Communication with Allen Bradley PLC5/40E

I am trying to establish communication with a PLC5/40E which we have recieved from a different facility which got shut down. Problem is that no technical or other documentation is available.

The Channel 1 is connected with a TPT-10Base, i am using RSlinx ver 2.500.00.20 (CPR 7)

I tried both configuration drivers, ethernet devices & ethernet/Ip drivers, while setting my TCP/IP configuration to automatically set Ip address but couldn't see any node in RSWho.

I dont have any IP address for the PLC. is there any default IP address for these PLCs?

I tried Channel 0 for serial communication but auto-configuration fails.

The things i have noticed are that no inidication light of ENET or COMM goes green whenever i try to establish connection. Is there any way to enable communication like in Micrologix1200 ?

I am not much familiar with AB as our facility mostly have siemens.

Please let me know if i am missing something or you need any more information.

your help will be much appreciated.

If you do not know the IP of the PLC and have it on a small network. Use Wireshark start a live capture and plug the 5/40 eithernet cable in and a few seconds later unplug. then stop the live capture and look for an address that you know is not on your lan.
This has worked for me a few times even if the IP is on a different scope IE your lan 192.168.1.1 the unknown plc 178.33.22.100

Do you have a 1784-U2DHP cable or PCMK card? if yes then use the Data Highway Plus and check the IP settings

Once you find out the settings you will need to use Ethernet Devices driver its to old of a CPU to use Ethernet I/P Auto Config

I think PLC5e can use the Ethernet/IP auto discovery driver. We have one on our network and it shows up with Ethernet/IP driver alongside LogiX devices.

PLC5/250 (Pyramid Integrator) deffo doesn't show up with Ethernet/IP though, need to use Ethernet devices.

Oceansoul said:

I think PLC5e can use the Ethernet/IP auto discovery driver. ...

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The 40e/e is to old, you need to manually set it

I tried Channel 0 for serial communication but auto-configuration fails.

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How were to connected to channel 0 (The 25 pin port)? What driver were you using?

A null-modem cable 25 pin to your PC's serial port (9 pin) or if the PC does not have a serial port then a USB to serial adapter. Not all USB to serial adapters work with autoconfigure. The default configuration for a PLC5/40E serial port is

Baud rate 2400
Bits 8
Stop bits 1
Parity None
Error BCC

So the driver in RSLINX should be the "RS232 DF1 Devices"

The IP address of the PLC-5/40E controller is contained in the PLC-5 program itself. There is no default IP address.

PLC-5 controllers retain their user program using battery RAM backup or an EEPROM module. If there is no EEPROM and the battery is removed, the program will be lost.

If a PLC-5 program is erased, the controller defaults to BOOTP mode. You can use the RA BOOTP Server utility, or any other BOOTP utility, to assign the IP address to the controller.

Because you referred to the connection as "TPT 10Base", I suspect you have an older PLC-5E controller with an AUI connector. These controllers support only the classic Allen-Bradley proprietary Ethernet protocol. In RSLinx Classic, you must configure an "Ethernet devices" driver and put the IP address of the controller into the driver's host table.

I defiantly have a plc 5, think its a 5/20e with an AUI connector and it shows up in Ethernet/IP browse? Is this different from a 5/40 then?

I'll retract that blanket statement, then ! It's been a long time since I upgraded a PLC-5E or a 1785-ENET to support EtherNet/IP.

After the advent of CIP Ethernet in 1997 with the 1756-ENET, the SLC-5/05 caught up first, then the PLC-5E a year or so later. There are certainly Knowledgebase documents that say for sure. I think the Series F controllers, which have a 10/100BaseT port instead of an AUI port, have CIP and CSPv4 both right out of the box.

For the OP's situation, he should figure out if there is a program saved in the PLC at all, or use Wireshark to look for the ARP broadcast.

Is this different from a 5/40 then?

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I have never seen a 1785-L40e/e L80e/e, L20e/e or anything older D, C etc

I have tried with a F series and never had much luck with them either, not sure if later revs will work, I have also flashed a few e/e to K.3 and never had luck with them either. I test about 1 a week and download a test program to them, I normally have both Ethernet drivers loaded and the only one to pick up is the manual one

I have not setup/tested a lot of the F series, so its possible that the L20e you have is a L20e/f series and this works? Just a WAG

Guys,
Thank you all for your support !!

The PROC RED LED stays steady and the RUN RED LED keeps blinking. I kinda overlooked this before and thought this may go away if i can program the controller. The installation manual 1785-IN062 says the steady PROC LED means that controller has failed internal diagnostics.

Could this be the reason i am unable to communicate with the controller?

How do i factory reset the controller? and how will i be able to put/know the default IP address for ethernet connection?

Page 20, you have a Major fault and yes some of the time you can not communicate on some channels so you need to use another and not the Ethernet http://literature.rockwellautomation.com/idc/groups/literature/documents/in/1785-in063_-en-p.pdf

Do you have a DH+ card or cable?

You need to get online through channel O.

Power down the PLC, pull it out of the chassis and check the CH 0 config dip switches listed on the side of the controller.
Use Device Manager to see which com port number your computer is using for serial communications, or USB to serial adapter.
Use this com port number when configuring the RS232 device driver in RSLinx.
Use Device manager to set your PC com port settings to match the PLC CH O settings.

Auto config will not work if you have not selected the correct com port that your computer is using.
Auto config will not work if you are not using the correct cable. (CP10 or 3... I think?)

If there is NO program in the PLC, there is no IP address, and therefore you cannot connect to the PLC via Ethernet.
If there is a program in the PLC, you can determine/set the IP address once you are connected through CH O.
If you are unable to get online through CH O, replace the controller.