 27: Configuration Menu
Purpose Model... Opens the model selection dialog box. This dialog box allows different L series models to be selected for simulation purposes. The L-Series Model can only be changed when in simulation mode. Changing models will affect the look of certain other screens and controls.
Page 28: Source Menu
L-Series and FCS-18- Graphical User Interface User Manual 4.4.3 Source menu The source menu provides front panel control of the L-Series. Available sub-menus are : Submenu Purpose Initialization... Opens the Source Initialization window. Initialization parameters for frequency, voltage (all phases in a three phase system), current limit and voltage range can be set from the Initialization window.
Page 29: Measurement Menu
L-Series and FCS-18 Graphical User Interface User Manual 4.4.4 Measurement menu The measurement menu provides only two sub-menus. They are : Sub-menu Purpose Show... Opens the measurement window. This is a non-modal window which can be left open at all times. The measurement window provides constant readouts of up to 19 parameters.
Page 30: Options Menu
L-Series and FCS-18- Graphical User Interface User Manual 4.4.5 Options menu The options menu provides functions that logically cannot be grouped under any other main menu heading. Specifically, the following three sub- menus are available: Submenu Purpose Show Toolbar This menu entry provides a toggle function to enable or disable the toolbar at the top of the main program window.
Page 31: Applications Menu
L-Series and FCS-18 Graphical User Interface User Manual 4.4.6 Applications menu The Applications menu may or may not appear when running the LSGUI program. Its presence is determined by the availability of the MIL-STD-704 and RTCA/DO-160 application options in the connected L-Series AC source. If neither option is detected, the Applications menu will not be shown at all.
Page 32: Help Menu
L-Series and FCS-18- Graphical User Interface User Manual 4.4.7 Help menu The Help menu is a standard menu found in all Windows applications. It provides access to on-line context sensitive help information. The following sub-menus are available : Contents... Opens the LSGUI help file at the contents page. From the contents page, a selection of topics is available.
Page 33: Selecting Menu Items With The Mouse
L-Series and FCS-18 Graphical User Interface User Manual 4.5 Selecting menu items with the mouse To select any menu item using the mouse, move the mouse pointer to the desired entry and press the left mouse button. (Click) 4.6 Selecting menu items using the keyboard To select any menu using the keyboard, hold down the ALT key and press the letter of the menu item that is underlined.
Page 34: Using The Toolbar
To avoid this, use the File Save As... menu instead. Configuration-Model Allows different L series models to be selected for simulation purposes. Model can only be changed when in simulation mode. Configuration-System Settings...
Page 35 L-Series and FCS-18 Graphical User Interface User Manual Icon Menu equivalent Description Source-Steady State... Opens the Steady State soft front panel. This control panel allows all output parameters of the L-Series to be set using the mouse. This window can be left open at all times. The state of this window (opened or closed) is reflected by the icon on the toolbar.
Page 36: Status Bar
L-Series and FCS-18- Graphical User Interface User Manual 4.8 Status bar The bottom edge of the main program window contains the status bar. Information concerning the LSGUI program status is displayed here. The status bar also contains a rectangular LED style indicator for the IEEE-488 interface.
Page 37: L-Series Hardware Configuration
L-Series and FCS-18 Graphical User Interface User Manual 5. L-Series Hardware Configuration This chapter reviews the operation of the three available configuration screens. Rev D – March 2011 California Instruments...
Page 38: Model Number And Controller Type Selection Screen
L-Series and FCS-18- Graphical User Interface User Manual 5.1 Model Number and Controller type selection screen The configuration model screen lists all available L-Series models and controller types. In normal operation mode - (L-Series connected to PC) - this screen is used for display purposes only. No changes can be made to the active model number and controller type.
Page 39: System Settings Screen
L-Series and FCS-18 Graphical User Interface User Manual 5.2 System Settings screen The system settings screen is provided primarily for informational purposes. None of the fields and options shown on this screen can be changed by the user. This is because hardware configurations are based on the actual L-Series unit found at the specified IEEE address.
Page 40: Ieee Interface Screen
L-Series and FCS-18- Graphical User Interface User Manual 5.3 IEEE Interface screen The IEEE Interface screen is used for three different purposes. 1. As a means of changing the IEEE address used to connect to the L- Series power source. Only one L-Series power source is supported at a time in this version of the LSGUI.
Page 41: Source Control
L-Series and FCS-18 Graphical User Interface User Manual 6. Source control The Source screens provide the type of interactive instrument control normally associated with instrument front panels. There are three source control screens that each affect a different area of operation of the L-Series AC source.
