AMETEK Lx User Manual

Lx \ Ls Series II

AC Power Source

Programming Manual

Contact Information

Telephone: [phone] (toll free in North America)
858 450 0085 (direct)
Fax: [phone]
Email:
Domestic Sales: [e-mail]
International Sales: [e-mail]
Customer Service: [e-mail]
Web: www.programmablepower.com

March 2011 Document No. 7004-981 Rev. S

Refers to:

Lx Series AC Power Source/Analyzers - Series II

Ls Series AC Power Sources - Series II

Models:

Single chassis: 3000Lx, 4500Lx, 6000Lx
Multiple chassis: 9000Lx/2, 12000Lx/2, 13500Lx/3, 18000Lx/3

Single chassis: 3000Ls, 4500Ls, 6000Ls
Multiple chassis: 9000Ls/2, 12000Ls/2, 13500Ls/3, 18000Ls/3

Manual revision: S

Copyright © 2003-2010 AMETEK Programmable Power

About AMETEK

AMETEK Programmable Power, Inc., a Division of AMETEK, Inc., is a global leader in the design
and manufacture of precision, programmable power supplies for R&D, test and measurement,
process control, power bus simulation and power conditioning applications across diverse
industrial segments. From bench top supplies to rack-mounted industrial power subsystems,
AMETEK Programmable Power is the proud manufacturer of Elgar, Sorensen, California
Instruments and Power Ten brand power supplies.

AMETEK, Inc. is a leading global manufacturer of electronic instruments and electromechanical
devices with annualized sales of $2.5 billion. The Company has over 11,000 colleagues working
at more than 80 manufacturing facilities and more than 80 sales and service centers in the United
States and around the world.

Trademarks

AMETEK is a registered trademark of AMETEK, Inc.
Other trademarks, registered trademarks, and product names are the property of their respective
owners and are used herein for identification purposes only.

Notice of Copyright

Lx\Ls Series II AC Power Source, Programming Manual

Inc. All rights reserved.

© 2010 AMETEK Programmable Power,

Exclusion for Documentation

UNLESS SPECIFICALLY AGREED TO IN WRITING, AMETEK PROGRAMMABLE POWER, INC.
(“AMETEK”):

(a) MAKES NO WARRANTY AS TO THE ACCURACY, SUFFICIENCY OR SUITABILITY OF ANY

TECHNICAL OR OTHER INFORMATION PROVIDED IN ITS MANUALS OR OTHER
DOCUMENTATION.

(b) ASSUMES NO RESPONSIBILITY OR LIABILITY FOR LOSSES, DAMAGES, COSTS OR

EXPENSES, WHETHER SPECIAL, DIRECT, INDIRECT, CONSEQUENTIAL OR INCIDENTAL,
WHICH MIGHT ARISE OUT OF THE USE OF SUCH INFORMATION. THE USE OF ANY SUCH
INFORMATION WILL BE ENTIRELY AT THE USER’S RISK, AND

(c) REMINDS YOU THAT IF THIS MANUAL IS IN ANY LANGUAGE OTHER THAN ENGLISH,

ALTHOUGH STEPS HAVE BEEN TAKEN TO MAINTAIN THE ACCURACY OF THE
TRANSLATION, THE ACCURACY CANNOT BE GUARANTEED. APPROVED AMETEK CONTENT
IS CONTAINED WITH THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE VERSION, WHICH IS POSTED AT
WWW.PROGRAMMABLEPOWER.COM.

Date and Revision

March 2011 Revision S

Part Number

7004-981

Contact Information

Telephone: [phone] (toll free in North America)
858 450 0085 (direct)
Fax: [phone]
Email: [e-mail]
[e-mail]
Web: www.programmablepower.com

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ii

WARNING

Hazardous voltages may be present when covers are removed. Qualified
personnel must use extreme caution when servicing this equipment.
Circuit boards, test points, and output voltages also may be floating above
(below) chassis ground.

WARNING

The equipment used contains ESD sensitive ports. When installing
equipment, follow ESD Safety Procedures. Electrostatic discharges might
cause damage to the equipment.

Important Safety Instructions

Before applying power to the system, verify that your product is configured properly for your
particular application.

Only qualified personnel who deal with attendant hazards in power supplies, are allowed to perform
installation and servicing.

Ensure that the AC power line ground is connected properly to the Power Rack input connector or
chassis. Similarly, other power ground lines including those to application and maintenance
equipment must be grounded properly for both personnel and equipment safety.

Always ensure that facility AC input power is de-energized prior to connecting or disconnecting any
cable.

In normal operation, the operator does not have access to hazardous voltages within the chassis.
However, depending on the user’s application configuration, HIGH VOLTAGES HAZARDOUS TO
HUMAN SAFETY may be normally generated on the output terminals. The customer/user must
ensure that the output power lines are labeled properly as to the safety hazards and that any
inadvertent contact with hazardous voltages is eliminated.

Guard against risks of electrical shock during open cover checks by not touching any portion of the
electrical circuits. Even when power is off, capacitors may retain an electrical charge. Use safety
glasses during open cover checks to avoid personal injury by any sudden component failure.

Neither AMETEK Programmable Power Inc., San Diego, California, USA, nor any of the subsidiary
sales organizations can accept any responsibility for personnel, material or inconsequential injury,
loss or damage that results from improper use of the equipment and accessories.

