Personal Daq/50 Series

Quick Start

Personal Daq/54, /55, /56, PDQ1, and PDQ2
Before you get started
Verify that you have the following items.
• Personal Daq/50 Series Device(s)• USB Cable• USB Port on PC• Data Acquisition CD• Monitor: SVGA, 1024 x 768 screen resolution• Windows XP users:
PC with Intel™ Pentium, 1 GHz or equivalent;
128 MB memory; 10 GB disk space• Windows Vista users:
PC must be Windows Vista Premium ReadyIMPORTANT: When using Personal Daq modules, computer energy save modes can cause false data readings. Prior tousing a Personal Daq ensure your computer’s energy save mode is disabled. If needed, consult your PC documentation.

Step 1 – Install Software

IMPORTANT: Software must be installed before installing hardware.
1. Remove previous version Daq drivers, if present. You can do this through Microsoft’s Add/Remove Programs feature.
2. Insert the Data Acquisition CD into your CD-ROM drive and wait for the CD to auto-run. An Opening
Screen will appear. As an alternative, you can download software from: www.mccdaq.com/software.
3. After the intro-screen appears, follow the screen prompts.

Step 2 – Connect Hardware
Use an approved high-speed USB cable to connect the Personal Daq system to one of the host computer’s USB ports.
Additional setup examples, involving USB hubs and power adapters, are described in the user’s manual. An expansion module(PDQ1 or PDQ2) can be added to Personal Daq/55 and /56 units; but are not to be connected to Personal Daq/54 units, forwhich there is no expansion functionality.

Note 1: Typically, there is no need to connect power to the External Power connecter. Most PC USB ports supply theneeded 500 mA at 4 to 5.25 V. However, some notebooks do not. In such cases, the Personal Daq unit will
require the use of a power adapter.
When using a power adapter with your Personal Daq system, be sure to supply power [from the adapter to thePersonal Daq] before connecting the USB cable. This allows Personal Daq to inform the host computer uponconnection of the USB cable, that the unit requires minimal power from the computer.

Reference Note: If applicable, refer to (1) PDQ10, DIN Rail Kit Installation Guide and/or the PDQ1 and PDQ2
Installation Sheet. Note that the information is also provided in your Personal Daq User’s Manual, included inAcrobat .pdf format on the Data Acquisition CD.

491-0940, rev 8.0

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Printed in Hungary

Step 3 – Connect Signal Inputs
CAUTION! Never touch connector pins or circuit components unless you are following ESD guidelines in an
appropriate ESD controlled area. Such guidelines include the use of properly grounded mats and wrist straps,
ESD bags and cartons, and related procedures.

Use Personal Daq’s screw terminals to connect channel inputs. The terminal blocks aredetachable for ease in making connections. Device labels identify input types and channelnumbers. Each Analog Input channel can be configured for single-ended or differential
volts, or for differential thermocouple inputs. The non-analog channels are designated as
Frequency/Pulse Input (F) and Digital I/O (D).

V1 and V2 areSingle-EndedInputs

Personal Daq Terminal Block (Partial)
1 1 CO 2 2LHM

LHV1V
2For Personal Daq, thermocouples are to be connected in differential mode only. This isbecause single-ended connections can result in noise and false readings. In regard toDifferential connection, the red wire connects to the channel’s Low (L) connector; andthe second color-coded wire connects to the channel’s High (H) connector. The user’s
manual contains additional information.

COMV
3V
3V
3+

Step 4 – Start Personal DaqView & Configure the System

V3 is a Thermocouple
and is a Differential Input

From Windows, open Personal DaqView by double clicking on its icon, or use theDesktop Start menu to access the program. You will find Personal DaqView
listed in the desktop’s Program group. The software will identify your Personal
Daq device and bring up the Main Control Window. This window is detailed inthe Personal Daq User’s Manual included on the installation CD.

Button Reference:(1) OpenConfiguration File(2) Save
Configuration File(3) SelectActive Device(4) Arm Trigger
for Disk Recording(5) Manual Trigger(6) Update
Digital Outputs(7) Configure
Data Destination(8) Configure
Acquisition(9) Configure
Channel Settings(10) Update
All Indicators(11) Scrolling Charts(12) Bar Meters(13) Analog Meters(14) Digital Meters(15) View Data

(16) Enable Readings
Column(17) Disable
Readings Column

To configure channels, first click toolbar button (9). This opens the Channel Configuration Window with the Analog
Input screen selected. You can change from one configuration screen to another via three tabs (Analog Input,
Frequency/Pulse Input, Digital Input/Output).
To configure acquisition parameters, first click button (8). This opens the Configure Acquisition Window, with theseveral parameters you can change, including Pre-Trigger, Trigger, Post Trigger, Averaging, and Scan Rate.
To assign a filename and folder for saving acquisition data, first click button (7). This opens the Data Destination
window. From here you can assign a filename and a folder location. Detailed information is provided in
the user’s manual.
To Collect Data: Click the <Enable Readings Column> button (16) or click, the <Update All Indicators> button (10).
This starts the acquisition. The data acquisition begins and the readings column becomes active. However, data is notrecorded to disk. Clicking the <Arm Trigger for Disk Recording> button (4) will send the data to disk. Click one of thetoolbar’s display icon buttons (11, 12, 13, or 14) to see your data in the form of a chart or meter. Note that you can view all
display types, or a combination of them, at the same time.
Note: For detailed information, view the PDF documentation located on CD, at our website, or in the Programs Group[which resides on your PC, after software installation].

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Measurement Computing, 10 Commerce Way, Norton, MA 02766
phone: (508) 946-5100; email: info@mccdaq.com; www.mccdaq.com

Printed in Hungary