Page 42: Source Initialization
L-Series and FCS-18- Graphical User Interface User Manual 6.1 Source Initialization Source Initialization covers those source output parameters that can be initialized to specific values at power up. These values take effect as soon as the AC source is powered up and remain in effect until changed from the front panel or over the IEEE interface.
Page 43: Steady State Control
L-Series and FCS-18 Graphical User Interface User Manual 6.2 Steady State control The steady state control panel is the normal control panel for changing source settings in real time. Since it is a crucial element of the LSGUI program, it is a non-modal window. This means it can be left open at all times as long as the LSGUI program is running.
Page 44: Steady State Execution Modes
L-Series and FCS-18- Graphical User Interface User Manual 6.3 Steady state execution modes The steady state control panel can be used in one of two operating modes. These modes are Immediate or Update and can be found on the right hand side in the Execution area. 6.3.1 Update mode If the control panel is in the Update mode (default mode when the window is opened), changes made to any of the...
Page 45: Frequency Control
L-Series and FCS-18 Graphical User Interface User Manual 6.4 Frequency control The frequency can be changed by moving the slider control at the top of the screen left or right. The minimum and maximum frequency limits are determined by the hardware settings of the L-Series unit connected. The frequency value can also be typed in from the keyboard when the cursor is in the frequency edit box.
Page 46: Voltage Range Selection
L-Series and FCS-18- Graphical User Interface User Manual 6.5 Voltage Range selection If the connected L-Series unit is equipped with dual voltage range capability, the voltage range option box will be enabled and the selected voltage range will be shown. This control can be used to toggle between the two voltage ranges.
Page 47: Phase Mode Control
L-Series and FCS-18 Graphical User Interface User Manual 6.6 Phase mode control If the connected L-Series is a three phase model and is equipped with the MODE option, the phase mode control will be enabled. This control consists of two option boxes, one for single phase mode and one for three phase mode.
Page 48: Output Relay Control
L-Series and FCS-18- Graphical User Interface User Manual 6.7 Output relay control The output relay control allows the output relay to be opened or closed. When the output relay is opened, the voltage is programmed back to zero volts to avoid hot- switching the relay.
Page 49: Phase Controls
L-Series and FCS-18 Graphical User Interface User Manual 6.9 Phase controls Phase controls affect one, two or three phase parameters at once. The phases affected can be selected using the check boxes located next to each phase letter. Changes made only affect those phases which have a check mark.
Page 50: Phase Angle Control
L-Series and FCS-18- Graphical User Interface User Manual 6.9.3 Phase angle control Phase angles can be set for each phase individually. Note that setting the phase angle for phase A with an internal clock reference has no effect as phase A will be used as the reference. Phase angle for phase A is only meaningful if external sync is used.
Page 51: Transients
L-Series and FCS-18 Graphical User Interface User Manual 7. Transients This chapter covers transient programming. Transients are an effective way of generating common disturbances found on power lines. The L-Series AC sources are equipped with sixteen non volatile transient memory registers.
Page 52: Transient Data Entry
L-Series and FCS-18- Graphical User Interface User Manual 7.1 Transient data entry The transient screen provides a grid like data entry screen that is used to specify transient type and parameters for each of the sixteen transient registers. (numbered 0 through 15) 7.1.1 Transient data Entry fields This data entry grid consists of nine columns representing the following fields:...
Page 53 L-Series and FCS-18 Graphical User Interface User Manual the steady state voltage present at the time the transient is executed. Final V Final voltage value. This is the voltage present at the end of the transient delay. For voltage steps, this field is disabled since the Final V would be identical to the Goto V value anyway.
Page 54: Error Checking
L-Series and FCS-18- Graphical User Interface User Manual 7.1.2 Error checking As data is entered into each field, error checking is performed when the focus is moved from one field to the next. If appropriate, an error message will occur indicating the nature of the mistake. At the same time, the erroneous value is replaced with a default.
Page 55: Transient Types
L-Series and FCS-18 Graphical User Interface User Manual 7.2 Transient types The LSGUI program supports several different transient types. Each transient type and its parameters are described in more detail in this section. The available transient types are : Type Abbreviation Empty Empty...
Page 56: Voltage Dropout Transient
