serial to parallel converter

johnfarrugi

Member
Join Date
Mar 2008
Location
London
Posts
99
I'm having an issue trying to connect a 5/05 serial port to a parallel printer. I am currently connected to a serial printer using 2-3,3-2 and 5-5 from plc DB9 to printer DB9. With this configuration, everything works great. So I know the code is correct.
I have the same printer with a parallel port that I need to use in place of the serial printer. I purchased a Serial to Parallel converter from B & B Electronics Model 232SPS2. The converter is set for 9600 baud,Xon/Xoff, 8 data bits, No parity, serial to parallel conversion. The converter is a 25DB connector on the serial side so I wired the PLC to conveter as 2-3, 3-2, 5-7. When I sent the ASCII string the data light blinks on the printer but nothing happens.
Any ideas?
 
Most likely your serial printer printed each line as it received a <CR> <LF>.

Your parallel printer most likely has a page buffer and will not print until either the page buffer is full or it receives a <FF> (form feed) or Eject character.

Is your parallel printer an inkjet or laser jet or what? Was the serial printer a dot matrix one ?
 
Most likely your serial printer printed each line as it received a <CR> <LF>.

Your parallel printer most likely has a page buffer and will not print until either the page buffer is full or it receives a <FF> (form feed) or Eject character.

Is your parallel printer an inkjet or laser jet or what? Was the serial printer a dot matrix one ?


The printer is a Zebra label maker. The serial printer is a 105SL and the paralle printer is a 105SE.

I dont have XON/XOFF enabled in the PLC could it be this? Do I need to wire the converter and different if I use Xon/Xoff?
 
I would recommend it.

Edit - on second thought just get out both manuals and read. With DCE/DTE type configurations in the 25 pin port you will probably get farther by just reading first. - Edit
 
Last edited:
The manual is unclear!

The PLC is DCE and the Parallee converter is DCE. What are the required pinouts for a 9DB DCE to a 25DB DCE?
 
Strange - my manual (1747-UM011E-EN-P) says that the serial port on a SLC 5/05 is DTE. Thus table B-2 on page B3 of the manual for your serial to parallel convertor should apply.
 
you are correct about the swap of the 9 and 25 pins.
i had same problems on different machine.
for the connections do you have a check box
if not check the voltage on 2 and 3 they should be both present.
if paper out the converter will not send anything so flow control is not present anymore. it is only a serial to parallel convereter and any signal back is not converted. only way is serial printer.
 
I followed the pinouts in the manual and the printer's Data light flashes when I send it a command but nothing happens. I know its not the command I'm sending because if I connect the PLC to a serial printer it works fine. Anyone have experience with a parallel Zebra printer?
 
Ok, I've tried to figure this out a little more and I've determined that the cables I'm using are correct and working fine. If I create an application in labview to send the following string out of my laptop serial port:

^XA^CF0,40^FO35,50^FD9L14-2450AD^FS^CF0,50^FO35,150^FD33108B^FS^XZ

Using the following port configuration:
COM1
9600 buad
8 data bits
none parity
1 stop bit
no flow control

It works fine. Now if I take the same cables connect it to the same printer and send the same string out of the PLC serial port, I get nothing.
Is the PLC converting the string into a different format? I've check the port setting in the PLC and they are the same as above.

Any one have any suggestion as to what I might be doing wrong?
 
How do you have your channel 0 user set up in the SLC 5/05?

I would expect that it would be:
Driver: ASCII
Baud: 9600
Parity: None
Stop Bits: 1
Data Bits: 8

No Handshaking
Delete Mode: Ignore

Also, what command are you using to send the string to the serial port?

And, what do the characters look like in your string file?

Paul
 

Similar Topics

Hi.I am new to the GE Fanuc plc. I was able to work out simple programming examples so that i get a hold over it.Now,i am doing a project where i...
Replies
2
Views
2,904
I have 9 field devices, three METSEPM5110 power meters and six ACE949-2 rs285 interface modules. I want to read this Modbus rtu data through rs485...
Replies
8
Views
269
I have lm9030 program on my toughbook CF-29 cannot get my program to hook up with the serial port.
Replies
2
Views
54
I have a project to setup base programs across multiple PLC platforms that can be used for Modbus communications to various sensors that have...
Replies
0
Views
98
Hello all, I am a college student currently working on my senior year engineering capstone project. As part of this project, I have been given an...
Replies
6
Views
202
Back
Top Bottom