Red Lion Modbus Help - new to both

Hi all.
I have a G3 Kadet here and i'm trying to get it to talk to a Siemens AZL via Modbus.
I have been trying to set up the whole thing from the info in the manuals and assorted information i have dug up from google.

Here's what i'm doing, and i have no idea if i'm the right track or not..

The RS-232 com port is set up as a Modbus Universal Master - all the settings have been left at default.
The Rs-232 Aux port is set up as a Modbus RTU Slave - again, all the settings have been left to default.

The mission for me right now is just to get the 2 systems talking. Once i initialize conversation i'm pretty sure i can get done what needs to be done, but it's attaining the communication that is the giant issue here.

So from what i understand, the Aux port needs blocks. So you map the blocks to a certain address (i chose 4 - 00001), and then give the block a size...

That's where the confusion starts; i have 2 main questions here:
1) when i assign a tag to an address within a block, do i still have to modify the tag such that it's external and referencing AZL?
2) Do i have to set the update procedure manually? or should it automatically start talking?

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I'm new to the industry, about 4 months in. I don't know a whole heck of a lot, so any help is much appreciated!
Thanks!

Sorry, I do not know the answers to your questions, but I am wondering why you want to talk Modbus with Siemens, why not its native language?

We have talked Modbus to the Siemens AZL before, and it's worked fine, but i just can't get it working with the Red Lion.

I'm not quite sure what other language there is for the AZL.

Is your Siemens device Modbus Master or Modbus Slave?

There is no need to configure both the comms and aux ports. Which ever one you are connected to will be the one configured. This will be configured to be the opposite of your Siemens (master or slave).

1. If you need the Red Lion to be a slave then you will need gateway blocks. The tags you reference to the block will be left internal as they are mapped through the block.

2. You don't need to do anything to start the communications.

Thanks
Jeremy

The siemens is the slave; Red lion is master.

Which ever one you are connected to will be the one configured.

Click to expand...

So if the siemens is connected to the PLC port on the Red Lion, and I'm programming into the PC port, i need to configure the Red Lion to be a master - which it is already.

How would i go about setting up the addressing if i don't use the blocks?

If the Red Lion is to be the master you will configure that port accordingly along with the proper settings for baud rate, etc.. to match up with your Siemens. You will then create data tags which you can configure to reference the correct register in your device.

Thanks
Jeremy

Ok The baud, parity, stop and data bits are all set up to match on the comms port.
I have the same settings on the aux port, but is that necessary?
I have created a tag which i THOUGHT was mapped to the AZL, but it won't let me select PLC2 (which is the AZL) because only PLC1 is available on the drop down list in the tag properties window..

No configuration of the Aux port is not needed. You only need to configure the port which is wired to the Siemens. On the Kadet units there are multiple ports in each connector so make sure you are connecting to the correct pins.

When you create a tag you will only be able to see devices which are masters. From what you have described PLC1 must be under the port which is configured as Modbus Master. This would be the device you want to map your tag to. If PLC2 is listed under the Slave protocol it will go away when you clear the port settings.

Thanks
Jeremy

Ok Now i think i'm getting confused.
The Siemens Slave is hooked into the PLC232 port on the Kadet
And i have the computer download cable hooked into the PC232 port.

I had to make my own cable to interface with the AZL (ethernet -> male db9) I'm 99% sure i have the pinout correct.

So How do we know which port is which? Aux vs Comms? since it only says PC or PLC 232?

I'm completely lost now.

I am going to take a guess and say you are using a G306K. If so below is a link to the manual on our site. If you take a look at page 3 you will see the pinout for all of the separate ports.

http://www.redlion.net/Products/Groups/OperatorInterface/G306K/Docs/07041.pdf

If this still doesn't make sense feel free to give me a call. 717 467 6511 xt6614

Thanks
Jeremy

I had that reference already, thank you.
I'm going to double check the pinout on the Ethernet side of things.

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Double checked, then checked them again - the pinout and cable work seems fine.
And i tried the number but it said it was disconnected?

You cant edit a post more than once?
Anyway, i checked out that PDF you linked me to; turns out i only took a quick glance at it and i was looking at 07040 , the 4 inch screen instead.
I guess my cable is wrong then. But which of those should i use if i'm using the female serial port on the back?

BBernier said:

You cant edit a post more than once?

Click to expand...

There is a time limit for editing the post, so you can edit it many times if you're fast enough!

Before i go crazy...
If i just set up the Red Lion as a modbus master with all the correct port settings and download that information into the screen, should the com light be a steady green? I cant get it to do anything more than blink.
Now it's blinking fast, but sometimes it's on for a second, then blinks, and repeats.

I'm going from an RJ-45 into a DB-9 Male connector.

The RJ-45 pins are:
1- TX
3- RX
4- GND

And the DB-9 F pins need to be:
2- TX
3- RX
5- GND

Naturally, i'd connect TX >> RX, RX >> TX, and GND >> GND.
So if i chose the correct diagram to follow it should be right, but i'm still not getting communication.
There's so many variables at play here, it's starting to make my head spin.

Does your cable have the DB9F or are you connecting to the DB9F on the HMI? If you have comms RS232 port than you should have a male connector on your cable and the pins you have specified are correct. I can't comment on the RJ45 side without seeing documentation for that device.

The comm light will be flashing while its trying to communicate. Once comms are established it should go solid.

Can you email me your program?

Thanks
Jeremy