Help A Newbie

gward

Member
Join Date
Aug 2008
Location
Minnesota
Posts
6
Hello,
I have an AB Micrologix 1500 PLC that I need to load a program from the equipment MFG into. It is an RS Logix 500 program. I am having trouble with the plc in the field and I want to pre-load this spare plc as a backup if we have a failure. I currently have the plc powered up w/24v DC and am connected to it with a laptop. How do I load this program from my desktop to the plc?

Thanks,

Greg
 
Greg,

You must have some way to transport or move it from you desktop to your PLC. Memory sticks (or RAM drives) are commonly used. If both computers are on a network, you can copy it directly from one computer to the other one.

1. Save the program on your desktop to a transportable storage media.
2. Copy the program into your laptop.
3. Load the program into RSLogix.
4. Establish communications with RSLinx between laptop and ML1500, then Download the program to the ML1500.
 
Greg,

That is why I suggested the RAM drive. Floppy drives and Omega ZIP drives will work if you have one on both computers.

I detect a slight failure to communicate. Let's start over.

1. Where is the program that you want to copy? (a)Desktop, (b)Laptop, (c)ML1500.

2. What portable memory storage methods do you have available that are common to (will work with) BOTH desktop and laptop?
 
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The program was already loaded into an rs logix 500 file on my desktop. By connecting to the plc with the 232 cable I was able to establish comm with the ML1500 and then down loaded the file just as you instructed in your first post. To verify, I closed out of the rs500 and powered off the ML1500. Powered back up and established comm again and the program was installed just as it is in the field unit. Now if we have a failure in the field all we have to do is install the one I just set up and we'll be back running in a matter of minutes.
 
Greetings gward ...

and welcome to the forum ...

we're just wondering why you said this:

connected to it with a laptop. How do I load this program from my desktop to the plc?

so ... LAPtop? ... or DESKtop? ... probably just a typo - but I'm pretty sure that my distinguished colleague Lancie was trying to make sure that you knew how to transfer the .RSS file from one computer to another BEFORE doing the download ... there was only ONE computer involved - right? ...
 
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Now if we have a failure in the field all we have to do is install the one I just set up and we'll be back running in a matter of minutes.
I have seen this tried before, and sometimes there are some surprises that make it a little more difficult than you described:

1. If the communications set up for the "field" PLC is different than the spare PLC, then the spare PLC (when you install it) may not be able to communicate with the other devices on its network (until you change the communications protocol).

2. If the spare PLC is a rack-type, and the rack in the field has a different quantity or simply different I/O modules in the same slots than the spare PLC had when you downloaded the program, then it will fault.
 
Lancie1 said:
I have seen this tried before, and sometimes there are some surprises that make it a little more difficult than you described:

1. If the communications set up for the "field" PLC is different than the spare PLC, then the spare PLC (when you install it) may not be able to communicate with the other devices on its network (until you change the communications protocol).

2. If the spare PLC is a rack-type, and the rack in the field has a different quantity or simply different I/O modules in the same slots than the spare PLC had when you downloaded the program, then it will fault.

3. If the spare PLC hasn't been powered up for awhile and the program has been lost.

4. If program changes get made to the unit out in the field, but never get updated to the spare unit.
 
Greetings drawson ...

I think he is talking about the windows desktop on his laptop and not a desktop computer.

you're probably right ... isn't technology grand? ... we can talk to each other in all of these commonly-used terms - and most of the time we're not absolutely SURE of exactly what the other guy really means ...
 
Actually I was talking about the desktop( where I stored the File) on my laptop. I didnt fall off the turnip truck yesterday.

The plc's are exact duplicates of each other. The processor has a battery backup, and I am planning on changing the whole thing out this weekend. This is just as a safegaurd in case it doesnt last till the weekend. Also they are not on a network, so the communication will not be effected. We have done this in the past with no problems. Its just that the guru is on vacation for two weeks and I'm in the learning stages. I just recieved the training dvd's and books from this site to guide me on the path to plc enlightenment.
 
I do thank all of you for your reply. It is comforting to know I can recieve some good advice when needed. I did quite a bit of research on training materials before a bought here, and it was the clear language used in describing things that I appreciated. I know you plc vets love messing with us newbies, HUH!
 

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