Inverter Baud Rate? - Electrician Talk - Professional Electrical Contractors Forum

Mackie · 08-19-2008, 07:39 PM

I was installing some 1,500 watt AC inverters in vans today, and on the side of the inverters is a bunch of dip switches. One set of switches is for setting the inverter's 'baud rate' - 1200 / 2400 / 4800. No one at work could explain what baud's or their rates are - in relation to AC inverters - and all I can find on the 'net is related to modems and stuff.

So, does anyone have the low-down or any links of reference?

-thanx!

brian john · 08-19-2008, 07:59 PM

For communication to the main board, or remote monitoring.

Mackie · 08-19-2008, 08:15 PM

Ahhhh... So, it's probably got a parallel port or the like to hook it up to some other piece of equipment then. I was thinking it had to do with the DC in / AC out electricity or the way it operates.

I'll have to check the back of the thing tomorrow for that...

nick · 08-19-2008, 08:15 PM

not a expert ,bits bites you computer your using sends and receives these at a speed a baud rate in time , thers[ 8 bits] in [one bite] meaning theres 8 binary numbers in one bite .the speed of communication between different systems needed to be on the same level to send or receive data to communicate together when you use a hyper link between two computers they must be on that same baud rate to link up , a example would be [8 bits no parity] [1 stop ]at a [4800 baud] a data format to communicate linking a system with another system, meaning two talk to the other in a format that the other understands at a speed of bits and bites binary numbers . there doing away with parallel ports in the future you will be using usb connections more than now ,but yes you may have a connector on that ,a terminal like plug a com port or old parallel port serial port , please understand theres more to this than a simple bit and bite so just use what ive said as a example of basic info its a lot more on baud rate than can be in one post . you may need a rs232 to make this happen. one wire send one wire receive one common 3 wires basic connection hope this helps not real good at explaining but i hope its clear if not read up on data linking or serial communication stuff ,best to ya.

waco · 08-19-2008, 09:20 PM

Probably involves their remote operating abilities.

http://www.topsalesdepot.com/abc.html

nick · 08-20-2008, 06:55 PM

ya waco your mostly correct but ya know everything today is got to have a cell phone attached to it or a blackberry or no one can use it , and if you cant program it then its no good to sell it , basic stuff is way to high tech like this inverter in a van why would you need to have communication ,i know theres a reason but give me a break , thinking what people actually pay for and use to make us more dependent on electronics , and iam one that plays around with this stuff but its getting way out of control. what happens when we cant think for ourselves anymore ?

Rong · 08-21-2008, 09:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nick

ya waco your mostly correct but ya know everything today is got to have a cell phone attached to it or a blackberry or no one can use it , and if you cant program it then its no good to sell it , basic stuff is way to high tech like this inverter in a van why would you need to have communication ,i know theres a reason but give me a break , thinking what people actually pay for and use to make us more dependent on electronics , and iam one that plays around with this stuff but its getting way out of control. what happens when we cant think for ourselves anymore ?

?????????

brian john · 08-21-2008, 10:18 AM

In response??????????????

Quote:

ya waco your mostly correct but ya know everything today is got to have a cell phone attached to it or a blackberry or no one can use it ,

Everything we buy now adays is over complicated for no other reason that it can be done.

Quote:

and if you cant program it then its no good to sell it , basic stuff is way to high tech like this inverter in a van why would you need to have communication ,i know theres a reason but give me a break , thinking what people actually pay for and use to make us more dependent on electronics ,

His inverter in his the truck like mine has a commport and came with software. WHY, it either works or it doesn't and if it doesn't work I'll replace it.

nick · 08-21-2008, 10:57 AM

let me apologise to mackie he just asked a question ,and rong and brian and waco apologise also . i know it has a purpose but just cant understand what for ? is it a remote to turn it on or off . just cant think why it needs a link to use it in a van or car ? dc to ac power inverter is that what we are talking about ? you open up you van door and you turn it on when you need 120 v power or what ? i guess i get tessd up about over kill on stuff i maybe out of line so go ahead and tell me what is it used for ?

MNservicetech · 08-24-2008, 01:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nick

i know it has a purpose but just cant understand what for ? is it a remote to turn it on or off .

It sounds more like for a UPS than an vehicle inverter, I searched the net a bit, and I could not find any inverters (specifically for vehicles) that had a serial out. Do you have a model number? I could tell you a lot more If I could read the PDF manual.

The inverter in my van has a serial output, but that's only because it's a modded 500VA UPS. =) I was too cheap to buy an actual inverter, and it was just sitting in my basement....

Mackie · 08-29-2008, 01:51 AM

OK, here's where I got confused... there were several DIP's controlling Voltage, Hz, etc. So, when I saw 'baud' I thought it was something related to the electrical output - not remote comm.

Funny story, the label has small, bold print and at first I thought it said 'Raud'. I asked my boss if he knew what 'raud' was and was like, "oh, yeah, that does ummm..., well it changes frequency, umm... well it's hard to explain."

Anywho, I imagine an engineer could make a piece of hardware to turn the thing on and off and regulate it's operation via the port. Kinda overkill for 99% of applications 'cause I believe all the POCO guys use it for is their drop lights and charging their cell phones.

As far as the make / model - today was my last day there. Moving onwards and upwards (literally - going to work on bucket trucks now) so I don't know. It's white, if that helps...

Billy_Bob · 08-29-2008, 10:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mackie

...Anywho, I imagine an engineer could make a piece of hardware to turn the thing on and off and regulate it's operation via the port...

You can do this with a computer which has a serial port, the correct serial wiring to the device, and the same baud and communications settings along with the device.

Then there should be technical documentation for the device which specifies "hex codes" for the device and what each code does going one direction (computer to device), then what codes sent the opposite direction mean.

The device may just provide "reporting" of conditions, or may allow all sorts of control for this and that.

A simple way to send hex codes to a device is a use an "assembler" to create a file with the hex codes you want to send, then just copy the file to the serial port on your computer.

There is a lot to all this and it can take quite a bit of reading to understand everything, but quite a bit of fun once you get something to do what you want.

Here is an example of hex control codes for a printer...
http://printers.necsam.com/public/pr...s/dj500pcl.htm

Billy_Bob · 08-29-2008, 11:09 AM

P.S. Following is an ASCII chart (American Standard Code for Information Interchange).

DEC = Decimal
HEX = Hexadecimal
OCT = Octal
(Numbering systems)

ASCII chart...
http://www.cdrummond.qc.ca/cegep/inf...iles/ascii.htm

Hexadecimal explained...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hexadecimal

Bit explained...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bit

Byte explained...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Byte

Billy_Bob · 08-29-2008, 11:12 AM

P.P.S. You can "see" what hex codes are in any file you create with a "hex editor". You can also store or change hex codes in a file with this editor.

Mackie · 08-29-2008, 01:08 PM

Good links.

The only thing the inverter's documentation had to say about it - and the rest of the dip switches - was on the illustration which said, "Factory settings".

Billy_Bob · 08-30-2008, 11:45 AM

With many products, there is just the "consumer" instruction manual which comes with the product...

BUT! Frequently there are other manuals and documentation available from the manufacturer... Service manuals, technical specifications, programming manuals, wiring diagrams, etc.

You need to order these from the manufacturer. (Lately this stuff can be found on various manufacturer's web sites.)