Troubleshooting guide to solve this problem:
Can’t get data out of the meter using PSM Software

Introduction

A key feature of PowerSight is the ability to store large amounts of data in the meter which can be transferred to your computer running PowerSight Manager (PSM) software.  Once the meter is connected to your PC, you should be able to get the logs and waveforms out of it.  This guide will assist you in determining why you can’t get the data out.

If the unit is “Not Connected”, you will not be able to retrieve logs or waveforms, or any other information from the unit. We intend for all models of PowerSight to “connect” to the latest version of PowerSight Manager software (PSM) installed on any PC running Windows 95 or higher, anywhere in the world.  This document is intended to aid you in achieving the connection.

Follow this troubleshooting guide to solve the problem.  This document has hyperlinks embedded in it.  The hyperlinks will be blue and underlined.  When you click on them, you will be taken to the next correct step.

Detailed Troubleshooting Guide

S100     Is the power connected?

The first thing to check is the power supply to your meter.  If the meter is running off its batteries and the batteries are low, there may be problems transferring data.  Look at the top end of PowerSight to the left of the hole where +12VDC is plugged into it.  Does the charging light show through the hole?  If not, connect power to the meter to be sure that this is not the problem with your data transfer.  If the light is a bright red, go to S110.

S110    Is the meter “connected” to the PSM software?

Looking at the main menu of PSM (the first screen you see when you start PSM), is the bar at the top of the connection status box colored green like the illustration to the right?  Or is it colored red, as illustrated to the right?   If “Green”, go to S200.  If “Red”, follow the troubleshooting guide called “Trouble-NoConnection” or “Troubleshooting – Meter will not connect.”

S200    PowerSight is connected

Within the connection status box, below the green bar, do you see either “Serial Comm: disabled” or “Datalogging: disabled”, as shown on the right?  If so, attempt to connect again several times.  If either of those lines say “disabled” after each attempt to connect, it may be a software compatibility problem.  If they are “enabled”, go to S400.  If they are not, there may be several causes:

To verify whether it is a software compatibility problem, press the Admin key of PowerSight several times, until it displays “Check Warranty?”, then press the Yes key.  [Note: If it does not display “Check Warranty?”, it is only eligible with PSM 1.2 series software]  On the lower display line at the right is the level of PSM that your PowerSight is compatible with.  For instance, if it says “2.0” then it cannot operate fully with software at a higher series, like 2.1.  The version of PSM you are using is above the Connection Status box on the main menu.  If your eligibility is below the PSM version you are using, you can probably buy a re-instated warranty in order to get it upgraded to work with the newer software.  If you are trying to work with a lower level of PSM, you need to download a newer version from our website, http://www.summittechnology.com/downloadform.shtml. 

The options you need may not be enabled in PowerSight.  To check this, press the Admin key of PowerSight a couple times until it displays “View Options?”, then press the Yes key.  On the top line is a string of 7 characters, for instance “HLS4567”.  The 3^rd character must be “S” or you will not be able to transfer data out of PowerSight.  Similarly, the 2^nd character must be “L” or you won’t be able to move a log out of PowerSight.  Contact support@summitTechnology.com to get these characters changed.

If you still can’t get these items enabled on the connection status screen, contact support@summitTechnology.com.

S400    Meter is connected and enabled for data transfer

Attempt to receive a waveform set from PowerSight.  It does not matter if it is connected to a signal at this time.  If you are using PSM version 3.1 or higher, click on “View Attached Signals” on the main menu.  If you are using an older version, click on “Receive Waveforms” and then, on the Receive Waveform screen, click on “Snapshot” and then “Receive and View”.  If you are successful in receiving the waveform set , go to S445. If it fails, go to S440.

S440    Could not receive waveset

After you clicked on the "Receive and View" button, a progress bar should have appeared and the progress of the transfer should have been shown as the bar grew to the right.  If the progress bar appeared and grew, go to S443.  Otherwise go to S441.

S441    No progress bar

If an error message like "Could not open file c:\PowerSight\waveset0.wfm" appears, the directory path does not exist.  Either the wrong drive is specified or the folder within the drive does not exist.  Click on the "Change File Path" button and navigate to a folder that exists and then receive the waveform.  If you still can’t get the progress bar to appear, contact support@summitTechnology.com.

