DH-485 PanelView

I am networking 2 existing SLC 5/03s (1 has a PanelView on CH1). I'll put them on a DH-485 netork (1747-AIC) and add a RSView32 PC (1784-PKTX). Will there be any programming changes needed for the move of the PanelView from CH1 to the 1747-AIC? Is there any advantage/disadvantage to using a 1761-NET-AIC?

How do you network SLC 5/03? We actually changed the processor on one of our PLCs from SLC 5/03 to 5/05 because 5/05 can be put on ethernet.

You have the right idea, Lewis. Right now your PanelView is probably connected to the DH-485 network port on the SLC-5/03 (Channel 1) via single cable. This makes for a nonisolated two-point DH485 network.

When you add the intervening 1747-AIC, you provide about 1700 volts isolation between the DH485 trunk and the dropline that goes to the SLC-5/03. You ought to be able to plug the SLC-5/03 and the PanelView into the same 1747-AIC.

The 1784-PKTX I think has an isolated DH485 trunk connector of it's own, so you don't need an additional 1747-AIC isolator there, just the card plug.

The 1761-NET-AIC doesn't really have a place here because it is an RS-232 to RS-485 electrical converter and your existing PanelView and SLC Channel 1 are both electrically RS-485 already.

What you might use a 1761-NET-AIC for is to replace the 1784-PKTX. If you have a native serial port on your PC (not a USB or expansion port) you can connect the 1761-NET-AIC and run the RSLinx 1747-PIC/AIC+ driver. That will be a small fraction of the cost of the 1784-PKTX.

There won't be any programming changes necessary to the PanelView or the SLC; the node addressing and protocol remain the same even though the electrical topology is changing a little.