Agilent E1463A Users Guide

Contents

HP E1463A Form C Switch Module Use r’s Manual

Warranty . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

WARNINGS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

Safety Symbols . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

Declaration of Conformity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

Reader Comment Sheet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

Chapter 1. Getting Started with the HP E14 63A F orm C Switc h . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

Using This Chapter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

Instrument Definition . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

Form C Switch Description . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

Basic Operati on . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

Typical Configuration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

Warnings and Cautions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

Configuring the Form C Switch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

General Purp os e R elay Configuration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

Digital Output Configuration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

Setting the Logical Address Switch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

Setting the Interrupt Priority . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

Installing the Form C Switch in a Mainfram e . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

Terminal Modules . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

Scre w Type Terminal Module . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

Terminal Module Option A3 G . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19

Connecting User Inputs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20

Attaching a T erminal Module to t he Form C Switch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21

Wiring a Terminal Module . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22

Protecting Relays and Circuit s . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24

Relay Reliability . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24

Adding Rela y and Circuit Protection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25

Maximum Allowable M odule Switch Curren t . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26

Programming the Form C Switch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27

Specifying SCPI Commands . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27

Channel List . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28

Card Numbers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28

Channel Address . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29

Initial Opera ti on . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29

Chapter 2. Using the HP E1463 A Form C Swi tc h . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31

Using This Chapter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31

Form C Switch Commands . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31

Power-on and Reset Conditions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32

Module Iden tification . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32

Switching Channels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34

Scannin g Cha nne ls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39

Querying the Form C S witch Module . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43

HP E1463A Form C Switch Module User’s Manual Contents 1

Using the Scan Complete Bi t . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43

Recalling and Saving States . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45

Detecting Error Conditi ons . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46

Synchronizing the Form C Switch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48

Chapter 3. HP E1463A Form C Switch C ommand Reference . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49

Using This Chapter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49

Command Types . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49

Common Command Format . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49

SCPI Command F ormat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49

Linking Commands . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51

SCPI Command Reference . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52

ABORt . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52

ARM . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53

:COUNt . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53

:COUNt? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54

DISPlay . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55

:MONitor:CARD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55

:MONitor[:STATe] . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56

INITiate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57

:CONTinuous . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57

:CONTinuous? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58

[:IMMediate] . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58

OUTPut . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59

:EXTernal[:STATe] . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59

:EXTernal[:STATe]? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60

[:STATe] . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60

[:STATe] ? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60

:TTLTrgn[:STATe] . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61

:TTLTrgn[:STATe]? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61

[ROUTe:] . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62

CLOSe . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62

CLOSe? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63

OPEN . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64

OPEN? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64

SCAN . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65

STATus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66

:OPERati on :CONDi tion? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68

:OPERati on:E N ABle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68

:OPERati on:E N ABle? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68

:OPERati on[:E VENt]? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69

:PRESet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69

SYSTem . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70

:CDEScript i on? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70

:CPON . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70

:CTYPe? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71

:ERRor? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71

TRIGger . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72

2 HP E1463A Form C Switch Module User’s Manual Contents

[:IMMediate] . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72

:SOURce . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73

:SOURce? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74

IEEE 488.2 Common Command Reference . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75

SCPI Command Qui ck Reference . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76

Appendix A. Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77

Relay Life . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78

Appendix B. Register-Based Programming . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79

About This Appendix . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79

Register Addressi ng . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79

The Base Addres s . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80

Register Offset . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81

Register Descriptions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82

Reading and Writing to the Register s . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82

The Manufa cturer Identifica ti on Register . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82

The Device Type Register . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82

The Status/ Control Register . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83

The Relay C ontrol Register . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 84

Programming Examples . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85

Reading the Re gisters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85

Making Measurements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 87

Scannin g Cha nne ls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90

Appendix C. Form C Switch Error Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93

Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95

HP E1463A Form C Switch Module User’s Manual Contents 3

Notes

4 HP E1463A Form C Switch Module User’s Manual Contents

Certification

Hewlett-Packard Company certifies that this product met its publi shed s peci fica t ions at the time of ship me nt from th e fact ory. Hewlet t­Packard further certifi es that its calibrat ion mea sureme nt s are tracea ble to the Unit ed Sta tes Na tion al Institut e of Standards and Technol­ogy (formerly National Bureau of Standards), to the extent allowed by that organization’s calibration facility, and to the calibration
facilities of other International Standards Organization members.

Warranty

This Hewlet t-Pa ck ar d product is warr ante d agai nst de fect s in mate rials and w orkmansh ip for a period of three years from date of ship­ment. Duration and conditi ons of warranty for this product may be superse ded when the pr oduct i s i nt egrated into (becomes a part of)
other HP product s. Du ring the warranty period, Hewlett-Pa ck ar d Company will, at its opt ion, either repair or repl ace pr oducts which
prove to be defective.

