PanelView+ Multiple PLC's

[mjrx 1]

Is it possible for a PanelView+ 1000 to talk to both a PLC5 and a CompactLogix at the same time?

[bikerdude 0]

yes

[Ken Roach 194]

In general, yes. Exceptions: 1. The reduced-capacity PanelView Plus "Compact" models support only one connected controller. 2. Network limitations; if you only have RS-232 on both the PLC-5 and CompactLogix but need to connect to the PV+, which has only one serial port. This is unlikely but I like to be thorough.

[mjrx 1]

Thanks for that. I was thinking I could do it via DH+ / the PLC5/20 has a DH+ port and the ControlLogix has a DH+ card. My second option is to do a MSG read/write from the ControLogix to the PLC5, and read that data with the PV+ at the ControLogix .

[Ken Roach 194]

If you fitted the PanelView Plus with a 2711P-RN6 module, you could read and write both the PLC-5 data tables and the ControlLogix tag database. For maximum efficiency, you could use the "Map PLC/SLC Messages" feature in the ControlLogix and use array tags for the PanelView interface. This keeps everything using the same very efficient PCCC word read/write command set on DH+. One thing you can't do is connect to the ControlLogix over Ethernet and then "drill down" through the 1756-DHRIO module to the PLC-5/20 on DH+. This is a common mistake because RSLinx Classic can do that, but RSLinx Enterprise (the data server onboard the PV+ terminal) cannot.

[mjrx 1]

If you fitted the PanelView Plus with a 2711P-RN6 module, you could read and write both the PLC-5 data tables and the ControlLogix tag database. So in a way I could be using the PV+ as a kind of "server" to exchange data between the two? For maximum efficiency, you could use the "Map PLC/SLC Messages" feature in the ControlLogix and use array tags for the PanelView interface. This keeps everything using the same very efficient PCCC word read/write command set on DH+. This mapping, does this require the 2711P-RN6 module? One thing you can't do is connect to the ControlLogix over Ethernet and then "drill down" through the 1756-DHRIO module to the PLC-5/20 on DH+. This is a common mistake because RSLinx Classic can do that, but RSLinx Enterprise (the data server onboard the PV+ terminal) cannot. Very important point, this is what I was thinking of doing. What if I used MSG to build a table in the ControLogix after fetching data from the PLC5 via DH+, I should be able to read it over ethernet? Thanks for the help.

[Ken Roach 194]

The PanelView Plus doesn't perform a "data mirror" sort of function; I really like the Red Lion DataStation Plus or G3 terminals for that. In this case the PanelView Plus would just be reading from both controllers, not passing data between them. The 2711P-RN6 is necessary to do DH+ communications from the PanelView Plus to any controller. When you use the "Map PLC/SLC Messages" feature, the 1756-DHRIO emulates a PLC-5 data table so the PV+ thinks the ControlLogix is a PLC-5. You could use MSG instructions to read and write data between the ControlLogix and the PLC-5. I don't particularly like that method just because it uses up controller resources, but it's legitimate. It also encourages you to be efficient and orderly with your data management since you're packing it into relatively small data table blocks.