GE 90-30 wierd problems

NetNathan

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At the site I am at I am converting several 90-30 plcs to RX3i.

While I am here, the customer had me look at a problem with one of the 90-30 units.
They are using Proficy Machine Edition 8.5

Every time they turn it off an back on it goes into stop mode.
Okay...I ask..
1. Did you change the battery...yes it is a new remote battery supply and the BAT light on the power supply is not on.
It is odd because I cannot even ping the IP address on the 372CPU. They use a remote battery pack (because the 372CPU is a battery hog)
1. So I have to use the com port to connect to the plc and go online to clear the CPU faults:
A. LAN transceiver fault
b, Configuration mismatch error in slot 0.4. This is an ALG222 module (it is correct in rack configuration) and it works after starting the controller all Analog IO is working on ALG222? NO issues. I run Validate and no errors or faults.
I download the logic everything is running fine, all IO working.

Power down and up...same errors!

We replaced the power supply and the backplane...same problems.


They had a spare 364CPU (from an existing project I had converted) and we tried it.
Same problem...but the com port would not connect to plc??
I knew the old IP address (3.0.0.23) of the module and tried it.
I can connect that way??..even though the PLC is n stop mode.
The CPU still had the original rack configuration logic in it?
I cleared the faults relating to rack configuration errors.
I downloaded to the plc with the new IP (3.0.0.20), and rack configuration, and saved to flash also, but it is configured to use RAM on start up.

Everything is good...no faults and all IO working.

Power down and restart. Stop mode again (no run light).
This is where it gets odd. The CPU has reverted back to 3.0.0.23 and the old rack configuration of that CPU (which caused the stop mode) ?????? WHAT??
I even tried a different 364CPU with an original address of 3.0.0.24 and the same issues exist??

I tired this 3 times:
Reconnecting with 3.0.0.23, clearing IO faults relating to old rack layout and downloading with IP reset to 3.0.0.20 and correct rack configuration.

Same issues??
WHAT would cause these issue?
 
I've encountered configuration mismatch faults when the range jumper on an analog module didn't match the setting in hardware configuration, but the ALG222 doesn't have a range jumper.
Perhaps the number of active channels? If you've selected more than 8 active channels and also selected differential? Or possibly the length of %I references?

I'm pretty sure the serial port on the CPU364 is only for station manager software, not for programming/monitoring.

I would try clearing both the RAM and the flash memory and then downloading the program and hardware configuration you want to use.
 
I am using the com port on the PS for the com connections, not the CPU ports.

I will verify ALG222 connections and configuration... and if needed... will remove from rack and rack configuration in ME, and try again. It is odd that if the ALG222 is configured wrong, how would that affect my ability to connect over IP when it is in stop mode?

Hmmm...I wonder if the length of the %I references on the ALG222 is stepping on the length of IP addresses for the IP "status addresses" of the CPU could this cause the issue with the LAN faults and ALG222 mismatch and my inability to connect over IP?
I would assume when I validate..this error would be reported?

How do I clear the ram memory and flash memory on a 364CPU and a 372CPU?
 
Last edited:
Regarding the failure to connect over Ethernet. Have you used Proficy's built-in temporary IP address utility? That could cause a problem with your PC's arp table. If you have associated the same IP address with different MAC IDs, your arp table will link the IP address with the MAC ID of the last device you set up. I ran into that problem when I was trying to debug a machine on the production floor by downloading its program to a PLC on the bench. After using the same IP address with the PLC on the bench, I could no longer communicate with the one on the floor. I had to clear my laptop's arp table to reestablish communications.
None of that explains your problem of reversion to an earlier configuration.
 
I've had CPUs do strange things similar to this if a pin is bent upon insertion and it doesn't seat properly. Often it's not something you tend to look for and don't notice unless you specifically look for it.

Just a thought.
 
Steve Bailey said:
Regarding the failure to connect over Ethernet. Have you used Proficy's built-in temporary IP address utility? That could cause a problem with your PC's arp table. If you have associated the same IP address with different MAC IDs, your arp table will link the IP address with the MAC ID of the last device you set up. I ran into that problem when I was trying to debug a machine on the production floor by downloading its program to a PLC on the bench. After using the same IP address with the PLC on the bench, I could no longer communicate with the one on the floor. I had to clear my laptop's arp table to reestablish communications.
None of that explains your problem of reversion to an earlier configuration.
Click to expand...

Will clear my ARP table..but I did not use the temporary address utility, only changed IP when using the Inspector to make the initial connection

How do I clear the ram memory and flash memory on a 364CPU and a 372CPU?
 
Last edited:
cookswim said:
I've had CPUs do strange things similar to this if a pin is bent upon insertion and it doesn't seat properly. Often it's not something you tend to look for and don't notice unless you specifically look for it.

Just a thought.
Click to expand...

Checked for that when I changed the backplane out...
 
NetNathan said:
Will clear my ARP table..but I did not use the temporary address utility, only changed IP when using the Inspector to make the initial connection

How do I clear the ram memory and flash memory on a 364CPU and a 372CPU?
Click to expand...

Don't have a PLC in front of me to go online with right now, but I'm pretty sure it's in one of the online commands to clear out the entire CPU memory.

What are the other cards in your rack? Do you always get the configuration mismatch for slot 0.4?

