Digital Potentiomer

You've been asking for NCD to bring back their Digital Potentiometer and they heard you!  Back in production as a Legacy controller, this device will not become obsolete as long as Parts Remain Available!  Based on the MCP42xx0 Series Digital Potentiometers, use a computer to change the resistor values on 8 different programmable resistors with up to 256 taps per potentiometer.  Available in Potentiometer values of 10 kΩ, 50 kΩ and 100 kΩ with a wiper current of up to 1mA per channel.  Set the Power-Up Default State of the first 32 Potentiometers or read the Power-Up Default State of Each Potentiometer.  All other Potentiometers default to a center position for all wipers.

Resistance Output

Potentiometers have 3 Connections: A, Wiper, and B. When a low value is sent to the controller, the wiper moves closer to A, decreasing the resistance between A and the wiper (increasing the resistance between the wiper and B).  When a high value is sent to the controller, the wiper moves closer to B, decreasing the resistance between the wiper and B (increasing the resistance between the wiper and A).  The first 32 channels of wiper values can be set to a power-up default state.  It is possible to set the wipers on all outputs individually or simultaneously.

Send Commands to Program the Output Resistance

You can send commands to program the output resistance of each individual output, or you program all outputs at the same time.  Other commands allow you to set the startup resistance of each output.  The ProXR command set allows you to send commands to activate relays, deactivate relays, control all the relays at one time, plus you can send commands that tell a relay to turn on for a few seconds, minutes, or hours.  You can assign 16 timers to any of the 256 relays, and set the timers to go off after the duration has expired.

Expandable as Your Needs Grow

Built on the ProXR Framework, the ProXR Series has a long history of reliability while maintaining an easy learning curve using our Base Station Software as a guide for controlling and using this product.  Equipped with a UXP expansion port, add up to 256 Potentiometer Channels by chaining expansions to this main controller board.  Equipped with a XR Expansion port, this device is capable of controlling up to 256 relays of various types using XR Series relay controllers.  Simply plug in any XR Expansion Relay Controller and you are ready to switch solid state relays, DPDT signal relays, general purpose SPDT relays, and high-power relays.  Supports simple relay control commands such as off, on, or toggle functions as well as more complex commands for activating relays using integrated timers.

New Version Shipping

Beginning Late 2020, NCD made some updates to this product to make it better with increased component count while maintaining the same functionality and footprint.  The New Rev G2 Series adds a better power supply circuit to improve noise immunity while providing increased power availability.  We als changed the color of the circuit board to Black and updated branding to ncd.io with updated logos.

Legacy Product

This is now a Legacy Product, which means it will never go obsolete as long as critical parts are still available to us.  Built with their new high-speed pick and place assembly line, they can complete the surface mount assembly process at a rate of several thousand units per day with the potential to scale to any volume you could imagine, so you never need to worry about supply quantities or supply chain problems.

More Interfaces Available

This controller features a modular communications interface, capable of accepting USB, RS-232, Ethernet, WiFi, Bluetooth, communication modules.  Control potentiometers directly from cloud platforms such as Amazon AWS or MQTT when working with our WiFi Bluetooth USB Communications module.  Control Potentiometers using a USB Interface and a Virtual COM Port communications when using our USB interface.  Control Potentiometers over WiFi or Ethernet by opening a TCP socket to port 2101 and start sending commands (as shown in Base Station).

Base Station Compatible

Use Base Station software to quickly learn the command structure for potentiometer control using a simple Point and Click interface that supports all communication technologies.

Resistance Output

Please keep in mind; our POT series controllers offer a resistance output, and cannot provide a voltage output of any kind without additional electronics.  The potentiometers are limited to applications that operate in the 0 to 5V range.  Each potentiometer has a maximum current capacity of 1ma.  Exceeding these rating will immediately damage the controller.

Connections

Potentiometers have 3 Connections: A, Wiper, and B. When a low value is sent to the controller, the wiper moves closer to A, decreasing the resistance between A and the wiper (increasing the resistance between the wiper and B).  When a high value is sent to the controller, the wiper moves closer to B, decreasing the resistance between the wiper and B (increasing the resistance between the wiper and A). The first 48 channels of wiper values can be set to a power-up default state.  It is possible to set the wipers on all outputs individually or simultaneously. 

