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Hart Scientific
9938 Frequently Asked Questions
Description
Installing MET/TEMP II
Using MET/TEMP II
Using MET/TEMP II with MET/TRACK
Using Fluke's Hydra Series II Dataloggers with MET/TEMP II
Using Fixed-Point Cells with MET/TEMP II
Calibrating a Heat Source using MET/TEMP II
Installation Questions and Answers
| Q. |
Can MET/TEMP II be installed on computers running Windows® 3.x or Windows® 95? |
| A. |
Although MET/TEMP II is still a 16-bit application, MET/TEMP II cannot be installed on computers running Windows® 3.x. MET/TEMP II can be installed on computers running Windows® 95, however if you plan to interface MET/TEMP II with MET/TRACK, you will have to be using Windows® 98 or later. MET/TRACK v7 cannot be installed on Windows® 95.
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Q. |
When I install MET/TEMP II, I am prompted to enter a serial number. Where do I find my serial number?
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| A. |
When you receive a CD and User Guide, the CD is located inside a pouch on the inside back cover of the User Guide. The serial number can be found on a white sticker on the lower left corner of the CD pouch. You may be required to provide proof of purchase (such as a PO number) to receive a serial number. If you downloaded MET/TEMP II and would like to install the working version, you must first place an order for the software to receive a serial number. See next question. |
| Q. |
I downloaded MET/TEMP II from the internet and installed the demo version. Now I want to buy it and start using it. What do I need to do? |
| A. |
If you would like to purchase MET/TEMP II, contact an application specialist. After taking your order and verifying the method of payment, they can give you the serial number that is required to install the working version of the software. Note: If you installed the demo version, you will be required to first uninstall the demo version completely, then re-install the software entering the serial number when prompted. This will install the working version. Before you will be able to use the software to perform calibrations, you will have to receive the SmartSwitch (RS-232 multiplexer) box and RS-232 cable that ship with the software. These items can usually be shipped overnight if the order is placed early in the day (MST). You can, however, begin to use the software to configure your test equipment and create configuration files.
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| Q. |
I am currently a Fluke MET/TEMP software user. What do I need to know about upgrading to MET/TEMP II? |
| A. |
MET/TEMP II is intended to replace Fluke's MET/TEMP software. MET/TEMP II is a completely different software package than MET/TEMP. It offers many more features and supports using many more instruments than MET/TEMP offered. Also, MET/TEMP II requires the use of a RS-232 multiplexer box (called the SmartSwitch) that allows multiple instruments to be connected to a single COM port. MET/TEMP II cannot be used without this multiplexer. For this reason, there is a cost to upgrade to MET/TEMP II. Please contact an application specialist for current pricing. |
| Q. |
I am currently a Calibrate-it and Generate-it user. What do I need to know about upgrading to MET/TEMP II? |
| A. |
MET/TEMP II is simply the next version of Calibrate-it. The name has been changed to fit in with Fluke's MET/ family of software. MET/TEMP II has many new features and support for new instruments. Major new features include support for using fixed-point cells, performing heat source calibrations, and an interface with Fluke's MET/TRACK software. Generate-it is now referred to as the MET/TEMP II Coefficients and Tables application and is included with every copy of MET/TEMP II. You can upgrade to MET/TEMP II for a modest price. Please contact an application specialist for current pricing. Read the following questions and answers for more information on upgrading from Calibrate-it to MET/TEMP II. |
| Q. |
Will my Calibrate-it and Generate-it data be accessible in MET/TEMP II if I upgrade? |
| A. |
When you install MET/TEMP II on a computer, MET/TEMP II searches for Calibrate-it. If it finds a copy of Calibrate-it installed on the computer, MET/TEMP II prompts you to choose whether or not to migrate all Calibrate-it calibration data (and Generate-it data if applicable) to the MET/TEMP II database. If you choose to do so, a copy of Calibrate-it's data (and Generate-it's data, if applicable) is written to the MET/TEMP II database, allowing you to print Reports of Calibration in MET/TEMP II for calibrations that were performed by Calibrate-it. After verifying that all calibration data was successfully migrated to the MET/TEMP II database, Calibrate-it can be removed (uninstalled) from the computer. |
| Q. |
Are my Calibrate-it configuration
files compatible with MET/TEMP II?
