topic Re: Watlow Ramping Issues in LabVIEW

Watlow Ramping Issues

Fonzie1104 — Wed, 23 Jun 2010 19:20:33 GMT

Hey Everyone,

I am currently working with 3 different Watlow F4 Controllers attached on environmental chambers. I have developed a full user interface in order to create a profile, save it and load it into the oven, and gather information off the oven such as current temperatures, humidity levels, step number, etc... We have 2 Single chamber ovens and a dual chamber oven. My issue that I am encountering is that on the single channel ovens, when I set the Ramp Rate, the oven will randomly soak down to a temperature of -38C for a minute then execute the Ramp Rate at a much longer set time. On the dual channels, the Ramp Time is suppose to take 1 hour to ramp from 80C to 30C but it is taking 9 hours. Has anybody run into such an issue or know of a fix for it? The ramp rate for the single channel will work most of the time but randomly will randomly throw a soak into the profile and the ramp time for the dual channels will work on the rise but not on the temperature drop. Any ideas??

Re: Watlow Ramping Issues

Ben — Wed, 23 Jun 2010 19:30:56 GMT

@Fonzie1104 wrote:

Hey Everyone,

I am currently working with 3 different Watlow F4 Controllers attached on environmental chambers. ...

. Any ideas??

Only one based on experience with a Cincinati Sub-Zero chamber with the same controller.

Make sure the PID is tuned correctly!

I spent four days on-site years ago watching out of control temperatures before I got the PID tuned correctly for the chamber.

Ben

Re: Watlow Ramping Issues

Coach_15 — Tue, 29 Jun 2010 14:46:59 GMT

What is the firmware version on this F4? This can be viewed when the F4 is first powered up, and is displayed for a few seconds on the lower display. If it is version 20.0, then I recommend that this firmware be upgraded on the F4. To accomplish this you have a two options.

1. You can upgrade it by sending it back to Watlow via an RMA. If it is less than 3 years, then this will be covered under warranty.

2. You can upgrade to Rev 22.0, by using a zip, that we can send to you. Please read the file and follow the instructions per, F4 Flash Update Procedure.pdf; which is also included in this zip file.

If you have further questions please call 507-494-5656, Watlow Tech Support line; and/or email wintechsupport.com

Re: Watlow Ramping Issues

RTSLVU — Tue, 29 Jun 2010 15:06:22 GMT

Could you post your code?

We have a thermal chamber with that same controller here and I could run it and see what is goign on.

Re: Watlow Ramping Issues

Coach_15 — Tue, 29 Jun 2010 15:09:52 GMT

I tried to post it, but the size was 9 Meg, whereas the acceptable maximum size is 5 Meg.

If you can give me your email address, I can email you the file.

Re: Watlow Ramping Issues

Fonzie1104 — Tue, 29 Jun 2010 15:14:43 GMT

The two that I tried my program on was a single channel (Rev. 2.06) and a dual channel (Rev. 2.09). They both have the ramping issue that I posted above where the single channel ramps to -38C randomly and adds random soaks, and the dual channel does not ramp at the correct amount of time but soaks for the right time.

Re: Watlow Ramping Issues

Fonzie1104 — Tue, 29 Jun 2010 15:17:46 GMT

Email is posted in my profile

Re: Watlow Ramping Issues

Coach_15 — Tue, 29 Jun 2010 15:43:30 GMT

I could not see your email in your profile. Therefore I am sending you the link to the F4 Flash Update. Here it is: http://www.watlow.com/downloads/en/software/f4%20flash%20update.zip .

Since you have 2.06 & 2.09; the latest upgrade for your F4 is Rev 11.00. Again please read the F4 Flash Procedure pdf.

Re: Watlow Ramping Issues

Fonzie1104 — Tue, 29 Jun 2010 16:04:02 GMT

Thanks! Will this work with a GPIB connection?

Re: Watlow Ramping Issues

Coach_15 — Tue, 29 Jun 2010 16:06:23 GMT

No, it needs to update via the RS-232 connection on the F4.

Re: Watlow Ramping Issues

Fonzie1104 — Tue, 29 Jun 2010 16:19:32 GMT

Is there any updates via GPIB? That is all we have on all of our controllers

Re: Watlow Ramping Issues

Coach_15 — Tue, 29 Jun 2010 16:25:43 GMT

Sorry, their is no firmware upgrade using GPIB.

Re: Watlow Ramping Issues

RTSLVU — Tue, 29 Jun 2010 16:41:22 GMT

@Fonzie1104 wrote:

Is there any updates via GPIB? That is all we have on all of our controllers

The f4 (at least ours) are serial and we use a GPIB to Serial box from ICS http://www.icselect.com/

Might be worth a peak inside to see if you can bypass the GPIB and to directly to the f4 serial interface

Re: Watlow Ramping Issues

Coach_15 — Tue, 29 Jun 2010 16:48:07 GMT

To perform the upgrade, a computer with RS-232 is needed; and then these three connections connection into terminals 14, 15, 16 on the F4. 14 is the transmit, 15 is the recieve, & 16 is the common. Here is the link to the F4 manual, and then reference page 12.10 for RS-232 wiring. http://www.watlow.com/downloads/en/manuals/f4sd_eng_g.pdf