Need help with Ethernet connection to HMI

I recently programmed a DL-260 from automation direct to run some control loops for C02, RH, and temperature.
The setpoints and all the readings are displayed on a 6" Touch Screen by the C-more brand.
I am using ethernet communication for the first time, thinking it would be a nice upgrade, and i had been told it would be simple.
I made 6' patch cable and hooked everything into a switch. I set-up my IP addresses as 100.100.100.1 for the plc cpu; 100.100.100.2 for the touch screen; and 100.100.100.3 for my PC.
I bench tested everything with 6' Cat5e cables and it worked great.
I installed everything on site today and that is when the problems came in. As soon as i hooked up the equipment, i had good communication between my computer and the plc, but none to the screen.
My computer and the Plc are about 10' away from each other, and the screen is 100'.
i think the problem may be regarding the distance, but unless i have been misinformed, i was told that 300' is the limit.

The distance sounds ok...but check the connectors on that long cable and make sure that both ends match and / or don't have a wire that isn't fully seated into the plug...that is usually the problem!!

David

More information.

What type of switch are you using? Industrial or home/office brand?
Are you going through connectors?
Any welders, high current, AC power or EMF producing equipment nearby on the 100' run?

Usually if its noise, the operation will be intermitant. If it doesn't work at all, most of the time its a poor termination.

there is some high intensity lights and high voltage lines run all over the place. the interesting thing about it is that when i roll up the cat 5 cord and plug it to the screen just a few feet away, it still does not work.
By the way, i am not using an industrial switch, im using a regular home or office switch.
Seemed to work just fine during testing.
i also redid my connections several times.
i suppose that the only thing left is noise.

If you use the same cables that you had during the test, it works fine?

If it does then, it has to be that cable. If that is a homemade cable. Do a quick compare of cable ends and continuity check.

When I do long Ethernet runs, I use standard Cat5 tray cable and have punch down block outlets on both ends. Then use small pre-made patch cables to go from the outlets to the switch and the HMI. It's a little bit easier to troubleshoot.

Are you using a Crossover or Straight through cable

I am pretty sure the ECOM100 is Auto-Sensing, but the earlier version was not. I have not used the Cmore with ethernet yet, it may not be. Also, is your switch auto-sensing? Depending on how old it is, it may not be.

it works just fine with the small patch cables.
the long cable is straight, not a cross over.
the problem is really strange.
I have bought a completely different spool of cat 5, and it still does not work.
I really have no idea what the problem could be.
Like i said, i works perfect until i add the long cable. I have cut the ends several times, and used different cable several times. and it still does not work. But as soon as i shorten the cable down to 6' it works.

definetly using ecom 100

Have you done a continuity check on the cable? Have you tried plugging it directly into the ECOM100? By the way there is a difference from using solid cable and stranded cable on Modulur plug connectors. Totally different type of terminal, Barbed for stranded wire, IDC slot for solid wire. If you get them mixed up, they don't work.

i think you may have just solved it for me. the long cable is stranded and the patch is solid. please explain a little bit more

if i understand correctly. i need different connectors?because i first purchased them for solid wire

titoyabril said:

if i understand correctly. i need different connectors?because i first purchased them for solid wire

Click to expand...

Yep...Almost all standard modular plugs are for solid wire. I'm suprised that your spool of wire is stranded. Most spooled cat5 is solid. Stranded is typically used for making short patch cables due to increased flexibility.

I had a similar problem with a long length of cable which turned out to be the distance and the route the cable took nearby power cables, in my situtation the cable was not shielded to a new cable was installed with the proper spec.
We bought a LAN tester which proved this, only about 30 quid but works a treat.

hope this helps

the problem is solved. thanks to everybody for the help.
It was a noise issue. i rerouted the cable a different way and it has excellent connection now.
Thank you again