SLC 5/05 Fault

chad k

Member
Join Date
Aug 2005
Location
edmonton
Posts
16
I got a SLC 500 Processor: catagory#1747-l551, ser: C proC Rev: 5
OS: 1747-OS501, SER C, FRN 9.
when power up, LED status: FLT alway solid red, RUN always off. Others (BATT, FORCE, ENET, RS232) keep flashing or off alternatively.

try to use RS232 to communicate the Processor , can not connect.

I really appreciate your any input. if you need more info, just ask here.
thanks in advance.
 
chad k said:
I got a SLC 500 Processor: catagory#1747-l551, ser: C proC Rev: 5
OS: 1747-OS501, SER C, FRN 9.
when power up, LED status: FLT alway solid red, RUN always off. Others (BATT, FORCE, ENET, RS232) keep flashing or off alternatively.

try to use RS232 to communicate the Processor , can not connect.

I really appreciate your any input. if you need more info, just ask here.
thanks in advance.

Try pulling the battery out and either wait about 1 or 2 minutes, or use a jumper where the battery was plugged into to short out any residual voltage.

If once you repower the CPU and the above LED pattern still occurs and you cannot connect, then the CPU is probably pooched

Ian
 
STOP! First off double check and make sure that RSLinx is configured properly. How are you connecting to the processor, serial port or USB adaptor? Can you connect over the ethernet port?

Make sure you have a backup of the program as curlyandshemps recommendation will erase the program, but it will should reset the processor to factory defaults.
 
Alaric said:
STOP! First off double check and make sure that RSLinx is configured properly. How are you connecting to the processor, serial port or USB adaptor? Can you connect over the ethernet port?

Make sure you have a backup of the program as curlyandshemps recommendation will erase the program, but it will should reset the processor to factory defaults.

Alaric,

I must agree to a point. With the fault LED on solid RED and if the battery LED was not flashing and the force LED was not flashing, chances are it is a legitimate program fault. But the fact those LEDS are flashing indicates something way more bizarre.

In hindsight, you are correct though, he should not proceed with the CPU reset without first confirming he has an up to date program backup. I do not think an RSlinx configuration issue will make the battery and force LEDS flash.

Ian
 
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chad k said:
I got a SLC 500 Processor: catagory#1747-l551, ser: C proC Rev: 5
OS: 1747-OS501, SER C, FRN 9.
when power up, LED status: FLT alway solid red, RUN always off. Others (BATT, FORCE, ENET, RS232) keep flashing or off alternatively.

try to use RS232 to communicate the Processor , can not connect.

I really appreciate your any input. if you need more info, just ask here.
thanks in advance.

Reading this manual Chapter 5 page 14: http://literature.rockwellautomation.com/idc/groups/literature/documents/um/1747-um011_-en-p.pdf

FLT solid red means fatal error, no commm
Run off means not in Run (makes sense with fatal error)
BAT should be on or off, not flashing
ENET depends on color
Force could be because of fatal error
RS232 only flases in RS485 but may be attempting to establlish comm, with fatal error probably not likely.

Use keyswitch to put in REM or PROG and attempt to connect via ENET first and any others you can.

Be sure you have a copy of the program before resetting to default using the shorting method.

If you can connect then look at Status files to view errors and possibly clear them.
 
You're describing a controller that is out of run mode and is either running "crashed" firmware or is in an operating system update mode.

I recently did a flash update of an SLC-5/05. The ControlFlash utility loads the firmware into controller memory, then the software instructs you to power down, pull the controller, move the J4 jumper from PROTECT to PROGRAM, and power the controller back up.

When the controller powers back up, there is a sequence of LED's flashing that indicates it's busy burning the new OS into the Flash memory. Eventually it stops and the Ethernet LED goes solid green. You then reverse the process with the jumper.

If this controller's jumper isn't in PROGRAM (or is it Update ? Whatever, its the opposite of Protect on that jumper) you might have crashed firmware. The particular sequence of flashing LED's can tell Tech Support something about the controller.

That sort of thing is very uncommon in the wild, which I suppose is of little solace to Chad.
 
Sorry to bring up a dead thread, however, I've just recently stumbled across the same issue.

I had 3 batteries to replace on 3 1747-L553 5/05 processors. They are running the Series C FRN 9 just like the original poster.

When the batteries were replaced i discharged the capacitor pins next to the battery. The first controller was fine. The second one did not. For the final one i had a guy from rockwell on the phone as i did it. The third one did the same thing and the rockwell guy went silent lol!

So, on to the problem.

I have one processor which on power up will have a solid fault light and the batt will blink for a second followed by BATT, RS232, ENET, and Force lights will blink at 1 second intervals. This cycle will repeat. This processor i have shorted GND and VBB pins to factory reset and i was able to load a program and it sits running as we speak. However, if the processor is unplugged and powered again, it will go back to the sequence previously mentioned. If i cycle power a couple more times, it will go back to running with the test program i've loaded.

The second processor does the same thing. This processor is not responsive to shorting GND and VBB.

I have hunch that its a firmware problem and could be fixed very easily but Rockwell isnt budging since they get 1800 bucks to fix each one. I looked into eating the cost and buying 2 new ones, however, my local distributor says there are currently 0 available in the country. That tells me 2 things. Rockwell knows there is a problem and has stopped refurbishing them. And/Or, I'm not the only one with the problem and all of the replacements have been purchased by other people.

Does anyone have anything they know?
 
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This might be the same issue, and it might not. It certainly sounds to me like your controllers have been damaged.

The procedure to drain the RAM backup circuit is to short the Vbb and Ground pads that are opposite the lower battery bracket. You need to hold the jumper in place for about 60 seconds because this procedure slowly drains the capacitor.

This procedure is on page 1-7 of the Publication 1747-6.2, SLC-500 Modular Hardware Style Installation and Operation Manual. This particular copy has been on my desk since 1996.

I cannot predict what would happen if you shorted the capacitor's leads directly. That's a pretty hefty capacitor; a full tenth of a Farad. Did your jumper spark ?

While I don't know your particular distributor's stocking policies, the 1747-L553 is a very popular controller and Rockwell sells thousands of them per month worldwide. Your distributor may be sold out, but the factory definitely has them ready to roll. I just placed a stock check for 100 units and the system could ship them today.

If this is really a firmware issue, then a firmware upgrade (part number 1747-DU501, $187 list) could be done by you in the field, for a tenth of what a repaired controller costs.

If I were your distributor, I would offer to attempt a firmware upgrade to see if it resolves your problem.
 
Actually, Rockwell confirms that using those pins or the leads on the capacitor or the GND VBB pins will result in the same action. I have that same publication. I was on a conference call with 2 techs and after 2 hours no answers were found other than "repair processor". I just find it odd that with no known documented cases, that i have 2 identical processors from the same site go bad the same way at the same time.

According to my rep, there are 0 replacement processors available. If i'm being lied to, i really have no other way to prove otherwise.

What i've decided i'm going to do is purchase 2 series A replacements and purchase the firmware upgrade to upgrade them to C. It will save some money and my customer will have his replacements. This way, i'll atleast have the firmware handy to try to bring these 2 back to life.
 

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