For warranty se r vice or repair, this product mu st be r etur ned to a service facility designated by Hewlett-Packard (HP). Buyer shal l pr e­pay shipping cha rges to HP and HP shall pay shipping charges to re tu rn t he product to Bu yer. Howe ver, Buyer shall pa y all shi p ping
charges, duties, and taxe s for products returned to HP from anot her count r y.

HP warrants that its softwar e and firmwar e designa ted b y HP for use with a product will execute its programmin g instru cti ons wh en
properly installe d on that product. HP does not warrant that the operat ion of the product, or software , or firmware will be uninterrupted
or er ro r f r ee.

Limitation Of Warrant y

The foreg oin g warra nt y sh al l not apply t o defects resulting from improper or inadequa te maintenan ce by Buyer, Buyer-suppl ied prod­ucts or interfacing, unauthori ze d m odificati on or misus e, operation outside of the environmenta l specificat i ons for the product, or im­proper site prep arat i on or maint ena nce.

The design and imp le mentation of any circuit on this product is the sole responsibility of the Buyer. HP does not warrant the Buyer’s
circuitr y or malfunctions of HP products that result from the Bu yer’s circuitry. In addition, HP does not warrant an y damage that oc­curs as a result of the B uyer’s circuit or an y defects that resul t from Buyer-supplied product s.

NO OTHER WARRANTY IS EXPRESSED OR IMPLIED. HP SPECIFICALLY DISCLAIMS THE IMPLIED WARR ANT IES OF
MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.

Exclusive Remedie s

THE REMED IES PROVIDED HEREIN ARE BUYER’S SOLE AND EXCLUSIVE REMEDIES. HP SHALL NOT BE LIABLE
FOR ANY DIRECT, INDIRECT, SPECIAL, INCIDENTAL, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES, WHETHER BASED ON CON­TRACT, TORT, OR ANY OTHER LEGAL THEORY.

Notice

The information contained in this document is subject to change without notice. HEWLETT-PACKARD (HP) MAKES NO WAR­RANTY OF ANY KIND W ITH REGARD TO THIS MATERIAL, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, THE IMPLIED WAR­RANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. HP shall not be liable for errors contained
herein or for incidental or consequential damages in connection with the furnishing, performance or use of this material. This docu­ment c ontains proprietary information which is prote ct ed by copyright. A ll rights are reserved. No part of thi s d ocument may be photo­copied, reproduced, or translate d to another lan guage wit h out the prior written consent of Hewlett -Packar d C ompany. HP assumes no
responsibility for the use or reliability of its software on equipment that is not furnished by HP.

Restricted Rights Legen d

Use, dupli ca tion or discl osu re by the U. S. Go vernme nt is subje ct to rest rict i ons as set fort h in subparagraph (c)(1) (ii ) of the Rights in
Technical Data and Comp uter Softwa re clause in D F ARS 252.227-701 3.

Hewlett-Packar d Company
3000 Hanover Street
Palo Alto, Cal if ornia 943 04 U.S. A.

Rights for non-DOD U.S. Government Departments and Agen ci es are as set f orth in F AR 52.227 -19 (c) (1,2).

HP E1463A 32-Ch ann el, 5 Amp, Form C Switch M odule User’s Manua l

Copyright © 1996 He wle tt-Pa cka rd Company. All Right s Reser ve d.

Edition 3

HP E1463A 32-Channel, 5 Amp, Form C Switch Module User’s Manual 5

Documentatio n History

All Editions and Updates of this manual and their creation date are listed below. The first Edition of the manual is Edition 1. The Edi­tion number increment s by 1 whenever the manua l is revised . Updates , which are issued betw een Edi ti ons, c ontain repla ce ment pa ges
to correct or add additional information to the current Edition of the manual. Whenever a new Edition is created, it wil l contain all of
the Update inf ormat ion for the pre viou s Editi on. Each new Ed iti on or Update also incl ude s a revis ed c op y of this documentation his­tory page.

Edition 1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . July 1991

Edition 2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . January 1994

Edition 3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . January 1996

Safety Symbols

Instruction manual symbol affixed to prod­uct. Indicat es that the us er must refer to t he
manual for specific WARNING or CAU­TION information to avoid personal injury
or damage to the product.

Indicates the field wiring terminal that must
be connected to earth ground before operat­ing the equipment—protects against electri­cal shock in case of fault.

Frame or chassis ground termi nal — t ypi-

or

cally connects to the equipment’s metal
frame.

WARNING

CAUTION

Alternating current (AC).

Direct curren t (DC).

Indicate s ha za rdous voltages.

Calls at te nt i on t o a pr ocedure, practi ce, or
condition that could cause bodily injury or
death.

Calls at te nt i on t o a pr ocedure, practi ce, or con­dition that could possibly cause damage to
equipme nt or perma nen t los s of data.

