Connect laptop to a PLC 5/40 via Channel 0

I need to upload a copy of a program to send to a vendor for modification. No one in the plant knows how to connect to the PLC 5/40.

The laptop we have with Logix5 is quite old, but it has a 9 pin serial connector. It has Windows NT 4.0 and Linx and Logix5 loaded (older versions of RXLinx and RSLogix5).

I am stuck at the configure driver section on Linx. What driver do I select? Do I need some intermediate hardware to be able to communicate?

Thanks,
Chris

Do I need some intermediate hardware to be able to communicate?

Click to expand...

not as long as the 25-pin port on the PLC is still set up as a "System" (programming) port ... (cross your fingers - it USUALLY is) ...

connect between the 9-pin serial port on your computer - and the 25-pin connector on the PLC ...

do you need the pinout?

2 to 2 ...
3 to 3 ...
5 on the 9-pin connects to 7 on the 25-pin ...

select the RS-232/DF1 driver ... when you get to the configuration screen, just click the Auto Configure button ... note that Auto Configure will NOT change the number of the computer's COM port - so you might have to do that manually ... but the rest of the entries should take care of themselves ...

this USUALLY works - so try it and let us know if you need more help ...

welcome to the forum ...

going a little bit further ...

do you already have an existing .RSP file for your program? ... if not, then you need to know that you're not going to get any "comments and descriptions" when you download the program from the PLC ...

so ...

now question #1 becomes: if you do NOT have an existing program (with the comments) just how much trouble is the vendor going to run into when trying to deciper this thing? ...

possible answer: a LOT of trouble ...

question #2 becomes: if you DO have an existing program (with the comments) why are you having to download from the processor? ... (just send them the file) ...

possible answer: the existing .RSP file is "old" and changes have been made to the processor's program since the file was last updated ...

have you discussed all of this with the vendor that you're dealing with? ...

Ron,

Thanks for the help. I have a 1784-CP10 cable, so I think I am good on the pinout.

Regarding the comment file, I cannot find it. Luckily, I am working with the OEM and they are going to send me back a fully commented file.

Regarding the driver, I am using Wintelligent LINX Lite. I do not see anything resembling a RS-232/DF1 driver. The first driver listed is 1770KF2/KE/CH0 to DH/DH+.

We do have another laptop with RSLINX and RSLOGIX5, but it does not have a serial port.

Thanks,
Christopher Skaggs

about the computer with RSLinx - does it have a PCMK card in it? ... and - do you have the cable to go from that card to the DH+ port on the PLC? (it looks like a little round mouse port connection) ...

if you've got those parts, then you might be able to connect through the Data Highway Plus method ...

I'm offline in a few minutes - but post your answers to the questions above ... someone else will probably be along soon to help ...

also - if you have a USB port to serial port adapter, that might get things rolling also ...

No PCMK card. I tracked down a copy of RSLOGIX 5 in our plant and tried to install it on a computer with a serial port. Disk 10 of 10 was bad, so I am out of luck here. We have no service contract with Rockwell, so I have no easy way to get a good copy.

I think my best bet will be to use the computer that has RSLogix5 installed and forget about the older Wintelligent software, but it doesn't have a serial port. I will try the USB to serial converter you suggested. Are there any tricks with that?

The DF1 serial protocol used with the Ch0 port on a PLC5 usually works well even with a USB/Serial adapter. I have used a very cheap one with success. There are no particular tricks, other than that the driver for the USB/Serial adapter usually require you choose which COM port is assigned to it.

edit: I have had succes with autoconfigure with a USB/Serial adapter. But I have seen others having trouble with it. You may have to set the DF1 settings manually. I think there are only 20-40 combinations or so

On the computer with Windows NT, we could probably walk you through setting it up if you posted screen shots of the windows you are seeing in Winlinx. It's been a while so most of us don't remember that software off the top of our heads, but screenshots would likely jog our memory.

OG