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RS-232 Data Acquisition Module and Digital to Analog Conversion Module / Optional 4-20mA Current Loop Output
Models: 232SPDA 232SPDACL

Description
The 232SPDA provides a low-cost, easy-to-use solution for serial port data acquisition. The 232SPDA offers 7 channels of 12-bit A/D inputs, 4 channels of 8-bit D/A outputs, 1 digital output and 2 digital inputs. With these features, the module can be used to sense a variety of external conditions, to output analog voltages, and to control a wide range of devices. The 232SPDA comes with a demo program in QuickBASIC. A data logging utility is included to provide a simple way to import data into other programs and spreadsheets (such as Excel). An RS-485 version is available (485SPDA). An optional two-wire, 4-20 mA current loop output is available in place of one of the D/A channels in both the 232SPDACL and 485SPDACL modules.

Features
7 channels of 12-bit A/D 0.610mV A/D resolution (with 2.5Vdc Reference) 4 channels of 8-bit D/A with 232SPDA 3 channels of 8-bit D/A and one two-wire, 4-20mA current loop output with 232SPDACL 2 digital inputs (-30Vdc to +30Vdc) 1 digital output (0Vdc to 5Vdc) Automatic baud rate detection

Commands
There are only four commands required to control the 232SPDA: the read A/D command, the read digital I/O command, the output analog voltage command and the set output states command. The command string consists of four to six bytes: the ! character, the 0 (zero) character, two command characters, and one or two data bytes (if required). 232SPDA Commands Command Response !0RA{#}

Function Read A/D Channels

{ch#msb}{ch#lsb}{ch(#-1)msb}... {ch0msb}{ch0lsb} Read Digital I/O !0RD {I/O states} Output Analog Voltage !0SV{#}{#} no response Set Output States !0SO{#} no response NOTE: Each {...} represents one byte.

A/D Converter
The 232SPDA has 7 channels of 12-bit A/D inputs. The full-scale voltage can be set anywhere from 2.5Vdc to 5.0Vdc. A 5Vdc reference is available to provide a 0 to 5Vdc range without any external components. The A/D converter has a conversion time around 10 microseconds, however the sampling rate is limited by the serial communications. The actual sampling rate for a single channel is around 120 samples per second (at 9600 baud). This rate drops to 37 samples per second when sampling all of the channels. The A/D inputs are available on a DB-25S (female) connector.

D/A Converter
The 232SPDA has 4 channels of 8-bit D/A outputs, and the 232SPDACL has 3 channels of D/A outputs and one 4-20mA output channel. The D/A channels can produce an analog voltage between 0V and 4.4V. One D/A channel is internally set to provide a full-scale voltage of 4.4V (232SPDA only). The other three channels full-scale voltage can be set anywhere between 0V and 4.4V. The D/A outputs are available on a DB-25S (female) connector.

B&B Electronics November 1996 -- Revised September 1998

This product designed and manufactured in USA of domestic and imported parts by

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4-20mA Current Loop Output (Model 232SPDACL only)

A current loop is useful in situations where information must be sent over long wire runs. The 232SPDACL uses D/A Output 0 to control a two-wire 4-20mA current loop output. Since D/A Output 0 is used to control the current loop, it is not available on an I/O pin. Instead, the current loop output is provided on I/O pin 22. The second wire in the current loop is the GND wire which is provided on I/O pin 7. The maximum load resistance for the current loop is 500 (resistance of wire must be included).

Digital I/O Lines

The 232SPDA has 2 digital inputs and 1 digital output. The digital output is CMOS compatible. The digital inputs are CMOS/TTL compatible and can handle voltages from -30Vdc to +30Vdc. The digital I/O lines are available on a DB25S (female) connector. I/O Connector Pinout DB-25S Function Pin #

DB-25S Pin #

Function

1 GND 14 D/A Ref. 1 2 +12Vdc Output* 15 D/A Ref. 2 3 Digital Output #0 16 D/A Ref. 3 4 Digital Input #0 17 +5Vdc Output 5 Digital Input #1 18 A/D Ref. Input + 6 Digital GND 19 A/D Ref. Input 7 Analog GND 20 No connection 8 A/D Input #0 21 A/D Input #6 9 A/D Input #1 22 D/A Output 0** 10 A/D Input #2 23 D/A Output 1 11 A/D Input #3 24 D/A Output 2 12 A/D Input #4 25 D/A Output 3 13 A/D Input #5 *Actual output is equal to power supply input minus 0.7Vdc **Pin 22 is used for the 4-20mA current loop output in the 232SPDACL module.

