Pressure, Level & Temperature Transmitters & Transducers

INSTALLATION MANUAL
Models 611/612 USB output

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. Introduction

1.1 Product Overview

1.2 Warning
1.3 Unpacking/Inspection
1.4 Using this Manual

2. Installation

2.1 Mounting/Process Connection

2.2 Installing Digi-Stand Software
2.3 Default Settings
2.4 ASCII Protocol
2.5 Command Set
2.6 Power Supply
2.7 Wiring/Grounding
2.8 Environment

3. Operation & Maintenance

4. Troubleshooting & Return Information

5. Warranty

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1. INTRODUCTION

1.1 Product Overview

USB PROTOCOLS

• ASCII Only

DEVICE FEATURES:
• Adjustable Response Time (1Hz up to 100Hz)
• Adjustable Baud Rate
• Adjustable Station Numbers
• Optional Continuous Output Streaming
• System Output Re-Zero Function (Allows unit to be re-zeroed in the field)
• Digital Shunt
• Auto device detect
• User Data Storage Bins
• Health Management

SOFTWARE:

Unit can be ordered with optional GP:50 Digi-Stand software package

Features include:

Auto- data logging to .txt file for import to Microsoft Excel

One button re-Zero of mV/V readings of sensor and Calibrated Pressure
Adjustable measurement rate
Intuitive and easy to use user interface
Compatible with Windows 10, 7, Vista, and Win XP

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Figure 1: USB Toolkit main screen. Figure 2: USB Toolkit main screen.

Figure 3: USB Toolkit main screen. Figure 4: USB Toolkit main screen.

Figure 1. Screen shot of Digi-Stand Serial Communication User Interface. This displays the main
screen with example of tooltip showing GP:50 information pop-up ( Fig. 4)

Figure 2. Displays pop-up for Auto-zero function in lower right corner

Figure 3. Displays Digital Charting and txt file saved to C:\GP50

Figure 4. Displays GP:50 Contact Information highlighted in Fig. 1

Consult complete Digi-Stand User Guide for complete instructions.

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1.2 Warning
Pressurized vessels and associated equipment are potentially dangerous. The product
described in this guide should be operated only by personnel trained in the procedures
that will assure safety to themselves, to others, to the equipment, and to the product.
Specific warnings are noted as in specific installation/operation sections.

1.3 Unpacking and Inspection

All models covered in this manual are carefully tested, inspected, and packed. Upon
receipt of the shipment thoroughly inspect the transducer. If you see any visible signs of
obvious shipping damage, notify the freight company immediately.

1.4 Using this Manual

This manual is intended to help the end user install, maintain, and provide general
service of GP:50 Model 611/612 USB Digital Output Pressure Transducer. The user
should have a general understanding of current loops & general instrument control. All
aforementioned models are precision instruments and should be given the same care as
any other precision instrument during installation and operation.

2. INSTALLATION

2.1 Mounting/Process Connection

Model 611/612 can be ordered with a number of optional pressure ports depending on
pressure range. Consult factory for availability. Installation of the device shall be in
accordance with industry standard pipe fitting requirements for this size. During
installation or removal, torque should only be applied at the wrench flats provided on the
pressure port. As a general rule of thumb, the device shall be “wrench-tight” to avoid
leakage from the process connection.

2.2 Installing Digi-Stand Software and Tera Term (HyperTerminal Replacement)

• Download USB driver and Digi-Stand software to PC

• Software available at links below

Digi-Stand Software:

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/p52sozx4hxty74b/AAB4eGmUzbXIEHgXm2ryvCHXa?dl=0

USB Drivers (In case they do not install automatically):

https://www.dropbox.com/s/xrojw0fhojqf75i/DSC%20USB%20Driver%20Setup.exe?dl=0

Tera Term: (Follow links for download)

https://ttssh2.osdn.jp/index.html.en

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• Connect the USB unit to an open com port connection on your computer or
laptop
• Unzip the Digi-Stand application Zip file to a location on your C drive.
• Run the GP50 Digi-Stand application file, this will automatically install the
application to your computer.
• Open the Digi-Stand application and select the COM port value that is populated.
• Click the Connect button, you should now be connected and have pressure data.
• Sensor is formatted for USB standard. The USB unit can connect to a PC by
plugging into a USB port and does not require an external power supply as they
appear as a single unit load and draw less than 100mA (70-80mA typ).
• Appropriate drivers must be installed which are supplied by GP:50. These create
a virtual serial port allowing the USB unit to appear to the PC as a normal COM
port device.
• The unit is supplied with a USB type A connector.

