Connecting ML1500 and PV 300 Micro via AIC

[Raydragon 0]

Ok guys, I have a ML1500 ( non LRP series so only the one port) and a PV 300 Micro that i want to connect together via an AIC. PV has 8 pin Mini Din plug, ML1500 has the same so i could connect them directly but i would like to be able to use the AIC's DB9 serial port for connection with laptop, ie not having to unplug the panelview when i want to connect to PLC and vice versa. The PV i have is currently a DF1 unit but from reading the manual i can turn it into a DH485 one by flashing the firmware with panelbuilder. Can i then somehow connect the PV to the 6 pin "phoenix" connector (DH485) on the AIC leaving the Mini Din plug free for the ML1500 and have them all communicate? I have been trawling the rockwell website but the only documentation i have found that tells me anything shows them using 2 AIC's connected together via DH485 but surely that is unnecessary? Is what i want to do possible? has anyone got pinouts for the cables i will need to make it do what i want? Thanks.

[BobLfoot 301]

You might want to try the RS232 DF1 Port Splitter. This post describes a lot about it.

[Raydragon 0]

Yeah i was reading that. It looks interesting but i was hoping to be able to get away without having to purchase any extra hardware to make it work. I was hoping it was just a case of chasing up or making up a cable and, with a few magic settings ( provided by all you wizards out there no less), it would all automagically work!! It will be interesting to see what the price of one of these splitters is, although being a guinea pig to test one of them out is probably not exactly going to be a large selling point to my Boss

[Buckaroo 0]

[BobLfoot 301]

There is a second option that just occurred to me. The 1761-Net-AIC might be worth checking out. It would place your ML1500 and your PV300 on ethernet. Assuming your PC has ethernet capability then you could program the ML and have the PV connected.

[Buckaroo 0]

[Raydragon 0]

cheers guys, hope the unit does what you want buckaroo although $200 US is probably well over anything i will convince the boss to pay for something that is more for convenience than necessity.

[TimWilborne 108]

At first I thought the 1761-NET-AIC was a typo and you meant a 1761-NET-ENI but you mention only one module so I am guessing you are using this as some type of bridge. How do you do this or did you mean a 1761-NET-ENI? Thanks TW

[BobLfoot 301]

Good catch TW it was the end of a long day. 1761-net-eni is correct.

[TimWilborne 108]

Oh ok, I've never used the AIC so wasn't sure

[Buckaroo 0]

Seems that if you need to go online with a micrologix 1500 and a panelview then maybe the portsplitter would be more of a necessity. $200.00 in my opinion to be able to access machines online to you couldn't before is money well spent.

[Raydragon 0]

Yeah the application it is in is for a Bread Roll Oven that currently does not have a panelview at all. I have a spare PV300 micro kicking around to use and the panel already has the AIC+ in it so that was why i am trying to use what is available as if i don't i am unlikely to get any new parts ordered for it any time soon. The panelview is initially going to act as a glorified product counter with a view to adding alarms and a bunch of other things over time. This means that the panelview is not really going to be all that vital to the oven operation so chunks of money are unlikely to magically appear to implement it. Even the PLC in it is a recent upgrade as prior to that it had been running on an SLC 100 system and that only got replaced when it went belly up. I do however have a 1761-NET-ENI in another panel that is currently unused, i will probably be able to swipe that but for the life of me i cannot see how it helps me. It has one Mini Din socket on it and one RJ45 socket for Ethernet. So i plug ML1500 into Mini Din, Laptop into ethernet and the Panelview goes into.....uhm......????

[Snerkel 0]

To save cost you could do this with AIC+ but you would need in addition a PIC box or the USB-DH485 adaptor. The PLC and Panelview are connected to the mini DIN and serial port, both configured for DH485 protocol. The only connection available is the phoenix connector, so just make an adaptor lead from PIC/USB

[Raydragon 0]

Yeah i have a USB adapter ( 1747-UIC i think it is). Any idea of the pin out's for a cable as you suggest. How about pinouts for using the Phoenix connector for the PV300 ( after i flash it to DH485), Mini-din for ML1500 and Serial port for laptop connection ( either with or without having to use the UIC), assuming this is possible?

[Snerkel 0]

First thing to do is get PV flashed to DH485, and port on PLC switched to DH485. The connection with the current cables between the PLC and PV should still work. This is the first step and proves you have configured everything correctly. Once that all works add the AIC+. The connections you need to use on the AIC+ are the mini din and the 9pin D (forget connecting the laptop yet). Depending which cables you use you may need to add a cross-over to one of them (usually you have enough cables to make this up using the PLC programming lead, and the PV to PLC cable. Once this works then all you need to do is make up an RJ45 cable to go from the 1747-UIC to the phoenix connector to allow you to program the PV or the PLC. NOTE:- The DH485 conversion of the PV only changes the protocol being used, not the electrical configuration of the port, the same is true for the serial port on the PLC, the protocol changes from DF1 to DH485, but electrically nothing changes. Electrically the only ports on the AIC+ you can use for the PV and PLC are the mini din and the 9pin D. The phoenix connector is a port for connecting to a DH485 network (this is not the same as the DH485 protocol). Hence the need to use a PIC or 1747-UIC to get your PC on to the AIC+ DH485 protocol can be used on any electrical connection. DF1 protocol can be used on any electrical connection Physical DH485 networks are electrically different to RS232 The AIC+ is an interface between two different electrical networks (DH485 & RS232). Any protocol can be used over the AIC+ but for it to work correctly ALL ports need to be connected to devices using the same protocol. This can be DH485 protocol OR DF1 protocol.

[Snerkel 0]

Just been checking up and the mini din to mini din cable is crossover, as is the 9pin D to mini din used for programming... therefore You need to place a cross-over cable between the 9pin D of the programming cable and the 9pin D on the AIC+ . If you don't do this the two cables will null each other. The PV only uses three connections so you could make a short adaptor cable using a male 9pin D & female 9pin D. Pin 2 -------- Pin 3 Pin 3 -------- Pin 2 Pin 5 -------- Pin 5

[Snerkel 0]

RJ45 to Phoenix cable 1784-CP14 http://domino.automation.rockwell.com/appl...F4?OpenDocument shows the pin out Be careful if you chop up a Cat5 cable instead of making one up, two of the pins in the RJ45 provide 24v DC so any unused cores need insulating to prevent shorts.

[Raydragon 0]

Thanks Snerkel, that should get me going in the right direction.

[Snerkel 0]

Let us know how you get on