SAFETY SYMBOLS

iii

Product Family: Lx\Lx Series II

Warranty Period: One Year

WARRANTY TERMS

AMETEK Programmable Power, Inc. (“AMETEK”), provides this written warranty covering the
Product stated above, and if the Buyer discovers and notifies AMETEK in writing of any defect in
material or workmanship within the applicable warranty period stated above, then AMETEK may,
at its option: repair or replace the Product; or issue a credit note for the defective Product; or
provide the Buyer with replacement parts for the Product.

The Buyer will, at its expense, return the defective Product or parts thereof to AMETEK in
accordance with the return procedure specified below. AMETEK will, at its expense, deliver the
repaired or replaced Product or parts to the Buyer. Any warranty of AMETEK will not apply if the
Buyer is in default under the Purchase Order Agreement or where the Product or any part
thereof:

is damaged by misuse, accident, negligence or failure to maintain the same as

specified or required by AMETEK;

is damaged by modifications, alterations or attachments thereto which are not

authorized by AMETEK;

is installed or operated contrary to the instructions of AMETEK;
is opened, modified or disassembled in any way without AMETEK’s consent; or
is used in combination with items, articles or materials not authorized by AMETEK.

The Buyer may not assert any claim that the Products are not in conformity with any warranty
until the Buyer has made all payments to AMETEK provided for in the Purchase Order Agreement.

PRODUCT RETURN PROCEDURE

1. Request a Return Material Authorization (RMA) number from the repair facility (must be

done in the country in which it was purchased):

In the USA, contact the AMETEK Repair Department prior to the return of the

product to AMETEK for repair:
Telephone: [phone], ext. 2295 or ext. 2463 (toll free North America)

858-450-0085, ext. 2295 or ext. 2463 (direct)

Outside the United States, contact the nearest Authorized Service Center

(ASC). A full listing can be found either through your local distributor or our
website, www.programmablepower.com, by clicking Support and going to the
Service Centers tab.

2. When requesting an RMA, have the following information ready:

Model number
Serial number
Description of the problem

NOTE: Unauthorized returns will not be accepted and will be returned at the shipper’s expense.

NOTE: A returned product found upon inspection by AMETEK, to be in specification is subject to

an evaluation fee and applicable freight charges.

iv

Programming Manual Lx \ Ls Series II

Table of Contents

1. Introduction .......................................................................................................................................... 8

1.1 Documentation Summary ............................................................................................................... 8

1.2 Lx Series and Ls Series Differences............................................................................................... 9

1.3 Manual organization and format ................................................................................................... 10

1.4 Introduction to Programming ........................................................................................................ 10

2. Introduction to SCPI .......................................................................................................................... 12

2.1 Conventions Used in This Manual ................................................................................................ 12

2.2 The SCPI Commands and Messages .......................................................................................... 12

2.3 Using Queries ............................................................................................................................... 15

2.4 Coupled Commands ..................................................................................................................... 15

2.5 Structure of a SCPI Message ....................................................................................................... 15

2.6 SCPI Data Formats ....................................................................................................................... 18

3. System Considerations ..................................................................................................................... 20

3.1 IEEE-488 / GPIB Interface ............................................................................................................ 20

3.2 USB Interface ............................................................................................................................... 21

3.3 LAN Option ................................................................................................................................... 28

3.4 RS232C Serial Interface ............................................................................................................... 33

3.5 Instrument Drivers and Application Software ................................................................................ 34

4. SCPI Command Reference ................................................................................................................ 35

4.1 Introduction ................................................................................................................................... 35

4.2 Subsystem Commands................................................................................................................. 36

4.3 Calibration Subsystem .................................................................................................................. 37

4.4 Diagnostic Subsystem .................................................................................................................. 39

4.5 Display Subsystem ....................................................................................................................... 40

4.6 Instrument Subsystem .................................................................................................................. 42

4.7 Limit Subsystem ........................................................................................................................... 43

4.8 Array Measurement Subsystem ................................................................................................... 45

4.9 Current Measurement Subsystem ................................................................................................ 51

4.10 Frequency Measurement Subsystem ........................................................................................... 56

4.11 Power Measurement Subsystem .................................................................................................. 57

4.12 Voltage Measurement Subsystem ................................................................................................ 59

4.13 Output Subsystem ........................................................................................................................ 62

4.14 Power On Subsystem ................................................................................................................... 67

4.15 Sense Subsystem - Sweep ........................................................................................................... 69

4.16 Source Subsystem - Current ........................................................................................................ 71

4.17 Source Subsystem - Frequency.................................................................................................... 73

4.18 Source Subsystem - Function ....................................................................................................... 76

4.19 Source Subsystem - List ............................................................................................................... 79

4.20 Source Subsystem - Phase .......................................................................................................... 86

4.21 Source Subsystem - Pulse ........................................................................................................... 88

4.22 Source Subsystem - Voltage ........................................................................................................ 91

4.23 Status Subsystem Commands ..................................................................................................... 98

4.24 System Commands .................................................................................................................... 105

4.25 Trace Subsystem Commands .................................................................................................... 111

4.26 Trigger Subsystem ...................................................................................................................... 113

5. Common Commands ....................................................................................................................... 118

5.1 *CLS ............................................................................................................................................ 119

5.2 *ESR? ......................................................................................................................................... 119

5.3 *IDN? .......................................................................................................................................... 120

5.4 *OPC ........................................................................................................................................... 120

5.5 *OPT? ......................................................................................................................................... 120