S443    Progress bar, but could not finish receiving data

There may be a connection problem that is serious enough to prevent transferring a large file, but not too serious to allow connecting.  Examine the pins of both ends of the communications cable.  Are they straight?  If not, straighten them.  Are any of the pins recessed in the connector?  If so, at least temporarily pull them back out, so that they are even with the other pins.  Press the round mini-DIN8 connector of the communications cable firmly into the mating jack of PowerSight.  Press it in VERY firmly.  Attach the oblong DB9 connector of the communications cable into its mating jack on your PC and screw it in place.  Try to receive a waveset again as described in step S400.  If successful, proceed to S445.  If unsuccessful contact support@summitTechnology.com.

S445    General Errors   

If each time you attempt to receive the data, you get an error message like “Cannot open file a:\waveset0.wfm”, it is because the file path or the drive could not be found.  For instance, in this example, there was no floppy disk in the floppy drive.  An error like “Cannot open file c:\PowerSight\data\psm.log” might occur if the \PowerSight\data directory had been erased.

If each time you attempt to transfer the data, you get a “Timeout” error, there are several possible explanations.  If you have a PS3000 or PS250 and it is doing harmonic distortion or displacement power factor calculations, it may be too busy to respond.  If this is the case, stop PowerSight from monitoring or exit calculating displacement power factor.  If there is a compatibility problem between the firmware of your meter and the version of PSM that you are using, there may be a compatibility problem.  Contact support@summitTechnology.com.  If there is an intermittent connection along the communications path, a timeout may occur as it attempts to get the data.  Check the connections all along the communications path and if the problem does not clear up, contact support@summitTechnology.com.

If each time you attempt to transfer the data, you get a “checksum error”, you will need to contact support@SummitTechnology.com. 

If these are not the problems you are seeing, proceed to S449.

S449    Can receive a waveset

What type of data are you trying to receive? 
If it is a waveset (file extension .wfm) go to S451.
If it is a consumption log (file extension .log) go to S452.
 

If it is a swell or sag log (file extension .slg) go to S453.
If it is a swell or sag RMS graph (file extension .rlg) go to S454.
If it is a swell or sag waveform (file extension .swm) go to S455

If you are attempting to “View Attached Signals” or receive a “snapshot” waveset (using PSM before version 3.1), go to S470.  If you are attempting to receive stored wavesets from the meter and are using PSM version 3.1 or higher, go to S475.  If you are attempting to receive stored wavesets and are using PSM versions below version 3.1, go to S472.

S452    Can’t receive a data log

If you are using a PSM version lower than 3.1, go to S480.  When you click on “Receive Data” on the main menu and then view the Receive Data screen, there will be a pause while PSM gets information from PowerSight and then the screen will be updated with information about the data that is stored in PowerSight.  Look at the line in the data types that is “Log”.   There must be a number in the column to the right of it greater than zero.  That number is the number of records in the log.  If the number is 0 go to S485.  If the number is greater than zero, contact support@SummitTechnology.com.

S453    Can’t receive a swell/dip log

You must have a PS4000 to get this data.  When you click on Receive Data on the Main Menu of PSM, the Receive Data screen opens.  There will be a pause while PSM gets information from PowerSight and then the screen will be updated with information about the data that is stored in PowerSight.  In the tabular section, look down the “Data Type” column for the line with “Swell/Dip Log” entered.  Look to the next column over to the right to see the number of events.  If the number is 0, go to S600.  If the number is greater than 0, go to S610.

S454    Can’t receive a swell/dip RMS graph

You must have a PS4000 to get this data.  When you click on Receive Data on the Main Menu of PSM, the Receive Data screen opens.  There will be a pause while PSM gets information from PowerSight and then the screen will be updated with information about the data that is stored in PowerSight.  In the tabular section, look down the “Data Type” column for the line with “Swell/Dip Log” entered.  Look to the next column over to the right to see the number of events.  If the number is 0, go to S630.  If the number is greater than 0, go to S640.

S455    Can’t receive a swell/dip waveset

You must have a PS4000 to get this data.  When you click on Receive Data on the Main Menu of PSM, the Receive Data screen opens.  There will be a pause while PSM gets information from PowerSight and then the screen will be updated with information about the data that is stored in PowerSight.  In the tabular section, look down the “Data Type” column for a line with “Swell/Dip Wave” entered.  If there are none, go to S650.  If the number is greater than 0, go to S660.

S456    Can’t receive a high speed transient log

You must have a PS4000 to get this data.  When you click on Receive Data on the Main Menu of PSM, the Receive Data screen opens.  There will be a pause while PSM gets information from PowerSight and then the screen will be updated with information about the data that is stored in PowerSight.  In the tabular section, look down the “Data Type” column for the line with “Transient Log” entered.  Look to the next column over to the right to see the number of events.  If the number is 0, go to S700.  If the number is greater than 0, go to S710.

