PowerFlex 523/525 MainsFree USB connection

Has anyone used this? The idea is that you can connect your computer to the control module of the drive with a USB cable, and upload/download drive parameters. I really like the concept that the drive shows up as a removable drive on your PC, with the transfer utility already on it. No software installation required! Nice job Rockwell. It's a bummer that you can't edit individual drive parameters with the utility, but I'll take what I can get. My current project has about a dozen drives with identical configurations, so once I have one programmed I can easily transfer everything to the others.

What puzzles me is the position of the USB port. It's on the back side of the control module, and you can't access it unless you remove the module itself. Well it takes quite a tug to pull off the module, so unless your control wiring has lots of slack in it, you run the risk of yanking something out. (Yes I did it this morning.) I know the intended procedure is for the drive to be programmed before it's installed (i.e. "MainsFree") but who really does that? I realize there is a software package available to fully program the drive from a computer, but I'm fascinated with the idea that it can be done without more bloatware on my laptop. I'd like to see more manufacturers going this route.

There is a SPECIFIC reason why it is on the back of the control module. They don't want someone plugging into the USB port WHILE the drive is powered up on the mains, way too many potential risks to the drive, your laptop, you etc. USB is convenient, but is not as clean of an isolation as other comm ports such as RS-485, 232 or Ethernet, because they allow power to be tapped off of USB ports. So there is no way to predict what ELSE may be plugged into your PC's USB ports, and what effect they may have on the VFD, or vice versa.

If you have a 525, you can always just use the Ethernet port to do on-line programming you know. If you want to use the USB port on your PC and the DSI port on the VFD, you can use the 1203-USB adapter, which, by the way, adds the necessary isolation you need. It's not cheap, or small, so if that was added to every VFD, whether needed or not, it would price them out of the market.

I just got my first one apart, the manual doesn't go into how to do it per se. So here's few screenies that might help. After the first time or two it's not near as bad, but the first time it is indeed tight!

From the front (uh, really the bottom of the drive) loosen both sides and raise them up 1/2" or so.

Now go to the top and unsnap it after raising the "USB behind Control Module" door.

I would advise attempting this with two people until you get the hang of it.

John Dwyer

Very helpful pics. Thanks

I used it for setting up 32 identical drives (except for the IP address). Much faster then setting them up from the keypads. Used the .pf5 file to set all the parameters and use the utility on the drive it creates to download it.