SLC 5/04 and InView

[Guest trn_psycho]

Here's another one for you PLC brains... I have a SLC 5/04 on a machine with a panelview 600 (I think it's a 600 -color) connected via the DH-485 port. Now I know NOTHING of DH-485. I'm familure with serial connections and very comfortable with ethernet connections. (Normally use SLC 5/05 processers). Well, I was given an AB InView (2706-P22R) Message Display to hook up to the machine to display data remotely. Can I connect the message display to the open serial port on the PLC? (The one that I would normally plug my laptop into in order to program it?) Or is there some better way to connect it -Like through the DH-485 port? If I can hook it up through the DH-485, what all would I need to buy? Thanks in advance, Kevin

[mgvol 0]

You should be able to connect to SLC Ch. 0. Take a look at this link for hook-up/hardware details: http://literature.rockwellautomation.com/i...qs001_-en-p.pdf

[Guest trn_psycho]

Thanks... If I go with the DH-485 option, is there anything that I'll need to buy besides the cable? Also, do these connections daisy chain. (AKA: The PLC==>Panelview==>InViewDisplay: where ==> is the connection.) Before I bug you to much, let me say, I WILL be reading all docs before making the install, it's just easier to get some quick answers here first. How is addressing handled if everything is just daisy chained? Kevin

[mgvol 0]

I have never personally done this, but I woud imagine the architecture would be done like any other multi-drop AB DH-485 network. Simply daisy chain from device to device using a 1747-AIC or 1761-NET-AIC at each drop. I will post info on cables after a little research.

[Guest trn_psycho]

Cool... While I got someone who knows stuff online here... The .pdf file says, that in order to use channel 0 serial connection, the mode should be set to "USER". Most of the programs I've ever seen are set at "SYSTEM". First: What's the difference? Second: Will changing it to User kill access to something?

[mgvol 0]

O.K., let's back up a minute. If your device is just a 2706-P22R with a 9-pin serial port and no external comms adapters, the only way you can communicate is RS-232, with Ch. 0 set to USER mode, using the ASCII driver. I missed it in your original post, but you said you had a 5/04 with a PanelView connected to the DH-485 port. The 5/04 has a DH+ port along with the serial port, no DH-485 port. If this is the case, forget about daisy-chain of PLC>PanelView>InView. Just add the InView to the serial port configured as suggested in the .pdf, and send ASCII data to the InView. If you really want them all on the same network, then you would need a 2706-PDHPP DH+ comm module; then you could put the InView on DH+.

[Guest trn_psycho]

Ouch... How did I miss that one... In fact, I'm calling out to work now to have someone check for me if it IS a 5/04 and not a 5/03. (The machine is only a few weeks old, so I may have missed that.) Do you know of a good resorce that can explain the difference in the connection types for me: (DH vrs DH-485)? One other thing. I come from a background of software programming, so was wondering if "I create a VBA application within my RSLogix program (SLC 5/0X), can I call it from ladder?" (I'm using RSLOGIX 6.0 Pro...)

[Guest trn_psycho]

OK... Finally got in touch with the guys at work just to find out, I'm an idiot. It's a 5/03 not a 5/04.

[mgvol 0]

Then I would just put my DH-485 port of the SLC on network with Panelview and jsut do serial ASCII to the InView. The differences between DH+ and DH-485 are speed (19.2Kbaud for DH-485/57.6 kbaud to 230.4 kbaud for DH+) and transmission distances (I forget them all; DH+ can go ~3000 meters @57.6K or something like that). DH-485 is sort of half-duplex RS-485, I mean there's more to it than that, but that kind of stuff makes my head hurt. Are you sure the PanelView is DH-485? I mean is it already connected to the SLC and workng?

[Guest trn_psycho]

Yes, the P-view is installed and running. (I can send you the machine code if you'd like.) I'm pretty sure that it's connected via the DH-485, but I could be wrong. I've only connected to the SLC one time and that was through the open 9 pin serial connection on the front side. I don't remember seeing any other connection units in the tool.

[mgvol 0]

From: http://literature.rockwellautomation.com/i...um011_-en-p.pdf Data Highway Plus™ (DH+) channel offers: • communication rates of 57.6K, 115.2K, and 230.4K baud • maximum network length of 3,048m (10,000 ft.) at 57.6K baud • Belden™ 9463 (blue hose) cable connection between nodes (daisy chain connection) • built-in isolation DH-485 channel offers: • configurable isolation via the 1747-AIC or 1761-NET-AIC • maximum network length of 1219m (4,000 ft.) • RS-485 electrical specifications • Belden 9842 or Belden 3106A cable connection between nodes (daisy-chain connection) I hope this helps

[mgvol 0]

I assume that they have the PLC connected to the PanelView with a 1747-C10 cable. If you are going to add the InView to the serial port, you will no longer be able to access the SLC with your PC vai the serial port, since it will be configured for ASCII. What I would recommend is: Purchase a 1747-UIC (USB to DH-485 converter) and a 1747-C13 cable. When you need to go online with the 5/03 from your laptop, instead of using the RSLinx DF1 driver, use the UIC driver. Plug the converter into the USB port of you laptop, plug one end of the 1747-C13 into the RJ-45 port of the converter, place the selector on the converter to "DH-485", and plug the other end of the C13 cable into the RJ-45 on the bottom of the PanelView. This way you don't have to disconnect anything on your network to gain programming access to your SLC.

[Guest trn_psycho]

By setting it up this way, would I be using the serial port for the InView, or one of the DH-485 ports? (Please excuse my stupidity, I've been awake for a little over 24 hours now...) By the way, do I still need the converter if I have a dh-485 PCMCA network card in my laptop? Edited 17 Dec 2004 by trn_psycho

[mgvol 0]

No, if you have the 1784-PCMK, you do not need the UIC. You will have to use the InView with the SLC CH.0 serial port, configured for User mode-ASCII, unless you buy a separate DH-485 comms module for the InView. Then you would also have to add a 1747-AIC; I think I wouldn't mess with the SLC to PanelView link and just add the InView to the serial port as described.

[Guest trn_psycho]

sounds like good advice to me... Hey, thanks for all your help!!!

[mgvol 0]

No sweat! Hey look...5:00 p.m. It's beer-thirty!