WARNINGS

The following ge ner al safet y prec aut ions mus t be observed du ring al l phas es of oper ation , ser vice , and repai r of this pr oduct.
Failure to comply with these precautions or with specific warnings elsewhere in this manual violates safety standards of design,
manufacture, and inten ded use of the product. Hewlett-Packar d Company assumes no liability for the cust o mer’s failu re to
comply with these requirements.

Ground the equipment: For Safety Cl as s 1 equipmen t (equ ipment ha vin g a protective ea rth ter mi nal) , an unint erru ptib le sa fety earth

ground must be provide d from the ma in s power sour ce to the produ ct input wi rin g termi nals or suppli ed power cable .

DO NOT operate the produc t in an explosive at mospher e or in the presen ce of flammable gases or fume s.

For continued protect ion a gainst fire, repl ace the line fuse (s) only with fuse(s) of the same voltage and current rating and type .
DO NOT use repaired fuses or short-circui ted fuse holders.

Keep away from live circuits: Operatin g personnel must not remove equipment covers or shields. Procedures involving the removal
of covers or shields are for use by service-trained personnel only. Under certain conditions , dangerous voltages m ay exist even with the
equipment switched off. To avoid dangerous ele ctrical shock , DO NOT perf orm procedures involving cover or shield removal unless
you are qualified to do so.

DO NOT operate damaged equipment: Whene ver it i s p ossibl e tha t the sa fe ty protection features bui l t into t hi s product have been im­paired, eithe r t hr ough physical dam age, excessive moist ure , or any other reason, REMOVE POWER and do not use the product until
safe operation can be verified by service-trained personnel. If necessary, return the product to a Hewlett-P ackar d Sale s and Ser vice Of­fice for service and repair to ensure that safety features are maintaine d.

DO NOT service or adjust alon e: Do not attempt internal service or adjustment unless another person, capable of rendering first aid
and resuscitation, is present.

DO NOT substitute parts or modify equipment: Because of the dan ger of introducing addition al hazards , do not install substitute
parts or perform any unauthorized modifica tion to the product. Retur n the product to a Hewlet t-P ackar d Sales and Ser vice O ffice for
service and repair to ensure that sa fe ty features are ma i nt ai ned.

6 HP E1463A 32-Channel, 5 Amp, Form C Switch Module User’s Manual

Declaration of Conformity

according to ISO/IEC Guide 22 and EN 45014

Manufacturer’s Name: Hewlett-Pa ckar d C ompany

Loveland Manufacturing Center

Manufact urer’s Addre s s: 815 14th Street S.W.

Loveland, Colorado 80537

declares, that the product:

Product Name: 32-Channel F orm C Switch

Model Number : E1463A

Produc t Opt ion s: All

conforms to the following Pr od uct Spe cifi cati ons :

Safety: IEC 1010-1 (1990) Incl . Amend 1 (1992) /E N610 10-1 (1993)

CSA C22.2 #1010.1 (1 992)
UL 3111

EMC: CISPR 11:1990/EN55011 (1991): Group1 Class A

IEC 801-2:1991/ E N5008 2-1 (1 992) : 4kVCD, 8k VA D
IEC 801-3:1984/ E N5008 2-1 (1 992) : 3 V/m
IEC 801-4:1988/ E N5008 2-1 (1 992) : 1kV P ower Lin e

Supplementary Information: The product her ewi th c omplies w ith the requirements of t he Low Voltage Dire ctive
73/23/EEC and the EMC Directive 8 9/336/ EEC (inclu si ve 93/68/EEC ) and carr ies the "CE" mark acc ordingly.

Tested in a typical configuration in an HP C-Size VXI m ai nfr am e.

August 20, 199 5 Jim White , QA Manager

European conta ct: Your loca l He wlett-Pa cka rd Sales a nd Servi ce O ffic e or Hewlett- Packa rd GmbH, Departm ent
HQ-TRE, Herr en ber ger Straße 130, D-71034 Böblingen, Germ a ny (FAX [phone]).

HP E1463A 32-Channel, 5 Amp, Form C Switch Module User’s Manual 7

Notes

8 HP E1463A 32-Channel, 5 Amp, Form C Switch Module User’s Manual

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Reader Comment Sheet

HP E1463A 32-Channel, 5 Amp, Form C Switch User’s Manual

Editio n 3

You can help us improve our manual s b y sharing your commen ts and sug gesti ons. In apprec iat ion of your time, we will
enter yo u in a quarterly drawing for a Hewlett -Pac kar d Palmt op Personal Computer (U.S. government employees

cannot participate in the drawing).

Your Name

C ompany Nam e

Job Title

Address

Please list the s ystem controller, operati ng s ystem, progr am ming lan guage, and plug-in modules you are using.