L-Series and FCS-18- Graphical User Interface User Manual 7.2.1 Voltage dropout transient Voltage dropout transients will cause the output voltage to drop to zero volt starting at the phase angle specified in the phase ø field for a duration specified in the Delay (s) field. The delay value can range from 1 ms to 9999 seconds.
Page 57: Voltage Step Transient
L-Series and FCS-18 Graphical User Interface User Manual 7.2.2 Voltage step transient Voltage step transients will cause the output voltage to go to the value specified in the Goto V field starting at the phase angle specified in the phase ø...
Page 58: Voltage Surge Or Sag Transient
L-Series and FCS-18- Graphical User Interface User Manual 7.2.3 Voltage surge or sag transient Voltage surge and sag transients will cause the output voltage to go to the value specified in the Goto V field starting at the phase angle specified in the phase ø...
Page 59: Voltage Sweep Transient
L-Series and FCS-18 Graphical User Interface User Manual 7.2.4 Voltage sweep transient Voltage sweep transients will cause the output voltage to change gradually from the Goto V value to the Final V value over a period of time specified by the Delay field. The delay value can range from 1 ms to 9999 seconds.
Page 60: Frequency Sweep Transient
L-Series and FCS-18- Graphical User Interface User Manual 7.2.5 Frequency sweep transient Frequency step transients will cause the output frequency to go to the value specified in the Goto F field starting at the phase angle specified in the phase ø field for a duration specified in the Delay (s) field. The delay value can range from 1 ms to 9999 seconds.
Page 61: Frequency Surge Or Sag Transient
L-Series and FCS-18 Graphical User Interface User Manual 7.2.6 Frequency surge or sag transient Frequency surge and sag transients will cause the output frequency to go to the value specified in the Goto F field starting at the phase angle specified in the phase ø...
Page 62: Frequency Sweep Transient
L-Series and FCS-18- Graphical User Interface User Manual 7.2.7 Frequency sweep transient Frequency sweep transients will cause the output frequency to change gradually from the Goto F value to the Final F value over a period of time specified by the Delay field. The delay value can range from 1 ms to 9999 seconds.
Page 63: Voltage And Frequency Sweep Transient
L-Series and FCS-18 Graphical User Interface User Manual 7.2.8 Voltage and Frequency sweep transient. The VF Sweep transient is a compound transient that combines a Voltage and a Frequency sweep into a single register step. When executed, both voltage and frequency change simultaneously. Refer to section 7.2.4 and section 7.2.7 for details on separate voltage and frequency sweeps.
Page 64: Linking Transient Registers Together
L-Series and FCS-18- Graphical User Interface User Manual 7.3 Linking transient registers together The ‘Link to:’ field will accept any register number from 0 through 15. If a Link is set to a register which Trans.Type field is ‘Empty’, an error message will appear when the transient register contents is downloaded.
Page 65: Transient Phase Selection
L-Series and FCS-18 Graphical User Interface User Manual 7.4 Transient phase selection The same transient program can be used for one phase, two phase or all three phases of a three phase system. The Phase selection check boxes located in the bottom right corner of the Transient screen are used for this purpose.
Page 66: Downloading Transient Registers
L-Series and FCS-18- Graphical User Interface User Manual 7.5 Downloading transient registers Once all relevant transient information has been entered in the data fields, the contents of all registers can be downloaded to the L-Series unit. This is accomplished by clicking on the key located on the right hand side of the transient screen.
Page 67: Managing Multiple Transient Programs
L-Series and FCS-18 Graphical User Interface User Manual 7.6 Managing multiple transient programs Multiple transient program lists can be saved to disk for later use. This allows the user to create his or her own library of commonly used transient programs.
Page 68: Erasing Transient Lists
L-Series and FCS-18- Graphical User Interface User Manual 7.6.3 Erasing transient lists To erase the entire contents of the data entry area, the user has two options. Either create a transient list file consisting of only Empty transient types and save it on disk with a descriptive name such as “EMPTY.TLS”. Anytime the data present needs to be erased, load the EMPTY.LST file.
Page 69: Transient List File Extension
L-Series and FCS-18 Graphical User Interface User Manual 7.6.4 Transient list file extension Transient list files always use the “.TLS” extension. This extension is reserved for this purpose and no other files using the same extension should be stored in the same subdirectory as used to hold transient list programs. Transient list files are stored in simple ASCII formats to facilitate documentation and transfer of transient list programs through email systems.
Page 70: Transient Execution
L-Series and FCS-18- Graphical User Interface User Manual 7.7 Transient execution Transient execution can be started by clicking on the button. The register shown in the “Start from Reg:” drop down list will be the first one executed. Select the desired register number before pressing the button.
Page 71: Measurements
