Tweeker

Serial Comms

7 posts in this topic

I am wondering why some USB to Serial devices will work with Allen Bradley PLC's and others will not.  Trying not to have to purchase a $190 cable for simple serial communications.

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What PLC are you trying to connect to?

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CompactLogix and Slc500 processors.  If I use someone's AB cable... no problem.  If I use any generic USB to serial cable it will not connect.

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USB-to-Serial cables are a huge pain with RSLinx.  I had great success with Prolific, but even with that brand one has to experiment and learn the right process.  You could consider purchasing a laptop with a hard serial port (Panasonic Toughbook had a few models).  Or a docking station with a hard serial port.

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We used our first 5572 the other day. I saw "we" but it was another "SCADA guy" that I work with from time to time. We traded a few emails as he progressed through flashing and downloading the controller. He just plugged in a Type A to Type B USB cable and flash to programmed time was only a few minutes.

1/6th of the way through this century and AB finally caught up with mid 90's USB technology :)

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