FX communication issue with Vista

[xlchjoe 0]

Hi there, In the process of trying to run GX Developer with an FX2N. Can't get the USB PLC 2.0 driver to load therefore no communication. Driver I have is from PLCCABLES.COM. Have tried versions 1.1 and 5 with no success. (Yellow) Cable I purchased on EBAY came with a mini cd that no matter what I try to load from it I get an instant "Fail". Help please. Joe

[kaare_t 155]

How does the programming cable to the PLC look like (not yellow I hope...)? If I understand you correctly, you have a USB->RS232 converter but you cannot get the converter driver to work with your computer?

[xlchjoe 0]

Outer sheathing is yellow. I say that because the seller asked me if I recieved the yellow or black cable. He hasn't answered me back yet. You are correct on other question. Seems no matter where I put the downloaded driver I get an error of "not found".

[kaare_t 155]

OK, I see. This is really not a Mitsubishi PLC problem, the cable is not an original SC-09 cable (which is red, produced by Beijer/Mitsubishi). You have a complete custom cable with USB -> RS232 converter (and further RS232 -> RS422) converter built in. Of course we'll still help you, but I just wanted to state this so we know where the problem is (not the PLC, but the cable and the custom driver). Do you have the specific article number of the cable you purchased? I'm not really sure if you should download the driver "DGJX", "CP210x", "1.1" or "5.0". Could you post a screenshot of the error when you try to install the driver? The problem occurs when trying to install, correct? Are you an administrator on your computer (you'll probably need admin elevation to be able to install this driver)?

[xlchjoe 0]

The item # on the box is USB-SC09-FX. Serial # on box is 1 345180 105046(barcode). Another sticker says MC.QW.103-2. (Thinking this is suppose to be the Vista/Windows 7 version as opposed to the MC.QW.103-1 XP version in shortcut below) This is a shortcut to the item I bought... http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=140936187840&ssPageName=ADME:L:OC:US:1120 Tomorrow at work I will save some screenshots of the errors. Thanks for helping, Joe

[kaare_t 155]

Great, keep us updated!

[xlchjoe 0]

I'm up! All is well. Was not set up with right Vista driver. Thanks, Joe

[xlchjoe 0]

OK. Let me rephrase that...I'm up. All is not well. My tale of woe... I couple weeks(years?) ago a battery went dead in an FX2N in one of our machines. Program was only in RAM so it got dumped. Went back to German supplier of machine and they sold us an EPROM for a grand. They wouldn't give me a hard copy of program to manually load because of what they said was proprietery reasons. Got the EPROM, plugged it in and ...nothing. I did get my Run light back but had zero functionality. Talked to the machine rep and he said Germany said the PLC must be bad and for $4K they would fix us right up with a new PLC. Doubting Joe said to the higher ups how about I get a programming cable and some free software and verify what they are saying. Well lo and behold I took the EPROM out and wrote a quick program, downloaded it, and the PLC seems just fine. So now my question is even though I have a Run light with the EPROM installed, is there a setting someplace that I'm not seeing that needs to be set to actually run? EPROM must load the PLC's RAM on boot up because I am able to see the program. In monitor mode I can make and see the inputs(X's) toggle but none of the outputs will. Analysis Spocks? Joe L. Edited 5 Sep 2013 by xlchjoe

[Crossbow 297]

First, make sure the PLC is OFF when you install or remove the EPROM. Those are not hot swappable. When the PLC powers up with the memory card installed, it runs that program instead of whatever program is in RAM. It never copies the program off the memory module, it just runs it from there. If you power on with the memory module installed and you do an upload, it's an upload from the memory module. If there is no memory module at power-up, you are working with the internal RAM. Those generic cables selling all over the Internet are questionable. Several vendors all sell different ones, and so the drivers are dependent on which chipset is used in the one you bought. Only person who can say is the one who built it. I never buy those aftermarket cables, especially not ones which have electronics inside like the USB converter ones. More hassle than the money saved.

[kaare_t 155]

I would call Germany again stating the the PLC is fine, but the EEPROM was defect and you have to receive a new one free of charge. As Crossbow says when the EEPROM is installed in the PLC it will load the EEPROM during boot up into the "Run-RAM" of the PLC. When the EEPROM is not installed it will load the program from the program RAM into the "Run-RAM" of the PLC. Since you've overwritten a new program to the EEPROM (you transferred a program while the EEPROM was installed). Now you have an EEPROM without the correct program. All in all, your PLC seems to work fine, and you'll need to get a correctly programmed EEPROM from Germany since you don't have the complete program.

[xlchjoe 0]

I took the EPROM out before loading my program. Didn't want to damage the "evidence"!

[kaare_t 155]

OK. So when you insert the EEPROM, power on the PLC and then put it into RUN, it doesn't work as expected? Basically, if the EEPROM is correctly programmed from Germany then you should not do anything to the PLC after inserting, power-on and run. Just let it work. Did you say previously that you could (without the EEPROM) program the PLC but you could not get the outputs to work? So basically the PLC is probably defect, or did I misunderstand you?

[xlchjoe 0]

Without the EPROM and a quick written downloaded program the PLC works fine. I said WITH the EPROM I get no outputs. I suspect a bad EPROM. Just touching base to see if Mitsubishis have any quirks that I am overlooking.

[kaare_t 155]

Ah, I see. You can safely call Germany and state that there's something wrong with the EEPROM. Mitsubishi works fine with the EEPROM's. No matter if there's a program in the built-in RAM memory or not, when you insert the EEPROM module and power on the PLC it will automatically load from the EEPROM (this is the case for FX series PLC's from Mitsubishi). Call them and get a new EEPROM.

[xlchjoe 0]

Stay tuned. (...I miss the ol' days working with simple 5TI's. )

[kaare_t 155]

I'm young........

[xlchjoe 0]

I'm older young.