complete newb AB plc questions

Going to have to say hi to everyone to begin with as this is my first post here.

I am currently in a CO-OP program with a company for machine maintenance. The job entails lots of mechanical work but what I have seen and what I lack in is tons of PLC troubleshooting aswell as troubleshooting circuits. I am now in the process of building an at home PLC.

The setup I ordered comes with a micrologix 1200 PLC but from what I read this is going to require the use of a rslogix 500.

My thought process is because this is just for my own personal training for a basic to more advanced level, would it make sense for me to replace the micrologix 1200 with a micrologix 1000 (specifically the 1761-L10BXB) as this would be a lot more cost effective using the rslogix starter lite.

thanks for any information you can share or any advice to help tackle this project.

you could get a click plc from automation direct. software is free....depending on what features you need, they start at $69

the memory has fixed locations for each datatype, and a basic but decent instruction set.

good to start off with.....and physically small....fits in locations where many others wont

well specifically I want it to be an allen bradley PLC. the micrologix 1000 I am considering purchasing is about 100$ the cost is somewhat negligible in price compared to the click plc's.

Really the main question I have before I buy the micrologix 1000 1761-L10BXB is that it is compatible with the rslogix starter lite and maybe some pitfalls i could run into trying to run this setup.

The free version of RSLogix 500 will work with the two lowest-end MicroLogix controllers: the MicroLogix 1000 (part numbers beginning with 1761) and the MicroLogix 1100 (part numbers beginning with 1763).

Get it from here:

http://www.ab.com/linked/programmablecontrol/plc/micrologix/downloads.html

The free version of RSLogix 500 and one of those controllers is a very common student setup. And as you've seen, the MicroLogix 1000 can be purchased on the aftermarket very cheaply.

The MicroLogix 1000 has a limited set of I/O, and a limited memory and a limited instruction set. But it's a very good platform for learning the basics of relay ladder logic, and you'll be using what is arguably the most widespread PLC operating system in North America.

Also see if your A-B distributor can dust off some old copies of the "Micro Mentor" book that they used to give out (in the late 90's, when the MicroLogix 1000 was new). It was a really good introduction to PLC controllers and to the MicroLogix in particular.

awesome, thanks for the help, I am actually taking an AB course starting tues as well. My mentor at work has also been extremely helpful although on my side of the plant we don't use AB the other side is completely AB. We actually run about 4 different systems but learning basic ladder logic and basic trouble shooting will go a long way for me.

480v is a little unnerving but the majority of what I trouble shoot is down to 24vdc which is what i will be running on my system aswell I'll be sure to post more questions as they arise!

480v is a little unnerving

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Good ! If you keep it that way you'll live long enough to be a grouchy old programmer.

Ken Roach said:

Good ! If you keep it that way you'll live long enough to be a grouchy old programmer.

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its true. many people ask me how i can work on electrical systems live, because it scares the poop out of them. i tell them thats good because the guys that arent scared of it typically are the ones that get killed in the trade, get too comfortable with it and then whoops

I keep one hand in my pocket until everything is checked as having 0 volts.

I learned that the two-handed way...