Red Lion and Turck BL 20

Hi!
Im currently doing a proposal for a project using a Red Lion Hmi and Turck Bl 20 Distributed IO..

The project is only monitoring with an 0-20mA analog signal.. My question is, do i need to have a PLC between hmi and BL 20??


Thank You

rj061991 said:

Hi!
Im currently doing a proposal for a project using a Red Lion Hmi and Turck Bl 20 Distributed IO..

The project is only monitoring with an 0-20mA analog signal.. My question is, do i need to have a PLC between hmi and BL 20??


Thank You

Click to expand...

I'm not sure which type of BL20 you have but they always have some fieldbus. Based on your BL20 model number you should be able to determine which fieldbus it uses and you should be able to configure the correct driver in the Redlion HMI to communicate directly to the BL20.

If you can't determine which field bus it uses, post the model number and someone can help you with that.

Some tutorial use bl20-gw en.. modbus tcp cmmunctn.. my problem also how to scale the analog inputs..do i need to use codesys?

rj061991 said:

Some tutorial use bl20-gw en.. modbus tcp cmmunctn.. my problem also how to scale the analog inputs..do i need to use codesys?

Click to expand...

I have only used BL20 a few times so I just look through the manual to determine how to set them up. You need whatever software they recommend you using. It didn't use CODESYS the last time I configured one, but it may now.

You can scale your analog data directly in the Red Lion HMI. Create a tag for the value, then manipulate it with the options provided.

This is a TC input over Modbus to read the value in °C

padees said:

You can scale your analog data directly in the Red Lion HMI. Create a tag for the value, then manipulate it with the options provided.

This is a TC input over Modbus to read the value in °C

Click to expand...

In your data scaling in photo?? what is 65535??... is it a maximum data??? and the converted to 760?

rj061991 said:

In your data scaling in photo?? what is 65535??... is it a maximum data??? and the converted to 760?

Click to expand...

Yes, that is the scaling for this particular 16 bit RIO module with a type "J" Thermocouple, based on the manufactures data of the module on Modbus.

This module also works properly with the new Adam 4000 series 2.0 driver in Crimson 3.0 over RS485 on select either 4018+ or Generic, but have a 4055 DIO on drop 1 where only the outputs work with that. Red Lion Tech thought it was kinda strange that you could not select individual channels for the 4055, but the documentation indicates it's an untested device, as well as Tech, but it's listed as an option in the driver.

Needless to say, the Modbus driver option works well for both in this, even tho the TC AI is raw data. In the new 2.0 driver, you can get Engineering Units, but now have another serial protocol, and no room in the Kadet for this.

I changed it to be scaled to floating, and did toss in a decimal place or two, then created a new tag with an expression to convert °C to °F, as which was required. Add a Gateway Block and shoot it to another device.

..My proposal will be Air compressor monitoring system.. We will just do a parrallel connection to an existing transmitter in the plant so that we can have 4 -20ma signal to our turck analog input and then connect it to the red lion hmi..

One thing im confuse about having to red lion hmi in a BL20 modbus rtu... what module shall i use to interface the 2 hmi?..the port of red lion is RJ45..

Which Red Lion HMI are you using?

I've used these in the past with a short straight thru patch cable to the RJ45 on the HMI.



I am sure there are other options available, but this was easiest at the moment.

the port of red lion is RJ45..

Click to expand...

It is crucial that you read the user manuals for both the Red Lion display and the BL20 Modbus RTU adapter carefully and understand the wiring and serial networking types.

You have not specified which Red Lion model you are using. This is VERY important, because different displays have different pinouts on different ports.

Just because the plug is an "RJ45" style plug does not mean that it's Ethernet, or that it's RS232, or that it's RS485. It just means it uses that common connector.

The BL20-E-GW-RS-MB/ET module supports both RS-232 and RS-485, so you need to decide which one you intend to use.

If the distance between the HMI and the I/O system is more than 50 feet, RS-485 should be used.

Ive read tutorials. They use Red Lion G310 for bl20 modbus gateway.. so i think im going to use red lion G310 with Rs485 port..

rj061991 said:

Ive read tutorials. They use Red Lion G310 for bl20 modbus gateway.. so i think im going to use red lion G310 with Rs485 port..

Click to expand...

If the BL20 has Modbus TCP you can use the Ethernet port on the G310.

yes i can use modbus tcp in red lion g310.. but i will use two hmi , 1 in the local and the other is in the remote area.. the distance of the remote hmi is approximately 150meters..so i think its better to use rs485 in this project..

rj061991 said:

yes i can use modbus tcp in red lion g310.. but i will use two hmi , 1 in the local and the other is in the remote area.. the distance of the remote hmi is approximately 150meters..so i think its better to use rs485 in this project..

Click to expand...

Modbus RTU (RS485) can't have two Masters (two HMIs) so you will need to use Modbus TCP.