Trouble with D0-06DR sending ASCII signals to an LED Board

dmcguire

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• Sep 19, 2011

• #1

I have an AD D0-06DR and I'm trying to communicate with an Electroin Displays brand LED message board. I'm fairly new to the PLC game and this is my first project using ASCII format to do anything. I have my port set up according to the instructions given with the LED board. I've tried using the VPRINT and PRINTV commands with no sucess. I'm just trying to get it to display a simple message "hello" on the board when a contact is activated. Any suggestions out there?

 

bce123

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• Sep 19, 2011

• #2

can you post your ladder and diag of how you have it wired?

 

dmcguire

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• Sep 20, 2011

• #3

Here is an example. Not trying to do anything fancy to start with. Just trying to get something to show up on the LED board.

 

dmcguire

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• Sep 20, 2011

• #4

From the wiring end I'm just using a 15 pin to 9 pin serial cable from the plc (RS232C) to the board (standard RS232).

 

bernie_carlton

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• Sep 20, 2011

• #5

Please provide an exact pinout of the cable - 15 pin to 9 pin is not standardized. Please provide a link to data on the display, especially its RS232 port.

 

dmcguire

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• Sep 20, 2011

• #6

Here is the Cable, I am using the D2-DSCBL-1

http://www.automationdirect.com/static/specs/directsoftcables.pdf

Board diagram is attached

I did check using RealTerm and what I put in my PRINT or PRINTV commands is being sent out port 2 and throught the cable, but board is not responding to it apparently.

 

bernie_carlton

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• Sep 20, 2011

• #7

Between the end of the D2-DSCBL-1 and the board you will need a null-modem (essentially swapping the signals on pins 2-3.

 

dmcguire

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• Sep 20, 2011

• #8

Thanks Bernie, I will try that.

 

dmcguire

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• Sep 20, 2011

• #9

Thanks Bernie! That was the problem, now all I need to do is figure out all the protocol commands for the LED Board itself to change color, font etc. I appreciate your help with this!