Siemens CP1413 H1 alternatives

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Thread Starter

Phizza

Hi

We currently have a small network of desktop PC's that connect to some S5 PLCs via CP1413 cards and the H1 network. Does anybody have experience of using standard ethernet cards in place of the CP1413 cards? What software would be required and how would the step5 package go "online" to the PLC. I think that there is an "H1 line driver" on the current PC's for selection in page 2 of the settings within S5. I have tried to locate this driver on the PC but can't see it anywhere.

Thanks in advance
Phizza
 
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Tony Gunderman

Phizza,

You may want to contact FasTrak Softworks to see if they can do that. We have used their Workshop programming software to access Simatic 505 controllers over H1 with standard Ethernet cards. We do not have S5 controllers, but FasTrak does have a version of Workshop for S5 that is supposed to import Step 5 files. It may be possible that you could upgrade to a Windows version programming tool and standard Ethernet cards at the same time.

Tony Gunderman
 
Tony
Thanks for the info, i've downloaded a demo version to have a look at. Somebody once said that it was possible to do via S5 V6.6 but i can't find any evidence of anybody managing it.

Cheers
Phizza
 
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Kevin Frechette

Hi Phizza,

Siemens makes a Softnet S7 driver that is licensed. It replaces the CP-1413 card and uses a standard Ethernet NIC card. This S7 driver contains the S5 PG Send/Receive drivers.

We scrapped our 1413 cards a long time ago when the ISA bus fell off the map.

You will also need a version of S5 greater than 7.02. That was the version that is 1413 compatible. I think they are up to 7.25 now.

I don't know if Siemens is selling or supporting S5 anymore since they declared the S5 platform obsolete a few years ago.

Kevin
 
Hi Kevin

Thanks for the reply. We currently use s5 v6.6 so a little out of date! I was struggling with the idea of getting the S5 software to go online to the PLC in page 2 of the settings. There is a "H1 Line driver" option but i guess this will just work with the CP1413 cards.

Thanks
Phizza
 
Kevin

Do you have any notes/instructions on how to do this? Did you just use standard "off the shelf" NIC cards?

Thanks
Phizza
 
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