How to control humidifier and heater using PC

[Wisemanm]

Please help!!!
I need to know how can I interface Heater banks and humidifier banks to the PC. This must allow me to insert setpoints, edit setpoints on the PC.

Thank

[Tomi Engdahl]

How those Heater banks and humidifier banks are controlled now ?

What kind of control interface do they have now ?

[Wisemanm]

Very good question..

Heater control section - I am using a RCK CB100 temperature controller reciving feedback signal from the PT 100 temperature probe to close and open 3 pole Lovato relays x4.

Humidifier section - I am using a REX D100 Humidity controller (Panel mounted) reciving feedback signal from the Humidity probe to close and open FINDER 250V at 10A single pole relays x4.

I dont know if this answers the question.

[Tomi Engdahl]

I don't know those specific devices so I did some googling around..

I found this page that could be useful
http://www.rkcinst-usa.com/manual_download.html

There are those:

D series COMMUNICATION IMDRE03_E3.pdf (1.16MB)
http://www.rkcinst.com/english/pdf_manu ... e03_e3.pdf

This document says communications is RS-485 or RS-422.
There is description how communications with controller works.
The document comes even with Basic source code for commications.


CB series COMMUNICATION IMCB03_E5.pdf (904KB)
http://www.rkcinst.com/english/pdf_manual/imcb03_e5.pdf

This says communications is through RS-485 at 2400, 4800, 9600 or 19200 bps. Document lists the commands to send to controller.



For interfacing RS-485 or RS-422 to a PC, you need to have a suitable adapter that converts the computer signals to those formats.
The documents showed RS-232 to RS-422 converter in use and the manufacturer web page lists that the same manufacturer makes COM-K (USB communication converter).

I quess that quite many commercially available RS-232 to RS-485/422 converters would work in this application. You need a converter than then write suitable software for the PC to make the communications to work (I don't know any ready made software suitable for this).