AB PowerFlex400 & Scadapack32 communications

cire3621

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Join Date
Jun 2010
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New Mexico
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Hey everyone so I am more IT then Automation...so this question is probably something simple. All I am needing to do is make a ScadaPack32 communicate with an AB PowerFlex 400 AC Drive. As far as I can tell you can only communicate with the drive via rs485? There is a rs485 port on the drive and I have one on the Scadapack32 that is rs485/232. I have only communicated rs232 in the past. I have made rs485 serial cables...but these ports are not serial. Anyone have a pinout to show me how I need to crimp a cable?
 
the scadapack32 installation manual and the powerflex 400 manual will both contain your pinouts different components can sometimes have variations in pinouts or required handshaking signals so its best to refer to those manuals
 
Protocol?

What protocol does the AB PowerFlex400 support?

Your SCADAPack32 comes with Modbus RTU, Modbus ASCII or DNP on its
serail ports. There is an option for DF1.

See PDF below for the SCADAPack's pin-out. Those ports are serial ( RJ-45 serial).
It also has an Ethernet port also (Modbus TCP)
 
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Ok...first off we will be talking modbus rtu. I saw the pinouts for rs485 on the ScadaPack32 P4A and the pin out for the AB PowerFlex 400 drive. Problem is...On the AB drive...you only need to connect pins 4 and 5 of the rj45...which is transmit/receive+ and transmit/receive-. But on the Scadapack I would have to jumper pins 2&3 and 5&6. I have never head of a way to jumper pins in an rj45 when you crimp it...so only thing I can think of is to use some a couple terminal blocks to to combine the 4 wires into 2 wires going to the drive? Not sure if that makes sense...
 
Im sorry to have confused you...I was just working with two scadapacks using modbus tcp ethernet...it is modbus rtu..The sdacapack 32 has one rj45 port that is rs485...here is the link to its wiring diagram...

http://www.plcsystems.ru/catalog/SCADAPack/doc/scadapack%20controller%20p4a.pdf Look under Serial Communications rs485 then rj45

The AB PowerFlex 400 drive has 1 rj45 port that is rs485... here is the link to tis wireing diagram...

http://samplecode.rockwellautomation.com/idc/groups/literature/documents/um/22c-um001_-en-p.pdf It is shown in Appendix E of the index...

I have made rs485 serial cables...and I have made ethernet crossover cables...which if you have to jumper some pins in serial cables it is easy...well I am going to have rj45 ends on both sides of this cable...and it looks like you have to jumper some tx rx on the scadapack side...and i dont know how to build a cable like that with rj45...
 
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Your idea of using a terminal strip is what I have done in the past. If fact Controlmicrosystems sells a cable with RJ45 one side and stripped wires on the other side see pdf below for that cable. But easy to make one though.
 
Yea I knew they had made one...we are putting the drive in the field monday...so I got to make a cable for now...I think what I am going to do is put the 4 wires in the rj45 end for the scadapack then take them to a female serial end and jumper them there with wire and solder...then attach two wires to a male serial that will go to the drive with 2 wires.
 
cire3621 said:
...I think what I am going to do is put the 4 wires in the rj45 end for the scadapack then take them to a female serial end and jumper them there with wire and solder...then attach two wires to a male serial that will go to the drive with 2 wires.
Click to expand...

Well, for RS485 you only need two wires (and a shield).

Here's a link to a PDF that will show you how to connect your cable up. Look in Appendix E, (spoiler alert) it's pins 1 & 8.

http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&cd=3&ved=0CCYQFjAC&url=http%3A%2F%2Fsamplecode.rockwellautomation.com%2Fidc%2Fgroups%2Fliterature%2Fdocuments%2Fum%2F22c-um001_-en-p.pdf&rct=j&q=PowerFlex+400+AC+Drive+rs485+modbus&ei=UWMJTNKPHY-QNqP6lLYE&usg=AFQjCNGt0_FqS588cVk0vjo3A3_RQu3BDg


Next, you have to decide how you will communicate (software-wise). Are you going with a commercial package, or are you going to "roll yer own"?


I'm wrapping up work on a BASIC program that talks to four devices on a Modbus (ASCII) network. (PowerBASIC & FireFly, makes for nice programming environment, in both Windows and linux :) )

Modbus programming is really not that bad, but I would avoid Microsoft's COMM control if you end up writing your own.


BTW, I'm using a USconverters RS422/485 Pro in RS485 mode, and it works perfectly.

http://www.usconverters.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=75&products_id=280
 
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Rootboy...you just looked at the diagram that shows where pin 1 starts and where pin 8 ends on a rj45 end...if you you look to the left of that or even read below it says to only hook up pins 4 & 5...and rs485 can be 4 wire or 2 wire connection....as your reference to there is only 2 wires...that is not always the case....scadapack 32 plc has its tx- tx+ rx- rx+ on different pins...so you have to jumper them together to change the 4 physcial wired connections into 2 before hitting the drive. And as far as communication goes...we just needed the com cable made...The program for the ScadaPack 32 plc has already been programmed that will control the drive and all of its pararmeters with telepace studio.
 
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Well I actually made the cable yesterday and am about 95% sure it will work...but Im gonna go test it here in a bit...I just put the tx + tx- rx+ rx- in the rj45 end of the scadapack end of the cable and then soldered together the tx+ & tx- to one pin of a serial female and soldered together the rx+ rx- to another pin of the serial female and connected a serial male to the corresponding female pins that were soldered together and came out with 2 wires instead of 4 to the drive. Pretty much just jumpered them...and yes...those rj45 boards look like they would work well for next time.
 
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cire3621 said:
Rootboy...you just looked at the diagram that shows where pin 1 starts and where pin 8 ends on a rj45 end...if you you look to the left of that or even read below it says to only hook up pins 4 & 5...
Click to expand...

Yup, I missed that. Oops...
 

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