City, State/Province

Country

Zip/Postal Code

Telephone Number with Area Code

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BUSINESS REPLY MAIL

FIRST CLASS PERMIT NO.37 LOVELAND, CO

HEWLETT-PACKARD COMPANY

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Learning Products Department
P.O. Box 301
Loveland, CO 80539-9984

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• The documentation is well organized. OOOOO

•Instructions are easy to understand. OOOOO

•The documentation is clearly written. OOOOO

•Examples are clea r a nd useful. OOOOO

•Illustrati ons are clear and help ful. OOOOO

•The documentation meets my overall expectations. OOOOO

Please write any comments or suggestions below--be specific.

10 HP E1463A 32-Channel, 5 Amp, Form C Switch User’s Manual

Getting Started with the HP E1463A

Using This Chapter

This chapter includes a Form C switch description, addressing guidelines,
configuration information, and an example program to check initial
operation. Chapter contents are as follows:

Chapter 1

Form C Switch

• Inst rumen t Definition. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 11

• Form C Switch Description . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 11

• Warnings and C aut ions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Pag e 13

• Configuring the Form C Switch. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 14

• Installing the Form C Switch in a Mainframe. . . . . . . . . . . . Page 17

• Terminal Modules . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 18

• Connecting User Inputs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 20

• Attaching a Terminal Module to the Form C Switch. . . . . . . . Page 21

• Wiri ng a Terminal M odu le . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Pag e 22

• Protecting Relays and Circuits. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 24

• Prog ramming the F orm C Switch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 2 7

• Initial Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 29

Instrument Definition

HP plug-in modules installed in an HP mainframe or used with an
HP command module are treated as independent instruments each having
a unique secondary HP-IB address. Each instrument is also assigned a
dedicated error queue, input and output buffers, status registers and, if
applicable, dedicated mainframe/command module memory space for
readings or data. An instrument may be composed of a single plug-in
module (such as a counter) or multiple plug-in modules (for a switchbox
or scanning multimeter instrument).

Form C Switch Description

The HP E1463A 32-Channel, 5 Amp, Form C Switch Module is a C-Size
VXIbus and VMEbus r egister-based produ ct which can be used for
switching, scanning, and control. The switch can operate in a C-Size
VXIbus or VMEbus mainframe. The switch has 32 channels of Form C
relays. Each channel includes a relay with common (C), normally open
(NO), and normally closed (NC) contacts.

For th e Form C switch, switching consists of opening or closing a channel
relay to provid e alternat e co nnect ions to us er devices. Scanning consists o f
closing a set of relays, one at a time .

Chapter 1 Getting Started with the HP E1463A Form C Switch 11

Basic Operation As shown in Figure 1-1, the Form C switch module consists of 32 channels

(channels 00 through 31). Each channel uses a nonlatching relay. Varistors
(MOVs) can be added for relay protection, and resistors or fuses can be
added for circuit protection. See “Adding Relay and Circuit Protection” on
page 25 f or more i nf ormat ion. External pull-up res istors can a lso b e adde d
for digital output applications. See pages 14 and 37 for additional
inform atio n abou t these ap p li c ations.

Figure 1-1. Form C Simplified Schemati c

Each channel is switched by opening or c losing the appropriate channel
relay. Since the relays are nonlatching, the relays are all open dur i ng
power-up or power-down. W hen a reset occurs, all channel commons (C )
are connect ed to the corresponding nor mally closed (NC) contacts. When a
channel is closed, the common contact (C) is connected to the normally
open contact (NO). Us er inputs an d outputs to each channel are via the NO,
NC, and C terminal connectors on the terminal module.

12 Getting Started with the HP E1463A Form C Switch Chapter 1

Typical

Configuration

The Form C switch accepts us er inputs up to 125 Vdc or 250 Vac
Maximum rated power capacity (external load) is 150 Wdc or 1250 VA per
channel. Per modul e, you can switch 1500 Wdc or 12500 VA.

As noted, the switch may be configured for general purpose switching/
scanning or digital output app lications. For general purpose switching or
scannin g, no additi onal c onfigurat i on is required. To confi gure the swit ch
for digital output applications, install external pull-up resistors as required.

Multiple Form C swit ch mo dules ca n b e confi gure d as a switch b ox
instrument. When using a switchbox instrument, multiple Form C switch
modules within the switchbox instrument can be address ed using a s ing le
interface address. This configurati on, however, requires the us e of SCPI
(Standard C omm a nds for Programmable Instruments) commands. SCPI
commands are discussed throughout this manual and information on the
switchbox instrument configuration can be found in the C-Size VXIbus
System Installation an d Getting Start ed Guide.

Warnings and Cautions

rms

.

WARNING SHOCK HAZARD. Only qualified, service-trained personnel

who are aware of the hazards involved should install, configure,
or remove the Form C switch module. Use only wire rated for
the highest input voltage and remove all power sources from
the mainframe and installed modules before installing or
removing a module.

