Issues configuring NI GPIB-RS232 converter

[airjon23]

Good morning, all...

I just purchased a NI RS232-to-GPIB converter for use in a diesel engine test cell.  The device was purchased as a replacement for an IOTech 488S (RS232 to GPIB) converter that failed...that product is now obsolete.  The converter is serving as an interface between a PC and an Agilent Technologies power supply.  For some reason, I cannot get the NI device to work properly.  To the best of my knowledge, I configured the NI device to mimic the dip switch settings of the old IOTech device, but it isn't talking to the power supply in modes D or C.  The serial connection of the IOTech device was terminated with a 25-pin connector, but I'm confident that I have properly 'transferred' the wires (RxD, TxD, CTS, RTS, and GND) based on serial connector schematics for both devices.  Using the NI software configuration utility, I'm able to 'talk' to the device; however, I have not yet been successful in getting the power supply to listen or talk.  (Test cell software issues voltage and current commands...power supply returns the output.)

Simply for reference/clarification, here is the basic set-up...

PC (DigiKey board w/ serial output) --> NI RS232-GPIB converter --> Agilent Technologies power supply

Any guidance that you may be able to provide is greatly appreciated!  By the way, I do not currently have access to LabView or any other software that may help with troubleshooting. 

[ianidas300]

Hello airjon23,

What user interface are you using to communicate with the device? Have you been able to send an identify command to the device and gotten the proper response from the power supply? Are you sure that the device is currently configured correctly to communicate over GPIB? I don't know exactly how your device is set to be able to communicate via GPIB but that might be something to look into. Have you tried connecting to other GPIB devices to see if you are able to communicate with the converter? These might be a few starting points for trouble shooting.

[airjon23]

Thanks for the reply, lanidas300!

The user interface is a proprietary software that uses Visual Basic C++ source code.  The UI is able to communicate with the same power supply, in other test cells, using the aforementioned obsolete IOTech RS232-to-GPIB converter.  The power supply seems to 'listen' to some configurations of the NI converter, but it hasn't responded or 'spoke', yet.

As mentioned in my original post, the NI device is being configured to match the DIP switch settings of the IOTech converter...not sure what I'm missing, at this point.

[nyc_(is_out_of_here)]

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@airjon23 wrote:
 

PC (DigiKey board w/ serial output) --> NI RS232-GPIB converter --> Agilent Technologies power supply

What exactly is a DigiKey board w/serial output?

Sounds like it isn't an actual PC.

I would suggest finding an actual PC with a COM port and trying to communicate with the power supply that way.

[airjon23]

nyc:

The DigiKey is simply a board/card inside a PC...the output from the card is a serial COM port.  This same set-up works for the obsolete IOTech converter.

[nyc_(is_out_of_here)]

Is this Digikey board a PCI card meant to provide COM ports for PCs don't don't originally come with them, or is this card something else but with a COM port?

I would still suggest finding *another* PC with a COM to try out the NI product. Your original set-up may have something "special" about it that isn't apparent or wasn't conveyed to you.