2.3 Default Serial Settings

• Baud Rate = 115200

• Stop bits = 1
• Parity = none
• Data bits = 8
• Flow control = none

ASCII Data Output

Sensor is formatted for the ASCII standard communications protocol. The ASCII protocol only uses basic
printable characters, and so can be accessed with a simple terminal program like Windows ‘Hyper
Terminal’.

Communication

Communications are of the master/slave type. A central host device (normally a PC or PLC) acts as a bus
master in control of all communications.

Communications consist of the master transmitting command messages addressed to the particular slave
devices. The target slave may then transmit a ‘response message’ back to the master.

Because there is only one bus master and slaves never initiate communications, the master is in control
of all communications. This enables multi-drop operation, i.e. a single master can control any number of
slave devices at a time.

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Command Types

A single command sent to a device can instruct it to read from or write to an internal parameter value, or
to execute a control action.

The device responds by returning data (for a parameter read) or a simple acknowledge (for a write
action).

Addressing

Every slave device on the bus is identified by a unique address value known as its ‘Station Number’.
Each command message contains an address specifying to which slave device it is directed.

A slave will ignore all communications that are not addressed to it. Default station Number = 001.

Parameters

Parameters are the values used for all control settings and output values. They have a real-value storage
type and may be either read/write, read-only, or write-only. Output or result values are mostly read only.

Configurable parameters are held in non-volatile storage, so control settings are retained permanently
even when power is removed.

2.4 THE ASCII PROTOCOL

The ASCII protocol uses only printable characters and carriage-return (‘<CR>’), which allows a “dumb”
terminal device or a PC program like Hyper-Terminal or Tera Term to interrogate the device.

Host Command Message Format

The basic command request structure is shown in the following example, illustrating the message

“!001:SGAI=123.456<CR>”, meaning write 123.456 to parameter SGAI on station 1:

Framing Station Separator Command Access Data End of

Character Address Identifier Code Frame
! 001 : SGAI = 123.456 <CR>

An Explanation of Each Field is as Follows:

• Framing Character: A “!” character is used to signal the start of a new message. This character
is only ever transmitted by the host for framing purposes.
• Station Address: A three-digit ASCII decimal number (000-999) determining which slave
device(s) the command is intended for. All three digits must be sent.
• Separator: Always present. As no checksum or message verification technique is used, slaves
use this as an extra check on message validity.

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• Command Identifier: Up to 4 alpha-numeric characters, case insensitive, giving the name of the
required command.
• Access Code: Defines what sort of response is expected.
o ’=’ means write data is expected to follow.
o ’?’ means the host is expecting to receive read data back.
o <CR> (i.e. nothing more before end) means the command is an action type (execute).
• Data: An ASCII decimal-formatted number, can include 0…9, ‘+’, ‘–’, ‘.’ and spaces. This field
can have a maximum length of 15 characters.
• End of frame: A <CR> is always present to indicate the end of the message.

Summary

• A command message begins with ‘!’, followed by a three-digit station address, then a ‘:’, and
finishes with a <CR>.
• The ‘!’ and <CR> only appear at the beginning and end of commands respectively.
• From the ‘:’ to the final <CR> is the command ‘instruction’ (of read, write, or execute type).
• All instructions begin with an alphanumeric command identifier of up to 4 characters, and end
with a non-alphanumeric (which may be the final <CR>).

Slave Response Message Formats

Each slave monitors the bus for command messages. It responds to any message that is addressed to it
by sending a response message.

To be accepted by a slave device, a message must start with ‘!’, the correct three-digit slave address and
‘:’, and end with <CR>, with no intervening extra ‘!’.

