Drivers for BK Precision 1901B

[AnotherWorker]

I have a BK Precision 1901B power supply that is connected to my computer through USB. I have looked and been unable to find a driver that allows me to control this device with Labview 2015. Does anybody know of any drivers for this device? If not, are there any other suggested ways to control this device with Labview?

[perhult]

Your device use serial communication, you could either just create your code as you go with the right serial commands or create a serial driver to be able to reuse your code more easily and share with others.

The best way would be to create a new instrument driver.

In Labview, select Tools>>Instrumentation>>Create Instrument Driver Project...

Select New Driver from Template, DC Power Source

Fill in the details using this manual, page 12 and forward.

https://bkpmedia.s3.amazonaws.com/downloads/programming_manuals/en-us/1900B_Series_programming_manua...

It should be quite straightforward.

[AnotherWorker]

Thank you for the straight forward instructions. However, I'm having an issue getting the VISA resource name of my 1901B. It seems that labview is not recognizing that the instrument is plugged in. Is there a manual resource name I have to plug in?

[perhult]

Have you installed the USB driver? Found here: https://www.bkprecision.com/products/power-supplies/1901B-1-32-v-30-a-switching-dc-power-supply.html

Is the Serial-USB converter visible in the Device Manager (under serial ports)?

Does VISA find any COM ports at all?

[AnotherWorker]

I installed the USB driver, and the software provided by BK precision is able to control the power supply. This leads me to believe that there is not a problem with USB but rather a problem with MAX being able to see the machine. MAX can see all of my other instruments, some connected through GPIB and some connected with USB.

VISA did find two COM ports but neither are able to control the power supply with the commands in the programming manual.

[AnotherWorker · Accepted solution]

Ok turns out the USB driver was halfway there. After messing around with the settings for a while in MAX I found that the following settings allowed me to talk to my BK Precision 1901B:

NI MAX>Devices and Interfaces>COM3>Visa Test Panel>I/O Settings

End mode for reads: Termchar

End mode for writes: Termchar

Termination Character: \r x D

Thank you for your help.

[Jim_Cavera]

AnotherWorker: I have the same model of power supply and am facing the prospect of duplicating you work. Would you be willing to post a copy of your VI's so that I don't have to re-invent your wheel? Thanks!

[ERLab]

I am also trying to use this instrument with Labview.  The device is recognized in MAX and says it is working correctly, it seems to be able to write using the VISA test panel, but gets a timeout error whenever I try to read.  All my drivers are up to date and I tried playing with the I/O settings in the VISA test panel, as described above - but without any luck.

I've also tried to use the VISA Driver Wizard and install the driver that way, according to this tutorial (http://www.ni.com/tutorial/4478/en/).  Again, with the same issue though when using the VISA test panel.

Any help would be appreciated.