Red lion CL05 help

Boxbiz

Member
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Join Date
May 2016
Location
Pembroke, KY
Posts
5
I have a cardboard baler that uses the Red Lion CL05 interface to control bale size, wire twists and a couple other things. It is showing invalid data on the bale count and giving improper counts to the PLC causing short bales now. The baler mfg says its all obsolete and the only thing they can do is a 12k upgrade. It looks like from what I have read that I can get another used CL05 or new old stock and download the data base from the CL05 and enter it into another unit using edict97 but have to get xp to run it. The PLC is a allen bradley micrologix 1200. Anyone have any suggestions options other than this? anyone able to do the program transfer if I cannot find someone local?

Thanks for any help on this.
 
Boxbiz said:
I have a cardboard baler that uses the Red Lion CL05 interface to control bale size, wire twists and a couple other things. It is showing invalid data on the bale count and giving improper counts to the PLC causing short bales now. The baler mfg says its all obsolete and the only thing they can do is a 12k upgrade. It looks like from what I have read that I can get another used CL05 or new old stock and download the data base from the CL05 and enter it into another unit using edict97 but have to get xp to run it. The PLC is a allen bradley micrologix 1200. Anyone have any suggestions options other than this? anyone able to do the program transfer if I cannot find someone local?

Thanks for any help on this.
Click to expand...

You can get any number of HMI's to replace that unit. It wouldn't take much to convert the screens to something like a Red Lion Kadet G304K2. I'd try a local automation distributor for help. If they don't do conversions, they might be able to recommend someone.
 
adisharr said:
You can get any number of HMI's to replace that unit. It wouldn't take much to convert the screens to something like a Red Lion Kadet G304K2. I'd try a local automation distributor for help. If they don't do conversions, they might be able to recommend someone.
Click to expand...
+1

And if you have a commented copy of the PLC program, and some knowledge of the functions of the HMI, we can probably help you do it yourself, depending on your technical ability and willingness.

I use a lot of the G304K2 units and they are quite amazing for $400, and the software is free.
 
So it will communicate with each the old micrologix 1200? Only 4 wires going from the cl05 to the plc. I would actually enjoy learning how to do it but don't want to get started on something only to figure out it won't work. What further information would you need to know it will work?
 
Yes, the Micrologix 1200 has one or two serial ports that are most commonly configured for either DF1 or DH485 protocol. If you can zip and attach a current copy of the PLC program, we can sort all that out. You may have to buy or build an adapter cable, but it's not hard.

I am >99% sure that if the old Red Lion can talk to it, it will not be a problem for the new gear. Red Lion Crimson 3.0 software has drivers for both DH-485 and DF1 Allen bradley protocols.

A member of this site sells a really nice cable that fits nicely in the round 8-pin port and is short, so you can make a cable to go from it to the 9-pin cable end using common parts:
http://www.plccable.com/allen-bradl...2-si-series-micrologix-plc-cable-programming/
 
Last edited:
Ok I'm trying to get a copy of the plc program. The company isn't very generous with this info as they don't want people fixing them theirselves. any options if I can't get a hard copy of the program?
 
Most of the time you can reverse engineer small system in a few hours. You can see what what they are doing. You have to use your imagination to figure out why they did it that way. Sometimes why isn't as important as how.

The Edit97 conversion to C3 is usually not to bad. I've done several of them over the years. Usually they are all on emergency breakdowns and the world has stopped spinning so it is an "I need it NOW" situation.
 
Boxbiz said:
Ok I'm trying to get a copy of the plc program. The company isn't very generous with this info as they don't want people fixing them theirselves. any options if I can't get a hard copy of the program?
Click to expand...

If you can't get a documented copy of the program you can upload the actual program from the PLC if you have the correct version of RsLogix 500. You will get the program without any comments or documentation on what a line does or why it was done a certain way. But like Jeff said you can reverse engineer the code from there. I have done it and it can be a PITA but sometimes it is the only way to make a system work.

I will also second those that have said go with the Red Lion HMI's for replacement. If you are looking to save some money then the G304K is a good unit. If you want a really solid well designed unit then I would recommend the Graphite Line of HMI's. They are solid units but will cost a lot more.
 
I was just thinking, this is a dedicated machine with no need to change the parameters in the red lion, why can't I just program the Plc to stay on the parameters and leave off the red lion. Or at least until I can get a new one programmed
 
You certainly could do that. You just need to find the locations that the CL05 wrote too in the PLC and plug a constant into that register. You will will have to disconnect the CL05 before you do that because it could overwrite your entry if you leave it connected.
 
Well, logix500 is $2k at the local CED, so I dont know if that is that would be a smart purchase as I currently have a very limited number of balers that I work on where I would be able to use the software. i am going to get a local person who does PLC programming to get into the micrologix1200 for me and set the bale length and wire twists. Then I will try to get a copy of the program so we can start on the new model red lion.
 
There is a version of RsLogix 500 that works on all the Micrologix PLCs. I think it only cost $250. See about getting that version.
 

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