The slave will then always respond.

There are Three Possible Types of Response: acknowledge (ACK), acknowledge with data (ACK-with-
data) for a read, and not-acknowledge (NAK):

• ACK is a single <CR> character. This confirms an execute or write command.

• ACK-with-data is a decimal number, followed by <CR>. This confirms a read and returns the data
value.
• NAK is an ‘?’ <CR> sequence. The device rejected the command.

There Are Several Possible Reasons for A NAK Response:

• Command identifier not recognized.

• Badly formatted command: Missing command identifier, unrecognized access-code character, or
unexpected character somewhere else.
• Access attempted not supported by this command.

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Notes

• From receipt of the host’s terminating <CR> to a response from the device (if any) will be at most
50mS. After this, it can be assumed there is no response.
• There is no value-checking: A slave cannot NAK a command because a write data value is
‘unsuitable’ in some way, only if write access itself is disallowed.
• For the ACK-with-data (i.e. a successful read command), the returned value consists of printable
ASCII characters finishing with a <CR>, formatted according to the DP and DPB settings as
follows.

COMMAND EXAMPLES

Write Command

If the device accepts the command, then a <CR> is transmitted. There is no error checking on the data
received by the device.

Example:

A command to set the RATE parameter to three on station 1 could look like this –
!001:RATE=3<CR>
Assuming a device with STN=1 is present, it will respond with – <CR>

Read Command

Returns the requested value specified by the command.

The returned value is formatted according to the DP and DPB values: The response consists of a sign
character (±), DPB decimal digits before a decimal point, DP digits after the point and a terminating
<CR>: The length of the response is thus fixed at DP+DPB+3 characters.

Example:

A command to read the SYS output could look like this –

!001:SYS?<CR>
if the value=32.1, and format settings are DP=3 and DPB=5, the response string will be –
+00032.100<CR>

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Action Command

If the device accepts the command, then a <CR> is transmitted.

Example:

A command to reset device 14 would look like –

!014:RST<CR>
the response string will be just –<CR>

Broadcast Commands

If the station address in a command message is “000”, this means a broadcast command:

All slaves act as normal on a broadcast command, but do not respond.

Example:

A command to all devices on the bus to sample their inputs would look like this –
!000:SNAP<CR>
- there is no response

Bad Commands

If any command is not understood by the device then a “?” is transmitted followed by a <CR>.

Example:

A un-recognized command, correctly addressed to station 173 –

!173:XYWR?<CR>
produces the general error response – ?<CR>

All Commands will follow the same syntax as above examples.

2.5 Command Set for Use with Hyper-terminal

Command ID Description Misc. Setting

SYS Main pressure output of Use this to read actual
sensor pressure output
TEMP Main temperature Use this to read actual
output of sensor temperature output
MVV mV/V reading of sensor Use this to read actual
mV/V output
USR1 User storage bin 1 Contains the Serial User can access
Number of Unit USR3…9 for storage
USR2 User storage bin 2 Contains Calibration ddmm.yy format.
Date of unit

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SZ System zero Subtracts SZ amount Factory set to 0.0

from SYS output
STN Station number Sets the address of the Factory set to 001
unit.
RATE Output update rate Can set per Rate chart Factory set to 3 = 10Hz
parameter (only up to 100Hz)
BAUD Baud rate selection Can be set per Baud Factory set to 3=115200
chart
STAT Error Register Can be polled by user to See chart
determine errors
DP Digits after point Set # of digits after Factory set to 2
decimal point
SNAP Pressure input snapshot Reads pressure input of The value is stored in
all devices on bus SYSN register
DPB Digits before point Set # of digits before Factory set to 6
decimal point
RST Reboot Use this to reboot /
power cycle the device
* All command ID’s are case insensitive.

