Blue hose (AB RIO or DH+) in festoon?

[wildswing 0]

Hey fellas, Has anyone ever run across Blue Hose type cable that can be used in a festoon system? We have a mobile storage cart that's run by an on-board SLC 5/04, but sends/receives some info from a PLC5 over a funky hardwired setup consisting of 1/2 dozen discrete lines (multiplexed binary mess). We'd love to upgrade and make the SLC a RIO drop for the 5. Any suggestions? I've added another question about making the SLC a RIO scanner HERE. Edited 10 Nov 2006 by wildswing

[wildswing 0]

Referring to my previous thread asking about blue hose type festoon cable. What's it take to make a SLC 5/04 a RIO drop for a PLC 5? Can I set up the port on the processor as a RIO scanner or do I have to buy a new module? Edited 10 Nov 2006 by wildswing

[TimWilborne 108]

Hi Wildswing. I merged the topics back together because the first question I was going to ask was do you have to use RIO. By reading the second question I realize your working with a PLC5 and that is probably why. But I'll ask it anyway, do you have to use RIO. Edit - I knew this thread sounded familiar. Did the wireless idea not work? http://forums.mrplc.com/index.php?showtopic=9031

[Ken Roach 194]

I think I understand the question; you're looking at the DH+ port on the SLC-5/04 and wondering if it can be turned into a RIO port, like the ports on the PLC-5 can. The answer is no, that port is DH+ only. The SLC is necessarily a smaller controller, but it got RIO connectivity early in it's life with the 1747-SN scanner and 1747-ASB adapter. The -ASB can only be in a chassis instead of a controller, so that's not going to be able to connect your SLC-5/04 to your PLC-5. There is a discontinued module called the 1747-DCM (Direct Communication Module) that was built originally for the 5/02 controller. It acts as a little RIO adapter drop and passes 4 Words of discrete data back and forth to a PLC RIO scanner. If you can find one and that's enough data, it would be a cheap and easy way to add this cart system to a PLC-5's RIO scanlist. Another method I've seen done is to switch the roles; install a 1747-SN RIO scanner in the SLC chassis (it can go in any slot) and configure a port on the PLC-5 as a RIO adapter. The addressing can be a little complicated, and this is likely to only work out if you have a PLC-5/40 or /80 with an unused RIO port, but it will allow you to transfer the most data between the two systems. Belden makes the widest variety of RIO/DH+ compatible cables, including the classic 9463. They have a high-flex variation called 9463F. Their "blue hose" product sheet is here: http://belden.com/pdfs/MasterCatalogPDF/PD...trial/15.12.pdf

[wildswing 0]

Thanks for the housekeeping TW. I though someone would recognize the question:) I can't find anybody that makes reliable DH+ or RIO wireless solutions without getting into protocol converters and such. No sense in beating my head against this rock this long, and I'm not looking to reinvent the wheel thus the blue hose question. Looks like it'll be the easiest and least expensive solution. Ken, thanks very much for the info. I remember working with a DCM back in school when they had just come out. I'll see if I can find one. Ebay is a beautiful 'ting! DH+ is also an option but will require messaging instead of simple IO in the 5. DH+ would also have the benefit of being able to program and troubleshoot this thing remotely, instead of having to walk along beside it. Just to explain further, this unit is already hard wired to the master PLC5. 8 of those conductors are used to relay info back and forth 4 in/4 out in binary. Lots of timers & counters and masked moves and such as info is sent in packages. I thibnk the original oem figured out he was running out of wires and decided to use what was left to create this home brew setup. It can be difficult to troubleshoot and is very limited. I'm just looking to make the world a little easier for this little guy. Edited 10 Nov 2006 by wildswing

[Ken Roach 194]

Just tell me this isn't a storage/retrieval system at the GP Flakeboard plant. Please, not that thing again. We called it "Christine".