L-Series and FCS-18 Graphical User Interface User Manual 8. Measurements This chapter discusses the various measurements that are available from the L-Series. Measurements can be displayed on screen and stored to disk. The ability to use the LSGUI program as a DDE server is also discussed. Examples are provided for using collected data in spreadsheet programs such as Excel.
Page 72: Selecting Measurements
L-Series and FCS-18- Graphical User Interface User Manual 8.1 Selecting measurements The L-Series can provide up to nineteen parameters in case of a three phase system or seven in case of a single phase system. Each parameter takes a certain amount of time to obtain. If all nineteen parameters are requested, the total measurement time can approach 5 seconds.
Page 73: Measurement Modes
L-Series and FCS-18 Graphical User Interface User Manual 8.2 Measurement modes Two measurement modes are supported by the LSGUI program. They are both selected from the measurement window using the Mode field located on the right hand side of the window.
Page 74: Stay On Top Feature
L-Series and FCS-18- Graphical User Interface User Manual 8.3 Stay on top feature The measurement window is a non-modal window (refer to section 4.9) and can thus be left open at all times while the LSGUI program is running. To use the measurement window for monitoring load characteristics while working in other windows programs, the stay on top feature can be useful as it allows you to switch to other Windows programs without loosing sight of...
Page 75: Data Logging
L-Series and FCS-18 Graphical User Interface User Manual 8.4 Data logging The data logging feature permits measurement data to be written to disk for archiving, documentation and analysis purposes. This capability can be turned on or off by setting a check mark at the bottom of the measurement window at the “Log data every..”...
Page 76: Selecting The File Mode
L-Series and FCS-18- Graphical User Interface User Manual 8.4.2 Selecting the File Mode Two file modes are supported, append and overwrite. Append mode is useful for accumulating test data on the same unit under test but broken up into multiple test sessions.
Page 77: Data File Comments
L-Series and FCS-18 Graphical User Interface User Manual 8.4.4 Data file comments A comment line can be added to the data file for future reference. This can be useful when trying to analyze data taken in the past. The comment line will be added at the top of the data acquisition file unless the selected file already exists in which case any new comment entered here will be ignored.
Page 78 L-Series and FCS-18- Graphical User Interface User Manual A sample data file is shown here as an example. This example uses the serial number timestamp format. Only 8 data records are shown. Phase B and C measurements were disabled and therefore do not show. #1995-08-24 15:30:27#,"User Comment line goes here"...
Page 79: Using A Spreadsheet Program
L-Series and FCS-18 Graphical User Interface User Manual 8.5 Using a spreadsheet program The data file format for data logging files was chosen to be easily used by other programs. As such, it can be loaded directly by programs such as excel.
Page 80: Dynamic Data Exchange
L-Series and FCS-18- Graphical User Interface User Manual 8.6 Dynamic data exchange Dynamic data exchange (DDE) is a standard Windows 3.1™ mechanism for sharing information between different windows applications. The LSGUI uses DDE to make measurement data available to other windows programs as it is being reported by the L-Series unit.
Page 81: Applications
L-Series and FCS-18 Graphical User Interface User Manual 9. Applications This section covers the optional MIL-STD-704 and RTCA/DO-160 tests that are available for the L-Series units. If your unit is not equipped with any of these options, the Applications menu will not be visible. Only the options that are installed in the L-Series unit connected to the PC will be shown on the Applications menu.
Page 82: Rtca/Do-160
L-Series and FCS-18- Graphical User Interface User Manual 9.2 RTCA/DO-160 The RTCA/DO-160 test option provides a large set of standard tests designed to verify compliance to the RTCA/DO-160 standard. Selecting this menu item will provide a dialog box with a set of option boxes allowing the user to choose all tests or any subset of the entire test suite.
Page 83: Calibration
L-Series and FCS-18 Graphical User Interface User Manual 10. Calibration This section covers L-Series calibration using the LSGUI program as a support tool. 10.1 Calibration support features L-Series instruments require regular calibration to maintain performance specifications. As a general rule, annual calibration of the output and the measurement system is recommended.
Page 84: Output Calibration
L-Series and FCS-18- Graphical User Interface User Manual 10.3 Output Calibration Output calibration is used to enhance the accuracy of the programmed output voltage. A 5½ digit digital true rms AC multimeter is required to perform this calibration procedure. Recommended equipment is Fluke model 45, Fluke model 884X or HP 34401A.
Page 85: Pt Controller
L-Series and FCS-18 Graphical User Interface User Manual 10.3.2 PT controller PT controller equipped L-Series power source require some internal adjustments in order to perform an output calibration. The location of these adjustment points differs depending on the model number used. The on line Help system shows the location of the adjustment points referenced in the calibration procedure.
