Configuring TC4C

sholayer

Christmas greetings to all,

My Xmas present arrived the other day - a TC4C with aArtisan, I have just been trying to get it running and am not having much luck, I am just wondering how others have got on.

I am running it on a Pentium2 with Win XP SP1 with all associated files loaded (C++, drivers, Artisan on desktop etc etc, barebones desktop for roasting only). It seems I have a problem with probes as the software all fires up, finds COM3 port but indicates ET and BT both with a -1.0 C temp (wires installed red to + and black to -) and error message ""Exception: eval_math_expression() name 'y2' is not defined" for BT probe in Y2. Screenshot attached.

I have altered all variables, changed thru' 3 probes and am running out of ideas. Probes have just come straight off a Victor 86B.

Ideas or suggestions?

Thanks

Chris

UNM

never run Artisan and my setup is an arduino Mega with older tc4 board. If nobody else steps in with suggestions, I will try downloading artisan s/w and give it a go. If you haven't already done so, an email or PM to Jim might get a quick answer if a known issue. I assume thermo couples were working OK on the victor. if wires wrong way round, the temp reading usually goes down as temp rises rather than stay constant so I suspect a software issue or USB interface problem.

sholayer

Ahaa, TC4C needs type K thermocouple. Very prompt reply from Jim

UNM

hopefully that will help. you got some k types? I am surprised though. I think my TC4 supports multiple probe types, but have not actually checked.

sholayer

Dont you just hate computers...... I think this might be a tricky one, have tried 2 K type, unsure of the 3rd if its type K or not. All go when transfered back to the Victor. Jim did say the TC4C only works with type K and also that USA has red wires neg and black as pos, however still no luck with a switchover. I have also tried version 5.3 of Artisan instead of latest 5.6, dont want to go Ubuntu just yet. I will try Jim again to find out what else to check Sholayer

UNM

I have a vague recollection of compatibility issues between one version of 'Processing' software and the arduino code I was running. I am on processing 1.2.1.

JimG

If you have access to a simple terminal program then you can speak directly to the TC4C. This takes Artisan out of the picture while troubleshooting. Here, I use PuTTY, Brays Terminal, or the Arduino IDE itself. Set up the terminal program for 19200 baud. And configure it so that a linefeed character is sent to the remote device (TC4C in this case) when you press enter. To start the session, send this text to the TC4C, followed by enter key: chan,1200 The TC4C will acknowledge. To cause the TC4C to send a set of temperature readings, send this text, followed by enter: read Try talking to the TC4C this way and let's try and isolate the problem. The TC4 system can support K, J, or T thermocouples. I always send them out programmed for type K by default. They can be reprogrammed by the user using the Arduino IDE and source code downloaded from the open project repository. Jim

UNM

JimG wrote:

The TC4 system can support K, J, or T thermocouples. I always send them out programmed for type K by default. They can be reprogrammed by the user using the Arduino IDE and source code downloaded from the open project repository. Jim

I thought they did more than just K type. Unfortunately, my memory aint what it once was (or perhaps it was always bad and i just forgot). I downloaded artisan and whacked it on my laptop. Happily fired up and tells me both thermocouples read -1 degree C. As I have an LCD on the TC4 and know they work fine, in my case I am sure it is a problem of the pc artisan software reading the arduino data stream. I have not yet loaded correct aArtisan software, so that makes perfect sense. I am pretty sure when I started out configuring mine, I used a terminal emulator (probably PuTTY) to watch the data coming in as a means of verifying all was behaving as it should In my copious spare time I will upgrade my TC4 software to aBourbon 3.0 and run latest arduino code on one or more home PCs for testing - about time I upgraded as it has been over a year and it is a hassle when you fall too far behind.

sholayer

UNM, yes would seem to be the same issue I had, reading -1.0C. I have now had success getting a range of temps and am about to do a roast to see how it goes. I ended up by loading version 5.5 of Artisan, I also tried 5.6 and 5.3 - dont know how much or why this has helped but at least I can get it monitoring correctly, I think I only have 1 thermocouple on at present but I checked out 3 yesterday by monitoring via the terminal as Jim suggested above and they all read thru the TC4C board and gave expected temps from hot (not boiling) water thru to ice. Jim thanks for your help, I wanted to get the arduino board in order to get a little bit deeper into what it can offer and am glad I did. Chris