plc5 with AB 1771-DB basic module, its urgent plz help me

nileshsurya

Member
Join Date
Jan 2005
Location
Mumbai
Posts
2
hello there ppl,

i have a plc-5/40 with an AB 1771-DB series B Basic module. i am using the age old PBASE software to connect to the basic module(i have it loaded on a compaq contura laptop running windows95). My problem is that i'm not being able to connect to the basic module. when i try to connect it from the PBASE, PBASE throws the error " Basic Module Not Responding" .
my settings are as follows :
1) PRT1 as program port, PRT2 as ASCII Port, i am using a cross cable from 9-pin connector(from PC side) to 25-pin connector (1771-db side)-its config is pin 2 to pin 3, pin 3 to pin 2 , pin 5 to pin 7. the terminal mode is set to RS232 basic terminal in PBASE(with com1,1200baud and other relevant settings). all the jumper settings are made accordingly.

2) i have even tried to use DH485 as program port by making the jumper settings and using a PIC card(rs232 to DH485 converter) and then setting the terminal mode as DH485 in PBASE ( port com1,1200 baud and other relevant settings). the error thrown sometimes is "invalid network traffic detected" when i operate in DH485 program mode

i have placed the basic module in the slot next to plc 5/40 cpu ( its a 16 slot chassis)
and then configured the basic module in RSLOGIX5 in the following config ( rack - 0,group - 0,module - 0, 1-slot addressing) with the autopick done for the basic module.

thinking that PBASE must have gone corrupted,i even tried windows95 hyperterminal utility to connect to the basic module through the cross cable on COM PORt 1 to program port PRT1 on basic module. But the error msg - "Unable to open com port" is thrown. the same com port communicates with PLC-5/40 on channel 0 perfectly fine(so i think there is no problem with the COM Port)

WHILE ALL THESE EFFORTS ARE GOING ON, THE ACTIVE LED ON THE BASIC MODULE IS BLINKING(WHICH MEANS THAT THE BASIC MODULE IS IN COMMAND MODE) AND THE RED FAULT LED REMAINS OFF(WHICH MEANS THAT THERE IS NO FAULT)
(AND LET ME TELL U ONE THING THAT THE BASIC MODULE IS JUST OUT OF THE BOX,IT DOES NOT HAVE ANY BASIC CODE LOADED ON IT RIGHT NOW)

are these settings fine which are made by me or are there another settings which i have to make in order to make the BASIC module to Work prefectly?
I am using the BASIC module to Print the alarms to a printer when alarm condition occurs in a process. i have to add more alarms to the module (by modifying the BASIC code in another DB/B Module and making relevant additions in the Ladder program in the PLC and then load all the modified code in this new basic module,which is not responding rightnow), but the basic module is not even responding, so i have stuck up at this stage.
Does anyone have any idea,what can be the problem
i would be very gr8ful n thankful if anyone provides me a way out of this problem, and its very urgent.

Thanks IN advance,plz help me

Regards
NileshSURYA


:(
 
Have you verified your Com Port on the PC?

I have used PBASE quite a bit, and you need to make sure that your COM 1 is open and not consumed by something like a DF1 driver....etc.

Your settings look OK. First attempt to communicate to another PC using hyperterminal and COM 1.

Good luck.
 
I last used PBASE many years ago on the SLC Basic module and I have forgotten most of the details. But I recall that PBASE is a DOS application and I am wondering if it's serial port driver is correctly loading under Windows 95? And when you say that the serial poert connects to the PLC ok, which software and driver are you using; 6200-PLC5, AI, or RSLogix5?

There a feature in Win 95 where you can force a DOS application to run in it's own DOS memory space? This might get the DOS driver running properly. I seem to recall that it lives under the program Shortcut Properties somewhere. (Sheesh this all so long ago!!)
 
Call Allen_Bradley tech support 440.646.5800 and follow prompts to correct group. Sounds like the comm port may be the issue as several have already stated.
 
Most users of the 1771-DB/B just use Hyperterminal to upload, download, and communicate with the module in console mode.

Because you claim that the serial port on your PC communicates fine with the Channel 0 port of a PLC-5, I think that it is very likely that RSLinx software is using your serial port and blocking Hyperterminal from using it.

I think your cable might also be wrong; The 1771-DB has a "DTE" type serial connector, and so does your PC. You need to connect them in a "null modem" fashion:


DB25 DB9
2 TXD RXD 2
3 RXD TXD 3
7 Common Common 5



If the two connectors were the same type (9/9 or 25/25) you would "swap pins", but because they are different you wire the cable as shown above.
 
Aw, heck. The "urgent" ones often turn out to be old.

Oh well, I'm going back to drinking beer on the dock, yelling at speedboats, and telling those darn kids to keep it down.
 

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