User`s guide
Universal Library User's Guide Temperature Input Boards - WLS Series
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Always connect an external hub to its power supply
If you are using a hybrid hub — one that can operate in either self-powered or bus-powered mode — always
connect it to its external power supply.
If you use a hub of this type without connecting to external power, communication errors may occur that
could result in corrupt configuration information on the wireless device. You can restore the factory default
configuration settings with InstaCal.
Factory default reset
To restore factory default configuration settings, click on the Reset Defaults button on InstaCal's
configuration page. The device must be connected locally to the computer's USB port to restore default
settings.
Configuring the DIO channels to generate alarms (WLS-TEMP and WLS-TC)
The WLS-TEMP and WLS-TC both provide eight independent temperature alarms. Each alarm controls an
associated digital I/O channel as an alarm output. The input to each alarm is one of the temperature input
channels. Use InstaCal to set up the temperature conditions to activate an alarm, and the output state of the
channel (active high or low) when activated.
Digital channels that are configured as alarms will power up in an output state. When an alarm is activated,
the associated DIO channel is driven to the output state defined by the alarm configuration. The alarms
function both in wireless mode and while attached to the USB port on a computer. The alarm configurations
are stored in non-volatile memory on the device and are loaded on power up.
Alarm settings can be configured when the device is connected locally to the computer through the USB port,
or when the device is operated remotely through a wireless interface.
Pacing temperature readings
The internal update rate for temperature measurement is a fixed value for these devices. If the UL reads the
device faster than the internal update rate, temperature readings "repeat." For example, if using cbTIn() in a
loop to measure a rapidly changing temperature, readings do not change for several iterations of the loop, then
"jump" when the update occurs internally.
Using single sensors with cbTInScan()
When using single sensors for RTD or thermistor sensors, you should ignore the data for channels that do not
have sensors attached. It is best to use cbTIn() for these configurations, since you can select which channels
to read. If you use cbTInScan(), however, data for all channels over the entire range of channels are returned.
Since some channels are not populated in this configuration, you should filter out the data for channels
without sensors.
Saving configuration settings (WLS-TEMP and WLS-TC)
InstaCal allows you to save configuration settings to a file, or to load a configuration from a previously saved
file.
Each WLS-TEMP channel can be configured to measure temperature data collected by one of five
categories of temperature sensors: thermistors, thermocouples, RTDs, semiconductors, and Disabled.
Each WLS-TC channel can be configured to measure temperature data collected by one of eight types of
thermocouples.
Recommended warm-up time
Allow the WLS-TEMP and WLS-TC to warm-up for 30 minutes before taking measurements. This warm-up
time minimizes thermal drift and achieves the specified rated accuracy of measurements.