5.6 *PSC ........................................................................................................................................... 120

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Programming Manual Lx \ Ls Series II

5.7 *RCL ........................................................................................................................................... 121

5.8 *RST ........................................................................................................................................... 122

5.9 *SAV ........................................................................................................................................... 123

5.10 *SRE ........................................................................................................................................... 123

5.11 *STB?.......................................................................................................................................... 123

5.12 *TRG ........................................................................................................................................... 124

5.13 *TST? .......................................................................................................................................... 124

5.14 *WAI ............................................................................................................................................ 125

6. Programming Examples .................................................................................................................. 126

6.1 Introduction ................................................................................................................................. 126

6.2 Programming the Output ............................................................................................................ 126

6.3 Coupled Commands ................................................................................................................... 130

6.4 Programming Output Transients ................................................................................................ 131

6.5 Step and Pulse Transients .......................................................................................................... 132

6.6 List Transients ............................................................................................................................ 134

6.7 Triggering Output Changes ........................................................................................................ 135

6.8 Making Measurements ............................................................................................................... 139

6.9 Controlling the Instantaneous Voltage and Current Data Buffers ............................................... 144

6.10 Downloading Arbitrary Waveforms ............................................................................................. 148

6.11 Command Processing Times ..................................................................................................... 149

7. Programming the Status and Event Registers ............................................................................. 150

7.1 Power-On Conditions .................................................................................................................. 150

7.2 Operation Status Group .............................................................................................................. 150

7.3 Questionable Status Group ........................................................................................................ 153

7.4 Questionable Instrument Isummary Status Group ..................................................................... 154

7.5 Standard Event Status Group ..................................................................................................... 155

7.6 Status Byte Register ................................................................................................................... 156

7.7 Examples .................................................................................................................................... 157

7.8 Remote Inhibit and Discrete Fault Indicator ................................................................................ 160

7.9 SCPI Command Completion....................................................................................................... 161

8. Option Commands ........................................................................................................................... 162

8.1 Introduction ................................................................................................................................. 162

8.2 APE Command Language (Abbreviated Plain English) .............................................................. 163

8.3 ABLE Command Language (Atlas Based Language Extension)................................................ 183

8.4 RTCA/DO-160D (-160) ............................................................................................................... 188

8.5 RTCA/DO160 Rev E Test Option ............................................................................................... 195

8.6 MIL-STD 704 Rev D - F (-704) ................................................................................................... 196

8.7 MIL-STD 704 Rev A - F (-704F) ................................................................................................. 202

8.8 Airbus ABD0100.1.8 Test Option (-ABD) .................................................................................... 218

8.9 Airbus A350, ABD0100.1.8.1 Test Option (-A350) ..................................................................... 218

8.10 Airbus AMD24 Test Option (-AMD) ............................................................................................ 218

8.11 Boeing 787B3-0147 Test Option (-B787) ................................................................................... 218

Appendix A: SCPI Command tree .......................................................................................................... 219

Appendix B: SCPI Conformance Information ....................................................................................... 223

Appendix C: Error Messages ................................................................................................................. 226

Appendix D: iL Series / HP6834B Compatability ................................................................................. 231

Index .................................................................................................................................................. 234

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Programming Manual Lx \ Ls Series II

Table of Figures

Figure 2-1: Partial Command Tree .............................................................................................................. 13

Figure 2-2: Command Message Structure .................................................................................................. 16

Figure 3-1: Windows XP Device Manager - USB Port ................................................................................ 26

Figure 3-2: LxGui Interface Settings for use of USB port. ........................................................................... 27

Figure 3-3: Pinging AC Source LAN IP address. ........................................................................................ 32

Figure 3-4: Position of LAN/RS232C selection jumper W2 on 7004-716-2 Range/Relay board. ............... 33

Figure 6-1: Model of transient system. ...................................................................................................... 132

Figure 6-2: Model of output trigger system................................................................................................ 136

Figure 6-3: Model of Measurement triggers. ............................................................................................. 142

Figure 6-4: Pre- and Post Event Triggering............................................................................................... 147

Figure 7-1: Status Register Model. ............................................................................................................ 151

Figure 7-2: SMA Connector Trigger Model. .............................................................................................. 159

Figure 8-1: APE Command Tree ............................................................................................................... 169

Table of Tables

Table 2-1: Command parameters Suffixes and Multipliers ......................................................................... 18

Table 3-1: LAN Setting screens. ................................................................................................................. 31

Table 4-1: PULSe:HOLD = WIDTh parameters ......................................................................................... 89

Table 4-2: PULSe:HOLD = DCYCle parameters ........................................................................................ 89

Table 4-3: Bit Configuration of Status Operation Registers ........................................................................ 99

Table 4-4: Bit Configuration of Questionable Registers ............................................................................ 100

Table 4-5: Bit Configuration of Questionable Instrument Summary Registers ......................................... 102

Table 5-1: Bit Configuration of Standard Event Status Enable Register ................................................... 119

Table 5-2 : factory-defined *RST states .................................................................................................... 122

Table 5-3: Bit Configuration of Status Byte Register ................................................................................. 124

Table 6-1: Command Processing Times. .................................................................................................. 149

Table 7-1: Operation Status registers ....................................................................................................... 150

Table 7-2: Bit Configurations of Status Registers ..................................................................................... 152

Table 7-3: Questionable Status registers .................................................................................................. 153