Page 86 L-Series and FCS-18- Graphical User Interface User Manual Back panel R105 R105 R105 (Top view) current limit boar d R111 R110 R109 Front panel Location of output calibration adjustments for PT controller based L- Series power source. California Instruments Rev D – March 2011...
Page 87: Measurement Calibration
L-Series and FCS-18 Graphical User Interface User Manual 10.4 Measurement Calibration Measurement calibration is recommended on an annual basis to ensure the measurement results are within published specifications. All measurement calibration can be performed without removing the covers. Measurement calibration coefficients are used to adjust each parameter readout.
Page 88 L-Series and FCS-18- Graphical User Interface User Manual Calibration procedure: Connect the DMM AC input terminals to the sense lines for phase A of the AC power source and select a measurement range that will accommodate 135 VAC. (typically 200 V range). Enter the readout in the Voltage value field for phase A.
Page 89: Managing L-Series Hardware Configuration Data
L-Series and FCS-18 Graphical User Interface User Manual 11. Managing L-Series hardware configuration data Each L-Series units maintains a set of configuration constants in non- volatile memory. When the LSGUI program is launched, it queries the connected L-Series unit for this data. If no unit is connected , the program enters into a simulation mode.
Page 90: Restoring Configuration Data
L-Series and FCS-18- Graphical User Interface User Manual 11.2 Restoring configuration data To restore configuration data in case of non volatile memory loss, select the “Restore Configuration File...” entry from the “Options” menu. This will bring up the following dialog box. The number of configuration data files shown may be less depending on the number of different L-Series power sources you own.
Page 91: Obtaining Lost Configuration Data
L-Series and FCS-18 Graphical User Interface User Manual 11.3 Obtaining lost configuration data In the event you did not save a configuration file for an L-Series unit, you may obtain a disk with the correct configuration file for your unit from California Instruments' Customer Satisfaction Department.
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Page 93: File Formats
L-Series and FCS-18 Graphical User Interface User Manual 12. File Formats This section describes the various file formats of the files used by the LSGUI program. Normally, there is no reason a user would have to access these files other than from the LSGUI program itself. In this case, the file formats are transparent and there is no need to know their details.
Page 94: Setup Files (.Stp)
L-Series and FCS-18- Graphical User Interface User Manual 12.1 Setup files (.stp) Setup files are given the default extension 'stp' which is short for setup. Setup files have only limited use in the LSGUI program as most of the setting for the program are dictated by the hardware configuration data and active steady state settings reported by the connected L-Series unit.
Page 95 L-Series and FCS-18 Graphical User Interface User Manual Field Type Description Record 5 Steady state settings field 1 decimal frequency field 2 decimal voltage range field 3 decimal phase mode field 4 decimal output relay status field 5 decimal current limit delay Record 6 Phase A steady state settings field 1...
Page 96: Transient Program Files (.Tls)
L-Series and FCS-18- Graphical User Interface User Manual 12.2 Transient program files (.tls) These files have the default file extension "tls" which is short for Transient List. Transient list files contain the data that is entered by the user in the transient screen.
Page 97: Data Files. (.Csv)
L-Series and FCS-18 Graphical User Interface User Manual 12.3 Data files. (.csv) The file format for data files is described in section 8.4.5. on page 73. Refer to chapter 8 for reference. Rev D – March 2011 California Instruments...
Page 98: Measurement Calibration Data Files (.Mcd)
L-Series and FCS-18- Graphical User Interface User Manual 12.4 Measurement Calibration data files (.mcd) Measurement calibration data files always have a default "mcd" extension unless the user specifies a different extension on purpose. These files can be used to track changes in measurement calibration data over time. Each time a measurement calibration is performed, the user will be given the option to save the present measurement calibration constants in a new mcd file.
Page 99: Troubleshooting
L-Series and FCS-18 Graphical User Interface User Manual 13. Troubleshooting This section covers troubleshooting hints that may help resolve the most common types of problems you may encounter while using this software. If you continue to experience problems and cannot get them resolved using any of the methods described in this chapter, fill out a problem report located in section 13.7.
Page 100: Card Not Found Problems
Occasionally, the GPIB card is not recognized as the Controller In Charge (CIC). When this condition occurs, no commands can be send to the L Series power source. This problem appears to be intermittent and only occurs on some PC’s. The following procedure usually will resolve this problem.
