PLC 5/25 PCL & HMIs

I have a plc 5/25 that I would dearly love to hook up to an HMI. It has a PCL (Peer Communications Link) port. My understanding is that the PCL port is the early version of DH+. Am I limited to using Allen Bradley HMI's with this processor?

Short ansewer no.
The DH+ on your PLC5/25 Classic is the same DH+ as is on the PLC5 Enhanced.
The early versions of DH+ was DH. Any HMI that supports DH+ protocol will work.
Which port are you calling the "PCL" port?
See Pic below

I have seen the term peer communication link on very old PLC5 processors too. It is just DH+.

Also, note that the nine pin connector is NOT a RS232 serial port, just an alternate connector for the DH+ channel. Later on, they switched to the mini-din connector...so, don't plug your laptop in there unless the cable is connected to a DH+ adapter card.

Paul

EDIT: Any HMI that is still available with a DH+ option and drivers can be used. I have used Cutler Hammer Panelmates and EZTouch panels for DH+ connections. I have read on a forum that A/B is no longer licensing DH+ for 3rd party vendors, but I have no proof of that.

If you wanted to go ethernet you could use a device converter like the Digi. http://www.digi.com/products/serialservers/digioneiap.jsp I think the AB Net-ENI will also work, but I've never used it.

Charlie

averytc said:

If you wanted to go ethernet you could use a device converter like the Digi. http://www.digi.com/products/serialservers/digioneiap.jsp I think the AB Net-ENI will also work, but I've never used it.

Charlie

Click to expand...

...There is no serial port on a 5/25...

There are other protocol converters on the market though that could work.

Okie, you are correct about the PLC, but the Digi has terminal conectors as well. I'm not sure about the Net ENI.

Charlie

Thanks for both of the replies.

Mickey, my PLC 5/25 looks just like the one on the right, except it is say Peer Communication INTFC instead of DH+. The manuals dated 1988 and 1987 use the terms Peer Communications Link and Peer Communications Interface interchangeably. In one sentence it does say that Peer Communications Link is Data Highway Plus.

Okie, I looked at my Red Lion G3 HMI Software and it did not have a DH+ driver. This, among other things led me to believe that DH+ was exclusive to AB. If the EZ Touch is still available with a DH+ driver, then that is something I will definitely consider.

Also, when you look at the processor in RSLogix, it does not have the Channel Configuration or Channel status tabs under the Controller like most other AB processors. I don't see any place to configure the baud rate, stop bits, etc. The manual is very sparse in regards to using the PCL/DH+ and, not surprisingly, AB's knowledgebase does not provide any info.

I pulled a PLC 5/15 out of an old trainer and noticed that it also uses the PEER COMMUNICATIONS INTFC terminolgy. A close look revealed that the PCL station number and baud rate is configured by dip switches on the processor - that explains why I can't find Channel configuration info in RSLogix.

The baud may be restrcited to 57.6k...I am not sure, but that should be plenty fast enough anyhow.

Turns out the EZTouch is no longer available with DH+ and its replacement unit, the C-More is not either...

I am pretty sure that you can still get the PanelMate with a DH+ option, since I can still find the references to it on their website.

It is nearly as expensive as a Panelview, though simpler to program. Just be sure to factor in the cost of any programming software that might be required.

And like averytc said, you might be able to use a wider variety of HMI devices in conjunction with a DH+ protocol converter.

My experience with any 3rd party DH+ stuff is that it's always expensive since they must pay royalties to allen-bradley...So, a good old PanelView Standard with DH+ and PanelBuilder32 might end up being the best way to go.

OkiePC said:

So, a good old PanelView Standard with DH+ and PanelBuilder32 might end up being the best way to go.

Click to expand...

That looks like the the route that I will take. Thanks.

are you just experimenting at home, or is this an industrial project? ... depending on the answer, you might also consider replacing the PLC-5/25 "classic" with a used PLC-5/20 "enhanced" ... that will give you a serial port ...

This is an industrial project. If it were a home project I would get something much metter than a plc 5.

A processor upgrade is a possibility, but I want to keep the cost down as much as possible.

Electrically_Bound said:

This, among other things led me to believe that DH+ was exclusive to AB.

Click to expand...

Yep. We tried to license it, and they quoted us a silly price. When we said okay, we'll go for it, they changed their minds and said they wouldn't license it after all. Stay classy, AB...

Lol - awesome!

MikeGranby said:

Yep. We tried to license it, and they quoted us a silly price. When we said okay, we'll go for it, they changed their minds and said they wouldn't license it after all. Stay classy, AB...

Click to expand...

You don't have to be restricted to DH+, the Remote I/O port will drive an HMI as well, at least a Panelview with RIO interface. I can't speak for other brands' ability to use RIO.