CAUTION MAXIMUM VOLTAGE/CURRENT. Maximum allowable voltage per

channel for the Form C switch is 125 Vdc or 250 Vac
per channel is 5 Adc or ac
load is 150 Wdc or 1250 VA per channel or 1500 Wdc or 12500 VA per
module. Exceeding any limit may damage th e Form C switc h.

STATIC ELECTRICITY. Stat ic electric ity is a major cause of component
failure. To prevent damage to the electrical components in the Form C
switch, observe a nt i-stat ic t echniques whenever r emoving a module from
the mainfra me or whenever working on a module. The F orm C switch is
susceptible to static discharges. Do not install the Form C switch module
without its metal shield attached.

(non-inductive). Maximum power of an external

rms

. Max imum c u rrent

rms

Chapter 1 Getting Started with the HP E1463A Form C Switch 13

Configuring the Form C Switch

Typical Form C switch configurations are as a general purpose relay or
digital out put.

General Purpose

Relay Configuration

As factory-configured, the Form C switch module is set for general purpose
relay configuration. For th is conf igurat i on, you can switc h channels by
opening or closing channel relays or you can scan a set of channels.

Figure 1-2 shows a typical general purpose relay configuration for channel 00.
When the relay is open (NC terminal is connected to the C terminal),
load 1 is connected. When the relay is cl osed (NO terminal is c onnected
to the C terminal), load 2 is connected.

Figure 1-2. General Purpose Relay Configurat ion

Digital Ou tp u t

Configuration

By installing external pull-up resistors, the Form C switch can be
configured as a digital output device.

Figure 1-3 shows channel 00 con figured for digital output operation. W hen
the channel 00 relay is op en (NC connected to C), point 1 is at + V. When
the channel 00 relay is closed (NO connected to C), point 1 is at 0 V.

Figure 1-3. Digital Outp ut Con figu rati on

14 Getting Started with the HP E1463A Form C Switch Chapter 1

Setting th e Logical

Address Switch

The logical address switch (LADDR) factory setting is 120. Valid
addresses are from 1 to 255. The Form C switch module can be configured
as a single instrument or as a switchbox. Refer to the C-Size VXIbus System
Installation an d Getting Start ed Guide for addressing information. Refer to
Figure 1-4 for switch position information.

Figure 1-4. Setting the Logical Address Switch

Note The addr ess switc h selec t ed valu e must b e a multiple of 8 if the modu le is

the first module in a swit chbox used with a VXIbus c ommand module, and
being instructed by SCPI commands.

Chapter 1 Getting Started with the HP E1463A Form C Switch 15

Setting th e

Interrup t P riorit y

The Form C switch module generates an interrupt after a channel has been
closed. These interrupts are sent to, and a cknowledgments a r e received
from, the command module (HP E1406A, for example) via the VXIbus
backplane int err upt lines.

For most applications where the Form C switch module is installed in an
HP 75000 Series C mainfr a me, th e interrupt prior it y ju mper does not have
to be moved. This is because the VXIbus interrupt lines have the sa me
priority, and interrupt priority is establis hed b y installi ng mo dules in slots
numerically closest to the command module. Thus, sl ot 1 has a higher
priority than slot 2, slot 2 has a higher priority than slot 3, and so on.

Refer to Figure 1-5 to change the interrupt priority. You can select eight
different interrupt priority levels. Level 1 is the lowest priority and Level 7 is
the highest priority. Level X disables the interrupt. The module’s factory
setting is Level 1. To change, remove the 4-pin jumper (HP P/N 1258-0247)
from th e old priority loca tion a nd r einstall in the new priority loca tion. If th e
4-pin jumper is not used, the two jumper locations must have the same interrupt
priority level selected.

Figure 1-5. Setting the Interrupt Line

Note The interrupt priority jumper MUST be installed in position 1 when using the

HP E1405/06A command module. Level X interrupt priority should not be
used under normal operating conditions. Changing the priority level jumper is
not recommended. Do not change unless specifically instructed to do so.

16 Getting Started with the HP E1463A Form C Switch Chapter 1

Installing the Form C Switch in a Mainframe

The HP E1463A may be installed in any slot (except slot 0) in a C-size VXIbus
mainframe. Refer to Figure 1-6 to install the Form C swit ch in a mai n f ra me.

Set the extraction levers out .

Slide the HP E1463A into any slot
(except slot 0) until the backplane
connectors touch.

Tighten the top and bottom screws to
secure the Form C switch module to the
mainframe.

NOTE: The extract ion levers will not
seat the backplane connectors on older
VXIbus mainframes. You must manually
seat the connectors by pushing in the
module until the module’s front panel is
flush with the front of the mainframe. The
extraction levers may be used to guide or
remove the Form C switch.

Seat the HP E1463A int o t he
mainf rame by pu shi ng in th e
extraction levers.

To remove the module from the mainf rame,
reverse the procedure.