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| A. |
Yes. When you install MET/TEMP II on a computer, MET/TEMP II searches for Calibrate-it. If it finds a copy of Calibrate-it installed on the computer, MET/TEMP II prompts you to choose whether or not to copy all configuration, report, export, table, and other applicable files from the Calibrate-it folders to the MET/TEMP II folders. After installation is complete, you should be able to run MET/TEMP II and open any configuration files that were created by Calibrate-it. You may be prompted to install any necessary drivers for test instruments, but all other information should be intact. |
Using MET/TEMP II Questions and Answers
| Q. |
What issues exist when using MET/TEMP II
on Windows® 2000 or Windows® XP? |
| A. |
MET/TEMP II has been tested on Windows® 2000 Professional and Windows®
XP Professional and found to operate properly. There are no known issues at
this time. |
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Q. |
I need to calibrate 60 probes during one test, but my heat source can only accommodate 20 probes at a time. Since the MET/TEMP II allows up to four heat sources, can I use three heat sources simultaneously with 20 test probes in each one? |
| A. |
MET/TEMP II expects ALL test probes to be in the same heat source at the same time. Since the software only supports one reference probe, all test probes must be in the same heat source as the reference probe. Multiple heat sources can be used to either extend the temperature range for a test beyond the range of a single heat source or when certain heat sources are used at only one temperature (i.e. ice-point bath). |
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Q. |
I have a bath/drywell/furnace that was not manufactured by Hart Scientific and/or does not have a serial interface. Can I use it with MET/TEMP II? |
| A. |
MET/TEMP II can use any heat source, although only Hart heat sources with a serial interface can be fully automated by the software. If any other heat source is being used (what the software calls "external" heat sources), the user is prompted to set the temperature of the heat source when required by the software. |
| Q. |
My heat source(s) are calibrated and I want to use it/them as the reference. How do I configure the software to do this? |
| A. |
On either the Reference Readout or Heat Source Configuration dialog, select the "Use heat source(s) as reference" option. This will force the software to take reference readings from the heat source into which the test probes are inserted for each set-point. (Note: External heat sources cannot be used as the reference) |
| Q. |
I want to calibrate Liquid in Glass (LIG) thermometers with this software. Can this be done? |
| A. |
MET/TEMP II provides a way to calibrate LIG thermometers and other thermometers that cannot be connected to one of the scanner instruments supported by the software. Since LIG thermometers have no way of interfacing with a scanner, the user can select the "Do not use scanner…" option when configuring the scanner. During a test, the user will be prompted to manually enter readings for each test probe (thermometer) at the appropriate times. |
| Q. |
What is the absolute minimal instrument configuration required to run a test? |
| A. |
The absolute minimal configuration required to run a test consists of one interfaced heat source. The software must be configured to use the heat source as the reference and the scanner must be disabled by selecting the "Do not use scanner…" option. Up to 100 test probes can be calibrated simultaneously. The software will prompt the user to enter the readings for each test probe. You may contact an application specialist to determine the configuration that best meets your requirements. |
| Q. |
I configured the software to take resistance readings from a test probe, but the software took readings in a different scale. What happened? |
| A. |
MET/TEMP II attempts to configure each of the scanner channels to the selected scale when a test is started. However, because of limited communication with some instruments, the software is not always able to succeed. A message is displayed when a test starts asking the user to manually configure and verify each of the scanner channels for the appropriate scales. This ensures that readings will be taken in the correct scales. |
| Q. |
MET/TEMP II uses instrument "drivers" for each instrument that it must communicate with. Can I write my own driver for an instrument that I use that has a serial interface? |
| A. |
Hart will neither supply information for nor assist customers in writing a driver for any instrument. There is no guarantee that a driver written by a customer will work properly with the software. Hart writes and tests drivers for new Hart products as they become available. Check the Updates, Service Releases, Support for new products, etc. page for the most recent driver information for MET/TEMP II. |
| Q. |
The Report of Calibration generated by MET/TEMP II is not exactly what my company needs. What options are there for custom reports? |
| A. |
MET/TEMP II supports custom reports designed to meet the needs of our customers. To obtain a custom report, contact an application specialist to determine availability and pricing. The cost of a custom report depends on the complexity and requirements of the report. |
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Q. |
I always use the same instrument configuration to perform tests. Is there a fast and easy way to setup the software? |
| A. |
