GE Fanuc 90-30 reverting config on power-up

I have never programmed ge fanuc plc's prior to this current project, so I am a total newbie.

I have made a few small changes to an existing program on a 90-30 IC693CPU323 using VersaPro 2.04. The changes (both HWC and ladder logic) seemed to be good until I cycled power to the plc. At this point the program reverted to its prior configuration. I assume it must be loading from and EEPROM, but I can't find a way of overwriting it. I attempted to circumvent the problem by changing the CPU config to load logic from RAM instead of PROM, but regardless, the config still reverts after cycling power.

I see the option in VersaPro, "PLC... Flash/EEPROM..." but it is greyed out.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Make sure your battery is good. If there is no configuration in RAM following a power cycle the system will look for the EPROM.
Verify that there is an EPROM installed. It will be in the socket labeled "Program PROM" behind the module in slot 2. Remove the EPROM and see what happens.
90-30 systems will self-configure in the absence of a configuration file. You can tell a self-configuration by the addresses it assigns to the slots. The first slot will carry addresses 1 - 32. A module in the slot will use as many of those 32 addresses as it needs. A 16-point input module will take %I1 - %I16. A 16-point output module will take %Q1 - %Q16. The second slot will take addresses 33 - 64.

To add to Steve's excellent response.
If the system does have an EEPROM you can over-write the new logic and config to it, by selecting that option in the download dialog box. If it has an EPROM or PROM as supplied by some OEMs you will need to remove it and either burn a new one or maintain a backup battery in the system. Also look at the CPU hardware configuration parameters that have to do with 'Power up' and set them as needed.

I had trouble wrapping my head around storing/flashing with GE software (Versapro) the first time I used it - a bit different than other PLCs. So the program would disappear when I powered back up. Sounds like you may be making the same mistake?

In my mind, you need to write the program 3 times to really save it everywhere:
1) PLC->Store writes the program to RAM. If you power down, its gone.
2) Take the program out of run mode. PLC->Flash/EEPROM will no longer be greyed out and will now allow you to write the program to flash which means save it permanently (runs after a powerdown).
3) If you have the EZ Program Store, you need to save the program there too. Also done from PLC->Flash/EEPROM with the PLC not in run mode.

Steve Bailey knows this way better than me. Not sure I'm using the correct terms but hope this helps...

Thanks everyone for your quick and helpful replies. This forum is obviously a great resource of people with vastly more experience than me. I did look for an EPROM, but only on the cpu module... it didn't even occur to me to look behind the i/o modules :S

It's working a treat now with that removed. In this instance, even with the plc stopped, there is no option to flash the EPROM, guess it must be because of the OEM (Macchi). I will look to get a new EPROM.

Thanks again.

I did look for an EPROM, but only on the cpu module

Click to expand...

Given that you are working with an IC693CPU323, I wonder which module you thought was the CPU module? You see, that model doesn't have a separate CPU module that snaps into a slot on the baseplate. Instead, the CPU is a chip on the baseplate.
At any rate, I'm glad to hear you're running OK. The EPROMs on the first 90-30 models were the type that required a PROM burner. Later they moved to EEPROMs that could be rewritten without special equipment.

VersaPro will not burn an EPROM, only an EEPROM.

They are not readily available I am told.

See this for details and part numbers, (both GE and Generic) (Scroll to bottom)
http://support.ge-ip.com/support/index?page=kbchannel&id=S:KB9612&actp=search

Steve Bailey said:

Given that you are working with an IC693CPU323, I wonder which module you thought was the CPU module? You see, that model doesn't have a separate CPU module that snaps into a slot on the baseplate. Instead, the CPU is a chip on the baseplate.

Click to expand...

Haha, I'm an idiot. I assumed the power supply module was both. So the "System PROM" is the CPU then?

RussB said:

VersaPro will not burn an EPROM, only an EEPROM.

They are not readily available I am told.

See this for details and part numbers, (both GE and Generic) (Scroll to bottom)
http://support.ge-ip.com/support/index?page=kbchannel&id=S:KB9612&actp=search

Click to expand...

Thanks for that info. My local GE Fanuc supplier was having trouble, but it looks like I may just be able to purchase one of the EEPROMs listed there from plccenter.com.

So the "System PROM" is the CPU then

Click to expand...

That's right.
You made changes to the hardware configuration. I expect that means you added a module. Be aware that once you run out of slots for I/O modules on that baseplate you can't add another rack. That particular model is not expandable beyond the baseplate with the CPU chip in it.