Cat#1747-DPS1 RS232/DF1 Port Splitter

[Buckaroo 0]

Hi all. I have been around AB plc's for a short time but mainly with stand alone machines. I recently started at a place where most of the machines have HMIs connected. Can the RS-232/DF1 port splitter be used to connect a computer to the plc to monitor online? Anyone ever used one of them before. I am trying to figure if this little device would be worth getting and keeping with our computer. Not sure if I explained myself ok so if you have any questions please ask. I have been browsing this site for awhile and am amazed at all the great help and information that is presented. Keep up the great work. Thanks

[Money4Nothing 0]

You cannot split an RS232 signal, its 1 to 1. If the HMI is connected to the serial port of the PLC, and it's using RS232 communication, you can't do anything unfortunately. If there is no other free port on the plc you would have to reconfigured the PLC port to use DH485 DF1, then you can have multiple nodes. You would have to use DH485 drivers for the HMI and your PC serial port. I've never used a splitter or anything similar for wiring an RS485 bus, i've always just wired the individual conductors to custom db9 connectors. Correct me if i'm wrong. $

[gravitar 3]

You, like me, are behind the times! This 1747-DPS1 sounds like it does exactly what Buckaroo said it does. It lets you have two simultaneous connections with a DF1 device! I found an advertising blurb here: http://www.ab.com/en/epub/catalogs/12762/2...239758/2178622/ Of course you're technically correct.. the term "splitter" is probably a misnomer. They must have thought that "splitter" was more appealing than "Time-Domain Multiplexer" :)

[Buckaroo 0]

Judging by the number of replies I am assuming that this device is not widely used. I am still holding out for someone to chime in that has used this or knows more about it. Thanks.

[gravitar 3]

I think it is something new. Why don't you ask your local A-B distributor if they have a demo unit you can play with?

[Buckaroo 0]

I think I will give that a try. If I have any luck getting one I will post here with my results. Thanks

[gravitar 3]

Here's your chance for stardom.. Submit a "first impressions" article and have it displayed on the MrPLC homepage!

[Money4Nothing 0]

Thx, I learned something new 1 million reputation points for you. $

[Buckaroo 0]

If I can get a demo to try I only hope I could write a "first Impressions" as good as the ones I have read. Thanks

[Mickey 71]

FYI, here are a couple more ( " port splitters") http://www.tomantron.com/ http://www.miille.com/din266-p00.pdf

[Ken Roach 194]

The applicability of the DPS1 port splitter depends on what sort of controller you are using and what kind of HMI you have connected to it. The DPS1 is only for DF1 Full Duplex RS-232 connections. Anything else is not applicable. When I am using small controllers, I try to get models with more than one communication port on them to provide HMI on one channel and online monitoring on the other. So, Buckaroo, what model of controller and what model of HMI are you working with ?

[Buckaroo 0]

Ken, Thanks for responding. I agree that you should try to get the plc with more then one port. However, I am in a situation where this was, in my opinion, not thought of when the machines were built. On a few machines there is the micrologix 1500 LSP and then on thoose there is a mixture of Panelview 550 and some Maple System. Not sure of the exact model of the Maple System at this time. Other machines are using 1000's with (gasp) Panelview Micro 300 on them. Now I realize that one solution would be to retro fit the LSP with the LRP processor to provide the extra port. The reality is that it is hard to get the people in contol to see where spending all that "extra" money gives them a good return. So what I was trying to do was come up with a way that would cover a broad mixture of machines with only a minimum of investment. Again, thanks for the help and if you need any more info from my end just ask and I will try to explain.

[TimWilborne 108]

What communications protocol are they using? DF1, Dh-485, etc...

[Buckaroo 0]

TWcontrols- Sorry it took some time to respond to your question. I had other issues to take care of. To answer your question they are using DF1.