When the software is fully configured to start a test, select the Save As option from the File menu. This creates a .CFG file which contains the instrument configuration. The next time you need to run a test, simply open this configuration file. All instrument information will be configured automatically. The same applies to using the same set of set-points for multiple tests as well as the same set of test probes. Simply select the Save As button on the Set-point configuration or Test Probe Configuration dialogs respectively. |
| Q. |
I would like to import the data collected by MET/TEMP II into my analysis software or spreadsheet. Can this be done? |
| A. |
Calibration data and coefficients can be exported to text files using the MET/TEMP II Coefficients and Tables application (included with MET/TEMP II). The data that gets exported can be customized to suite your needs. |
| Q. |
Can I use a Model 1620 'DewK' Thermohygrometer to monitor ambient conditions during the test process? |
| A. |
Yes! A new feature in version 4.1 allows you to connect a Model 1620 'DewK' Thermohygrometer to one of the SmartSwitch ports and configure it to monitor the ambient temperature and humidity during an entire test. When the test is complete, the average temperature and humidity values are written to the database. |
| Q. |
How can I print my company's logo on the default Reports of Calibration? |
| A. |
A new feature in version 4.1 allows you to select a .BMP or .WMF file containing your company logo or any other graphic as the logo to print on the default Reports of Calibration. The logo will then print in the upper left corner of the Reports of Calibration. |
| Q. |
How can I adjust the margins on the Report of Calibration so I can print on company letterhead? |
| A. |
A new feature in version 4.1 allows you to specify the top, bottom, left, and right margins to use when printing Reports of Calibration. All margins are independently adjustable to accommodate specific needs. |
Using MET/TEMP II with MET/TRACK Questions And Answers
| Q. |
What is required to interface MET/TEMP II with MET/TRACK? |
| A. | Many changes have been made to MET/TEMP II to allow it to interface with the MET/TRACK database. However, MET/TEMP II can still be used as a stand-alone system. In order to activate the link to the MET/TRACK database, the following requirements must be met:
- You must be using MET/TRACK v7.01 or later
- You must download and install the latest MET/TRACK Service Pack (SP2
or later)
- You must purchase and apply a MET/TEMP II license (apply license using
MET/TRACK application)
- You must be running Windows® 98 or later; MET/TRACK v7 cannot be
installed on Windows® 95
- MET/TEMP II must be installed on a computer that has MET/TRACK v7
installed to run as a client or as a stand-alone system
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| Q. |
Can I still use MET/TEMP II as a stand-alone system? |
| A. |
Yes. The link to the MET/TRACK database is optional and can only be used if an optional license is purchased. This link can be enabled or disabled anytime you wish by simply changing a default setting in MET/TEMP II and restarting the software.
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| Q. |
Why doesn't MET/TEMP II work with prior versions of MET/TRACK? |
| A. |
There are may reasons why MET/TEMP II will not work with prior versions of MET/TRACK (v6.11 or earlier). The primary reason is that one of the tables that MET/TEMP II writes calibration data to did not exist in prior versions.
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| Q. |
How can I obtain a license to activate the link to MET/TRACK? |
| A. |
A license can be purchased from an application specialist at any time. You do not need to purchase a license at the time you purchase MET/TEMP II. Once you receive the license diskette, simply run the MET/TRACK application and apply the license to your system. Then run MET/TEMP II and login to the MET/TRACK database when prompted.
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| Q. |
To what extent does MET/TEMP II interface with the MET/TRACK database?
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| A. |
When the link to the MET/TRACK database is activated, a login prompt is displayed every time you run MET/TEMP II. You are required to enter your MET/TRACK login user ID and password. Once you are logged into the MET/TRACK database, you will notice that, as you configure test equipment and UUTs, the MT asset number box appears on all of the dialogs. Your MET/TRACK database MUST contain inventory records (and calibration records, where applicable) for all instruments that MET/TEMP II uses and for all UUTs that MET/TEMP II calibrates! When you select or enter the model, serial number and manufacturer information for an instrument, MET/TEMP II will query the MET/TRACK database to locate an inventory record for that instrument. If found, the asset number is filled in. Otherwise, MET/TEMP II indicates it could not locate an inventory record based on the information supplied. You will not be permitted to start a test until MET/TEMP II successfully locates inventory and calibration records (as applicable) for all instruments and UUTs. Once a calibration is complete, the calibration data can be exported to the MET/TRACK database. Doing this creates a new calibration summary record for all UUTs and writes the calibration data, including coefficients (if calculated) to the database. There are many user configurable settings to allow you to control how and when calibration data is exported to the MET/TRACK database.
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| Q. |
Why can't MET/TEMP II locate an asset in the MET/TRACK database?