Table 7-4: Questionable Instrument Isummary Status registers ............................................................... 154

Table 8-1: APE to SCPI mode change commands ................................................................................... 163

Table 8-2: APE versus SCPI equivalent power initialization commands ................................................... 165

Table 8-3: APE language syntax program headers .................................................................................. 171

Table 8-4: APE Language TLK Arguments ............................................................................................... 173

Table 8-5: Example TALK responses for 3 phase systems ...................................................................... 179

Table 8-6: APE Status Byte Error Codes .................................................................................................. 181

Table 8-7: ABLE to SCPI mode change commands ................................................................................. 183

Table 8-8: ABLE languange synstax (-ABL option) ................................................................................... 186

Table 8-9: ABLE languange - Serial Poll Status Bytes. ............................................................................. 187

Table 8-10: MS704 Steady state frequency by group ............................................................................... 205

Table 8-11: SCPI error codes and messages. .......................................................................................... 231

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Programming Manual Lx \ Ls Series II

1. Introduction

This instruction manual (P/N 7004-981) contains programming informationfor the Lx Series II and
Ls Series II AC power sources. The Series II versions of the Lx and Ls Series are backward
compatible with the Series I models. The Programming Manual for Series I models is CI P/N
7004-961 and is available for download at www.programmablepower.com.

Series II models are different from the original Lx/Ls Series in the following areas:

Standard USB interface has been added.
Available 100Mbit Ethernet LAN interface has been added. (Option –LAN).
The front panel graphic design has been enhanced for a more pleasing look.
The Output D and E terminal block is no longer installed on the standard Lx and Ls units

unless the auxiliary output option –AX is installed. This makes the standard output
terminal block more easily accessible.

No other functional differences exist between the Series I and Series II AC power sources. The
RS232C interface is still available in addition to the USB interface.

The expression "AC source" as used in the manual also applies to the same series. You will find
the following information in the rest of this manual:

Chapter 2 Introduction to SCPI
Chapter 3 System Considerations
Chapter 4 SCPI Command Reference
Chapter 5 Common Commands
Chapter 6 Programming Examples
Chapter 7 Programming the Status and Event Registers
Chapter 8 Options
Appendix A SCPI command tree
Appendix B SCPI conformance information
Appendix C Error messages

1.1 Documentation Summary

The following document is related to this Programming Manual and may have additional helpful
information for using the AC source.

User's Manual. P/N 7004-980 Includes specifications and supplemental characteristics, how

to use the front panel, how to connect to the instrument, and calibration procedures.

1.1.1 External References

SCPI References

The following documents will assist you with programming in SCPI:

Beginner's Manual to SCPI. Highly recommended for anyone who has not had previous

experience programming with SCPI.

Controller programming manuals: consult the documentation supplied with the IEEE-488

controller or IEEE-488 PC plug in card for information concerning general IEEE-488.2
conventions and concepts.

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Programming Manual Lx \ Ls Series II

The following are two formal documents concerning the IEEE-488 interface:

ANSI/IEEE Std. 488.1-1987 IEEE Standard Digital Interface for Programmable

Instrumentation. Defines the technical details of the IEEE-488 interface. While much of the
information is beyond the need of most programmers, it can serve to clarify terms used in this
manual and in related documents.

ANSI/IEEE Std. 488.2-1987 IEEE Standard Codes, Formats, Protocols, and Common

Commands. Recommended as a reference only if you intend to do fairly sophisticated
programming. Helpful for finding precise definitions of certain types of SCPI message
formats, data types, or common commands.

The above two documents are available from the IEEE (Institute of Electrical and Electronics
Engineers), 345 East 47th Street, New York, NY 10017, USA or via the web at www.ieee.org .

1.2 Lx Series and Ls Series Differences

The Lx Series and Ls Series of AC power sources are both based on the same AC power source
hardware platform and share many common components. The differences are primarily in
configuration and options. This manual covers both model series. Some commands listed may
not apply to Ls Series AC sources without the –ADV option and / or –MODE option.

1.2.1 Firmware differences

The Lx Series is fully featured and supports all commands listed in the programming manual.
The Ls Series provides most basic functions in its standard configurations. More advanced

features can be added by specifying the –ADV (advanced) option. If the –ADV option is installed,
all commands listed in this programming manual are supported. If not, commands related to
arbitrary waveforms and harmonic analysis measurements are not supported and will generate a
“-113 Syntax Error” message.

1.2.2 Hardware differences

In addition to the firmware differences described, the following hardware differences exist
between the standard Lx Ac source and the Ls AC source.

Lx has a 150V / 300 V rms output range pair. Optional ranges of 135/270 (-HV option)

and 200/400 (-EHV option) are available at time of order.

Ls has a 135 V / 270 V rms output range pair. Optional ranges of 156/312 (-HV option)

and 200/400 (-EHV option) are available at time of order.

The Lx rear panel connector labeling is compliant with the California Instruments iL Series

which it replaces and the HP/Agilent model 6834B.
The Ls rear panel connector labeling is compliant with the California Instruments L Series.
The Lx Series II comes standard with both GPIB, USB and RS232C interfaces. An

optional Ethernet interface (-LAN option) is available.
The Ls Series II comes standard with USB and RS232C only. An optional GPIB interface

(-GPIB option) and Ethernet interface (-LAN option) is available.

Note: Both interfaces use the SCPI command syntax as described in the programming manual.

