MARK IV Modbus

G

Thread Starter

Genersi

dear all

on mark IV i dos screen, how to get connection through MODBUS? and to get a animation on HMI to SCADA system? we have mark IV on site but there is not any screen, only IDOS screen without any animations etc.

is anybody done such things? i need mark IV experts on this forum.

please email to [email protected]
 
genersi,

Are just referring to the panel-mounted, black-and-white CRT display on the left front door of the Mark IV panel?

MODBUS was an option on Mark IV panels. On early Mark IV panels, it was an option that could only be turned on by the GE factory personnel. On later Mark IV panels (Mark IV+ panels, to be exact) it was an option that could be turned on with knowledge of certain passwords to access what were called BA screens (Business Associate). AND, I believe the Mark IV had to have the proper card(s) in <C> to be capable of serial MODBUS communication, also.

There's too much we don't know about the Mark IV at your site--and it's a difficult process to ask you a lot of questions to help determine what panel you have and if it's possible to configure and connect another PC acting as an HMI via MODBUS. It's really not something someone can do without a fair degree of knowledge about Mark IVs.

Also, if I recall correctly, it's not possible to send commands via MODBUS to a Mark IV (I may be wrong about that, but I believe the Mark IV can only respond to requests for data, not accept commands).

There are companies that can help you with this. Turbine Control Solutions is one; Control System Technologies is another; and CSE Engineering, Inc., is a third. They may not be too interested in helping with setting up a MODBUS connection, but will likely try to sell you a new HMI, which can be used to send commands and monitor unit operation directly (not via MODBUS). But, that's not a bad thing, either. (Be sure to get--and check--references from any supplier(s) you might work with.)

And, again--everything depends on the version of Mark IV panel at the site; not every Mark IV can be configured to do MODBUS, or even have a third-party HMI.

Hope this helps!
 
hi CSA

thanks for the response. yes i mean panel-mounted, black-and-white CRT
display on the left front door of the Mark IV panel.

so there is a connection via modbus to Scada system correct? is there any GEK or GEI so i can have a look regarding BA screens (Business Associate)?

regarding the extra C controller card to connect the modbus list, what is the part number suppose to be so i can have a quick check on it?
 
genersi,

I don't recall any documentation about the BA screens. And to access them required a special process and password. They weren't for the "general public." I've even forgotten the password, it's been so long. (If anyone knows the password, please DO NOT publish it to this forum. It should only be used by personnel knowledgeable in the options and configurations which are possible using the screens.)

Does the Mark IV at your site have Dynamic Rung Display (I forget the Data List number)? If so, it is probably one of the later Mark IV panels with an intel 80286 microprocessor chip, and which probably has the BA screens.

But, again, you should work with a knowledgeable person/company on this project. There are lots of nuances to implementing MODBUS communications with a Mark IV and it's not likely that anyone here could help with all of the possible questions and issues you might have. (There's "MODBUS" and then there's GE's idea of MODBUS--and the two can be very different.)

If I recall correctly, there was something called "Data Dump" which was commonly used to send data from a Mark IV to a SCADA or DCS over a serial communication link. But it was NOT user-configurable, and it was not very fast. If your machine has it, it should be shown on the 19 sheets of the Mark IV Speedtronic elementary, which is the same place where I believe you would find any supplied MODBUS link. The Mark IV Speedtronic elementary was a GREAT drawing in that it showed software and hardware on the same drawing. Data Dump was NOT MODBUS, but it was "similar" in that another control system could request data (from a fixed, pre-defined list) from the Mark IV.

You could look in the Mark IV Maintenance Manual. Early Mark IV panels used GEK-83811. Later Mark IV panels (the ones with 80286 microprocessors) used GEK-83886--but I don't remember too much about MODBUS in either of those manuals.
 
Top