S457    Can’t receive a high speed transient waveset

You must have a PS4000 to get this data.  When you click on Receive Data on the Main Menu of PSM, the Receive Data screen opens.  There will be a pause while PSM gets information from PowerSight and then the screen will be updated with information about the data that is stored in PowerSight.  In the tabular section, look down the “Data Type” column for a line with “Transient Wave” entered.  If there are none, go to S750.  If the number is greater than 0, go to S760.

S470    Attempting to see attached signals or snapshot of attached signals

If your concern is that there doesn’t appear to be any waveforms displayed, verify that you are actually connected to live voltages and/or currents.  If they are not attached or are turned off, the waveforms will be 0.  If you are certain that live signals are attached and yet they are not presented, contact support@SummitTechnology.com.  If they are not present, this explains the problem.  Attach to active signals.

S471    Attempting to see stored waveforms

When you click on “Receive Data”, do any wavesets appear in the list of data types?  There will be one line for each waveset that is stored in the meter.  If wavesets are listed, then go to S472.  If no wavesets are listed, go to S473.

S472    Wavesets appear on the list to be transferred

Wavesets appear in the list, bit is there a little checkmark in the box at the left of the line of the waveset you wish to transfer?  If not, either click on the box or click on “Select All” in order to get a checkmark in the box.  If the box is not clicked, nothing will be transferred.  If this was the problem, it is now solved.  If the box was clicked but the transfer was not successful when you next click on “Receive and View”, contact support@SummitTechnology.com.

S473    No wavesets appear on the list to be transferred

If no wavesets are listed, then none are stored in the meter.  You must either press the “Wave” button on PowerSight or use PSM in remote control mode to cause a waveset to be stored in PowerSight.  If the meter is a PS4000, there must also be memory allocated to consumption wavesets.  The default number of stored wavesets is 8.  To determine if memory has been allocated, at the main menu, click on “Data Setup” and then in the Monitoring Activities section, see the line for Consumption Wavesets.  The box to the left of “Consumption Wavesets’ must have a checkmark in it, otherwise no stored wavesets are allowed.  If this solves the problem, then you are done.  Otherwise, contact support@SummitTechnology.com.

S475    Attempting to see stored waveforms with PSM before version 3.1

When you click on “Receive Waveform”, a list of wavesets will appear in the Receive Waveform screen.  These represent how many wavesets your meter is eligible to store.  Do any waveform sets appear in the list of data types?  If not, then none are stored in the meter.  You must either press the “Wave” button on PowerSight or use PSM in remote control mode to cause a waveform to be stored in PowerSight.  If wavesets appear, is there a little checkmark in the box at the left of the line?  If not, either click on the box or click on “Select All”.  If nothing is clicked, nothing will be transferred.  If this was the problem, it is now solved.  If the box was clicked but the transfer was not successful after clicking on “Receive and View”, contact support@SummitTechnology.com.

S480    Can’t receive a data log, with PSM less than version 3.1

When you click on “Receive Datalog” on the main menu, the Receive Data Log screen appears.  There will be a pause while PSM gets information from PowerSight and then the screen will be updated with information about the log that is stored in PowerSight.  In the summary section, see what the number to the right of “Data Records” is.  It should be from 900 to 65000 records.  If the number is 0, go to S481.  If the number is larger and when you click on “Receive and View”, it can’t be transferred, contact support@SummitTechnology.com.

S481    Zero data records in log, with PSM less than version 3.1

PSM thinks there are 0 records in your meter and will not transfer them.  Press the “Time” button on PowerSight twice.  It will display the elapsed time of logging.  On newer firmware, once every six seconds, the number of records in the meter will will displayed for one second.  For instance it might display “233 of 4045”, meaning there is a capacity of 4045 records and 233 of them have data recorded in them.  If the number of records recorded is 0, this explains why PSM refuses to transfer the log.  The likely reasons for this are:

1. Not enough time passed after logging started to record the first record of the log.  Note the elapsed time displayed on your meter and then click on the “Setup” key of PowerSight twice so that it now displays the logging period.  If the elapsed time was less than the logging period, then not enough time passed to record the first record.
2. After you had finished your logging session, someone pressed the keys on your PowerSight meter to cause it to start logging again and then quickly stopped the logging or turned it off.
3. The firmware was upgraded by Summit technical personnel, which erased all internal memory.

