DPS150 Control Tool – dps150tool

1. Purpose

dps150tool is a minimalistic command-line utility designed to control and monitor the FNIRSI DPS150PD programmable DC power supply. It is intentionally kept very simple:

Each execution of the tool sends exactly one command to the power supply.

This makes it ideal for usage in custom shell scripts, automated testing, or remote control setups where reliability and predictability are key.

It allows users to:

• Set voltage and current
• Enable or disable output
• Configure protection settings
• Query output state or device information

2. Supported Device

This tool supports the FNIRSI DPS150PD, a compact, fully programmable DC bench power supply from the Chinese manufacturer FNIRSI.

Key features of the DPS150PD include:

• Output up to 30V / 5A with a resolution of 10mV / 1mA
• Total output power up to 150W, depending on the power input
• Compact and portable form factor, ideal for small workbenches or mobile setups
• USB-C interface for digital control and firmware updates
• Advanced features like:
  • Sequential output
  • Voltage/current sweep and scan
  • Real-time monitoring
  • Curve recording
  • Preset management with 6 user-defined profiles for fast switching
• IPS display rotatable by 90°, allowing comfortable viewing angles

Note:
The maximum achievable output power depends on the connected input source.
The included power adapter delivers 20V / 5A (100W).
For full 150W performance, an external power supply with 30V via USB-PD or 5.5×2.5mm DC plug is required.

3. Supported Platforms

This software currently supports Linux systems. It is written in portable C and uses POSIX APIs for serial communication. Other Unix-like systems may work, but are untested.

4. Installation

To install the tool, follow these steps:

git clone https://github.com/svenk123/dps150tool.git
cd dps150tool
make

The compiled binary will be named dps150tool.

5. Connecting the Power Supply

To connect the DPS150 to your PC:

1. Use a USB-A to USB-C or micro USB cable (depending on the DPS150 model).
2. Once plugged in, the system should detect a USB serial device, usually at /dev/ttyUSB0 or /dev/ttyACM0.
3. Ensure your user has permission to access the serial device (e.g. add yourself to the dialout group):

sudo usermod -aG dialout $USER

Then log out and back in.

6. Command-Line Options

Option	Description
-d <device>	Specify the serial device (default: /dev/ttyUSB0)
-u <voltage>	Set output voltage (0.0 to 30.0 V)
-i <current>	Set output current (0.0 to 5.0 A)
-x 0,1	Disable or enable Over Voltage Protection (OVP)
-y 0,1	Disable or enable Over Current Protection (OCP)
-o 0,1	Turn output OFF (0) or ON (1)
-U	Read and display current output voltage
-I	Read and display current output current
-V	Read and display device information (model, firmware, hardware)
-z	Do not send disconnect command before closing the port
-v	Debug output

7. Example Usage

Set voltage to 12V and enable output:

./dps150tool -u 12.0 -o 1

Set voltage and current, enable output, and turn on OVP:

./dps150tool -u 5.0 -i 1.0 -x 1 -o 1

Query output voltage and current:

./dps150tool -U -I

Display device information:

./dps150tool -V

Use alternative device path and skip disconnect command:

./dps150tool -d /dev/ttyUSB1 -z