The Lx Series provides both three phase and single phase output modes which can be

selected from the front panel or over the bus.

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Programming Manual Lx \ Ls Series II

The Ls Series provides either three phase (-3 models) or single phase (-1 models).

Three phase Ls Series sources may optionally be equipped with the –MODE option which

provides the same phase mode switching as the Lx Series.

1.3 Manual organization and format

All user documentation for AMETEK Programmable Power power sources is provided on CDROM
in electronic format. (Adobe Portable Document Format) The required Adobe PDF viewer is
supplied on the same CDROM. This manual may be printed for personal use if a hardcopy is
desired. To request a hardcopy from AMETEK Programmable Power, contact customer service at

[e-mail]. There will be an additional charge for printed manuals.

This manual contains sections on programming the Lx or Ls Series over the bus. The Lx Series is
equipped with GPIB, USB and RS232C interfaces. The Ls Series is equipped with a USB and
RS232C interface. An optional GPIB interface can be specified at the time of order. Refer to the
Lx / Ls Series User manual for information on using the remote control interface and command
syntax. The user manual (P/N 7004-980) is provided on the same CDROM as this user manual.

AMETEK Programmable Power may make updated versions of this manual available from time to
time in electronic format through it‟s website. To obtain an updated manual revision if available,
check the California Instruments Manual download page at www.programmablepower.com. You
need to register as a customer to obtain free access to manual and software downloads.

1.4 Introduction to Programming

This section provides some general information regarding programming instrumentation and
available interface types.

1.4.1 IEEE-488 Capabilities of the AC source

All AC source functions except for setting the IEEE-488 address are programmable over the
IEEE-488. The IEEE 488.2 capabilities of the AC source are listed in Chapter 2 of the User's
Manual. The Lx Series offers standard IEEE-488 interface. The Ls Series requires the –GPIB
option.

The AC source operates from an IEEE-488 address that is set from the front panel. To set the
IEEE-488 address, press the MENU key on the front panel repeatedly until the CONFIGURATION
entry is shown on the LCD display.

Move the indicator on the right hand side of the display to point to CONFIGURATION and press
the ENTER key.

This will display the IEEE ADRRESS currently set. To change the address, use the Voltage knob
to increment or decrement the value. Press the ENTER key to confirm your selection.

To set up the GPIB/IEEE-488 interface on a Windows XP PC, refer to section 3.1, “IEEE-488 /
GPIB Interface”.

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Programming Manual Lx \ Ls Series II

1.4.2 USB Capabilities of the AC source

All AC source functions are programmable over the USB interface. The USB capabilities of the
AC source are listed in Chapter 2 of the User's Manual. Some capabilities support on the GPIB
interface such as ATN, GET and SRQ interrupts do not apply to the USB interface. The USB
interface operates internally at a fixed baudrate of 460800 baud but USB 2.0 burst transfer rates
are supported.

To set up the USB interface on a Windows XP PC, refer to section 3.2, “ USB Interface”.
The USB interface may be used to install updated firmware for the Lx / Ls controller if needed.

Firmware updates and a Flash Loader utility program and instructions are available from the
AMETEK Programmable Power website for this purpose. (www.programmablepower.com )

Multiple USB connections to same PC:

The Windows driver used to interface to the power source‟s USB port emulates a serial com port.

This virtual com port driver is unable to reliable differentiate between multiple units however so the
use of more than one AC power source connected to the same PC via USB is not recommended.
Use of the GPIB interface is recommended for these situations.

1.4.3 LAN Capabilities of the AC source

All AC source functions are programmable over the LAN (Ethernet) interface if the –LAN option is
installed. The LAN capabilities of the AC source are listed in Chapter 2 of the User's Manual.
Some capabilities support on the GPIB interface such as ATN, GET and SRQ interrupts do not
apply to the LAN interface. The LAN interface operates internally at a fixed baudrate of 460800
baud but autodetection of 10Base-T, 100Base-T and 1000Base-T is supported.

To set up the LAN interface on a Windows XP PC, refer to section 3.3, “LAN Option”.

1.4.4 RS232C Capabilities of the AC source

All AC source functions are programmable over the RS232C interface. The RS232C capabilities
of the AC source are listed in Chapter 2 of the User's Manual. Some capabilities support on the
GPIB interface such as ATN, GET and SRQ interrupts do not apply to the RS232C interface.
Baudrates from 9600 to 115200 are supported.

To set up the RS232C interface, refer to section 3.4, “RS232C Serial Interface”.
The RS232C interface may be used to install updated firmware for the Lx / Ls controller if needed.

Firmware updates and a Flash Loader utility program and instructions are available from the
AMETEK Programmable Power website for this purpose. (www.programmablepower.com )

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Programming Manual Lx \ Ls Series II

2. Introduction to SCPI

SCPI (Standard Commands for Programmable Instruments) is a programming language for
controlling instrument functions over the IEEE-488. SCPI is layered on top of the hardware-portion
of IEEE 488.2. The same SCPI commands and parameters control the same functions in different
classes of instruments.

2.1 Conventions Used in This Manual

Angle brackets <> Items within angle brackets are parameter abbreviations. For

example, <NR1> indicates a specific form of numerical data.

Vertical bar | Vertical bars separate alternative parameters. For example,

NORM | TEXT indicates that either "TEXT" or "NORM" can be used as a
parameter.

Square Brackets [] Items within square brackets are optional. The representation

[SOURce:]LIST means that SOURce: may be omitted.