Figure 1-6. Install ing the Form C Swi tch in a VXIbus Mai nframe

Chapter 1 Getting Started with the HP E1463A Form C Switch 17

Terminal Modules

The HP E1463A 32-Channel, 5 Amp, Form C Switch Module is comprised
of a relay switch card and a screw type standard terminal module. User
inputs to the Form C sw it c h ar e to the normally open (NO), normally c lo sed
(NC), and commo n (C) termina l connectors on the screw type termina l
module. If the screw type terminal module is not desired, a solder eye
terminal module (Option A3G) is availa ble. If the solder eye terminal
module without the HP E1463A Form C switch card is desired, order
HP part numb er E1463-80 012. See Figure 1-9 on page 20 for the Form C
swi tch connector pin-out wh ich mates to t he terminal mod ule.

Screw Type

Terminal Module

Figure 1-7 shows the HP E1463A’s standard screw type terminal module
connectors and associated channel numbers. Use the guidelines below for
wire connections.

Figure 1-7. HP E1463A Standard Screw Type Terminal Module

Wiring Guidelines • Be sure the wires make good connections on scre w term ina ls.

• Maximum terminal w ire size is No. 16 AWG. When wiring all

channels, a smalle r gau ge wire (N o. 20 - 22 AWG ) is recomme nde d.
Wire ends s hould be stripped 6 mm (
prevent single strands from shorting to adjacent terminals.

≈ 0.25 in ch ) and t inned to

Note Refer to pages 22 and 23 before attempting to wire the terminal module.

18 Getting Started with the HP E1463A Form C Switch Chapter 1

Terminal Module

Option A3G

A terminal module with screw type terminals is provided standard with the
HP E1463A. Option A3G can be ordered if a solder eye terminal module is
desired. Option A3G provides a plastic terminal module housing with solder
eye connectors (see Figure 1-8). This allows you to solder wires onto
connectors which are then inserted directly into the mating connector of the
Form C switch. Use the pin-out diagram on page 20 to make the connections.

Figure 1-8. Solder Eye Connecto r

Chapter 1 Getting Started with the HP E1463A Form C Switch 19

Connecting User Inputs

Figure 1-9 shows the front panel of the HP E1463A and the Form C
swi tch’s con nect or pi n-out which mates to t he terminal mod ule.

Figure 1-9. HP E1463A Form C Switch Pin-out

20 Getting Started with the HP E1463A Form C Switch Chapter 1

Attaching a Terminal Module to the Form C Switch

Extend the extrac tion levers on the
terminal module.

Align the terminal module connectors to the
Form C switch module connectors.

Apply gentle pressu re to atta ch the
terminal module to the Form C switch
module.

Push in the extraction levers to
lock the terminal module onto the
Form C switch module.

To remove the terminal module from the HP E1463A, use a
small screwdriver to release the two extraction levers. Push
both levers out simultaneously to free the terminal module from
the Form C switch module.

Chapter 1 Getting Started with the HP E1463A Form C Switch 21

Wiring a Terminal Module

The following illustra tions show how to connect field wiring to the terminal
module.

Remov e Cl ear Cover

Make Connection s

Remove and Retain Wiring Panel

Install Connectors (solder eye only)

Continued on Next Pag e

Route Wiring

22 Getting Started with the HP E1463A Form C Switch Chapter 1

Replace Wiring Panel Replace Clear Cover

Install the Terminal
Module

Push in the Extraction Levers to Lock the
Terminal M odule onto the HP E1463A

Chapter 1 Getting Started with the HP E1463A Form C Switch 23

Protecting Relays and Circuits

Relays have a shorter life span than other electronic parts such as ICs.
Because of their mechanical nature, relays usually have about 10 million
operations (at 30 operations per second) which is not quite 100 hours.
Therefore, to get the full lif e out of a rela y in a switching module, you must
protect the relay. The following sections provide additional information
about protecting your relays and circuits.

Relay Reliability To make sure you get t he full life of your relays, keep the f ol lowing in mind:

• Be aware of non-resistive loads. When switching inductive loads,

high voltages (thousands of volts) are pr oduced a cross the relay
contacts. T his c ause s a rc ing a nd tr ansfer of material between contacts.
Oxides and carbides from components of the atmosphere coat the
contacts and cause high c ontact r esista nce. The transfer of material
creates hills and valleys which lock together to "weld" contacts. Motor
loads, for example, produce large inrush currents that can be 5 to 10
times greater than the steady state current. Table 1-1 summarizes how
many times greater the inrush current can be for different types of loads.

Table 1-1. Inrush Currents

Type of Load

Resistive 1

Solenoid 10 - 20

Motor 5 - 10

Incandescent Lamp 10 - 15

Mercury Lamp 3

Sodium Vapor Lam p 1 - 3

Capacitive 20 - 40

Transformer 5 - 15

Inrush Current Times

Steady State

• Be aware of heavy current applications. When a relay is used in

heavy current app lications, the thin layer of gold plating on the
contact may be destroyed. This will not affect the heavy current
application. If you go back to a low current application, however,
you may experi ence a h igh contact re s ist ance and b e u nable to use
the relay for low current applications.

