One needs some assistance Melsec F-40M

1st post which i hope the Gurus will be able to help me with.
We`ve (re) inherited a piece of equipment at work which has a mitsubishi melsec F-40M PLC with the optional rom fitted.
It has been shipped to us after being dismantled and the battery backup (F-20BC??) was last changed in 1988.

Two things spring to mind, do i need to bother with the backup battery as the ROM has the program after all it has been over 25 years.
What could i fit to the PLC in place of the existing battery (i`m thinking that there must be something with the same connector that can be brought off the shelf).

Also, best way to backup the program ?, we`ve no keypad to connect to view the code.

Regards

Steve

Hi
These units used to have a clip on hand held programmer and I have also seen a clip on module so you can connect a laptop using the old medoc software...however these are all very rare and hard to find

I would suggest ebay or asking your mitsi distributors if thy know of an integrator who could do that for you (ie they have the kit) and get it into a modern equivalent PLC.. the code should almost need no changes if you go for a modern FX unit, and you can program it easily

Cheers

Yes cjd is correct if you have GX Developer you can import Medoc progammes I have done it many times. What is the machine? what does it do?

GX developer does not support the old F series processors so i doubt that there is any way of importing the Medoc programme in this instance. It should not be a big job to convert the programme manually, however, as I am sure there was a 1000 step limit on programmes for the F-40. The only issue might be decoding any of the more complex instructions which used a rather strange format for these processors. You will need an F Series programming manual to make any sense of them.

Hi I would connect to medoc and change the cpu type then import to gx.

However the op has no interface module or code listing hence I suggested an integrator who may have the kit from 20 yrs ago

Cheers

Hi Again this old thread has details of part numbers etc

http://www.plctalk.net/qanda/archive/index.php/t-1280.html

Thanks everybody.
something for me to try and chase up on monday morning.
as to what is the equipment..its an old paper winding machine. We have others with old allen bradley (also old and unsupported).
Fortunately it is not being put into service so i jyst need to be sure it could be in the future.

Thanks again
steve

Hope this helps

Don't know if you got this sorted,

LCA Blackburn Hire the F2-20GF1 and SC03 interface to connect to the F-20M and can also issue medoc 2.3 to enable you to upload the code.
Be aware that you my not be able to upload the code unless the PLC is in STOP. If you see Transfer Pending but then get Can't Read Program the PLC will need to be in stop.