Braces {} Braces indicate parameters that may be repeated zero or more

times. It is used especially for showing arrays. The notation <A> <,B>
shows that parameter "A" must be entered, while parameter "B" may be
omitted or may be entered one or more times.

2.2 The SCPI Commands and Messages

2.2.1 Types of SCPI Commands

SCPI has two types of commands, common and subsystem.

Common commands generally are not related to specific operation but to

controlling overall AC source functions, such as reset, status, and synchronization. All common

commands consist of a three-letter mnemonic preceded by an
asterisk: *RST, *IDN?, *SRE 8

Subsystem commands perform specific AC source functions. They are organized

into an inverted tree structure with the "root" at the top. Some are
single commands while others are grouped within specific
subsystems.

Refer to appendix A for the AC source SCPI tree structure.

2.2.2 Types of SCPI Messages

There are two types of SCPI messages, program and response.

A program message consists of one or more properly formatted SCPI commands sent from

the controller to the AC source. The message, which may be sent at any time, requests the
AC source to perform some action.

A response message consists of data in a specific SCPI format sent from the AC source to

the controller. The AC source sends the message only when commanded by a program
message called a "query."

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Programming Manual Lx \ Ls Series II

Root

:OUTPut

:COUPling

:DFI

:PROTection

:OPERation

:SOURce

:CLEar
:DELay

:STATus

[:STATe]

[:STATe]

[:EVEN]?
:CONDition?

2.2.3 The SCPI Command Tree

As previously explained, the basic SCPI communication method involves sending one or more
properly formatted commands from the SCPI command tree to the instrument as program
messages. Figure 2-1 shows a portion of a subsystem command tree, from which you access the
commands located along the various paths (you can see the complete tree in appendix A).

Figure 2-1: Partial Command Tree

The Root Level

Note the location of the ROOT node at the top of the tree. Commands at the root level are at the
top level of the command tree. The SCPI interface is at this location when:

the AC source is powered on
a device clear (DCL) is sent to the AC source
the SCPI interface encounters a message terminator (LF)
the SCPI interface encounters a root specifier (:)

Active Header Path

In order to properly traverse the command tree, you must understand the concept of the active
header path. When the AC source is turned on (or under any of the other conditions listed above),
the active path is at the root. That means the SCPI interface is ready to accept any command at
the root level, such as OUTPut or STATe.

If you enter OUTPut, the active header path moves one colon to the right. The interface is now
ready to accept :STATe, :COUPling,:DFI, or :PROTection as the next header. You must include
the colon, because it is required between headers.

If you now enter :PROTection, the active path again moves one colon to the right. The interface is
now ready to accept either :CLEar or :DELay as the next header.

If you now enter :CLEar, you have reached the end of the command string. The active header
path remains at :CLEar. If you wished, you could have entered :CLEar;DELay 20 and it would be
accepted as a compound message consisting of:

1. OUTPut:PROTection:CLEAr and

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2. OUTPut:PROTection:DELay 20.
The entire message would be:
OUTPut:PROTection:CLEar;DELay 20
The message terminator after DELay 20 returns the path to the root.

The Effect of Optional Headers

If a command includes optional headers, the interface assumes they are there. For example, if
you enter OUTPut OFF, the interface recognizes it as OUTPut:STATe OFF. This returns the
active path to the root (:OUTPut). But if you enter OUTPut:STATe OFF, then the active path
remains at :STATe. This allows you to send

OUTPut:STATe OFF;PROTection:CLEar
in one message. If you tried to send
OUTPut OFF;PROTection:CLEar
the header path would return to :OUTPut instead of :PROTection.
The optional header [SOURce] precedes the current, frequency, function, phase, pulse, list, and

voltage subsystems. This effectively makes :CURRent,:FREQuency, :FUNCtion, :PHASe,
:PULse, :LIST, and :VOLTage root-level commands.

Moving Among Subsystems

In order to combine commands from different subsystems, you need to be able to restore the
active path to the root. You do this with the root specifier (:). For example, you could clear the
output protection and check the status of the Operation Condition register as follows:

OUTPut:PROTection:CLEAr
STATus:OPERation:CONDition?
Because the root specifier resets the command parser to the root, you can use the root specifier

and do the same thing in one message:
OUTPut:PROTection:CLEAr;:STATus:OPERation:CONDition?
The following message shows how to combine commands from different subsystems as well as

within the same subsystem:
VOLTage:LEVel 70;PROTection 80;:CURRent:LEVel 3;PROTection:STATe ON
Note the use of the optional header LEVel to maintain the correct path within the voltage and

current subsystems and the use of the root specifier to move between subsystems.

Note: The "Enhanced Tree Walking Implementation" given in appendix A of the IEEE 488.2

standard is not implemented in the AC source.

Including Common Commands

You can combine common commands with system commands in the same message. Treat the
common command as a message unit by separating it with a semicolon (the message unit
separator). Common commands do not affect the active header path; you may insert them
anywhere in the message.

VOLTage:TRIGger 7.5;INITialize;*TRG
OUTPut OFF;*RCL 2;OUTPut ON

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2.3 Using Queries

Observe the following precautions with queries:

Set up the proper number of variables for the returned data.
Read back all the results of a query before sending another command to the AC source.

Otherwise a Query Interrupted error will occur and the unreturned data will be lost.