Sure the battery is OK? You mentioned the battery light isn't on, but have you all tried a different one for fun?
 
Is the 222 card a 90/30 card? I had a similar issue years ago where the analog card was for a PAX system but used in a 90/30 rack. It seems I had to change a switch setting in configuration or on the card and it was backwards from what you would think. Like the correct answer should have been yes but you had to use no so it would work. But what you have sounds familiar. It was a PITA. Sorry I don't remember the full details.
 
cookswim said:
Don't have a PLC in front of me to go online with right now, but I'm pretty sure it's in one of the online commands to clear out the entire CPU memory.

What are the other cards in your rack? Do you always get the configuration mismatch for slot 0.4?

Sure the battery is OK? You mentioned the battery light isn't on, but have you all tried a different one for fun?
Click to expand...

I know it has to be done online. I am pretty sure I know where to clear the CPU Memory.
I was most interested on how to clear the flash memory.

Yes we have tried a new battery.
All other cards in rack are not showing faults.
 
cwal61 said:
Is the 222 card a 90/30 card? I had a similar issue years ago where the analog card was for a PAX system but used in a 90/30 rack. It seems I had to change a switch setting in configuration or on the card and it was backwards from what you would think. Like the correct answer should have been yes but you had to use no so it would work. But what you have sounds familiar. It was a PITA. Sorry I don't remember the full details.
Click to expand...

All modules are 90-30 modules...
 
NetNathan said:
At the site I am at I am converting several 90-30 plcs to RX3i.

While I am here, the customer had me look at a problem with one of the 90-30 units.
They are using Proficy Machine Edition 8.5

Every time they turn it off an back on it goes into stop mode.
Okay...I ask..
1. Did you change the battery...yes it is a new remote battery supply and the BAT light on the power supply is not on.
It is odd because I cannot even ping the IP address on the 372CPU. They use a remote battery pack (because the 372CPU is a battery hog)
1. So I have to use the com port to connect to the plc and go online to clear the CPU faults:
A. LAN transceiver fault
b, Configuration mismatch error in slot 0.4. This is an ALG222 module (it is correct in rack configuration) and it works after starting the controller all Analog IO is working on ALG222? NO issues. I run Validate and no errors or faults.
I download the logic everything is running fine, all IO working.

Power down and up...same errors!

We replaced the power supply and the backplane...same problems.


They had a spare 364CPU (from an existing project I had converted) and we tried it.
Same problem...but the com port would not connect to plc??
I knew the old IP address (3.0.0.23) of the module and tried it.
I can connect that way??..even though the PLC is n stop mode.
The CPU still had the original rack configuration logic in it?
I cleared the faults relating to rack configuration errors.
I downloaded to the plc with the new IP (3.0.0.20), and rack configuration, and saved to flash also, but it is configured to use RAM on start up.

Everything is good...no faults and all IO working.

Power down and restart. Stop mode again (no run light).
This is where it gets odd. The CPU has reverted back to 3.0.0.23 and the old rack configuration of that CPU (which caused the stop mode) ?????? WHAT??
I even tried a different 364CPU with an original address of 3.0.0.24 and the same issues exist??

I tired this 3 times:
Reconnecting with 3.0.0.23, clearing IO faults relating to old rack layout and downloading with IP reset to 3.0.0.20 and correct rack configuration.

Same issues??
WHAT would cause these issue?
Click to expand...

I think that it would be worthwhile to verify that you don't have a problem in your main chassis.
 
NetNathan said:
I was most interested on how to clear the flash memory.
Click to expand...

I will say your issue is quite interesting.

I had a chance to bring up proficy today (though connected to a PACS CPU) and it appears that the "clear..." command will allow you to erase the flash mem when in stop mode. Some other documentation I read today alluded to flash memory being cleared if a flash memory transfer is interrupted midway.

Have you tried seeing what happens with the 222 card removed from the rack and taken out of the configuration?

I also wonder if it has something to do with the memory protect switch on the front of the CPUs. There are a number of ways to configure it in proficy, maybe something got changed on accident.

We're the faults for the 222 fatal? Could the CPU be set to power up in stop mode instead of run?

I know a lot of these are minor or perhaps silly, but I'm pretty confused by this as well. If you're always getting the same fault code, maybe post that and we can dig into it.
 
Still troubleshooting.
Still faults, even without the ALG222 in slot 0.4 and removed from hardware config.
Controller fault table is now empty, when it comes up in stop mode??

They swear the battery is very new and the voltage checks out....but I have not verified voltage yet.

Why do I suspect battery?
When I download after fault clearing....It asks for verification n changing the controller name. This means it has lost everything.

Next time I will upload before downloading to see what is there.

Also....I can easily find where to clear controller memory....but nowhere can I find where to clear Flash Memory???
 
I think you're on to something with the battery. The symptoms are consistent with RAM memory loss due to battery failure. When you lose RAM memory the program name reverts to "HHP". Also, the configuration mismatch with the ALG222 module is consistent. The default addressing scheme for a 90-30 in the absence of hardware configuration file is to assign 32 bits of %I or %Q memory to each slot, 8 words of %AI memory and 4 words of %AQ memory. A 16-channel analog input module can't be self-configured, thus the configuration mismatch error for the slot with the ALG222.
It looks like the procedure to clear flash memory is to download a blank file. I don't see a specific "Clear flash memory" anywhere in the menu.
 

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