How to perform timed measurements with a Siglent DMM and EasyDMM (solved)  - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / testgear

author: RBBVNL9
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: September 06, 2020, 08:13:10 am
content: Dear all,I have been trying to use a Siglent SDM3045X for a 24hrs temperature measurement and want to share my experiences how to work around some apparent bugs.The task was to measure and log temperature over a, say, 24 hrs period, with one measurement per minute. Although the SDM3045X has an ‘acquisition mode’ and can then store the values to a USB stick, the apparent lack of (1) being able to set the system time and date (*1) and (2) the fact the device saves bare values to the USB stick without time stamps or other information makes the data pretty unusable.So I thought I’d try the EasyDMM software on a Windows PC (*2). This allows similar type of acquisitions and does allow a file to be saved with time staps (when using ‘local samples’, not when using “instrument samples’).In EasyDMM, the ‘measure control’ menu allows one to set the number of acquisition or run time and some more settings similar (not identical) to those on the DMM itself. The problem, however, is that the “delay” setting does not do anything. Whatever the setting, the DMM reads dozens of samples per second (depending on being set to “slow, “middle” of “fast” speed). It also feels that the value you enter is not considered by the program at all: no matter whether one enters “3”, “3.0”, “3,0” or even “string” into this field, the menu happily accepts whatever you type, and the next time you go back to the menu the input is gone (unlike other settings).It seems I found a solution, though. It is based on preparing the acquisition process in EasyDMM, then force DMM back to Local mode to adjust the 'delay' setting, and then return the device to Remote mode do the acquisition run.In detail:Set up your DMM with the EasyDMM software. Once the software is properly running with your DMM, it should say “Remote” on the right-hand top of the DMM’s display, in blue.In EasyDMM, using the ‘measure control’, chose the number of samples you want, or the desired elapsed time. Set “auto export to CSV file” and don’t forget to enable the time stamps you want. Do NOT set a delay; leave that setting to “automatic”.Run a test doing, say, 14 samples. You should see these samples coming in fairly quickly.Now turn to the DMM. Clicking the button “Shift” twice, you are brought back into local mode. It now should read ‘Local” in the right-hand top of the display.Select “Acquire’, set “Delay” on manual and enter a value using the direction pad. (The way you enter values is, well, unique to Siglent and not very intuitive, but it works once you figured it out).Back to the EasyDMM software, now click the “run” icon. Once clicked, the DMM enters back into remote mode, and acquisition starts. You should see the number of samples increase on your screen as expected according to your settings. At the same time, the software is already creating and appending the CSV file with every new sample.After the number of samples or the elapsed time you set is satisfied, the acquisition is ready, and the procedure stops. The CSV file can now be read.GL!(*1) In fact: files saved to the USB stick have as date “31 December 1979 at 23:00…” If I overlooked anything and anyone knows how to set time and date on this device, let me know…(*2) Although the required, underlying National Instruments VI software also is available for both Windows and MacOS, Siglent’s EasyDMM software only available for Windows…

author: HKJ
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 06, 2020, 09:45:19 am
content: You could have used TestController, it supports the Siglent SDM3045X and is designed for that type of work.https://www.eevblog.com/forum/testgear/program-that-can-log-from-many-multimeters/

author: RBBVNL9
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: October 21, 2020, 05:25:29 pm
content: Hear HKJ,It took me (a long) time before I had the opportunity to check out TestController, it is indeed a very nice piece of software, and I plan to use it for future, similar projects!