If this explains the problem, the only solution is to perform the logging session again.  If it doesn’t explain it, contact support@SummitTechnology.com

S485    Zero data records in log

PSM thinks there are 0 records in your meter and will not transfer them.  If you have a PS3000 or PS250, skip this paragraph.  The PS4000 must have memory allocated to consumption logging in order to have a log.  The default number of stored consumption records is 1000, but just about any value up to 65,500 is possible.  To determine if memory has been allocated for a consumption log, at the main menu, click on “Data Setup” and then in the Monitoring Activities section, see the line for the Consumption Log.  The box to the left of “Log of Consumption” must have a checkmark in it, otherwise no stored wavesets are allowed.  If this solves the problem, then you are done.  Otherwise, proceed to the next paragraph.

Press the “Time” button on PowerSight twice.  It will display the elapsed time of logging.  On newer firmware, once every six seconds, the number of records in the meter will be displayed for one second.  For instance it might display “233 of 4045”, meaning there is a capacity of 4045 records and 233 of them have data recorded in them.  If the number of records recorded is 0, this explains why PSM refuses to transfer the log.  The likely reasons for this are:

1. Not enough time passed after logging started to record the first record of the log.  Note the elapsed time displayed on your meter and then click on the “Setup” key of PowerSight twice so that it now displays the logging period.  If the elapsed time was less than the logging period, then not enough time passed to record the first record.
2. After you had finished your logging session, someone pressed the keys on your PowerSight meter to cause it to start logging again and then quickly stopped the logging or turned it off.
3. The firmware was upgraded after your logging session, which erased all internal memory.

S600    Number of swell/dip events is 0

PowerSight does not have a swell/dip log stored in it.  Possible explanations are that the swell or dip trigger thresholds were not set properly, no swell/dip events occurred, monitoring stopped sooner than expected, or someone re-started monitoring after you were done monitoring (which erased the old data). 

To determine if monitoring was stopped sooner than expected, press the Time key of PowerSight twice to see the elapsed time.  This is how long PowerSight thinks the monitoring session lasted.  See if that is what you expected.  Possible explanations for monitoring stopping sooner than expected are that the meter was running on its battery and it ran down, that someone turned the meter off, that someone stopped the monitoring session, that an programmed log stop time was set in the meter and that time was reached.  To check for a programmed stop time, press the Time key of PowerSight several times until it displays the “Log Stop Time:”. To determine if monitoring was started again, press the Time key of PowerSight several times until it displays the time and date that the last monitoring session started.  If this is more recent than the time you expected, then monitoring was restarted.

S610    Can’t transfer swell/dip events out of PowerSight

Look in the “Data Types to Receive” section at the upper right of the Receive Data screen.  There has to be a checkmark in the box of the “Swells and Dips” line.  Click the box, if the checkmark is missing. In the tabular area, the line for “Swell/Dip Log” must have a checkmark in the box at the left of the line.  If the checkmark is missing, either click on the box or click the “Select All” button above the tabular area. You must click on the “Receive and View” or the “Receive Only” buttons at the upper right to receive the log.

S630    Number of swell/dip RMS graph events is 0

PowerSight does not have a swell/dip RMS log stored in it.  Possible explanations are that the swell or dip trigger thresholds were not set properly, no swell/dip events occurred, monitoring stopped sooner than expected, or someone re-started monitoring after you were done monitoring (which erased the old data).  To determine if monitoring was stopped sooner than expected, press the Time key of PowerSight twice to see the elapsed time.  This is how long PowerSight thinks the monitoring session lasted.  See if that is what you expected.  Possible explanations for monitoring stopping sooner than expected are that the meter was running on its battery and it ran down, that someone turned the meter off, that someone stopped the monitoring session, that an programmed log stop time was set in the meter and that time was reached.  To check for a programmed stop time, press the Time key of PowerSight several times until it displays the “Log Stop Time:”.  To determine if monitoring was started again, press the Time key of PowerSight several times until it displays the time and date that the last monitoring session started.  If this is more recent than the time you expected, then monitoring was restarted.

S640    Can’t transfer swell/dip RMS graph log out of PowerSight

Look in the “Data Types to Receive” section at the upper right of the Receive Data screen.  There has to be a checkmark in the box of the “Swells and Dips” line.  Click the box, if the checkmark is missing. In the tabular area, the line for “Swell/Dip RMS Graph” must have a checkmark in the box at the left of the line.  If the checkmark is missing, either click on the box or click the “Select All” button above the tabular area. You must click on the “Receive and View” or the “Receive Only” buttons at the upper right to receive the log.