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| A. |
In order for MET/TEMP II to successfully locate an asset in the MET/TRACK database, three pieces of information are required: model, serial number, and manufacturer. THE VALUES OF EACH OF THESE FIELDS IN MET/TEMP II MUST MATCH THE VALUES OF THESE FIELDS IN THE MET/TRACK DATABASE EXACTLY with the exception of case (i.e. "Hart Scientific" and "HART SCIENTIFIC" are considered a match). Because MET/TEMP II does not allow the manufacturer field to be changed for most test equipment, you may be required to modify the manufacturer information for an asset in the MET/TRACK database to achieve an exact match. Double-check your entries to make sure they are correct. |
Using Fluke's Hydra Series II Dataloggers with MET/TEMP II Questions and Answers
| Q. |
How does the Hydra need to be configured to be used with MET/TEMP II? |
| A. |
When using a Hydra Series II Dataglogger with MET/TEMP II, you must enable and configure each channel manually, before starting a calibration, to read the appropriate scale. When a calibration test starts, MET/TEMP II will send a command to the Hydra to enable scanning. The Hydra MUST be left scanning all enabled channels for the duration of the test for MET/TEMP II to be able to take readings on all enabled channels. When the test is complete, MET/TEMP II turns the scan function off. |
| Q. |
I calibrated some probes using the Hydra, but when I print the Report of Calibration, "No Reading" is printed in the UUT column. Why did this happen? |
| A. |
This problem usually indicates that the channel was not properly configured before the test started. This could also indicate that the probe was not properly connected to the channel. Verify the Hydra's channel configuration and the probe connection. Manually make sure the display of the Hydra indicates the appropriate reading for each channel prior to starting a test. |
Using Fixed-Point Cells with MET/TEMP II Questions and Answers
| Q. |
Can I use MET/TEMP II to perform
calibrations using fixed-point cells? |
| A. |
Yes. MET/TEMP II now supports using fixed-point cells. Because fixed-point cells typically allow a single probe to be inserted at a time, MET/TEMP II prompts you at the appropriate times to insert one UUT into the cell, counts down a user-defined soak time, then takes readings from that UUT. This process repeats for all UUTs. |
| Q. |
Can I mix fixed-points set-points and comparison set-points on the same calibration? |
| A. |
Fixed-point set-points can be mingled with comparison set-points, or MET/TEMP II can be configured to perform fixed-point only calibrations. |
| Q. |
What fixed-point cells can be used with
MET/TEMP II? |
| A. |
MET/TEMP II ships with a list of all fixed-point cells that Hart manufactures. You are simply required to enter the serial number of your cell before it can be used. You can add support for as many fixed-point cells as you want. Simply fill in the model, serial number, manufacturer, description, method of realization, reference temperature and dates (optional) and add it to your list. Since MET/TEMP II cannot actually differentiate between a fixed-point cell and a cup of ice, this feature can prove very useful for adding support for many types of fixed temperature heat sources such as the Hart Model 9101 Ice Point or a bath or furnace that constantly operates at one temperature. |
Calibrating a Heat Source using MET/TEMP II Questions and Answers
| Q. |
What heat sources can be calibrated by MET/TEMP II? |
| A. |
MET/TEMP II supports calibrating nearly all interfaced Hart dry-wells and micro-baths. MET/TEMP II does not support calibrating baths, furnaces, or the 917x series Metrology Wells.
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| Q. |
I can't figure out how to configure MET/TEMP II to calibrate my heat source. What am I doing wrong? |
| A. |
Since MET/TEMP II was originally designed to calibrate probes, setting up MET/TEMP II to calibrate a heat source is not necessarily intuitive or easy to understand. An entire section of the User Guide is dedicated to explaining how to configure MET/TEMP II to calibrate a heat source. Step by step instructions are provided. If you follow the instructions provided, you should be able to configure a heat source calibration with few problems if any.
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| Q. |
How do I configure the set-points to use for a heat source calibration? |
| A. |
Because a minimum number of set-points are required by MET/TEMP II to calibrate a heat source, MET/TEMP II requires you to open a pre-defined set-point configuration file. One configuration file for each heat source that MET/TEMP II can calibrate is provided with MET/TEMP II. These files are installed to the [C:\MetTemp2]\Config\CalFiles folder. These files contain recommended settings for calibrating heat sources, They are marked as read-only and should not be modified. You should use these files as a starting point for creating your own set-point configuration files. Open the appropriate set-point configuration file. If needed, modify the settings and save the new settings to a new set-point configuration file with a new filename. |
| Q. |
Can I configure MET/TEMP II to take As
Found data at 10 set-points? |
| A. |
MET/TEMP II defines the first 3 or 4 set-points as As Found set-points. The data taken at these set-points are used to calculate the new constants for the heat source. MET/TEMP II allows you to change the set-point value of the As Found set-points, however you are not allowed to remove these set-points or add more As Found set-points. You can, however, add as many As Left set-points as you like, up to 40 total set-points.
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| Q. |
How can I change the As Found set-points
that are used to calibrate the heat source? |
| A. |
The As Found set-points define the temperatures at which data are taken to calculate the new heat source constants. If you want to calibrate your heat source at different temperatures, open the appropriate set-point configuration file, select the first As Found set-point to change, then enter the new set-point value in the Set-point box. Select the next As Found set-point to change and enter its new set-point value in the Set-point box. When all set-point values have been changed, you may wish to save the new set-point configuration.
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| Q. |
How do I print a Report of Calibration for
a heat source calibration? |
| A. |
MET/TEMP II ships with a custom Report of Calibration for printing reports for heat source calibrations. To use the custom report, select the Use custom report option on the Print Test Reports dialog, click the Browse button and select the HEATSRC.EXE file in the [C:\MetTemp2]\Reports folder. Select the test number and click the Print button. This launches the custom heat source report application. Select the appropriate options and print the report.
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