[BobLfoot 301]

Allow me to layout your kernel program if you go DH+ and messaging. IN THE SLC 5/04 Add two Integer Data Files {Example N100 and N101} each of size 128. N100 can be named TO_PLC5 N101 can be named FROM_PLC5 Add a ladder file {example LAD100} called from LAD2 which will contian all messaging logic. Ladder 100 is structured as follows Several Rungs Moving internal logic flags to N100 Integers MSG PLC5 Typed_Read N101 this PLC N101 target plc length 128 ADD N101:0 1 N100:0 NEQ N100:0 N101:0 TON T4:100 1.0 5 XIC T4:100/dn OTE B3:100/0 {Message Watchdog Error} Several Rungs Moving N101 integers and bits to internal logic flags IN THE PLC 5 Add two Integer Data Files {Example N100 and N101} each of size 128. N100 can be named FROM_SLC5 N101 can be named TO_SLC5 Add a ladder file {example LAD100} called from LAD2 which will contian all messaging logic. Ladder 100 is structured as follows Several Rungs Moving internal logic flags to N101 Integers MSG SLC5/04 Typed_Read N100 this PLC N100 target plc length 128 MOV N100:0 N101:0 EQU N100:0 N101:0 TON T4:100 1.0 5 XIC T4:100/dn OTE B3:100/0 {Message Watchdog Error} Several Rungs Moving N100 integers and bits to internal logic flags Hope this helps.

[David Nelson 3]

quick question while on the subject of DH+ does any one have a link or info on the termination resistors for DH+ network? such as values of the resistors needed. thanks

[BobLfoot 301]

This Manual should help with DH, DH+ and DH-485.

[David Nelson 3]

thanks Bob . i have searched many times at rockwell and didnt find this one. thanks again

[BobLfoot 301]

I just got lucky twice. 1. Finding the link 2. Beating Mickey in posting it.

[wildswing 0]

WOW! Talk about pulling skeletons out of a closet. It's deja vu all over again! You got it, chum! It is Christine !!!! The one and only! Ken...I saw your reply on Friday afternoon but was ROTFLMAO so hard that I didn't quite know how to respond. I pulled all the electrical guys that I could find who were here during start up into my office to read your reply. Talk about jaws hitting the floor. There goes my anonymity. I gotta ask...how do you know about Christine! Nobody here recognizes your name. Bets here are on you working for the oem? FYI...we haven't called her Christine, at least regularly, since we did an in-house rebuild many years ago. We completely rebuilt the sub-cart with a stronger structure, new cable reel and torque motor, chains, jacks, pretty much everything. We also rewired the entire unit, installing a new enclosure to house everything on the main cart. Another little bit of trivia...I coined the name "Chistine" back during the start up days. Bob...thanks for the info. On the subject of messaging to/from PLC5 <--> SLC 5/04, I remember reading about some sort of data table flags that can be used without MSG instructions. [EDIT: Global Status Flags (GSF)]. I've never used these before. Our peer to peer messaging was set up here without much thought put into the global picture. Oems and the original electrical eng firm just added MSG instructions where needed. I vaguely remember reading that each PLC has to be set up in some kind of similar fashion for this to work. Please help me understand how this GSF stuff works and how to set it up properly. Your feedback is very much appreciated! Edited 13 Nov 2006 by wildswing

[Ken Roach 194]

Oh, goodness. There goes my anonymity. This morning we're having a meeting and I know they've got my ten-year service award up their sleeves. I think I'm officially an old-timer here at Rockwell, which means the startup out at the Soo was.... gosh. A while ago. I did work for the OEM then. I wasn't the designer (dont' shoot !) but they were perenially understaffed and I was the cleanup guy. I put in the filter logic so the cart wouldn't shy away from forklift trucks that crossed it's laser distance gauge, and I think I re-wrote the sub-cart interlocks. I also learned to drive a Dodge Neon in the snow and began to understand Alanis Morisette's attitude during that winter. We can correspond on that whole history offline. The basic operation of the Global Status Words is that each device on which this function is enabled will have a 64-word data table section dedicated to Global Status. The one-word element corresponding to the Node Number contains the "broadcast" data word from that node. In the RSLogix 500, go into the Processor Status window and find the far-right tab. GSW words begin at S:100, and remember the addresses for DH+ are in Octal. The data that is broadcast from your SLC is in S:99. It's not a great way to get a lot of data around, but it can be a convenient transport for interlock bits.

[wildswing 0]

Ken, I've sent you a PM.