[TimWilborne 108]

Well Ken said it is compatible with DF1 Full Duplex so I may be possible but I have never used one. On the Micrologix 1100 there is a warning that says I'm trying to figure out where that would work into your senerio or if it matters. I never quite understood the warning

[Buckaroo 0]

Thanks for the reply. I have seen the warning regarding the Micrologix 1100. Right now I do not have an issue with a 1100. So I guess the best way to go would be to try and get a demo and see what it can accomplish.

[TimWilborne 108]

If you can get an evaluation product then definately do this but PLEASE come back and tell us your results. I'm going to see if I can get one to play with for a while too. I'll let you know if I get one

[Buckaroo 0]

I am in the process of trying to get one. Not sure if I can or not but if I do then I will for sure post my results and/or questions. If I can not get one then hopefully you will have better luck and then I can read what you have to think about it. Thanks again for the replies and I look forward to hearing about any results you come up with.

[swimmy67 9]

I was reading this post and thaught I would try and find some information o nthe port splitter. Attached is the product profile for the 1747-DPS1. swimmy67 1747_pp018__en_p.pdf

[TimWilborne 108]

I thought I was going to be able to get one but it looks like it doesn't fit the application I had in mind. One other option I thought of was putting 1761-NET-ENIs on them and going Ethernet. But that may be too costly for you. Or switch to the Micrologix 1100. It is cheaper than the 1761-NET-ENI

[Buckaroo 0]

The company I work for put in a call to the local AB rep and it looks like they are going to send a guy to give us a little demo of the port splitter. It should happen in the next week or two. I will post back with any info that might be interesting. As far as going ethernet your observation of being too costly hits the nail on the head for where I work. Don't get me wrong. I am not bashing my employer but they are very tight when it comes to spending money. It would probably be a monumental effort to try and explain the advantages of ethernet but in the end it would be time spent better on something else. If you remember back to an earlier post, I didn't get anywhere when I suggested we change our Micrologix 1500 processors to the model with 2 ports. Communicating with the PLC's is not a company wide problem. All new machines that have come in the last year or so I have no problems with. It is on the dozen or so machines before this time that the issue is with. I was trying to find a simple fairly inexpensive solution to communicating with a number of different machines. Hopefully with the rep coming in we can get some answers and shed some light on the subject to thoose controlling the money. I will keep you all up to date when the rep comes in. Thanks

[djt 0]

Just another option depending on the HMI and IO Server you are using to talk to your PLC. I have a customer where we put in an AB Micrologic 1200 and RSView for the HMI. Since this uses RSLinx, we put in RSLinx Gateway version on the HMI PC that is directly connected to the Micrologix using its Serial DF1 port. This allows us to use RSLinx gateway on another PC (maintenance laptop) in order to bridge over an ethernet connection and see/connect to/program the Micrologix thru the same RSLinx connection that the HMI uses. Both programs can see the Micrologix at the same time without issues. Just a thought...

[Billy Da Gib 0]

I use the AB_DF-1,DH-485 (serial port/DB9) to connect to my PLC's (in my case SLC 5/04's - 5/05's) and use the AB_KT-1, Data Highway Plus (1784-PCMK/PCMCIA card) to monitor and program Panelviews simultaneously. I've also used the Passthru link in RSlogix 500 (channel configuration) to read data from customers Panelviews that have broken touchscreens when the 3 wire Phoenix style DH+ connector is all that is available (on the Panelview) to retrieve the programs. Of course with our Contrologix platforms I use Ethernet and Controlnet. So much simpler. Not sure about Micrologix series...I mostly deal with high end redundancy Contrologix platforms with alot of remote I/O via Ethernet, Devicenet, Controlnet, and Foundation Fieldbus. Don't know if this is of any help or not...maybe someone else could use this info so I thought I'd make my first post on this forum.

[gendy 0]

dear sir, please advice me what happen when the AB rep came , did the splitter work or suggest another solution?

[Davidgreenwood 0]

I put in RSLinx Gateway version on the HMI PC. Thanks. Sharjah hotels sharjah hotel apartments hotel apartments sharjah