VIPER connects a browser interface to the power supplies through the Raspberry Pi.
Components
| Component | Function |
|---|---|
| Browser or Pi touchscreen | Displays controls, telemetry, and waveforms. |
| Raspberry Pi | Hosts VIPER and communicates with the USB instruments. |
| Aardvark | Sends I2C commands and receives power-supply responses. |
| Beagle | Captures I2C traffic without transmitting. |
| PicoScope | Measures signals through connected probes. |
| VIPER interface unit | Holds power modules and provides connections to power and signals. |
The Aardvark provides hardware communication. The Beagle adds bus capture; the PicoScope adds waveform measurements.
See the Hardware diagram for connections.
Access
Open http://<pi-ip>:5173 from a computer on the same network.
The Pi hosts the interface on port 5173 and hardware service on port 3001.
The local interface works without internet after installation.
See Network setup.
Device discovery
VIPER scans I2C addresses 0x20 through 0x27 and identifies responding supplies.
The backplane’s address switches determine each supply’s address.
Eight scan addresses do not mean eight physical power-supply slots.
Confirm the displayed model and serial number before sending commands.
Saved data
| Data | Location |
|---|---|
| Theme, layout, and connection preferences | Browser storage. |
| Written device settings | Power-supply nonvolatile memory. |
| Exported configuration | A .bin file on your computer. |
Restarting the Pi does not restore the power supply’s original configuration. Use Configuration backup and restore to save or restore settings.
Customer-specific controls
Customer-specific builds can add controls that standard VIPER does not show, such as manual system reset. Contact NAI Support for the documentation that applies to your build.
For connection or measurement problems, use Troubleshooting.