Rigol DP832 MCP Server

A Python library and Model Context Protocol (MCP) server for controlling Rigol DP832 programmable power supplies via Ethernet connection using VISA TCP/IP.

Features

• Ethernet-only: Focused on Ethernet connections, no USB/USBTMC dependencies

• VISA TCP/IP: Uses industry-standard VISA TCP/IP for reliable communication

• Full DP832 Support: Complete control of all DP832 channels and features

• Network Discovery: Automatic discovery tools to find your DP832 on the network

• Easy to Use: Simple Python API for power supply control

• MCP Server: Model Context Protocol server for AI agent integration

• AI-Ready: Direct integration with AI assistants and automation workflows

Related MCP server: copper-mountain-vna-mcp

Supported Models

• DP832: 3-channel programmable power supply (primary focus)

• DP821: 2-channel programmable power supply

• DP712: 1-channel programmable power supply

Installation

Option 1: Install via pip (Recommended)

Install directly from GitHub:

pip install git+https://github.com/amahpour/rigol_dp832_mcp_server.git

Option 2: Clone and Install

1. Clone this repository:

git clone https://github.com/amahpour/rigol_dp832_mcp_server.git
cd rigol_dp832_mcp_server

2. Install the package:

pip install .

Option 3: Development Install

For development with editable mode:

git clone https://github.com/amahpour/rigol_dp832_mcp_server.git
cd rigol_dp832_mcp_server
pip install -e .

Quick Start

1. Connect Your DP832

Connect your DP832 to your network via Ethernet cable and configure its IP address.

2. Find Your Device

Use the automatic discovery tool to find your DP832:

python rigol_dp832/find_dp832.py

This will scan your network and provide the exact connection string to use.

3. Use the Library

from rigol_dp832.rigol_dp import DP832

# Connect to your DP832
ps = DP832(
    conn_type="VISA",
    visa_resource_string="TCPIP0::192.168.1.100::5555::SOCKET"
)

# Get device information
device_id = ps.id()
print(f"Connected to: {device_id['model']}")

# Set channel 1 to 5V, 1A and turn it on
ps.set_channel_settings(channel=1, voltage=5.0, current=1.0)
ps.set_output_state(channel=1, state=True)

# Read measurements
voltage = ps.measure_voltage(1)
current = ps.measure_current(1)
print(f"Voltage: {voltage:.3f}V, Current: {current:.3f}A")

# Turn off the output
ps.set_output_state(channel=1, state=False)

# Close connection
ps.close()

MCP Server Usage

This repository includes a Model Context Protocol (MCP) server that allows AI agents to directly control your Rigol power supply. The MCP server provides a comprehensive set of tools for device discovery, connection management, channel control, measurements, and protection settings.

1. Install Dependencies

Before running the MCP server, install the required Python packages:

pip install pyvisa fastmcp

Or install from the requirements file:

pip install -r requirements.txt

Or install the package itself (which pulls in all dependencies):

pip install git+https://github.com/amahpour/rigol_dp832_mcp_server.git

2. Add the MCP Server to Your Client

Add the following to your MCP client configuration. Replace /path/to/rigol_dp832_mcp_server with the actual path where you cloned the repository.

Cursor (~/.cursor/mcp.json):

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "rigol-dp832": {
      "command": "python3",
      "args": ["/path/to/rigol_dp832_mcp_server/mcp_rigol_dp832.py"],
      "env": {}
    }
  }
}

Claude Code (run this command):

claude mcp add --transport stdio rigol-dp832 -s user -- python3 /path/to/rigol_dp832_mcp_server/mcp_rigol_dp832.py

You can optionally set a static IP address and port via environment variables instead of relying on auto-discovery:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "rigol-dp832": {
      "command": "python3",
      "args": ["/path/to/rigol_dp832_mcp_server/mcp_rigol_dp832.py"],
      "env": {
        "RIGOL_DP832_IP": "192.168.1.100",
        "RIGOL_DP832_PORT": "5555"
      }
    }
  }
}

Configuration Options:

• RIGOL_DP832_IP: IP address of your power supply (optional — uses auto-discovery if not set)

• RIGOL_DP832_PORT: Port number (default: 5555)

3. Restart Your Client

Restart Cursor or Claude Code for the new MCP server to be picked up.