2.4 Coupled Commands

When commands are coupled it means that the value sent by one command is affected by the
settings of the other commands. The following commands are coupled in the AC source:

the voltage and function shape commands
the step, pulse, and list commands that control output voltages and function shapes
the pulse commands that program the width, duty cycle, period, and the hold parameter
the voltage range and current limit commands

As explained later in chapter 4, the order in which data is sent by these coupled commands can
be important when more than one parameter is changed.

2.5 Structure of a SCPI Message

SCPI messages consist of one or more message units ending in a message terminator. The
terminator is not part of the syntax, but implicit in the way your programming language indicates
the end of a line (such as a newline or end-of-line character).

2.5.1 The Message Unit

The simplest SCPI command is a single message unit consisting of a command header (or
keyword) followed by a message terminator.

ABORt<newline>
VOLTage?<newline>
The message unit may include a parameter after the header. The parameter usually is

numeric, but it can be a string:
VOLTage 20<newline>
VOLTage MAX<newline>

2.5.2 Combining Message Units

The following command message is briefly described here, with details in subsequent paragraphs.

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VOLT : LEV 80 ; PROT 88 ; : CURR? <NL>

Headers

Data

Message Unit

Query Indicator

Header

Separator

Message

Unit

Separator

Root Specifier

Message

Terminator

Figure 2-2: Command Message Structure

The basic parts of the above message are:

Message Component Example

Headers VOLT LEV PROT CURR
Header Separator The colon in VOLT:LEV
Data 80 88
Data Separator The space in VOLT 80 and PROT 88
Message Units VOLT:LEV 80 PROT 88 CURR?
Message Unit Separator The semicolons in VOLT:LEV 80; and PROT 88;
Root Specifier The colon in PROT 88;:CURR?
Query Indicator The question mark in CURR?
Message Terminator The <NL> (newline) indicator. Terminators are not part of the SCPI syntax

2.5.3 Headers

Headers are instructions recognized by the AC source. Headers (which are sometimes known as
"keywords") may be either in the long form or the short form.

Long Form The header is completely spelled out, such as VOLTAGE, STATUS, and

DELAY.

Short Form The header has only the first three or four letters, such as VOLT, STAT,

and DEL.

The SCPI interface is not sensitive to case. It will recognize any case mixture, such as TRIGGER,
Trigger, TRIGger. Short form headers result in faster program execution.

Header Convention

In the command descriptions in chapter 3 of this manual, headers are emphasized with boldface
type. The proper short form is shown in upper-case letters, such as DELay.

Header Separator
If a command has more than one header, you must separate them with a colon (VOLT:PROT

OUTPut:RELay:POLarity).
Optional Headers

The use of some headers is optional. Optional headers are shown in brackets, such as

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OUTPut[:STATe] ON. As previously explained under "The Effect of Optional Headers", if you

Programming Manual Lx \ Ls Series II

combine two or more message units into a compound message, you may need to enter the
optional header.

2.5.4 Query Indicator

Following a header with a question mark turns it into a query (VOLTage?,
VOLTage:PROTection?). If a query contains a parameter, place the query indicator at the end of
the last header (VOLTage:PROTection? MAX).

2.5.5 Message Unit Separator

When two or more message units are combined into a compound message, separate the units
with a semicolon (STATus:OPERation?;QUEStionable?).

2.5.6 Root Specifier

When it precedes the first header of a message unit, the colon becomes the root specifier. It tells
the command parser that this is the root or the top node of the command tree. Note the difference
between root specifiers and header separators in the following examples:

OUTPut:PROTection:DELay .1 All colons are header separators
:OUTPut:PROTection:DELay .1 Only the first colon is a root specifier
OUTPut:PROTection:DELay .1;:VOLTage 12.5 Only the third colon is a root specifier

Note: You do not have to precede root-level commands with a colon; there is an implied colon in

front of every root-level command.

2.5.7 Message Terminator

A terminator informs SCPI that it has reached the end of a message. Three permitted messages
terminators are:

newline (<NL>), which is ASCII decimal 10 or hex 0A.
end or identify (<END>)
both of the above (<NL><END>).

In the examples of this manual, there is an assumed message terminator at the end of each
message. If the terminator needs to be shown, it is indicated as <NL> regardless of the actual
terminator character.

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Class

Suffix

Unit

Multiplier

Amplitude V Volt

MV (millivolt)

Current A Ampere

MA (milliamp)

Frequency

Hz

Hertz

KHZ (kilohertz)

Time s second

MS (millisecond)

Common Multipliers

1E3

K

kilo 1E-3

M

milli 1E-6

U

micro

2.6 SCPI Data Formats

All data programmed to or returned from the AC source is ASCII. The data may be numerical or
character string.

2.6.1 Numerical Data Formats

Symbol Data Form

Talking Formats

<NR1> Digits with an implied decimal point assumed at the right of the least-

significant digit. Examples: 273
<NR2> Digits with an explicit decimal point. Example: .0273
<NR3> Digits with an explicit decimal point and an exponent. Example: 2.73E+2
<Bool> Boolean Data. Example: 0 | 1or ON | OFF

Listening Formats

<Nrf> Extended format that includes <NR1>, <NR2> and <NR3>. Examples:

<Nrf+> Expanded decimal format that includes <Nrf> and MIN MAX. Examples:

<Bool> Boolean Data. Example: 0 | 1

2.6.2 Character Data

273 273. 2.73E2

273 273. 2.73E2 MAX. MIN and MAX are the minimum and maximum

limit values that are implicit in the range specification for the parameter.

