I have a SLC 5/04 in a 10 slot rack that I set it up for training purposes. The problem I have is communicating with the SLC 5/04 via RS232 port with the 1747 CP3 cable hooked up to a serial port on a laptop. I can communicate with the PCMK card but not with the 1747 CP3 cable. I would like to know if anyone had this problem before and how did you fix it. The card itself it costs at least $600 on EBay, plus the cable. This 1747-CP3 cable cost $25 or so, but I can't get it to work. There is another one that uses a USB port on a PC, but I am not sure if it works. I am using RS LINX and RS LOGIX 500. I have installed the driver for the RS232-DF1, but I cannot see the SLC 5/04. Please help!!!

 

Since you have access with the PCMK card check the actual baud rate. The Auto-Configure for the DF1 drivers sometimes does not work properly with a USB to 232 converter.

Have you checked as well the Device type (SLC-CH0/Micro/PanelView) in the DF1 configuration window?

With the correct baud rate and the proper type of controller selected everything should work fine...

Hope that helps!

Stephan from Switzerland

 

Several things come to mind.

Did you use autoconfig in RSLinx?

Are you sure the comm port selected in RSLinx is correct?

Is it possible that the serial port on the SLC is set to use DH485 protocol rather than DF1?

Is the PC serial port built in or is it a USB/RS232 adapter? I have had some success using DF1 on a USB to serial adapter, but it does not always work. It reliably works with a PCMCIA RS232 adapter I have though. Note that if you are trying to use DH485 protocol, it will not work at all with either a USB to RS232 adapter or a PCMCIA to RS232 adapter. It MUST be a built in port for DH485 to work on a serial port.

 

I checked the settings and this is what I have:
Device type: SLC-CH0/Micro/PanelView) in the DF-1 configuration window
Baud rate: 1200
Driver: RS232-DF1
Cable: 1747-CP3 ser A
SLC 5/04 ser B, on a 10 slot rack

Any idea it will help. Thank you.

 

I've had a problem with Linx once or twice acting like there was no processor out there when there was, and it had to do with the Windows serial port drivers. Try deleting the serial port in Hardware Manager, then letting Windows find and reinstall it. Then restart Linx and see if it works. Also there is a minimum version of Linx to use with XP, so check that, 2.43 I think. You can try a null modem cable instead of the CP3. It's 5 to 5 with 2 and 3 crossed over. It's used to link two computer type ports together directly, and you should be able to get one at a computer store. Also check the port with a jumper between pins 2 and 3 using Hyperterminal or something like that. That will verify the port electrically and make sure Windows can access the port. Or the port in the 5/04 could just be bad.

 

I don't think you can use the RS232-DF1 driver with that cable setup. That driver is for use with a 9pin connection cable. Isn't there a PCMCIA specific driver in Lynx you can use?

 

I am having the same problem as mentioned by you. Did you managed to solve the communication problem using the 1747 CP3 cable with the 5/04. If yes kindly tell me how you managed to solve the problem.

Thanks and regards

 

Yes, you can use the USB to RS232 convertor and it will work.

Friend please check your computer which Comport is using for RS232 communication 1 2 or 3,...and same is used by you.

Thanks & Regards,
Ghanshyam

 

I am able to communicate to SLC 5/03 using the same cable and using com port 1 of the desktop PC. I have selected RS 232 DF1 driver in RS Linx but when i try to communicate with SLC 5/04 it doesn't show the processor and i am unable to communicate to the processor.

Regards
Shahab

 

We had faced this problem in the past on RS232 DF1 protocol around 9 years back. we were not using rockwell cables/software for the same.
We used simple RS232 Cable [TX, RX, E]

We used to have parity error [not very sure ]. they had 2 type of configuration is available BCC & CRC & we had to select BCC for scada configuration/communication.

we may be wrong in todays context of HW & SW from Rockwells point of view, but we had faced similar problem & we are repeating it as it is.

Regards
Jari
iconcnl [at] vsnl.net

 

The DB9 port of SLC 5/04, when configured as DH485, is still an RS232 port but will transmit using DH485 protocol instead of DF1. Try using your DF1 cable but in RSLinx, configure a DH485-PIC device to your PC com port instead of DF1.

 

>There is another one that uses a USB port on a
>PC, but I am not sure if it works. I am using RS LINX and RS
>LOGIX 500. I have installed the driver for the RS232-DF1,
>but I cannot see the SLC 5/04. Please help!!!

There is a step by step USB to RS232 to RSLinx pictorial at the bottom of

http://bin95.com/Industrial-Training-Videos/AB-PLC-DH485-RS232-USB.htm

that should clear it up for everyone here.