Output Resistance

Send commands to program the output resistance of each individual output, or you program all outputs at the same time.  Other commands allow you to set the startup resistance of each output.  The ProXR command set allows you to send commands to activate relays, deactivate relays, control all the relays at one time, plus you can send commands that tell a relay to turn on for a few seconds, minutes, or hours.  You can assign 16 timers to any of the 256 relays, and set the timers to go off after the duration has expired.  The complete command set can be found in the ProXR Quick Start Guide located in the Data Sheets tab above.

This Board is RoHS Compliant

This board is led free and RoHS Compliant.  If your requirements are for RoHS compliant parts this board is manufactured with RoHS compliant led free parts and solder.

Precautions

This is an expansion module and must be connected to a compatible board to work.  This board will NOT work on it's own.  Please keep in mind; our POT series controllers offer a resistance output, and cannot provide a voltage output of any kind without additional electronics.  Integrated potentiometers are limited to applications that operate in the 0 to 5V range.  Each potentiometer has a maximum current capacity of 1ma.  Exceeding these rating will immediately damage the board.

Gen3 Ethernet Relay

Ethernet Relay Control

Introducing the NCD5500 Ethernet to Serial Converter.  NCD's 3rd Generation Converter setting new standards for reliability, low-cost, and ease of use!  Connect the complete line of NCD Industrial Devices to your Ethernet Network using this modular communications module from NCD.  Based on the their next generation Ethernet to Serial Converter, the NCD5500 was customized specifically for use with NCD devices to ensure optimal compatibility with our complete line of products.  This Ethernet communications module essentially converts TCP/IP data into serial data bytes, and sends these bytes to the complete line of NCD devices via Serial Communications.  This Ethernet communications module is suitable for use with endNode, ProXR*, ProXR Lite*, Fusion, Reactor*, and Taralist* series controllers as well as a broad range of IoT connected devices.  This Ethernet to Serial Communication Module is also Compatible with Alpha Station and Base Station, Making it Easy to Discover the IP Address.  Please note the Default Web Page Login Password is “admin” and may be changed by the user.

Ethernet to Serial Communications Module

This Ethernet to Serial Communications Module converts TCP packets to Serial data and vise versa.  This device can be configured to automatically close the socket after a programmable timeout or to leave the socket open.  A blue LED light indicates an open socket connection.  Program the Baud Rate of this Device from 9600 to 115.2K Baud and communicate to this device over the default TCP port 2101.  This device also supports Static IP Addresses, DHCP, and has the ability to recover back to factory default settings with a simple press of a button!

DHCP and Static IP Addresses

This module supports both DHCP and static IP Addressing. For communications reliability, especially via Remote Access, we recommend using a Static IP Address when you feel comfortable doing so.  This will ensure that the device will always be where you expect it to be when you try to connect to it.

TCP/IP Communications

The main method of communication to the Ethernet modules is a standard TCP Socket.  This communication protocol makes use of Network Sockets to create point to point tunnels that data can flow through bi-directionally.  In this way the computer that is controlling the relay can send commands and shortly thereafter receive the response through the same Socket.

3rd Generation Hardware Now Shipping

This is NCD's 3rd generation hardware for Ethernet to Serial communications, representing giant steps forward in reliability, easy of use, recover-ability, and LOW COST.  Yes, we are actually LOWERING the price of this device as costs have shrunk considerably from previous generation Ethernet to Serial conversion technologies.  Other significant improvements include new recovery options.  Not only is a web UI supported (as in previous generations), but also a new Windows application may be used to change settings and recover modules with an unknown IP address!  New firmware upgrade options are now available, allowing users to upgrade firmware as new features are released.

Password Protection

The Gen3 Module has security built-in.  Under the management tab users have the ability to assign a password to the module for security.

Port Forwarding

When using this board over the internet and outside the Local Area Network, Port Forwarding will be required.  Port Forwarding is a protocol used by your router to allow incoming requests for connections to get through to a specific device on a specific port.  Below is an example of how it works.  In this example a router has been setup to forward incoming requests for port 2101 to the device at the IP Address 192.168.2.19 on port 2101.  Now when any device that tries to access this Port on the External IP Address the router will see the request and automatically forward the request to the device at the IP Address of 192.168.2.19 on port 2101.  If this Port Forwarding rule was not in place and a request came in on port 2101 the router would not know which port or device to forward it to and the request for connection would be denied.  Note: Port Forwarding will not be necessary when using this within a Local Area Network.  For more on Port Forwarding with detailed instructions for every router visit: https://portforward.com/ .