Baud rate control:

BAUD value: 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

Baud Rate (bps): 2400 4800 9600 19K2 38K4 57K6 76K8 115K2 230K4 460K8

Output Rate control:

RATE value: 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Update Rate (Hz): 1 2 5 10 20 50 60 100 200 300 500

* The Temperature output is set to automatically update every 5 seconds, and is not affected by the update

System Zero, SZ

This command subtracts the amount SZ from the main pressure output value SYS. SZ is factory set to 0.
By sending a value to SZ, the main pressure output becomes: SYS = SYS – SZ.

The user can use this command to offset the output by any amount.

Error Reporting

The STAT register can be polled by the user to indicate the errors shown in the following table:

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The errors listed above along with their bit values are shown. The cell and system over and under range
errors can be used to indicate over and under pressure values which can be programmed into the device
by GP:50 corresponding to pre-determined pressure range values.

Reading Snapshot

SNAP, SYSN

The action command SNAP can be used to sample the pressure output of all USB units connected to the
same Bus. The main use of this command is where a number of different inputs need to be sampled at
the same instant. Normally, multiple readings are staggered in time because of the need to read back
results from separate devices in sequence.

By broadcasting a SNAP command, all devices on the bus will sample their pressure inputs within a few
milliseconds and save that value in the SYSN register. The resulting values can then be read back in the
normal way from all the devices’ SYSN parameters.

Continuous Output Streaming

By setting the STN parameter (Station Number) to 998, the unit will continuously output the SYS
(Pressure Output) value automatically from power up. If a unit is in broadcast mode (station address set
to 998, all commands to communicate to the unit must now take place on station address 998. For
example, a command to read pressure on station address 001 (!001:SYS?<CR>) will now look like
(!998:SYS?<CR>).

IMPORTANT MESSAGE

When changing the parameters of the device, the device must be power cycled before these changes
take effect. If a power cycle is not possible, the user can issue a reset command which will act as a re-
boot.

The Command ID for a reboot is RST.

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This command must be issued in order for changes to the Output Rate, Station Number, as well as other
parameter changes to take effect.

Ensure media is compatible with 316 and 17-4 stainless steel (standard material, optional
materials available) check part number to verify wetted material to avoid premature
corrosion of the diaphragm. This can cause performance degradation and eventual
sensor failure.

Properly tighten process connections before applying pressure to ensure no leaks or

mechanical failure can occur.

Never insert sharp objects into diaphragm. This could cause permanent damage to the
sensor and/or mechanical failure/diaphragm rupture.

2.6 Power Supply Connection

Consult power requirements listed on the Calibration Record provided with each
serialized individual unit. For best operation, the pressure transducer needs clean
regulated power with output impedance less than 20Ω. As loads are added to the current
loop (galvanic barriers, current measuring devices resistors), the minimum excitation
voltage must increase in order to maintain proper operating voltage. Refer to datasheet
for additional electrical specifications.

2.7 Wiring & Grounding

Consult wiring listed under Electrical Connections on the Calibration Record provided
with each serialized individual unit. Do not run wires next to power lines, electrical
systems, motors, generators, or any other equipment which may generate a significant
amount of electrical noise or magnetic fields.

2.8 Environment
The operating temperature range should be from 32°F to 185°F (0°C to 85°C). Mount the
unit as close to the process as possible with the ambient temperature surrounding the
electronics falling within the operating range. See datasheet for further temperature limits.

Protect electrical connection from direct/continued exposure to fluids. Moisture ingress

can occur and cause eventual electrical failure.

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3. OPERATION & MAINTENANCE

Model 611/612 is designed to produce USB digital output in direct proportion to pressure.
Specific pressure range, input voltage requirements and electrical connections are
marked on unit.

Install only after verifying both input power and line pressure are off and at zero.

Replace broken fasteners (available through the factory) as they may compromise the
seal and cause contamination and/or electronics failure.

Observe safe ESD handling precautions to avoid static damage to sensitive components.

