VICI EUT Universal Electric Actuator - Manual (Page 11)

7
Using the Device ID Feature
When an ID is set, the actuator responds only to commands which begin with the correct
ID prefix, and its transmit output is disabled when not in use. This allows up to 10 actuators
to be controlled from one computer serial port. A single command can be broadcast to
all actuators by using an asterisk (*) as the command prefix. In this usage, any broadcast
command which elicits a response from the serial port (such as *VR or *ID) will elicit a
combined and unintelligible response.
Note: RS-232 actuators (product number ending in “A”) are shipped with the ID feature
disabled. RS-485 actuators (product number ending in “F”) are set to the default of “Z”. All
RS-485 communications require an ID, and must be preceded with a ‘/’: i.e, /ZVR<enter>.
For permanent multidrop applications, the RS-485 mode is the preferred solution.
However, just as RS-232 control requires the host to have an RS-232 serial port, the PC
host or control system must have an RS-485 port to communicate with the actuator in
the RS-485 mode. Plug-in PCI cards with RS-485 ports or adaptors that change an RS-232
signal to an RS-485 signal are available from several common electronic manufacturers.
If your computer lacks a serial port, adaptors which convert USB ports to RS-232 or to
RS-485 are also readily available.
When installing or replacing actuators on a shared serial port, make
sure that no two devices have been set to the same ID number.
To set the device ID:
1. Remove all of the actuators from the serial daisy chain except the one for which you
are setting the ID.
2. To set an ID, type IDn<enter>, where n is the new ID, from 0 to 9 or A to Z.
To change an ID, type i IDn<enter>, where i is the current ID and n is the new ID.
To disable the ID feature, type i ID*<enter>, where i is the current ID.
Setting the Operation Mode
This section employs some simple serial commands to complete a basic configuration of
the valve/actuator combination. A more advanced discussion of serial control begins in
the next section.
Mode 1: Two Position With Stops (factory default)
This is the proper mode for most two position applications. (Note exceptions in the next
section.) In this mode, the actuator automatically finds the correct positions using a
combination of the valve’s mechanical stops and the actuator’s quadrature encoder.
To set up the actuator in this mode:
1. Make sure that the valve is mounted on the actuator with the stop pin all the way
against the Position A stop. You can check by loosening the clamp ring and turning
the valve counterclockwise by hand, then tightening the clamp ring. (For orientation,
refer to the Figure 8 at the bottom of the next page.) If it will not move, it was already
against the stop.
2. Type AM1<enter> to set the actuator to Mode 1, Two Position With Stops.
3. Type LRN<enter>. The actuator will search for the valve stops, “learning” and
recording the locations. When the process is completed, the valve is set to
position A.
Optional Serial Interface