Sending Commands

Base Station Software is available at no charge to get you up and running fast (more on Base Station below).  Once powered up, the controller waits for a ProXR command.  A command consists of a few bytes of data in numerical format (ProXR Enhanced Command Set) usually between 2 and 6 bytes.  Once the command has been received, the controller processes the command, and sends you back ASCII character code 85 to signal the completion of your command.  If a command was sent to read the status of the relay the status is sent back.

Add Relays as Your Needs Grow

The expansion board is compatible with the ProXR and Taralist Time Activated Relay boards.  The ProXR and Taralist boards are fitted with an XR Expansion Port where you can add expansion boards.  Expansion boards can be added until you reach 256 total relays.  As you continue to chain expansion boards onto an XR expansion port, the total number of available relay banks will increase.  Add expansion boards as needed in the future, whenever you require more relays simply order another expansion board.

Linking XR Expansion Boards Together

XR Expansion Boards consist of a XR Input and XR Output Connector.  Simply connect the XR Output of your ProXR Board to the XR Input located on the relay expansion board.  Chaining more relays is easy.  Simply connect the XR Output of your ProXR expansion board to the XR Input of your next expansion board.  Mix and Match different relay types as your application requires.  A 6″ expansion cable is included with this expansion board.

Will Not Operate Independently

This Expansion Board gets it's commands from the main ProXR or Taralist board and will not operate independently.  This board MUST be plugged into a ProXR or Taralist board to operate and will not function on it's own.

SPDT Relay Installed

This device has SPDT relays installed.  SPDT Single Pole Double Throw Relays have three connections - Common, Normally Open, and Normally Closed.  When the relay is off, the common is connected to the normally closed connection of the relay.  When the relay coil is energized, the Common swings to the Normally Open Connection of the Relay.  You can wire the device you are switching to either the Normally Open or the Normally Closed position using screw terminal connections.  The maximum guage wire the terminal can handle is 14 ga but we have used up to 12 ga solid core for several applications with no issues.

Mix & Match

Expansion boards do not need to be the same relay amperage as the main board or other expansion boards.  Mix &anp; match expansion board to get the exact amperage for your switching needs. 

Essential Power Requirements

This and all expansion boards require 12 VDC to operate.  We offer a wall-wart type power supply at checkout if you need to plug this into a 110 wall outlet.  Applying Good clean power to the board is essential for the operation of the board.  Without good steady clean power from a regulated power supply the board simply will not function correctly.  The PWR12 US power supply is a 120VAC to 12VDC 1.25A 60Hz regulated power supply and it plugs into the barrel connector on the board.  The output connector is a 2.1mm I.D. x 5.5mm O.D. x 9.5mm Female R/A barrel connector.  We also carry an international power supply with interchangeable adapters for international customers. Learn More

Maximum Relay Rating Notes

ProXR is capable of expanding to an absolute maximum of 256 Relays.  In some cases, it may not be possible to control all 256 relays, particularly in applications where high noise levels may be involved.  Experimentation may be required, as it is not possible for us to guarantee all users will be able to utilize all 256 relays in every application.  Noise tends to accumulate when several expansions are connected together.  For best results, the XR expansion cables must be as short as possible.

This Board is RoHS Compliant

This board is led free and RoHS Compliant.  If your requirements are for RoHS compliant parts this board is manufactured with RoHS compliant led free parts and solder.

2-Million Cycles

XR Expansion Boards are designed for long life just as the ProXR boards, you should expect to get years of service from expansion board and literally 2-million cycles from the relays on board.  With a 5-year warranty and a money back guarantee add more relay anytime the need arises!

5-Year Warranty/Money Back Guarantee

ProXR Lite series controllers are guaranteed against manufacturing and functionality defects for a full 5 years!  Not to mention a 30-day money back guarantee!  If for any reason you are not happy with a relay purchased from Relay Pros, simply return it within 30 days and we will give you your money back!  Controllers that are damaged by our customers will not of course be warranted under any circumstances. 

Data Sheets & Quick Start Guides

Below are the Data Sheets Quick Start Guides for this board.  These are the guides that will help you communicate and configure this board.