Table 2-1: Command parameters Suffixes and Multipliers

Character strings returned by query statements may take either of the following forms, depending
on the length of the returned string:

<CRD> Character Response Data. Permits the return of character strings.
<AARD> Arbitrary ASCII Response Data. Permits the return of undelimited 7-bit ASCII.

This data type has an implied message terminator.

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<SRD> String Response Data. Returns string parameters enclosed in double quotes.

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3. System Considerations

This chapter addresses some system issues concerning setting up interfaces such as GPIB, USB
or Ethernet.

3.1 IEEE-488 / GPIB Interface

All Lx Series power sources are equipped with an industry standard IEEE-488.2 interface (GPIB).
On Ls models, the IEEE-488.2 interface is available as an option (Option –GPIB).

A GPIB controller such as a Windows PC with suitable GPIB controller card is required to use the
GPIB interface.

3.1.1 Assigning the IEEE-488 Address

The AC source address cannot be set remotely. It must be set from the front panel. Once the
address is set, you can assign it inside programs. The GPIB address can be set/changed from the
CONFIGURATION menu screen. Press the MENU key and scroll to the CONFIGURATION
menu using the Up/Down arrow keys or press the MENU key repeatedly until the
CONFIGURATION screen appears. Press the ENTER key to enter the CONFIGURATION
screen.

Scroll to the ADDRESS field using the Up/Down arrow keys on the front panel. The value of the
ADDRESS can be set from 0 through 31. Avoid using address 0 as it is generally reserved for the
GPIB bus controller. Once set, the GPIB address of the power source is retained in non-volatile
memory.

For systems using the National Instruments VISA or IVI drivers, the address is specified in the

resource descriptor (GPIB::1). Consult you programmer‟s reference documentation on how to

address a GPIB instrument using your specific GPIB controller‟s function library.

3.1.2 LxGui and IEEE-488

The provided Windows LxGui program supports the GPIB interface on both Lx Series and Ls
Series models but only in combination with a National Instruments GPIB controller. The default

controller ID is zero but controller ID‟s from 0 thorugh 3 can be selected in the LxGui Interface

screen if multiple GPIB controllers are present in the same PC. Note that the LxGui program only
supports one Lx/Ls power source at a time.

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Programming Manual Lx \ Ls Series II

3.2 USB Interface

Unlike RS232C, there are no generic drivers available as a rule for us in programming
environments such as LabView, LabWindows/CVI or Visual Basic. However, support for USB is
included under VISA and may be used to interface to the power source using the USB interface.

For other environments, a virtual serial port utility is provided on CD ROM CIC496 which ships
with the Lx/Ls Series power source. This utility will provide a virtual COM port on a PC under
Windows XP. This allows legacy programs to use the USB port as though it is a regular serial
port on the PC. The baud rate for this mode of operation is fixed at 460,800. If you plan to use
this feature, the USB-Serial Adaptor installation must be run to install the virtual com port driver.
This option is only supported under Windows XP / Windows Vista.

3.2.1 USB Driver Installation

When connecting the AC source through the USB interface to Windows XP/Windows Vista PC,
the presence of a new USB device will be detected. Windows will display a dialog after a short
delay prompting the user to install the USB device drivers.

On the CIC496 CD browser, select “USB-to-COM(WinXP/Vista32), select “GUI Software” tab and
click “Execute Selection” to complete the USB driver installation by selecting “Next”, “Next”,
“Install”, then “Finish”.

Close CD browser and restart computer.

This driver will allow access to the AC source USB interface using a virtual COM port. Many
programming environments support RS232 access but not USB. The USB-to-COM virtual port
driver is distributed on the CIC496 CD ROM.

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USB Device Driver installation

Plug in USB cable to power soure, turn on power soure.

When the “Found New Hardware Wizard” dialog appears, select the “No, not this time.”option.

The drivers are not available on line. Click on Next button to continue.

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Select the second choice from the list to install the driver by browsing to a specific location.
Click on Next button to continue.

For Windows Vista OS, browse to the following location: C:\Program Files\California
Instruments\USB VCP Drivers\Vista(32-bits).

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Programming Manual Lx \ Ls Series II

For Windows XP OS, browse to the following location: C:\Program Files\California
Instruments\USB VCP Drivers\XP(32-bits).

Select “Browse”, “My Computer”, “C:\”, “Prgram Files”, “California Instrumnets”. “USB VCP
Driver”, WinXP(32bit). then select “OK”. See picture below for detail.

The USB device drivers have not been Windows XP / Windows Vista Logo certified. Due to the
limited distribution of these drivers, this is unlikely to be done. This Logo certification has no
bearing on the functionality or legitimacy of this device driver so you can ignore this message.

Click the “Continue Anyway” button to continue. Note that some PCs may have this verification

disabled in which case this screen will not pop up.

The installation will now proceed. This process may take several minutes to complete.

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Once completed, the dialog box shown above will appear signaling the device drivers have been
installed. The USB interface is now available to the PC‟s operating system. To complete the install
process, click on the “Finish” button.

To verify the USB port is available, you can access the Windows System Properties screen, select
the Hardware tab and open the Windows Device Manager screen. The Lx/Ls Source should be
listed under “Port (COM & LPT)” as shown in the image below.

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Programming Manual Lx \ Ls Series II

Figure 3-1: Windows XP Device Manager - USB Port

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