Huber Unistat 815 On/Off timer

Help Support and Requests
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I was hoping someone can help me figure out the best way to start my chillers in the morning before I get into the lab. We use a Huber 815 for our solvent tank and I want to start it chilling either remotely or on a timer so we can get down to temp asap. So far in speaking with Huber the only solution I have been offered is to purchase a super expensive software that has way more capabilities than I need. Surely there has to be a start/stop timer option on the Pilot One that I am overlooking. I mean my $25 coffee maker can do it. I appreciate any help.

Edit- Thanks everyone for all of the responses. I was able to get things going by building a program then running that program through the calendar start. Not a complicated process by any means but for some reason I couldn’t put together my question in a way that Huber understood my end goal. Luckily Future4200 always comes through!

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LAUDA has LAUDA.live software for free for this purpose. Even without the software you can access the TCU via internet connection. I’d be super surprised if you couldn’t connect to the chiller via LAN or VPN to tell it what to do.

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not sure LabView is any easier to acquire than huber’s software, but this might get OP started…

http://ppewww.physics.gla.ac.uk/~batesr/ATLAS/PC/Labview/dcs0201/docs/chiller.doc

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They have a community edition

But you should not use it in commercial env and I bet you if you quick math the cost of the huber software over paying someone to come in a hour or 2 early or the lost time you spent waiting for chillers it pays off.

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@Lincoln20XX, reckon your intern could whip up a “turn on the Huber” chron job?

Don’t you need one now?!?

Presumably one just needs to whisper “on” over RS485 or RS232.

The chiller is equipped with a 15-pin D-sub connector which can be configured to perform as analog remote control, RS-232 or RS-485 interface.

…and as an analog remote, simply closing a contact on the right pins would probably suffice.

seems like there are multiple ways of making this work…

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you could always ask Steve…

looking to start a huber chiller with pilot one controls remotely via the serial interface. can you help me with a strategy?

Yes, I can help you with a strategy for remotely starting a Huber chiller with Pilot ONE controls via the serial interface. Here are the steps you can follow:

  1. Check the serial interface: Ensure that the serial interface on the Huber chiller is configured and functional. You can check this by connecting to the chiller via a terminal emulator, such as PuTTY, and sending a command to the chiller. If the chiller responds, then the serial interface is working.
  2. Connect to the chiller remotely: You will need to have remote access to the computer that will be sending commands to the chiller. This can be done through a virtual private network (VPN) or remote desktop connection.
  3. Send commands to the chiller: Once you have established a remote connection, you can send commands to the chiller via the serial interface. You can do this by sending commands in the appropriate format to the chiller. The format of the commands will depend on the specific model of the Huber chiller you are using. You can refer to the user manual or contact Huber technical support for assistance with the command format.
  4. Monitor the chiller: Once you have started the chiller remotely, you should monitor it to ensure that it is running properly. You can do this by checking the chiller’s status and any error messages via the serial interface.
  5. Shut down the chiller: When you are finished using the chiller, you should shut it down properly. You can do this by sending a shutdown command to the chiller via the serial interface.

It is important to note that remote access to the chiller via the serial interface may require additional security measures to prevent unauthorized access. You should consult with your IT department or a cybersecurity expert to ensure that the appropriate measures are in place.

can you be more explicit about using the RS435 interface regarding how to configure communications

Sure, I can provide more explicit instructions on how to configure the RS485 interface for communication with a Huber chiller with Pilot ONE controls. Here are the steps you can follow:

  1. Connect the RS485 cable: Connect the RS485 cable to the chiller’s RS485 port and to the computer or controller that will be communicating with the chiller. Ensure that the cable is securely connected.
  2. Check the communication parameters: Ensure that the communication parameters for the RS485 interface are configured correctly. The communication parameters include the baud rate, data bits, parity, and stop bits. These parameters should be set to match the chiller’s default communication settings, which are 9600 baud, 8 data bits, no parity, and 1 stop bit.
  3. Configure the software: Configure the software that you will be using to communicate with the chiller. This can be a terminal emulator, such as PuTTY, or a custom software program. You will need to configure the software to use the same communication parameters as the chiller.
  4. Test the communication: Test the communication by sending a command to the chiller using the software. You can send a command to query the chiller’s status, such as “ST?” (without quotes), which should return the chiller’s current status.
  5. Troubleshoot any communication issues: If you encounter any issues with communication, check the communication parameters and ensure that they are set correctly. Also, check the cable connections to ensure that they are secure. You may also need to consult the chiller’s user manual or contact Huber technical support for further assistance.

