Part 1: Setup

Welcome to the VCP1100 user guide! In order to get started, make sure you have the following hardware on hand:

• VCP1100 - 30A Current Phidget
• VINT Hub
• Phidget cable
• USB cable and computer
• something to use with the VCP1100 (e.g. a circuit with flowing current to measure)

Next, you will need to connect the pieces:

1. Connect the VCP1100 to the VINT Hub using the Phidget cable.
2. Connect the current source to the terminals of the Current Phidget, with the current flowing into the minus terminal and out the plus terminal.
3. Connect the VINT Hub to your computer with a USB cable.

Now that you have everything together, let's start using the VCP1100!

Phidget Control Panel

In order to demonstrate the functionality of the VCP1100, the Phidget Control Panel running on a Windows machine will be used.

The Phidget Control Panel is available for use on both macOS and Windows machines.

Windows

To open the Phidget Control Panel on Windows, find the icon in the taskbar. If it is not there, open up the start menu and search for Phidget Control Panel

macOS

To open the Phidget Control Panel on macOS, open Finder and navigate to the Phidget Control Panel in the Applications list. Double click on the icon to bring up the Phidget Control Panel.

For more information, take a look at the getting started guide for your operating system:

• Getting started with Windows
• Getting started with macOS

Linux users can follow the getting started with Linux guide and continue reading here for more information about the VCP1100.

First Look

After plugging the VCP1100 into your computer and opening the Phidget Control Panel, you will see something like this:

The Phidget Control Panel will list all connected Phidgets and associated objects, as well as the following information:

• Serial number: allows you to differentiate between similar Phidgets.
• Channel: allows you to differentiate between similar objects on a Phidget.
• Version number: corresponds to the firmware version your Phidget is running. If your Phidget is listed in red, your firmware is out of date. Update the firmware by double-clicking the entry.

The Phidget Control Panel can also be used to test your device. Double-clicking on an object will open an example.

Part 2: Using Your Phidget

About

The VCP1100 measures the in-line DC current flow of up to 30A in an electronic circuit or device.

Explore Your Phidget Channels Using The Control Panel

You can use your Control Panel to explore your Phidget's channels.

1. Open your Control Panel, and you will find the following channel:

2. Double click on the channel to open the example program. This channel belongs to the CurrentInput channel class:

30A Current Sensor Phidget: Measures the current through the VCP1100’s terminals

In your Control Panel, double click on "30A Current Sensor Phidget":

Part 3: Create your Program

1. Setting up your Programming Environment

2. Phidget Programming Basics

Part 4: Advanced Topics and Troubleshooting

How do I know what channel, serial number, or hub port to use in my program?

Before you open a Phidget channel in your program, you can set these properties to specify which channel to open. You can find this information through the Control Panel.

1. Open the Control Panel and double-click on the red map pin icon:

2. The Addressing Information window will open. Here you will find all the information you need to address your Phidget in your program.

See the Phidget22 API for your language to determine exact syntax for each property.

Setting the Change Trigger and Data Interval

The Change Trigger is the minimum change in the sensor data needed to trigger a new data event. The Data Interval is the time (in ms) between data events sent out from your Phidget. You can modify one or both of these values to achieve different data outputs. You can learn more about these two properties here.

How can I plot or record sensor data?

In the Phidget Control Panel, open the channel for your device and click on the icon next to the data type that you want to plot. This will open up a new window:

If you need more complex functionality such as logging multiple sensors to the same sheet or performing calculations on the data, you'll need to write your own program. Generally this will involve addressing the correct channel, opening it, and then creating an Event Handler and adding graphing/logging code to it.

The quickest way to get started is to download some sample code for your desired programming language and then search google for logging or plotting in that language (e.g. "how to log to csv in python") and add the code to the existing change handler.

Isolation

The VCP1100 is electrically isolated, so a power surge in the circuit you are measuring would only damage the VCP1100- it will not damage your VINT Hub or your computer unless it exceeds the board's isolation voltage (50V) . Having isolation also helps prevent the formation of ground loops in your system.