24 Getting Started with the HP E1463A Form C Switch Chapter 1

• Use protective circuits with your relay connections. The relay

manufacture r recommends some protective circuits that can b e us ed
with your relay connections. Refer to the Aromat Technical Data
Book (AGC-C0064-A-1) for additional information:

Aromat
401 River Oaks Par k way
San Jose, CA 95134
[phone]

Capacitors are n ot to b e placed across the load or rela y contacts. Capacitors
may suppr e ss a rcs, but the energy stored in the capa citors will flow throu gh
the relay contacts, welding them.

You can also add circuit protection within the HP E1463A component
module. See the sections following.

Adding Relay and

Circuit Protection

Space has been made available o n the HP E1463A Form C module for
adding relay and circuit protection. Relay protection can be added by
placing a protective device across the specified pads. This is done by
adding metal oxide varistors (MOVs) between the common (C) and
normally open (NO) or nor mally closed (NC) t ermi nals. No w as th e
voltage goes up, the varistor draws current to protect the relay. Figure 1-10
shows the locations where these protective devices can be added.

Circuit protection can be ad ded by placing a protective device in series with
the common lea d. This is done by ad ding a res istor or fuse between the
common (C) terminal and your circuit. When installing circuit protection
a jumper must b e removed first.

xx = channel number

Figure 1-10. Adding Relay and Circuit Protect ion

Chapter 1 Getting Started with the HP E1463A Form C Switch 25

To install these protectiv e devices it is ne cessary to remove the sheet metal
covers from t he mod ule. The locatio ns f or installing the devices are labeled
as follows:

Table 1-2. Protective Devices Board L ocat ion

Relay Prote ctio n Circuit Pro tection

xxO

V

xxC

V

Cir cui t P r otec tion

xx

JM

Where xx is the channel number.

The varistor location across common (C) and normally open (NO).
The varistor location across common (C) and normally closed (NC).

The resist or or fus e locati on in s eries wi th commo n (C) .

Again, do not instal l a capacit or in any of t hese locations.

Maximum

Allowable Module

Switch Current

The HP E1463A has an i ndiv idual channel current specification of 5 A.
However, if you apply the 5 A to all the channels with a relay contact
resistanc e of .25 ohms, th e power dissipat i on would b e 200 W. Since the
HP E1401A mainframe can only provide cooling for 60 W per slot (keeps
the temperature rise to 10° C), this cannot be allowed to happen.

A reasonable maximum current for the entire module is 50 A. That is,
10 channels each carrying 5 A or some combination of channels and currents
that total 50 A. This will produce a bout 67.5 W of internal dissipation, leading
to a 15° C temperature rise. Figure 1-11 shows how to derate the chann els, in
terms of current throughout the channels, to keep internal power dissipation
under 45 W and 67.5 W or 10° C and 15° C temperature rise, respectively.

HP E1401A Mainframe and
.25 Ω Relay Contact Resistance

Figure 1-11. HP E1463A Allowable Switch Current

26 Getting Started with the HP E1463A Form C Switch Chapter 1

Programming the Form C Switch

There are several ways you can program the Form C switch module. One way
is to write directly to the registers. This method can provide better throughput
speed, however, it requires more knowledge of the Form C switch design. See
Appendix B for information on regis ter programming.

Another way to program the Form C switch module is to use an HP E1406
command module and SCPI comma nds. With SCPI commands the HP
command module pars es the commands and wr ites to the approp riate Form
C switch register. The examples in this manual use the SCPI pr ogra mm ing
language. See Appendix B for examples on writing direct ly to the registers.

You can use different controllers and different programming languages. The
examples in this manual, however, are based on the following configurations:

– HP 9000 Series 200/300 Computer ru nni ng HP B ASIC
– HP Vectra Computer (or compatible) with an HP 82335A HP-IB

Interface Card (with command library) running Borland® Turbo C

See the C-Size VXIbus System Installation and Getting Sta rted Guid e for
informati on on additiona l c onfiguratio ns .

Note Most exa mples in this m anua l us e SCPI co mman ds. See Appen dix B for

Specifying SCPI

Commands

information on writi ng direc t ly to the regis ters.

To address specific channels (relays) within a Form C switch module, you
must specify the SCPI command and switch channel list. Table 1-3 lists the
most commonl y us ed commands.

Table 1-3. Common SCPI Commands

SCPI Command Command De scr ip tion

CLOSe <

OPEN <

SCAN <

channel_list>

channel_list>

channel_list>

Connects the normally open (NO) terminal to the common (C)
terminal for the specified channels.

