I have an SLC 5/03 installed on plant that i want to interface via DH485 link to our TDC3000 DCS. The distance is about 180 m so we're going to use RS485 signal levels.

It was first proposed the use of an ALLEN-BRADLEY SI FTA EIA-232 INTERFACE but later i checked the manual and it specifies communications support for the Allen-Bradley PLC-2, PLC-3,and PLC-5 devices only.

I was wondering if someone out there have tried to interface to an SLC/03 succesfully. If so, which additional hardware (if necessary) and software do i need to configure the complete communication system, including the TDC3000. If not, how can it be done?

I checked an 1770 KF3 was required for bridgeing between DH485 SLC 5/03 port and the RS232 FTA port. I think that is not necessary considering that both the FTA and SLC 5/03 talk DF1 protocol. I would only need a regular RS232/RS485 converter to go 180m through the link. What do you guys think?

thanks a lot in advance.

 

Yes this can be done You will require a 1770-KF3 if you are using DH-485. If you can connect directly to the RS-232 port using RS-232 DF1 then the 1770-KF3 is not required. There are some tricks to the way you have to map the data in the SLC and also to the way you set up the array for the TDC3000 SI card Contact me offlist if you need to know more.

Regards
Leith Tull

GMS Field Service Engineer
Rockwell Automation Australia Ltd. (Perth, WA)
Alcoa Kwinana - Rockwell Embedded Engineer
E-mail 1: [email protected]