4. TROUBLESHOOTING & RETURN INFORMATION

No output

- Verify baud rate is correct

- Verify station number is correct
- Verify Com Port value is correct
- Verify power supply voltage meets transducer requirements
- Verify pressure if being applied
- Verify output load is not shorted

Advanced Troubleshooting:

If COM port shows up, and Baud Rate is correct, unit may be in broadcast mode (Station address set to
998). When unit is in this mode, it is not able to communicate with the Digi-Stand software program (Digi-
Stand program can only communicate to unit if Station address is set to 001). In order to fix,
HyperTerminal or similar terminal emulator program must be used to change the station address back to
001 by sending the following command: !998:STN=001<CR>. A check to confirm unit is in broadcast
mode is to open HyperTerminal and connect to the unit. Once connected, the unit will start transmitting
pressure values in decimal format automatically and continuously. If this does occur, then the unit can be
confirmed it is in broadcast mode.

There also exists a broadcast command station number (Station Number 000) that will allow
communication to a unit if the station number becomes lost. Sending command !000:STN=001<CR> will
change the station number back to 001.

If COM port is not found in device manager, the drivers may still need to be installed. Install the USB
drivers (link for download is contained in section 2.2) and disconnect / re-connect USB unit to computer.

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Erratic output or zero drift

- Verify pressure applied is constant

- Verify power supply remains within specifications
- Inspect USB cable for discontinuity or damage
- Verify output with a multi-meter
- Check insulation resistance between amplifier and transducer case

Slow Response

- Verify pressure port is not clogged

If the problem persists, please call the factory as indicated below for assistance. Please have the
following information ready:

• Serial number
• Model number
• Which action caused device failure
• Baud Rate of device
• Station Number of device

Contact: [email protected]
Phone: (716) 773-9300

Repairs should only be done by GP:50. Repairs done by customer will void any
warranties and may cause permanent damage to unit. Repairs done by customer on
Intrinsically Safe units will void the approvals and are a potential explosion hazard.

Returned products that have been exposed to hazardous substances must be

cleaned prior to return and include the Material Safety Data Sheet for all
substances.

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5. WARRANTY

GP:50 warrants its products to the original customer/purchaser against defects in material and
workmanship for a period of one (1) year from the date of delivery by GP:50, as shown in its
shipping documents, subject to the following terms and conditions:

Without charge GP:50 will repair or replace products found to be defective in materials or
workmanship within the warranty period provided that:

1. The product has not been subjected to abuse, neglect, accident, incorrect wiring (not
provided by GP:50), improper installation or servicing, or use in violation of instructions
furnished by GP:50.

2. As to any prior defect in materials or workmanship covered by this warranty, the product has
not been repaired or altered by anyone except GP:50 or its authorized service agencies.

3. The serial number has not been removed, defaced or otherwise changed.

4. Examination discloses, in the judgment of GP:50, a defect in materials or workmanship which

developed under normal installation, use and service.

5. GP:50 is notified in advance of, and approves, the return by issuing a Return Material
Authorization Number; and the products are returned to GP:50 transportation prepaid.
Products returned without an RMA number will not be accepted and be returned to sender at
sender’s expense.

THIS WARRANTY IS THE ONLY WARRANTY AND IS IN LIEU OF ANY OTHER WARRANTY EXPRESSED OR IMPLIED,
INCLUDING ANY WARRANTY OR MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS. NO REPRESENTATIVE OR PERSONS ARE
AUTHORIZED TO GIVE ANY OTHER WARRANTY OR TO ASSUME FOR GP:50 ANY OTHER LIABILITY IN CONNECTION
WITH THE SALE OF ITS PRODUCTS. GP:50 DOES NOT ASSUME THE COSTS OF REMOVAL AND/OR INSTALLATION OF
THE PRODUCT OR ANY OTHER WORKMANSHIP, OR WILL GP:50 BE LIABLE FOR ANY CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES
RESULTING FROM THE USE OR INSALLATION OF ITS PRODUCT.

For a copy of our warranty policy and to fill out a warranty registration form, visit our
website at: https://www.gp50.com/products/warranty/

For assistance with repairs, call our Repair Dept. at 716-773-9300, ext. 237, or complete a
Repairs, Returns, RMA form at: https://www.gp50.com/resources/repairs-returns-rma/.

Copyright © 2008 GP:50 NY LTD. All rights reserved.

This specification must not be reproduced in any form without written permission of the copyright owner.

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