eurotherm 2216e communication

[dougk]

I plan to purchase a eurotherm 2216e controller.  I am not very familar with labview but I want to communicate with this unit.  I am not sure if I should get the controller with Modbus or Bisync format.  Which is easier to configure?  I am using RS232 communication.  I need to be able to update a setpoint, update a high and low alarm setpoint as well as the ramp rate.

I am not sure if this is something I should ask the seller (eurotherm).

[RavensFan]

I've never heard of "bisync". But I've done a lot of communication with other devices using Modbus. I'd recommend looking here.

Read Input Registers Using the Modbus Library for LabVIEW

NI Modbus Library for LabVIEW

[falkpl]

I have communicated with the 2216e controller (12 controllers on 485 bus)  through modbus it was relativly easy but I wrote my own drivers.  there might be an avaliable driver for this now.  The manuals were very usefol and eurotherm has a utility to validate  communications (itools)

[Corny]

Some years ago I used the 2200 series controllers and used that bisync protocoll. Mainly becaurse before I used the 2200 series I had an old, huge and more advanced controller where ModBus was not supported and wrote a bisync driver for it.

To comment on the bisync stuff, it should be documented well from Eurotherm after my experience and depending on your timeframe you can try to create a driver for it. Since the 2200 controllers are fairly simple and depending what bisync messages you need to use its very easy to create a small driver just for parsing and reading/writing only the commands that youll need.

If you'll plan on using more advanced stuff from eurotherm bisync is nice to use and get familiar with it. Modbus is only limited to share "values" between a master and slave, and not the more properatary functions of the controller (depending on how advanced the controller is ofcourse and what you want to do with it). Controlling the standard stuff of the controller is easy done through ModBus.

The easiest way in your case without writing anything would be using a Modbus library. There is a free master/slave library (for RTU and TCP) here somewhere. As I can remember the slave has a small bug in it that you easy can fix (if not fixed).

Message Edited by Corny on 01-18-2010 04:44 PM

[srikrishnaNF]

Hi dougk,

  since you are using rs232 communication,better use that communication.May be rs232 communication may be some what slow,but its very easy ,you can develop the application pretty fast.Serial communication library is also available in labview.

Thanks and regards,

srikrishnaNF

[d_n]

You have more options if you use Modbus.

 1)      You can use iTools a configuration and communication software package from Eurotherm.  Download available here: http://www.eurotherm.co.uk/products/controllers/itools/ This package will detect the instrument and display all its parameters and their modbus addresses and allow you to change settings and values.

2)      If you prefer to use Labview then you can use the Eurotherm 2400 range Labview driver. This can be found in the NI Instrument Driver Library, search for Eurotherm and select 2404.

Alternatively here is the link: http://sine.ni.com/apps/utf8/niid_web_display.model_page?p_model_id=2529

Although this driver is designed for the 24xx range it also supports the 22xx range. The et24xxReadme.html file (Included in the driver) gives more details.

Once you install the vis you can use them to read and write pre configured parameters and create your own application. 

If you need other parameters that are not available in the existing vis, you can use the Read and Write vis and enter the modbus addresses for the parameters you want to use.

The “2000 Series MODBUS and EI-BISYNCH Digital Communications Handbook” has all the information you need (modbus addresses, wiring, diagrams, etc).  Available for download form: http://www.eurotherm.co.uk/document-library/?ignoreeveryonegroup=0&assetdetesctl1357234=1833&search=...

Dimitris