Trouble programming Watlow EZ-Zone controller with Labview

[valcham]

Hi all,

I'm trying to program a Watlow EZ-Zone controller but so far nothing I have tried works. I'll list the hardware I'm using as well as the software I have tried.

Hardware:

EZ-Zone PM6R2EJ-1AEJAAA

25 to 9 dsub connector

NI USB - RS485 Connector (Half-Duplex) (Comm4)

PXIe-8133

Software:

Drivers from Watlow : wouldn't load or open properly

Drivers from NI : could get it to run but would error out when I tried to read a value from the controller. I had the Comm on EZ-Zone controller set to Standard

Configurator (provided by Watlow) : when searching for Watlow products the program would fail to find any even though Comm4 was available and the Comm on the controller was set to EZ-Zone

Watlow Basic: I tried to use a different set of watlow labview VIs but they also did not work, even when the EZ-Zone Comm was set to Modbus.

If you have suggestions please let me know. I've tried calling watlow but all I get from them is that it should work.

[_Bryan]

Have you tried using the Watlow EZ-Zone Configurator software to communicate with the controller? 

If that works you know that the wiring is correct and it is able to communicate.  If it does not work then you know something with the wiring is probably wrong.  If it does work then you can start looking at the LabVIEW code to figure out what is different and keeping it from working.

[valcham]

As I mentioned above, when I tried using the Ez-zone configuratator, the program was unable to find my controller even though I had the controller Comm set to Standard (as directed by a watlow customer service rep) and the port set to Comm4. 

I'm not sure what other configuration of cabling I should try or if I need a dedicated RS-485 port on the PXI to communicate with labview.  

Currently, I'm waiting to hear back from the people that set up our controller to see if they succeeded in communicating with the controller through the communications port and if so how.  

[_Bryan]

I guess I missed that you tried the Watlow made configurator program.  But if you are not able to get that to work you will definitely have issues trying to get any LabVIEW code to work.  One question is why are you using a 25 to 9 dsub connector?  Why not go directly to the pins on the usb converter?

I have also found that not all converters work with every piece of equipment.  Does Watlow have a list of "tested" 485 converters that are guaranteed to work?

Have you double/triple checked that you wired it correctly?

http://www.ni.com/pdf/manuals/371253e.pdf

[valcham · Accepted solution]

After cracking open our oven and checking the wiring, we found that it was in fact set up incorrectly. After fixing the wiring and switching out the NI cable for the Serial Gear Converter mentioned in the attached pdf, the controller successfully connects to the computer and can be manipulated using labview.

[jbdw2419]

Hello, I am having the same issues with my incubator. I know this was posted a while ago. What driver do I need to install in order for EZ-Zone configurator to communicate with the incubator? The link to the above post does not work. We have made sure the USB - 9pin wire works, and we have fixed the wiring from the comm port to the controller. The EZ-zone configurator is not recognizing any devices.