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jazzplayermark

Trouble configuring Remote IO on Slc

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I've been reading for 2 days now and still can't get this remote link working. It's a simple system other that the NI8 in the remote rack. Any help will be greatly appreciated. Here's what I have: Local rack: Slot 0: SLC 5/03 L532 Series D Slot 1: 1747-SN set to 57.6K baud Slot 2: 1746IA16 Slot3: 1746OA16 Slot4: Empty Slot5: NI4 Slot6: NO4I Remote Rack: Slot 0: 1747 ASB Slot 1: NI8 My switches are set as follows: SW1: 1-8 ON SW2: 1-8 ON SW3: 1 Off 2 On 3 On 4 On 5 On 6 Off 7 Off 8 On I've attached my setup. sorry, I don't know how to display them as part of the post. My results so far are: 1747SN - Flashing red comm light 1747ASB - Flashing green comm light with 'ade' in the display. advanced.bmp gfile.bmp Edited by jazzplayermark

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Is it possible to get support from Allen Bradley on a 'one time' basis or must I purchase a support contract to get help? I'm beginning to stress over this project and after countless hours of studying and trial and error all I'm getting is 'errors'. :). I guess another question might be whether there are users on this site that might want to help me get through this for a fee? thanks, Mark

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I don't know if you can run a 1746-NI8 in "discrete" mode in a remote rack over RIO. The RIO protocol is much older even than the SLC-500 operating system, so they both are oriented toward the use of 16-bit data. Larger module I/O images generally require the use of "Block Transfer" instructions. So let's settle the first question: do you need Block Transfers to use the 1746-NI8 with a 1747-ASB ?

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After reading a little bit I think the answer is that the 1746-NI8 has to run in "Class 1" mode when it's in a remote chassis with a 1747-ASB, and that you have to use block transfers to communicate with it. The RA Knowledgebase and Technical Support are for users with TechConnect contracts. You can get per-incident support, but the up-front cost is intentionally high. There are examples in the Knowledgebase of how to program block transfers to this module. I know they work. How many slots are in your "remote rack" (what is the chassis part number) ? Can you post your existing program ?

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Ken: My chassis is a A1745-A7. I don't have any software written as of yet. I'm still trying to get the comm link working. This chassis will only have the NI8 board in it. It's just a room with 2 4-20 sensors. I can't get into the knowledgebase because I don't have an account and I may be forced to do the per incident thing with AB if I can't get it going. I'm still reading and trying to understand this thing. mark

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Give the attached *.RSS file a try. It should read your 1746-NI8 data into data registers N250:0 through N250:7 Block_Xfer_NI8.RSS

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Thank you Ken. This has been very helpful. I've been studying it a lot and I am closer to getting it going. I finally have the configuration correct(I think) and I have green comm lights on both the scanner and the ASB module. Where I'm at now is it looks like the BTW and BTR never complete. I'm getting an error code -9 which the scanner docs say is a timeout. The precondition bit is staying set, also indicating the BTW never completes. One thing to note: The NI8 board has been replaced with an NI4. I know that might change a few things. I changed the length on the COP M1 and the configuration MOV on line 10 to 4. I'm a little stuck again..... Edited by jazzplayermark

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Yes, replacement of the 8-channel module with a 4-channel module changes the length of the Block Transfers and removes the configuration block transfer. Length is very important in the RIO block transfer protocol. In some sophisticated modules you can have multiple block transfers to the module which are only distinguished by their Length value. The 1746-NI4 will actually be easier, because there is no Block Transfer Write needed to configure it. You just set the DIP switch onboard for Voltage or Current mode, then read 4 words of input data from the module. Give the attached example a try. BTR_NI4.RSS Edited by Ken Roach

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Ken thank you so much for your help. I mostly understand it now and I don't know if I would have gotten it without your help. I thought that the NI4 didn't need any configuration as I couldn't find a reference for it in the manual and I did have the dip switches set for current. I'm off and running!!

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I'm trying to do something similar, although my app will require multiple NI8's in remote racks. I have a test set up with two in a remote 4-slot rack, and the second doesn't seem to be receiving channel config data (the individual channel lights never come on). No errors on the BT's, but I get only zeros from the second module. First module works fine; reports noise on open channels and correct data with a 20ma signal injected. I know the module is good because I previously tested it in the local rack, plus I swapped the working and non-working modules in the remote rack, as well as trying different slots altogether. I'll need 2-slot addressing mode to accomodate the number of modules in the final app and started out configured for such. Couldn't get it to work, and just to check if there was some incompatibility between NI8's and 2-slot mode, I changed it to 1-slot. Still no joy. All the comms LED's and the ladder seem happy, module status but no channel status lights on the second module and no data. I have a 5/05 with Ser C FRN 10 OS, and I'm using BTW and BTR blocks in ladder, and a Ser B scanner.

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OK, working now. The problem was that the BTW writing config data to the second module was not getting triggered, even though I was using a triggering method I'd used before (albeit on different RIO architectures). Once I redid the BT triggering everything started working as expected. So what was actually happening was that the BTR's were in fact working, but only zeros were being returned as channel data because the bits you have to set as part of the config to enable the channels weren't being written to the module. Edited by Controls Guy

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