Communications
The 232SPDA connects to your computers RS-232 serial port through a DB-25S connector. The unit automatically detects baud rates from 1200 to 9600. A data format of 8 data bits, 1 stop bit and no parity is used. The 232SPDA is configured as a DCE device. RS-232 Connector Pinout Direction to 232SPDA Input Output Input

DB-25S Pin # 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 20

Signal

Notes

Transmit Data (TD) Receive Data (RD) Request to Send (RTS) Clear to Send (CTS) Data Set Ready (DSR) Signal Ground (SG) Data Carrier Detect (DCD) Data Terminal Ready (DTR)

Input

Connection is required Connection is required May be used to power unit if kept high Internally looped back to RTS Internally looped back to DTR Connection is required Internally looped back to DTR May be used to power unit if kept high

B&B Electronics November 1996 -- Revised September 1998

This product designed and manufactured in USA of domestic and imported parts by

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Specifications
12 bit 7 5.0 Vdc max. (1.221 mV per bit) 2.5 Vdc min. (0.610 mV per bit) A/D Ref. Input 0 Vdc to 2.5Vdc A/D Ref. Input + 2.5 Vdc to 5.0 Vdc Input Voltage Range: -0.3 Vdc to 5.3 Vdc Total Unadjusted Error: +/- 1.75 LSB max. A/D input channels must be driven from a source impedance less than 1 k. 5 Volt Reference Output Voltage: 4.975 Vdc to 5.025 Vdc (5.0 Vdc typ.) Accuracy: +/- 0.5 % Maximum Output Current: 5 milliamps max. Digital to Analog Converter Resolution: 8 bit Channels: 4 (3 in the 232SADCL Module) D/A References: -0.3Vdc to 5.3Vdc (D/A Ref. 0 internally set to 5Vdc in 232SDA12 Module) Output Voltage Range: 0Vdc to 4.4Vdc Total Unadjusted Error: +/- 0.07V for voltages less than 3.83V +/- 0.14V for voltages greater than 3.83V D/A output channels must have a resistive load greater than or equal to 10 k and a capacitive load less than or equal to 100 pF. 4-20mA Current Loop Output (232SPDACL Module only) Resolution: 8-bit Channels: 1 Output Range: 4 mA to 20 mA Reference: internally set to 2 VDC Maximum Load: 500 ohms (Resistance of wire included) Total Unadjusted Error: 0.2 mA Digital Inputs Channels: 2 Voltage Range: -30 Vdc to 30 Vdc Low Voltage: -30 Vdc to 1.0 Vdc High Voltage: 2.0 Vdc to 30 Vdc Leakage Current: 1 microamp max. Digital Output Channels: 1 Low Voltage: 0.6 Vdc @ 8.7 milliamps High Voltage: 4.3 Vdc @ -5.4 milliamps Power Supply Input Voltage: 12Vdc to 18Vdc @ 35 milliamps (This is specified for the 232SPDACL. The 232SPDA will require less current. This does not include power consumption of external devices.) Connection: 2.5 mm jack Communications Standard: RS-232 (unit is DCE) Baud Rate: 1200 to 9600 (automatic detection) Format: 8 data bits, 1 stop bit, no parity Connector: DB-25S (female) Analog to Digital Converter Resolution: Channels: Reference Range:

B&B Electronics November 1996 -- Revised September 1998

This product designed and manufactured in USA of domestic and imported parts by

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I/O PORT DB-25S
22

D/A Output 0

Analog Outputs

23 24 25

D/A CONVERTER Serial Port DB-25S MICROPROCESSOR RD TD RS-232 Tranceiver A/D CONVERTER

Digital I/O Analog Inputs

3 4 5

8 9 10 11 12 13 21

232SPDA Block Diagram

I/O PORT DB-25S

4-20mA Current Loop

22

4-20mA CURRENT LOOP

D/A Output 0
23

Analog Outputs

24 25

D/A CONVERTER
Serial Port DB-25S

Digital I/O

3 4 5

RD

MICROPROCESSOR
TD

8 9 10

RS-232 Tranceiver A/D CONVERTER

Analog Inputs

11 12 13 21

232SPDACL Block Diagram

B&B Electronics November 1996 -- Revised September 1998

This product designed and manufactured in USA of domestic and imported parts by