Page 101 L-Series and FCS-18 Graphical User Interface User Manual Next, install the National Instruments GPIB-TNT or PC/IIA Windows drivers using the Windows disk. The DOS drivers are not required but may be installed if desired. This is done by running the Setup program from the NI disk labeled “NI-488.2 Software for Windows, Distribution Disk for the EISA- GPIB, the AT-GPIB/TNT, and the AT-GPIB”...
Page 102 L-Series and FCS-18- Graphical User Interface User Manual Your PC may have conflicts on the Base I/O address, the IRQ and or the DMA. There is no way for us to determine this. If you run into this, try to experiment with different Base I/O address until you find one that works.
Page 103 L-Series and FCS-18 Graphical User Interface User Manual This test should pass on board 0 if you enter the correct base I/O address, DMA and IRQ values that you used in step 3. Make sure the IEEE-488 cable is not connected at the back of the PC as the card should be unconnected for this test.
Page 104 Connect the cable between the PC IEEE port and the L Series source. Set the IEEE address on the L Series unit and start the L Series GUI. If the source is not found, at startup, go to the interface screen and take the program out of simulation mode.
Page 105 L-Series and FCS-18 Graphical User Interface User Manual If the above steps fail to produce the desired results, check the following: 1. Make sure only one copy of the GPIB.DLL file resides on your disk. You can use the Windows File manager “File, Search” function to scan your entire hard drive for instances of this file.
Page 106: Interface Problems
L-Series and FCS-18- Graphical User Interface User Manual 6. This will generate an error message. 7. Next close the WIN16 Interactive Control program by typing ‘q’ at the gpib0 prompt. 8. Now start the LGUI program again. Note: If you are using the LSGUI program, be sure to send or fax in the software registration form located in the LSGUI user manual.
Page 107: Incompatible Ieee Card
L-Series and FCS-18 Graphical User Interface User Manual Settings... menu. Use the drop down list located in the top right hand side of this window to select a new IEEE address and click on the OK button. If an initialization file exists (lsgui.ini), the IEEE address to use will be obtained from the INI file.
Page 108: Card Not At Specified I/O Address
L-Series and FCS-18- Graphical User Interface User Manual 13.2.3 Card not at specified I/O address If you receive the following error message, "Error Sending Command" iberr=EDVR <DOS error>", the IEEE interface controller card could not be found at the I/O address specified. Use the installation program that came with the controller card to make sure the settings in the configuration file match the DIP switch settings on the card.
Page 109: Parameter Conflicts
L-Series and FCS-18 Graphical User Interface User Manual 13.5 Parameter conflicts Parameter conflicts arise when the LSGUI sends commands to the L- Series source that conflict with each other or violate any of the hardware and configuration limits. This is largely avoided by the LSGUI program in that it checks against limits any time the user enters or changes a value.
Page 110: Problem Report Forms
L-Series and FCS-18- Graphical User Interface User Manual 13.7 Problem report forms Copy the problem report form found on the next page and use it to report any problems you may encounter while using this program. You can use the same form to request changes to the program to better suit your specific needs.
Page 111 L-Series and FCS-18 Graphical User Interface User Manual Mail to: California Instruments Corporation Attn.: Customer Satisfaction Department California Instruments 9689 Towne Centre Drive Problem Report / Change Request Form San Diego CA 92121 United States of America Customer data: Company: ________________________________________________________________ Contact ________________________________________________________________...
Page 112 L-Series and FCS-18- Graphical User Interface User Manual (This page intentionally left blank) California Instruments Rev D – March 2011...
Page 113: Index
L-Series and FCS-18 Graphical User Interface User Manual 14. Index transient registers .......... 63 Abbreviated Plain English ........37 About ..............29 external sync ............47 adjustment points ..........82 angle phase A ............47 form APE ..............37 customer feedback .......... 9 forms bug report ............
Page 114 L-Series and FCS-18- Graphical User Interface User Manual modal software updates ..........16 windows ............33 software version ..........10 model Source changing ............35 initialization ............. 39 Model identification ..........95 SPC ..............80 models specifications ............80 supported ............11 Starting mouse ..............

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Ametek L Series User Manual

1 Introduction

2 Requirements

3 Setup and Installation

4 User Interface Aspects

5 L-Series Hardware Configuration

6 Source Control

7 Transients

8 Measurements

9 Applications

10 Calibration

11 Managing L-Series Hardware Configuration Data

12 File Formats

13 Troubleshooting

14 Index

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