Expanding a SLC 504

I have a 504 13slot that I need to expand, adding a 504 10slot, these are my options as I see them

1.I could add a scanner but that would make more programming (changing the address), not that big of a deal but still more work and scanners and adapters are not cheap. I would also need to get my old I/O’s to the new rack to address them. So hard wire change.

2.Message over DH+, how much could I message? No safeties are going to be used to I could group and map the I/O then MOV as a group?, if I updated even every .5sec that would be sufficient.

3.Interconnect cable the best…but I have no room in that cabinet, It would need it to be 15ft, the longest I see is 50" anyone know of any longer?

So what do you think? Any better options? Would you prefer one or the other or another?

Thanks

Do you have a empty slot in the primary rack for a SN card? Really, I think the easist (and probably only) solution is to add the 10 slot as a remote rack with an ASB. Its simple and doesn't require any "programming" and unless you've got to make room in your primary rack, RSLogix makes moving addresses around as simple as a couple of keystrokes.

The ASB is set with some dip switches and the SN is setup up by filling in a table in the advance configuration.

jstolaruk,

Thanks for the reply, but I think that's what I was referring to as a scanner, no the 13 is slam full, so by adding I would have also run new wires to the new location of the ROI

The only other thing you might get away with is making the current primary rack the new remote rack by replacing the processor with an ASB and putting the processor in the new rack. Restrictions would be any cards that can only run in the primary rack (typically with block transfer capability).

Or putting ASBs in both racks, adding a 4 slot rack for just the processor and a scanner card.

It gets a little complicated because you'll have to change all of your addressing through the global find/replace but it can be managed.

Its also a opportunity to upgrade to Controllogix by putting ASBs in both racks and puting a ControlLogix procesor with a scanner card in a small rack. But that adds the additonal task of taking the code and moving in to the ControlLogix environment.

jstolaruk,

Thanks again...thats why I posted the question here, I like the idea of changing out the processor and making the new rack the primary and the existing the secondary...

I don't think I can justify the CLX upgrade but I will check the pricing, so if I get a 4 slot CLX and I can have that as my primary and 2 504 racks as secondarys?

GIT, yep, tho the SLC racks just become 1746 remote racks. Again, I would just research any specialty cards (a/d, d/a, basic, commm, etc) you might have to make sure they will work in remote racks.

Good luck!

Why don't you just use another PLC, maybe an ML? You can connect the 2 plcs by DH etc but a new plc may allow connection via wireless enet for pass thru programming if necessary.

Whats the 5/04 rack configuration ?

For instance if you have 2 x NI4's you could swop one out for and NI8 and free up one slot for the scanner ? Same would go if you have 2 x IB16's by using an IB32 ?

A little readdressing would be required but not a lot.

I'm with 504 Bloke, there's bound to be a couple of cards that could be replaced with one higher density one. Then add the scanner to the now empty slot.

If your 10-slot chassis is going to have anything but discrete I/O, make sure your processor is series "C", so that you can utilize block transfers for any analog modules. If it's not a series C, get the firmware upgrade, it's well worth the price. You may be able to "borrow" the upgrade module from you AB dealer.

I don't know what your process is, but a RIO scanner is nice to have, sometimes you can get third party devices that support RIO, such as scales or drives. Makes the wiring simple,and you can usually get more options via the RIO link than by using basic analog controls.
However, I would avoid RIO panel views, they are a pain in the butt.