USB conversion for Allen Bradley SCL500 Interface Convertor 1747 PIC

G'day all.
I'm a PLC student and have got hold of a SLC500 system with a 1746-L532 cpu. I am told that the interface convertor will allow my computer communicate via a serial cable. Dont have a serial socket on my laptop. Will a serial to USB converter work?

Thanks for your help

Sam,

You can use a USB to serial and communicate to the 9-pin D-type plug (CH0) on the CPU using the DF1 driver in Linx and using a CP3 lead, but you will need the 1747-UIC if you want to talk DH485...

Hope this helps

Hi samdutton.

A 1746-L532 cpu has 2 ports, channel 0 and channel 1.

Channel 0 is a serial port that typically (but not allways) is configured for the DF1 protocol.
Allmost any USB-to-serial converter will do for DF1 protocol.

Channel 1 is fixed set to DH485 protocol.
Only a 1747-UIC will work allow you to connect over DH485 via USB.
Alternatively there is the 1785-PCMK which is a PCMCIA card that is a bit more expensive than the UIC.

I've got the 1784-PCMK and it's kind of a hassle. It doesn't play nice with my laptop's power management, so whenever I'm not using it and need to step away for a few minutes, I have to go through the hassle of stopping the driver in RSlinx and then ejecting the card. Then upon return, re-insert card and fire it back up in RSlinx. It's not that big of a deal, but it's caused me to walk back to find my laptop's battery drained because I forgot to pop the PCMK out and the laptop couldn't go into suspend.

I haven't used the 1747-UIC, but i've been curious to see if it's less of a PIA than the PCMK.

I believe that what inhibits the PC from entering suspend mode is that RSLinx keeps up an online connection to the configured hardware (PCMK or UIC).
So you just have to shut down RSLinx to allow suspend mode.
Therefore I also think that it will be the same with an UIC as a PCMK.

The PCMK gets awfully hot, but I am quite satisfied with mine.

I agree with Jesper, it's linxs that is stopping the hibernate mode, I never take my card out of my laptop, that the safest place for me to keep it, also I have linx to start only manually this way if it will not always taking control of the port...just when I ask it to.

The only (2) things that I don't like about the PCMK is how fragile the connection is (bad for a manufacturing environment) and the cost (but it did just get one from e-bay for 350.00 USD)

monkeyhead said:

I've got the 1784-PCMK and it's kind of a hassle. It doesn't play nice with my laptop's power management, so whenever I'm not using it and need to step away for a few minutes, I have to go through the hassle of stopping the driver in RSlinx and then ejecting the card. Then upon return, re-insert card and fire it back up in RSlinx. It's not that big of a deal, but it's caused me to walk back to find my laptop's battery drained because I forgot to pop the PCMK out and the laptop couldn't go into suspend.

I haven't used the 1747-UIC, but i've been curious to see if it's less of a PIA than the PCMK.

Click to expand...

MH, There is a technote somewhere on ABs knowledgebase about disabling the power management option on your laptop. I don't have the number, but I know I have seen the technote.

Gday, me again

Does communicating with DF1 allow me to program and monitor with logix? Would it be better to communicate in DH485 protocol? I'm just trying to build up a trainer for home.

G'day Mate!

Using the RS232 (DF1) will be more then adequate for what you are looking to do. As I understand it the main reasons you would need to use DH485 is if you needed to connect several devices to make a DH Network or if you needed to communicate over a distance greater then about 20 Feet, which I think is about 6 or 7 Meters. As this is just for doing your school work on, I would assume niether of the above would apply.

As far as the USB is concerned my mate has a standard USB to Serial adaptor that works fine. Also instead of paying AU$60 or more for the AB CP3 cable, I went to Jaycar and bought a standard null modem serial cable for AU$9.95 that hasn't let me down yet!

Have a good one mate and good luck.

An off the shelf cable from a local computer supplier is much cheaper. Just make absolutely sure it is a null modem cable.

You can make you own cable by connecting pin 2 to pin 3, pin 3 to pin 2, and pin 5 to pin 5. It will work just fine with only those three connections.

Cheers guys, you've helped out heaps!