Once configured, you can interact with your power supply through natural language commands such as:

• "Connect to the power supply"

• "Set channel 1 to 5V and 1A"

• "Enable output on channel 1"

• "Measure the voltage and current on channel 1"

• "Discover available power supplies on the network"

Available MCP Tools

The MCP server provides the following tools:

Device Discovery & Connection

• discover_devices() - Find all Rigol power supplies on the network (auto-discovery)

• test_connection(ip_address=None) - Test connection to configured device or specific IP

• connect(ip_address=None, port=None) - Connect to configured device or specific IP/port

• disconnect() - Disconnect from current device

• get_device_info() - Get information about connected device

Channel Control

• set_channel_settings(channel, voltage, current) - Set voltage and current

• get_channel_settings(channel) - Get current settings

• set_output_state(channel, state) - Enable/disable output

• get_output_state(channel) - Get output state

Measurements

• measure_voltage(channel) - Measure voltage

• measure_current(channel) - Measure current

• measure_all(channel) - Measure voltage, current, and power

Protection Settings

• set_ocp_enabled(channel, state) - Enable/disable overcurrent protection

• get_ocp_enabled(channel) - Get OCP state

• set_ocp_value(channel, current_limit) - Set OCP current limit

• get_ocp_value(channel) - Get OCP current limit

• set_ovp_enabled(channel, state) - Enable/disable overvoltage protection

• get_ovp_enabled(channel) - Get OVP state

• set_ovp_value(channel, voltage_limit) - Set OVP voltage limit

• get_ovp_value(channel) - Get OVP voltage limit

Status & Diagnostics

• get_output_mode(channel) - Get output mode (CV/CC/UR)

• get_ocp_alarm(channel) - Check OCP alarm status

• get_ovp_alarm(channel) - Check OVP alarm status

• clear_ocp_alarm(channel) - Clear OCP alarm

• clear_ovp_alarm(channel) - Clear OVP alarm

• ping() - Health check

Network Discovery Tools

Automatic Discovery

python rigol_dp832/find_dp832.py

Scans your network and finds DP832 devices automatically.

Test Specific IP

python rigol_dp832/test_ip.py 192.168.1.100

Tests a specific IP address for DP832 connectivity.

Comprehensive Network Scan

python rigol_dp832/network_discovery.py

Performs a detailed network scan with multiple discovery methods.

API Reference

Connection

from rigol_dp832.rigol_dp import DP832

ps = DP832(
    conn_type="VISA",
    visa_resource_string="TCPIP0::<IP_ADDRESS>::5555::SOCKET"
)

Device Information

device_id = ps.id()
# Returns: {'manufacturer': 'RIGOL TECHNOLOGIES', 'model': 'DP832', ...}

Channel Control

# Set voltage and current
ps.set_channel_settings(channel=1, voltage=5.0, current=1.0)

# Enable/disable output
ps.set_output_state(channel=1, state=True)

# Get current settings
settings = ps.get_channel_settings(channel=1)
# Returns: {'voltage': 5.0, 'current': 1.0}

Measurements

# Individual measurements
voltage = ps.measure_voltage(channel=1)
current = ps.measure_current(channel=1)

# All measurements at once
measurements = ps.measure_all(channel=1)
# Returns: {'voltage': 5.0, 'current': 0.5, 'power': 2.5}

Protection Settings

# Overcurrent Protection (OCP)
ps.set_ocp_enabled(channel=1, state=True)
ps.set_ocp_value(channel=1, setting=1.5)
ocp_enabled = ps.get_ocp_enabled(channel=1)
ocp_value = ps.get_ocp_value(channel=1)

# Overvoltage Protection (OVP)
ps.set_ovp_enabled(channel=1, state=True)
ps.set_ovp_value(channel=1, setting=6.0)
ovp_enabled = ps.get_ovp_enabled(channel=1)
ovp_value = ps.get_ovp_value(channel=1)

Examples

See rigol_dp832/ethernet_example.py for a complete working example.

Troubleshooting

Connection Issues

1. Check IP Address: Verify the IP address is correct

2. Network Connectivity: Ping the device: ping 192.168.1.100

3. SCPI Interface: Ensure SCPI over Ethernet is enabled on the DP832

4. Firewall: Check that no firewall is blocking port 5555

5. PyVISA: Ensure PyVISA is installed and working

Common Error Codes

• -1073807339: Connection timeout (device not found or not responding)

• -1073807343: Invalid resource string format

• -1073807346: Device busy or locked

Requirements

• Python 3.6+

• PyVISA >= 1.11.0

• Network connection to DP832

What's Excluded

This library focuses on Ethernet connections only. The following have been intentionally excluded:

• USB/USBTMC connections

• Custom socket implementations

• Web server functionality

• OpenAI integration

License

This project is based on the original instrument-controllables library and maintains compatibility with the DP832 instrument control functionality.

Contributing

Feel free to submit issues and enhancement requests!