It is important to note that the RS485 interface requires termination resistors to be installed at each end of the cable to prevent signal reflections. You should refer to the chiller’s user manual for information on the correct termination resistor values and installation procedures.

I hope this helps! Let me know if you have any further questions.

what command do I send to turn the chiller on?

The command to turn on a Huber chiller with Pilot ONE controls will depend on the specific model of the chiller you are using. However, in general, the command to start the cooling process and turn on the chiller is:

COOL:ON

You can send this command via the serial interface to the chiller using the software you have configured. This command will start the cooling process, and the chiller will begin to lower the temperature of the fluid in the system.

It is important to note that some Huber chillers may have additional safety features, such as a delay before the cooling process starts or an interlock system that prevents the chiller from starting if certain conditions are not met. You should refer to the chiller’s user manual or contact Huber technical support for further information on the specific model of chiller you are using.

Note: this may or may not work.
ChatGTP talks a good game, but doesn’t confine itself to “true”.

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There is a calender function in the newer gen Unistat controllers.

Older gens have it too but less easy to interact with.

You will have to set current time/date and then trigger points on the calender that tells the unistat controller to start processes/chiller cycles when hitting the time/date triggers. (On/off)

Just look in the unistat manual.

Really easy, but you gotta make sure it never gets the shutoff turned off. Make sure its always on, but not running. Calender will control on/off.

It is finicky. Make sure you set the right date/time and process control actions.

These unistats have so many features we never use in our industry.

You can even program full ramp up/down cycles, for different times, with temperature waveform graphics.

We have 0 use for this. Maybe some conversion work in reactors could use it but still its overkill.

The software upgrade is only needed for remote network access.

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Ok thank you. This was my understanding. But when I had issues with the process from reading the manual alone, the Huber reps maintained that the only way to achieve this was paying thousands of dollars. I think my conversations with them kept getting bogged down with offering other capabilities when all I wanted was on/off.

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the display on my vcr is still flashing 12:00

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probably because you mentioned “remote on”.

try again with “calendar” as your keyword.

or again, Steve’s advice…

how do I access the calendar function in the huber unistat chillers?

To access the calendar function in a Huber Unistat chiller, follow these steps:

  1. Press the “Menu” button on the Pilot ONE controller.
  2. Use the arrow keys to navigate to the “Calendar” option and press “Enter”.
  3. Use the arrow keys to select the date or time setting you want to adjust, such as the year, month, day, hour, or minute.
  4. Press “Enter” to activate the setting you want to adjust.
  5. Use the arrow keys to adjust the value of the setting.
  6. Press “Enter” to confirm the new setting.
  7. Press the “Menu” button to exit the calendar function.

Note that some Huber Unistat chillers may have additional calendar functions, such as the ability to program temperature profiles or set alarms based on specific dates or times. You should refer to the chiller’s user manual or contact Huber technical support for further information on the specific model of chiller you are using.

how do I use the calendar function to turn the chiller on and off on a schedule?

To use the calendar function on a Huber Unistat chiller to turn the chiller on and off on a schedule, follow these steps:

  1. Press the “Menu” button on the Pilot ONE controller.
  2. Use the arrow keys to navigate to the “Calendar” option and press “Enter”.
  3. Use the arrow keys to select the “Timer” option and press “Enter”.
  4. Use the arrow keys to select the day of the week you want to program, and press “Enter”.
  5. Use the arrow keys to set the start time for the chiller to turn on, and press “Enter”.
  6. Use the arrow keys to set the stop time for the chiller to turn off, and press “Enter”.
  7. Repeat steps 4-6 for each day of the week you want to program.
  8. Press the “Menu” button to exit the calendar function.

Once you have programmed the timer settings, the chiller will turn on and off automatically according to the schedule you have set.

Note that some Huber Unistat chillers may have additional timer functions, such as the ability to program multiple on/off cycles per day or set different schedules for different temperature control modes. You should refer to the chiller’s user manual or contact Huber technical support for further information on the specific model of chiller you are using.

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