Hi there
Not being all that educated, just your basic sparks normally entrusted to replacing 60wBC lamps, I'm in a mess trying to recover our industrial wood burner.
Its controlled by a AB SLC500/3 7rack PLC viable adjustments to timers/counters made via a Panelview 300, which inexplicably lost its program leaving us with a box of tricks running rampant without any real control. Of course we have no backup and the Burner company no longer exist, so we are up the Swannie without a paddle.
We invested in RSLogix software and interface leads in a hope of communicating with the system via the lap top. We have also obtained a version of Panelview32 (3.70.00) The Panelview is connected directly to the SLC500 via a DF1 lead (2706 NC13 rs232?). I have eventually managed to drag off the SLC 500 program, which I'm in the process of defining how it does its magic. But have completely failed in communicating with the panel view. So I must be doing something wrong.
We have 1747-PIC-A, USB 1747-UIC ad1.3 and 1747-CIO SerB leads, and trying to communicate with a laptop with serial and USB ports.
Any help guys???

Bummer about the lack of backups. I presume you're going to embark on a program of backing up other systems in the facility that are in similarly precarious situations.

Maybe the PanelView isn't communicating for the same reason that it lost it's program. Is there an error message on the screen ?

Because there are so many different variations of the A-B PanelView product, you will have to post the exact part number for anyone to be certain of how to communicate with it.

You mentioned that the PanelView connects to the SLC-5/03 using a 2706-NC13 cable. That is a straight-through serial cable that connects to Channel 0 of the SLC-5/03 controller. This doesn't tell us for certain what protocol (DF1 Full Duplex or DH485) the PanelView is using. The PanelView's port labels and the PanelView part number will tell us for certain.



You mentioned being "up the Suwanee". Are you in Georgia or in Florida ?

Thanks for replying Eddie.
I'm actually the maintenance engineer for furniture manufacturer in Hinckley, Leicestershire, UK.

My knowledge of PLCs is self taught and somewhat limited. In my experience with some other makes of PLC, such as Siemens S5 & S7, Mitsibushi etc, I've not come across such a complicated communication system as this AB. Others seem to be 'Plug n Play'.
I've read through the manuals of both SLC500 and Panelview without much success as far as the Panelview 300 is concerned. Through other topic postings here, I feel I am missing a certain driver but cant be sure.
I managed to get to the SLC500 via the 1747-PIC interface and driver, and expected to see the through link to the PV300 but no. Mentioned on here is a UIC driver which I dont seem able to find anywhere.
You ask for specific PV300 details............
Its a PV300 (2711 K3A17L1 AB 4.10.) if thats any help. I believe its a DF1 Full Duplex from a label DF1 stuck by the sole connection port.
We suspect a lightening strike on the burner building caused the damage as it also took out a Siemens S7 214 unit on our extraction in the same building. (That I replaced and reprogrammed).
We did have a consultant come in to take a look whilst I was on leave, who says the PV300 is ok but empty of any program. Unfortunately, the bosses aren't prepared to spend £1000s on the consultant rewriting a program as he is a software engineer and not a nuts & bolts man, and would have to spend weeks working out how everything is designed to work. And so I've took it on my back to give it a go. I think I can master it to a certain degree, if I can only get to talk to it.
I hope this info will enable you to help me, I'll much appreciate it.
Cheers Chris

You can use the 2711-NC13 cable which is linking the processor to the Panelview, to communicate with the Panelview, unplug the cable from the processor and plug it into the 232 port on your laptop, set-up a RS232 DF1 driver in rslinx, you'll have to either disable or delete your PIC driver as it uses the same port.

Try and upload with the panelbuilder software, you should be able to browse and see your panelview.

Try and upload the program first just in case there is something recoverable.

I would comment your PLC program as best you can (use the drawings, if you have any, for I/O) and work out other logic as you go. You will be able to adjust any data registers with the RSLogix 500 software so you should be able to get by without an HMI for a while, make a back-up copy first before changing anything and lock it away.

Give some thought before adjusting anything, especially with something temperature related, as your Panelview may have had limits built in to prevent input of incorrect data.

The Swannie? its somewhere near SxxT creek isn't it?

Thank you immensely Guys........You've been a great help.

I've commented and labelled all I/Os and logic bits, backed up all programs etc, so now able to paddle ahead with this new found Lollipop stick.
Managed to communicate with the PV300 using the 232 serial port ok. (Think possible problem could have been com port already being used....."you'll have to either disable or delete your PIC driver as it uses the same port".......thanks for that).

Now new problem
I am using PanelBuilder32 Version 3.70.00, part No 2711-ND3. When I tried to upload from the PV300 it seems to be doing the business then comes up with an error message...Unable to load file due to not being a PanelBuild32 file. ??????
I'm trying to contact RockwellAutomation help line here in UK.
Any ideas?

This could be due to the original problem you have, i.e. Panelview file corrupt.

My other thought was your version of software, but I think it will upload the file from the Panelview but you won't be able to open it with the wrong software version. Maybe someone can confirm this as I have no equipment at the moment to test this.

You could also upload the program from the panelview using the dh-485 cable you have.

In Panelbuilder32, once you select upload point to SLC and there should be a plus symbol beside it click it and it will show the df-1 port and then upload that way.

If you are getting a error however when uploading the problem might be that the file is corrupt on the panelview

Thanks Guys
Not had time to update this message thread as been busy with the annual "This is the New Year, lets juggle every thing about...." syndrom stuff.
Have been able to communicate with the PV 300 via DF1 straight link. Still awaiting a return call from Rockwell Automation UK helpline. I have contacted the Consultant who told me he loaded a test program into the PV300 to test if healthy and assures me it is. Ran the test program on the PV300 ok so feel confident it is ok. But awaiting to hear from him further about why I cannot upload that to the laptop.
Face a busy weekend end trying to fathom this out. Well it keeps me out the pub, (laugh)

Take a step back: why are you trying to upload from the terminal at all ?

upload = transfer *.PVA file from PanelView terminal to PC.
download = transfer *.PVA file from PC to PanelView terminal.

If there was no program left in the terminal, and if the consultant loaded a test program, there's no reason to do anything except download a new application to the terminal.

I said upload as a just in case there was anything in the Panelview.
Earlier in the thread it was not stated that the consultant had downloaded a test program to it, obviously if he has done this then its time to start creating a new program.