====== How to Use a USB-TEMP, With a Thermocouple and RTD Sensor, to Measure Temperature With InstaCal and DAQami ======

This article explains how to use a MCC USB-TEMP module with a J-type thermocouple wire (MCC part # 745690-J001) and a 3-wire, 100 Ohm RTD sensor (MCC part # 745691-02).  For software, the latest release of the MCC DAQ CD was used to install InstaCal and DAQami, onto a Windows 10 system.  

When installing the MCC DAQ CD (mccdaq.exe), select DAQami and the InstaCal & Universal Library packages.

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On a system with a 32-bit version of Windows OS, Measurement Computing’s software will appear in the folder path: ‘C:\Program Files\Measurement Computing’.
On a system with a 64-bit version of Windows OS, Measurement Computing’s software will appear in the following folder paths: 
‘C:\Program Files (x86)\Measurement Computing\DAQ’
‘C:\Program Files\Measurement Computing\DAQami’

Next, connect the USB-TEMP module to the target system’s USB port.  On some systems, a notification window may appear indicating the ‘device is ready’.


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The next step is to launch MCC’s InstaCal software.
‘C:\Program Files (x86)\Measurement Computing\DAQ\inscal32.exe’
‘C:\Program Files\Measurement Computing\DAQ\inscal32.exe’

If connecting a USB-TEMP module to the target system, for the first time, then you will be prompted to run the HID Registry Update utility.

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After rebooting the target system or cycling the USB cable connection to the module, restart InstaCal.  A ‘Plug and Play Board Detection’ window will appear.  Select the USB-TEMP device and click the OK button.

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Once in InstaCal, the USB-TEMP module will appear in the PC Board List.

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Right mouse-click on the USB-TEMP device to configure the device.  

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In this example, channel 0 was configured to use a single 3-wire, 100 Ohm RTD sensor (MCC part # 745691-02).  Set the coefficient standard to ‘DIN 43760’ and click the ‘Show Connections’ button to view the appropriate wiring for the RTD sensor.

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Next, click on the CH(2-3) tab to configure channel 2 with a Type J thermocouple.  

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Click the OK button to exit the Board Configuration window.  A message window will prompt the user to save the configuration.  Click 'Yes'.

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Using InstaCal’s top menu, select TEST – ANALOG.

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In the Board Test window, channel 0 was selected for the 3-wire RTD sensor and channel 2 was selected for the Type J thermocouple.  Click the TEST button to acquire temperature readings.  Click the OK button to exit the test window.

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Close InstaCal and launch DAQami.  If this is the first time using DAQami, then a message window will appear with several option.  Click the OK button to continue in evaluation mode.

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On the Getting Started window, click on the ‘New Configuration’ option followed by ‘Manual’.

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In the upper left-hand corner, click on the leftmost icon (Available Devices).  Click on the USB-TEMP device and drag the device onto the Device Panel, beneath the list.

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On the right-side, click on the ‘Channels’ tab.  Enable Analog Input channels ‘AI0’ and ‘AI2’ by selecting the Active checkbox.  For both channel 0 (the 3-wire RTD sensor) and channel 2 (the Type J thermocouple), set the Channel Settings TC Type to ‘J’. 

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Click on the ‘Samples Rate’ tab to view the rate range.

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In the upper left-hand corner, click on the second icon (Displays) from the left.  

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Next, click on the Scalar display option and drag it over to the Display Panel area, on the right. 

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Select an Active Channel and drag it onto the Scalar display.

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Above the Display Panel area, click the green arrow to ‘run the acquisition without logging to disk’.

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Otherwise, click the red circle to ‘run the acquisition and log the data to disk’.

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