S650    No swell/dip waveforms are available

PowerSight does not have any swell/dip waveforms stored in it.  Possible explanations are that the swell or dip trigger thresholds were not set properly, no swell/dip events occurred, monitoring stopped sooner than expected, or someone re-started monitoring after you were done monitoring (which erased the old data).  To determine if monitoring was stopped sooner than expected, press the Time key of PowerSight twice to see the elapsed time.  This is how long PowerSight thinks the monitoring session lasted.  See if that is what you expected.  Possible explanations for monitoring stopping sooner than expected are that the meter was running on its battery and it ran down, that someone turned the meter off, that someone stopped the monitoring session, that an programmed log stop time was set in the meter and that time was reached.  To check for a programmed stop time, press the Time key of PowerSight several times until it displays the “Log Stop Time:”. To determine if monitoring was started again, press the Time key of PowerSight several times until it displays the time and date that the last monitoring session started.  If this is more recent than the time you expected, then monitoring was restarted.

S660    Can’t transfer swell/dip waveforms out of PowerSight

Look in the “Data Types to Receive” section at the upper right of the Receive Data screen.  There has to be a checkmark in the box of the “Swells and Dips” line.  Click the box, if the checkmark is missing. In the tabular area, the line for “Swell/Dip Wave” must have a checkmark in the box at the left of the each line that you wish to transfer.  If the checkmark is missing, either click on the box or click the “Select All” button above the tabular area.

You must click on the “Receive and View” or the “Receive Only” buttons at the upper right to receive the log.

S700    Number of high speed transient events is 0

PowerSight does not have a transient log stored in it.  Possible explanations are that the transient trigger thresholds were not set properly, no transient events occurred, monitoring stopped sooner than expected, or someone re-started monitoring after you were done monitoring (which erased the old data).  To determine if monitoring was stopped sooner than expected, press the Time key of PowerSight twice to see the elapsed time.  This is how long PowerSight thinks the monitoring session lasted.  See if that is what you expected.  Possible explanations for monitoring stopping sooner than expected are that the meter was running on its battery and it ran down, that someone turned the meter off, that someone stopped the monitoring session, that an programmed log stop time was set in the meter and that time was reached.  To check for a programmed stop time, press the Time key of PowerSight several times until it displays the “Log Stop Time:”.  To determine if monitoring was started again, press the Time key of PowerSight several times until it displays the time and date that the last monitoring session started.  If this is more recent than the time you expected, then monitoring was restarted.

S710    Can’t transfer high speed transient events out of PowerSight

Look in the “Data Types to Receive” section at the upper right of the Receive Data screen.  There has to be a checkmark in the box of the “High Speed Transients” line.  Click the box, if the checkmark is missing. In the tabular area, the line for “Transient Log” must have a checkmark in the box at the left of the line.  If the checkmark is missing, either click on the box or click the “Select All” button above the tabular area. You must click on the “Receive and View” or the “Receive Only” buttons at the upper right to receive the log.

S750    No high speed transient waveforms are available

PowerSight does not have any transient waveforms stored in it.  Possible explanations are that the transient trigger thresholds were not set properly, no swell/dip events occurred, monitoring stopped sooner than expected, or someone re-started monitoring after you were done monitoring (which erased the old data).  To determine if monitoring was stopped sooner than expected, press the Time key of PowerSight twice to see the elapsed time.  This is how long PowerSight thinks the monitoring session lasted.  See if that is what you expected.  Possible explanations for monitoring stopping sooner than expected are that the meter was running on its battery and it ran down, that someone turned the meter off, that someone stopped the monitoring session, that an programmed log stop time was set in the meter and that time was reached.  To check for a programmed stop time, press the Time key of PowerSight several times until it displays the “Log Stop Time:”.  To determine if monitoring was started again, press the Time key of PowerSight several times until it displays the time and date that the last monitoring session started.  If this is more recent than the time you expected, then monitoring was restarted.

S760    Can’t transfer high speed transient waveforms out of PowerSight

Look in the “Data Types to Receive” section at the upper right of the Receive Data screen.  There has to be a checkmark in the box of the “High Speed Transients” line.  Click the box, if the checkmark is missing. In the tabular area, the line for “Transient Wave” must have a checkmark in the box at the left of the each line that you wish to transfer.  If the checkmark is missing, either click on the box or click the “Select All” button above the tabular area.

You must click on the “Receive and View” or the “Receive Only” buttons at the upper right to receive the log.

Technical Support
Summit Technology
support@SummitTechnology.com
www.SummitTechnology.com