Connects the normally closed (NC) terminal to the common (C)
terminal f or t he channel s specified.

Closes the set of Form C r elays, one at a time.

Chapter 1 Getting Started with the HP E1463A Form C Switch 27

Channel List The channel list is a combination of the switch card number and the channel

numbers. The channel_list ta ke s t he form of

cc = switch card number (01-99)
nn = channel number (00-31)

@ccnn where,

Card Numbers The card nu mber (cc of the channel list) identifies the module within a

switchbox. The card number assigned depends on the switch configuration
used. Leading zeroes can be ignored for the card nu mb er.

Single-module Switchbox. In a single-module switchbox configuration,
the card nu mber is always 01.

Multiple-module Switchbox. In a multiple-module switchbox configuration,
modules are set to successive logical addresses. The module with the lowest
logical address is always card number 01. The module with the next successive
logical address is card number 02, and so on. Figure 1-12 illustr ates the card
numbers an d logical addre s ses of a typical mu lt iple-m odu le swit c hbox
configuration. See the C-Size VXIbus System Insta llat ion an d G etting
Started Guide for a d diti onal switchbox instrument information.

Figure 1-12. Card Numbers in a Multiple-mo d ule Sw itch b ox

28 Getting Started with the HP E1463A Form C Switch Chapter 1

Channel Address The channel address (nn of the channel lis t) d etermine s wh ich relay on the

selected card will be addr e s s ed. F orm C switch channel numbers are 00
through 31. The channels can be addressed using channel nu mbers or
channel ranges. You can address the following:

• single channels (@ccnn);

• multiple channels (@ccnn,ccnn,...);

• sequential chann els (@ccnn:ccnn);

• groups of sequent ial channels (@ccnn:ccnn,cc nn:ccnn);

• or any combination of the ab ove.

Use a comma (,) to form a channel list or a colon (:) to form a channel
range. Only valid channels can be accessed in a channel list or channel
range. Also, the channel range must be from a lower channel number to
a higher channel number. For example,

CLOS (@215:100) generates an e r ror.

but

CLOS (@100:215) is acceptable,

Initial Operation

Two example programs follow which use Hewlett-Packard BASIC and
TURBO C languag es to get you started using the Form C switch module.
The first example assumes an HP 9000 Ser i es 200/300 c ontrol ler and a
Hewlett-Packard Interface Bus (HP-IB). (HP-IB is the Hewlett-Packard
implementation of the IEEE 488.2-1987 standard.) The second example
assumes an HP Vectra Computer (or compatible) with an HP 82335A
HP-IB Interface Card (with command library) running Borland® Turbo C.

Thi s p rogr am clos es cha n n e l 02 o f a Fo r m C s w i t ch module at lo g ica l
address 120 (s econdary addr ess = 12 0/8 = 15) and querie s t h e channel
closure state. The result is returned to the computer and displayed
(1 = channel closed, 0 = channel open). See Chapter 3 for information
on the SCPI commands.

HP BASIC 10 !Reset th e module.

20 OUTPUT 70915;"*RST"
30 !
40 OUTPUT 70915;"CLOS (@102)"
50 !
60 OUTPUT 70915;"CLOS? (@102)"
70 !
80 ENTER 70915;Value
90 !
100 PRINT Val u e
110 END

Close channel 02.

Query channel 02 state.

Enter result into Value.

Display result (should print a "1" to indicate that the channel is closed).

Chapter 1 Getting Started with the HP E1463A Form C Switch 29

TURBO C #include <stdi o. h>

#include <chpi b.h> /*Include f ile for HP-I B*/
#define IS C 7L

#define FORMC 70915L /*Form C default address*/
#define TASK1 "*RST " /*Command for a re set*/
#define TASK2 "CLOSE (@102)" /*Command to close channel 02*/
#define TASK3 "CLOS? (@ 102)" /*Command to query channel 02*/

main ( )
{
char into[257];
int length = 256;

error_handler (IOTIMEOUT (7L,5.0), "TIMEOUT");
error_handler (IOOUTPUTS (FORMC, TASK1, 4), "OUTPUT command");

error_handler (IOOUTPUTS (FORMC, TASK2, 12), "OUTPUT command");
error_handler (IOOUTPUTS (FORMC, TASK3, 12), "OUTPUT command");

error_handler (IOENTERS (F ORM C, into, &length), "ENT ER comm and");
printf("Now let’s see if the switch is closed: %s",into);

return;
}
int error_handler (int error, char *routin e)
{

char ch;

if (error ! = NO ERR)

{

printf ("\n Error %d % s \n", error, errstr (error ));
printf (" in call to HP-IB function %s \n\n", routine);
printf ("Press ’Enter’ to exit: ");
scanf ("%c", &ch);

exit(0);
}
return 0;

}

/*Output commands to For m C*/

/*Enter from Form C*/

30 Getting Started with the HP E1463A Form C Switch Chapter 1