Keep getting the same response from instrument

[callumhartley]

Hi,

I am currently trying to connect a Thermotek t255p chiller to a labview programme via RS232 port, so as to monitor the temperature of it remotely. I am just trying to set up the initial communication first and I am having difficulties.

I have set up the basic VISA read and write VI to have it communicating with the chiller, I have tried sending in *IDN? commands as well as the commands detailed in the manual for the device. But everytime, I reccieve the same response: "#i2be"

I have no idea what this response means, but I cannot get anything else out from it.. Can anyone help please?

Many thanks,

Callum

[Dennis_Knutson]

If *IDN? is not 'detailed' in the manual, ot is silly to send it.

Have you tested communication with MAX or a program such as putty? That should be the first thing you do. You have not attached the manual or said what exactly you are sending so it's really hard guesding what you have done wrong. Are you appending a termination character such as \r or \n (carriage return or line feed)?

[callumhartley]

Apologies, I have now attached the manual. The commands are on page 28.

I have tried using a 'Serial port terminal' by coad.net which communicates with the terminal, it also returns #i2be. I have tried using several EOL sequences 

[Dennis_Knutson · Accepted solution]

You still have not said exactly what you are sending. Your string control should be set for hex display on order to send the soc, command, and the crc. The response during should also be set for hex display. Use the String to Byte Stay function to get the individual bytes and parse the response.

[callumhartley]

Following the manual its says to input a Serial Watchdog command to start the connection, so using the manual's command list I have entered in as it says: 2E 55 3833 0D. But got this same response out, I tried several other commands in an attempt to get something from it (hence trying out *IDN?). 

Do I need to input the commands as Hex? According to the manual only printable ASCII characters are allowed in the protocol. 

[Dennis_Knutson]

All of the commands I looked at were in hex format.