VISA error Hex 0xBFFF0015

[parker300]

I am trying to connect Sierra Instruments 620S flow meter to my labview computer via serial connection. I have NI MAX open and am trying to run the VISA test panel. When putting in command IDN?\n both the Query and Read commands shoot an error of: "Timeout expired before operation completed." I am only sending 50 bytes to read so I don't think this is a timing issue, as I have also increased my timeout settings, to no avail.

How can I fix this?

Thanks!  

[billko]

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@parker300 wrote:

I am trying to connect Sierra Instruments 620S flow meter to my labview computer via serial connection. I have NI MAX open and am trying to run the VISA test panel. When putting in command IDN?\n both the Query and Read commands shoot an error of: "Timeout expired before operation completed." I am only sending 50 bytes to read so I don't think this is a timing issue, as I have also increased my timeout settings, to no avail.

How can I fix this?

Thanks!  

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Do you even know if the instrument is SCPI compliant?  If it's not, it's not going to understand that command and will just sit there doing nothing - just like it's doing.

Edit:

This is serial, so additionally you need to make sure the comm settings are correct.

[parker300]

Billko,

Thanks for the response. The instrument is RS232 so it should work through VISA, I think. I am not sure if there are any extra steps for communicating through the RS232. I checked and comm settings are correct.

Thanks again.

[billko]

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@parker300 wrote:

Billko,

Thanks for the response. The instrument is RS232 so it should work through VISA, I think. I am not sure if there are any extra steps for communicating through the RS232. I checked and comm settings are correct.

Thanks again.

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You can look in the manual to see how to communicate with it.  Also, please upload the manual here and we can help you search through it!

[ZYOng]

620s_User Manual states that 

The programmable transmitter is easily configured via RS-232 and Sierra’s Smart Interface™ Windows™ based software or three push buttons in the device.

It does not support the SCPI command hence you cannot use IDN? to query the information. The device implements its own serial communication protocol and the manufacturer provides the free software for that. You still can use NI-VISA to do the serial communication but you would need to reach out to the manufacturer to understand what is the exact payload being sent or received.

[parker300]

Here is the user manual as well as a serial commands document I got from Sierra. 

[parker300]

ZYOng,

Thanks for the reply.

I reached out to the manufacturer, and I was given this manual. I want to integrate the data from their software into my own LabVIEW code to add some custom features.

Thanks again.