PowerFlex 70 - Best way to communicate with , CCW , Drive Executive,etc. ?

Good Afternoon ,

We still have a number of Powerflex 70 drives throughout the plant. Many are being controlled by DeviceNet that I plan on getting rid of. My question is what is the best way to upload and download from a PowerFlex 70 , Drive Executive , CCW , etc. ?

I imagine that there is a modified HIM that allows you to hook up a PowerFlex 70 to your laptop , correct ?

When you upload , I imagine that you upload everything in the drive ?

My facility has about 75 VFDs in it...all AB PowerFlex drives, as that is what we can get quick support with. We do have a few older 1336 drives, but most are PF70, with some newer additions of PF753 and PF525. I used to use Drive Executive, but some of the newer 753s I put DriveLogix into, so have now switched all my drives to CCW. It's not bad, and for the most part is like Drive Executive, but I can place all my drives into a single CCW file, or break up the CCW files by areas in the facility. I keep that file in cloud storage, now, so that if I ever have a corruption issue, I can recover it quickly and painlessly. You should be able to communicate individually with any PowerFlex Drive via a 1203-USB Anaconda device. It still requires RSLINX to communicate via the serial physical connection.

Cydog said:

Good Afternoon ,

We still have a number of Powerflex 70 drives throughout the plant. Many are being controlled by DeviceNet that I plan on getting rid of. My question is what is the best way to upload and download from a PowerFlex 70 , Drive Executive , CCW , etc. ?

I imagine that there is a modified HIM that allows you to hook up a PowerFlex 70 to your laptop , correct ?

When you upload , I imagine that you upload everything in the drive ?

Click to expand...

It's been a while .. but Drive Executive used to ask if you wanted to upload all parameters or only those changed from default. Upload all.

When downloading, it is important to make sure that the firmware is correct. If major versions are the same, things are generally OK. If you major revisions are not the same, it will ask you to confirm version change and then do it. I have run into some gotchas in this process.

If you are planning to download to the same drives after replacing 20-comm-D with 20-comm-E ... you will be fine.

We download/upload through devicenet or controlnet or ethernet, using RSLinx and drive executive. To use a new 20-comm-e you will need to set up the ethernet address with the HIM after the powerflex is powered up.

I am not aware of a HIM that connects to a laptop. The 1203-USB would also be my choice for direct connection.

CCW is the way forward. Drive Executive is still active, but is not being developed further so as time goes by it will not support newer firmware revs etc.

And yes, the 1203-USB is the way to connect, at least until you change to Ethernet.

I use CCW, and the the Allen Bradley 1203-USB interface. I support various PowerFlex drive models with this setup. Including Powerflex 70 with Device Net as you describe.

Thanks for your advice . About the 1203-USB , the only connection point I see for communication is where the HIM connects . Is there another port that I'm missing .

Thanks so much for you help .

Cydog said:

Thanks for your advice . About the 1203-USB , the only connection point I see for communication is where the HIM connects . Is there another port that I'm missing .

Thanks so much for you help .

Click to expand...

Yes, the PowerFlex 70 has a ScanPort (Round 8-pin), Or possibly a DSI port (RJ45). The 1203-USB comes with a cable to make the connection to either type. I think you will likely find the 8 pin round connector on a 70.

I have also seen these connectors hidden behind covers, say on a NEMA rated drive. That is the drive itself is NEMA rated to be installed stand alone outside of a cabinet.

All the 7 (70,700, 700H, 700S, 7000, 753, 755) series drives have a ScanPort (8 pin miniDin socket), port location varies by drive size and type.

All the 4 (4, 4M, 40, 400) and 5 (52x) series drives have the DSI port (RJ45 style socket).

Alan.

alan_505 said:

All the 7 (70,700, 700H, 700S, 7000, 753, 755) series drives have a ScanPort (8 pin miniDin socket), port location varies by drive size and type.

All the 4 (4, 4M, 40, 400) and 5 (52x) series drives have the DSI port (RJ45 style socket).

Alan.

Click to expand...

Hi Alan - hoping I can pick your brain a little as you seem to know the AB PowerFlex units.

My client has a model 700 (20BC105A0AYNANC0)

Do you know if these have a ScanPort? I took the front cover off but couldn't see one.

regards, Phil (also in Melbourne)

Look at the User manual page 101 Appendix B.
20B-UM002G-EN-P
https://literature.rockwellautomation.com/idc/groups/literature/documents/um/20b-um002_-en-p.pdf
You will see all of the ports by frame size.

Tresco-oz said:

Hi Alan - hoping I can pick your brain a little as you seem to know the AB PowerFlex units.

My client has a model 700 (20BC105A0AYNANC0)

Do you know if these have a ScanPort? I took the front cover off but couldn't see one.

regards, Phil (also in Melbourne)

Click to expand...

See the black cable coming out of the black cover, part way down on the left. If you follow that cable it will take you to the scanport.