abend

AB 5/03 to HMI and PC via DH485 port

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I have an AB 5/03 processor connected to an Automation Direct HMI via the DH485 port. The serial port is being used to send ASCII messages to an LED display board.

It's a giant hassle to connect to the plc with a pc and run the HMI at the same time due to having to reconfigure the serial port every time one wants to do so.

What would be the best way to connect the HMI and a PC via the DH 485 port so that the plc program can be monitored and accessed at the same the HMI is operating and connected?

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Investigate the 1747-aic it’s obsolete discontinued product but still available.  A pair of these and a little configuration should do the trick.

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I'm not familiar with the implementation of this coupler... since the HMI is already connected to the RJ45 DH485 on the SLC, would only one 1747-AIC be required for connecting a laptop?

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I did a little research... looks like I'll need two (as you stated in your post) Is there any programming literature for setting these up with the slc?... I haven't found anything useful yet.

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Which exact model of Automation Direct HMI ?    Do you have a specification or pinout for the cable ?

Do you have a USB/DH485 interface, the 1747-UIC or equivalent ?

You might be able to do this with a single 1761-NET-AIC, or a single 1747-AIC, but I'd have to see exactly how the Automation Direct HMI is wired up.

 

The Installation Instructions are likely the best thing to have for wiring up the 1747-AIC.

https://literature.rockwellautomation.com/idc/groups/literature/documents/in/1747-in062_-mu-p.pdf

Edited by Ken Roach

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Ken, we have an Automation Direct EA9-T10CL+13Y19B054 HMI #1.Pinout is available here (pg. 27) https://cdn.automationdirect.com/static/manuals/ea9userm/ch2.pdf There ia a cable connected to Port 1 on the HMI to the DH485 port on the SLC. There is another Automation Direct EA9-TCL+14215B083 HMI #2 connected to the Ethernet port of the HMI #1 listed above. HMI #2 is set up as a pass through panel. Then they have the RS 232 port on the SLC set up as an ASCII port and connected to a message board.

I do have a 1747-UIC. We have to disconnect the DH 485 port cable from the SLC, plug the 1747-UIC back into that port... reconfigure the RS-232 port in the SLC software, unplug the 1747-UIC from the SLC DH-485 port, plug the HMI #1 cable back into the SLC 485 port, then plug our PC into the SLC RS232 port so that we can run the HMI's and access the SLC program at the same time. Then reverse the process when we are done.

I contacted Automation Direct Tech Support, and they said it was not possible to access the SLC by connecting through the HMI.

I appreciate any assistance you can provide.

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Thanks for those clarifications !

I think that to connect your HMI and the 1747-UIC to the SLC-5/03's DH485 network port simultaneously, you will need two 1747-AIC isolators.

While you could physically connect the trunkline connector of one 1747-AIC to the RJ45 jack on the 1747-UIC, I don't think it would function correctly.

But if you can get your hands on two 1747-AIC devices and the proper 1747-C11 and 1747-C13 cables, you can connect it up as shown in the screenshot below.

1747-C13 is pretty easy to make yourself (do not use an Ethernet cable !) but 1747-C11 you'll need to buy.

mrplc_dh485.png

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Thanks, Ken. Is there any additional setup or configuration required other than channel 1 on the slc to DH485?

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@Ken Roach Thanks for jumping in and knocking the rust off my 20 year old memories.

@abend take note of the "fine print" in Ken's drawing "Channel 1 must be set to DH-485"  

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The RJ-45 network plug on an SLC-500 "brick", or the 5/01 or 5/02 or 5/03 controller is always DH-485, both electrically and protocol.

It wasn't until the SLC-5/03 and 5/04 (and later the 5/05) came along with added multifunctional RS-232 ports (Channel 0 in the SLC operating systsem) that we started calling the proprietary network port Channel 1.

The 1747-AICs are logically transparent;  they don't have node numbers.   The 1747-UIC of course needs a node number that's unique on the network.

While DH-485 can be set for 9600 baud, I've seen that maybe twice in 20 years.  It's virtually always 19200, the default.

There's also a "maximum node number" you can set to save time with token passing but on most systems it's left at 31.

Edited by Ken Roach
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Another option is to install a 1747-BAS add on card, that you will use for your LED display. Not very user friendly, but plenty of samples on how to set it up floating in the web. That will free up your RS232 communications port and will let you with an additional RS232 port in the BASIC card as it has two ports. You need to set up the card with a BASIC program for serial port configuration, if you need I can provide some samples. We still use a lot of these card in a lot of our old machines. Once they are set up, vey reliable. 

 

https://literature.rockwellautomation.com/idc/groups/literature/documents/um/1746-um004_-en-p.pdf

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Hey guys, I finally got the chance to install the two 1747-AICs on the machine. Everything is connected per the wiring diagram (by Ken Roach).

1747-AIC #1: connected directly to the SLC via 1747-C11 cable
1747-AIC #2: connected to 1747- AIC#1 via shielded cable

I can connect my laptop and communicate online with the SLC (via RJ-45 ports) from either of the 1747-AIC's with no issues. If my laptop is connected to 1747-AIC #2 and online with the SLC and I attempt to plug the HMI cable into 1747-AIC #1, the HMI begins communicating online with the SLC, but severs my laptop connection with the SLC. 

With my laptop disconnected from the AIC's, the HMI will operate when connected to 1747-AIC #1, but when the HMI is connected to 1747-AIC #2 it will not connect to the SLC.

SLC Channel 1: Node 1
C-More: Station: 1

Any suggestions of why there is a communications problem?

 

 

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When multiple devices are connected, they each need to take a different node.  Try changing your RSLinx node in the driver setup.

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I am using a generic UIC. Not sure who purchased it or exactly when, but from my research I see that others were having issues with the generic UIC versions "seeing" the network. To "pturmel"... thanks for the response. The C-more literature states that their panel Channel Number needs to match the SLC node number, and they do. When you say change the node number in RSLinx, do you mean the "Station" number next to the Comm port?

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Yes, for RSLinx.  Or change the CMore station number for itself (The Panel Station number--see image) that happens to match the (adjustable) default station number for RSLinx.  All of the devices own station numbers must be unique.

 

CMoreEA9-DH485.png

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I'm not quite understanding the difference between the "Station Number" and the "Panel Station Number" in the C-More software. My C-More is current set up just like your screenshot, and my SLC is set to node 1. What setting should be changed on the C-More if I leave all the SLC settings as is? And what should the setting be changes to?

 

 

 

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DH-485 is a multi-master protocol.  So every device must have its own station address.  You have three devices: A PLC (slave) at station #1, an HMI (master) at station #8, and RSLinx (master) at some other station.  If RSLinx is station #1 or station #8, you have a clash.  IIRC, when there's only one master, DH-485 behaves like the master is stationless.  That may be why it breaks when you connect both masters.

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