BK Precision 9130 / ITECH IT6300 Calibration - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: Pedrofabian
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: February 18, 2022, 05:04:25 am
content: Hello, I have a few BK Precision 9130's that I want to calibration. I got the software and instructions for calibration by messaging BK customer service.However I can't figure out how to make it work. I configure the port to the same settings as the 9130. The 9130 enters remote mode. But none of the buttons on the software do anything, they all remain grayed out. I've read and re-read the instructions several times, but I don't see that I'm missing anything.Does anyone have experience with this software?I thought at first something was wrong with my cable, because I was using a homemade TTL communication cable instead of the BK Precision isolated one. However I went ahead and bought the isolated adapter and it's still not working.

author: TiN
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 18, 2022, 06:08:12 am
content: Maybe you can share software and instruction. I have Keithley 2230 (same thing, rebranded ITECH but 3 channels) and could try it.It's really a shame that calibration procedures are restricted behind red tape and not publicly available.Wished I knew better about this dodgy practice and stayed away from such products.

author: Pedrofabian
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: February 18, 2022, 07:31:52 am
content: Sure, I'll share. Though I'd be surprised about the Keithley. It seems to have a different front panel from what I see.I looked up a teardown and theres some differences internally. Input protection PCB and USB, but might be mods from Keithley. A look at the back shows a "Factory Use Only" DB9. If it is from ITech that would be their TTL communication. It's not RS232.You can use IT's isolated adapter Model IT-E132BOr you can do what I did and buy a 5V TTL pigtail and a DB9 breakout.https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08SM622VX?ref=ppx_yo2_dt_b_product_details&th=1https://www.amazon.com/dp/B093CV87TC?psc=1&ref=ppx_yo2_dt_b_product_detailsPinout is 1 - 5V, 2 - TXD, 3 - RXD, 5 - GND, else NCThe file's too big to share here so here's a linkhttps://www.filehosting.org/file/details/2197728/PC6300.zip

author: Pedrofabian
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: February 20, 2022, 09:40:10 am
content: bump

author: Kean
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: February 20, 2022, 01:05:31 pm
content: I have a partly faulty BK9130 and a few IT-E132 cables, so I'm happy to give this a go.The PSU is currently in bits in a box under one of my workbenches, and I won't have a chance to look at it for again for at least a week.The Keithley 2230 might be a rebranded BK9130Bwhich was an updated design and had a new rear panel layout with USB & a GPIB option that matches.

author: Pedrofabian
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: February 21, 2022, 02:17:32 am
content: @kean I think you're right there!Anyways, I did a few things to try and debug this issue, one of which is installing a com port sniffer (Serial Port Monitor).It seems the program is just continuously querying the unit for it's IDN and the unit is responding appropriately, but it still continues to query.My best guess is that it's in a loop and won't break the loop unless the IDN is equal to whatever it's comparing it against. Which means BK might have given me the wrong software and this is software for the 9130B series. This would make sense because on the itech website the IT6302 and IT6322 (BK 9130) have separate programming manuals from the rest of the 6300 series, which includes the 9130B equivalent unit.

author: wzoumin
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: June 05, 2023, 08:31:12 am
content: Hi,"https://www.filehosting.org/file/details/2197728/PC6300.zip"，I can't download the file. Could you resend it? I'll try this software for calibration. Thank you！

author: TimLamborn
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: July 13, 2023, 12:12:46 pm
content: Did you ever get this working?I just figured out how to calibrate my IT6302 today, and did it manually via SCPI commands.I'd be surprised if the IT6300 was any different.I can probably write up instructions if that helps.

author: rniu
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: August 29, 2023, 08:10:40 am
content: Appreciated if you can provide the instructions how you did the calibration with SCPI. I have one IT6322 and followed the SCPI calibration commands for a manual cal. The commands worked. After I saved the cal data and powered the supply on again, the output actually didn't change. But I checked the CAL string has been updated when I read the string I wrote to EEPROM.BTW, The ITECH SCPI manual has one description error on the voltage CAL. The correct example "CAL:VOLT:LEV P1" has been described as "CAL:LEV P1". It took me quite long time to figure out this problem. The supply didn't response when I send "CAL:LEV P1" initially. Below are main steps I did to calibrate the voltage.INST:NSEL 1CAL:VOLT:LEV P1CAL:VOLT 0.1039VCAL:VOLT:LEV P2CAL:VOLT 31.019VThanks

author: Pedrofabian
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: May 27, 2025, 04:59:30 am
content: Hello!I'm sorry I never replied or updated this thread. But I'm doing it now! I did end up being able to calibrate my BK9130, though with a lot of frustration. Here is a link to a Google Drive folder with more explanation + calibration software / scripts:https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1eE89S55emFkUoFfURfOU0HeguZGJ1xhF?usp=drive_linkTLDR;- BK originally gave me the wrong software, PC6300, which I suspect is for a BK9130B (I threw that in the google drive)- After badgering BK, they gave me the right software, PC9130- Unfortunately, I soon discovered that the software was incompatible with my 9130 because it was on older firmware.- I reverse engineered the calibration software utilizing hints sniffing the COM port while calibrating a 9130 on newer firmware and created two python scripts which can calibrate 9130s of older firmware.This was years ago so I don't have much more info than that but enjoy!

author: rniu
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: July 30, 2025, 01:18:32 am
content: Hello Pedrofabian,Really appreciate your reply! I have verified the PC9130 works for my power supply.Thanks again!