GE Fanuc Versamax - Connection Problem

Hi,

I'm trying to connect to a GE Fanuc Versamx PLC, P/No IC200CPU001, using either straight through 9-pin serial RS232 cable to port 1, or 9-pin serial cable to SNP Adapter (P/No HE693SNP232R) to port 2. I'm using Proficy Machine Edition 8.0 which is fully licensed. I can only use Comm Port 1 on my laptop, as I only have access to 9-pin serial cables as I am currently offshore at the moment. The PLC CPU has only 2 communications ports, 9-pin RS232, and 15-pin RS485.

The problem I have is I don't have the original configuration code so I'm trying to lift the running code from PLC for a back-up. I'm unsure if the connection settings were changed on the original configuration. I have made hardware configuration within PME with the CPU as P/No IC200CPU001, validate target, and when I try to go online to target the connection times out after multiple retries.

I have tried setting Port 1 and Port 2 on the CPU hardware configuration to different baud rates, parity, stop bits etc, but still having issues connecting. The CPU knows that there is a connection trying to be established, as the Port 1 or Port 2 LED's will illuminate on each try of connection, but extinguish after a small period until next retry of connection.

I have also tried disabling then enabling Comm Port 1, and also allocating to different Comm Port to see if this has any effect, but no change.

I'm unsure if it's something I'm needing to set up within Proficy Machine Edition, or if it's due to the serial cables/adapters, Comm Port setup on laptop, or something else that I've not thought of.

Any help is appreciated. Thanks in advance.

Changing the CPU hardware parameters in PME does nothing to the PLC until you downlod it and you must be connected first.
You need to change the parameters of PME to match the hardware configuration last downloaded.
Default is Odd parity, 19.2K baud, 1 stop bit, if this doesn't work and you have documentatio, guess. If the system had a modem likely no parity, 9600 or 14400 baud?

Of course you should verify the cable too.

Thanks Russ.

Can you tell me if this is only done in 'Inspector' tab, and then settings changed through 'Additional Configuration'.

The settings I was initially changing were in the CPU under the hardware configuration, but looking at your reply to my first thread, it may be where I'm going wrong?

Thanks.

There are two places where you find port configuration information. The settings in the Inspector tab are for the serial port on the PC running Proficy Machine edition. The settings in hardware configuration are for the port on the PLC.
To change the PLC port settings you must first be connected to the PLC and then transfer the hardware configuration to the PLC. Proficy Machine Edition calls that a "download". I try to avoid that term because the direction of transfer one brand calls a "download" another brand may call an "upload".
As Russ mentioned, default settings for both the PLC and Proficy Machine Edition are 19200 baud, 1 stop bit, odd parity. If you are using a USB/serial converter, make sure that you select the serial port ID (COMx) assigned by the converter driver. Usually that's not COM1.

That's my problem, I can't get connected to the PLC to even see what the configuration is set up as. I don't have a USB to serial converter cable, only serial cable from 9-pin port on my laptop which is set as COM1, and listed as working properly.

Does COM1 on laptop, PME, and PLC all have to match up for communication settings before it will allow comms to PLC?

I'm just wondering which settings, and where, should be checked and/or changed to allow communication to the PLC, as this is driving me up the wall!

The straight through serial 9-Pin Female, to 9-Pin Male cable I'm using has been tested for continuity on all pins. This is the same cable that I'm using for connecting on to the SNP adapter when trying to connect to Port 2 (RS485). GE have said that either of these connections should work and I've tried the Serial Comm Test application that GE uses, but this still gives no valid connection.

Appreciate your help so far. Thanks.

Make sure there is no other software running set to use the port on the PC, like RS?
Set the port parameters in PME and it well set them in the PC if no one else has control of it.

Do you use the same PC for programming Allen Bradley PLCs? If so, you will also have RSLinx running on your PC. It does not necessarily relinquish control of the COM even when it isn't communicating with a PLC. If there are other applications running on your PC that utilize the serial port, It could be that Proficy Machine Edition is unable to get control of it.
The CPU base has two LEDs labeled "Port1" and "Port2". The LEDs blink when there is traffic on the associated port. When PME is unsuccessfully trying to establish a connection, you should see an occasional blink of the LED. If it were successful, you would see a more continuous blinking. The occasional single blink indicates that PME is sending a signal to the PLC but getting no response. That usually means a mismatch in port settings between PME's configuration and the PLC's. No blink at all could indicate a bad cable, a bad RS232/RS485 converter when you're trying to use the PLC's Port2, or a bad or unavailable COM port on your PC.

Steve, Russ, appreciate the assistance.

Turns out that my laptop has a faulty COM1 serial port of all things. Managed to use GE Serial Comm Test Utility on another laptop (Cables and connections always faulty on my laptop) along with a test cable (9-Pin Serial) with Pins 2 to 3 shorted for Rx/Tx, and Pins 7 & 8 shorted for RTS/CTS. Use loopback function on Test program.

Managed to get a USB to Serial converter from another system and lifted the configuration from PLC after setting up for correct COM port for USB. Found within Inspector tab, then changed Physical Port to COM port that USB to Serial converter is using.

GE Serial Comm Test Utility can be found here if anyone needs:
http://https://digitalsupport.ge.com/communities/en_US/Article/Testing-PLC-Serial-Communications-SerialCommTest

Thanks.

Glad to be able to help. And thank you for reporting back on the ultimate results.