Can PowerFlex 4 Parameters be Backed Up During Operation?

I have a client that wants software backups of all drive parameters, so I am going to connect via CCW. Obviously, they would prefer to not stop the machine while I do this, so I am wondering if connecting to the drive will cause any problems while it is running?

They also have some old Hitachi L100 drives, to which I will be connecting with Pro-drive, and I am wondering the same thing about them.

I know that you can with the powerflex drives, I am not sure about the others.

You can definitely upload / "read" all of the parameters of any PowerFlex drive during operation.

Some parameters won't allow writing during Run mode, or won't take effect until after a power cycle. But upload... all day, no problem.

i don't think the powerflex 4 units have that ability. i could be wrong, if i am, let me know what interface you used. i have several at the plant that we want to back up.
james

james mcquade said:

i don't think the powerflex 4 units have that ability. I could be wrong, if i am, let me know what interface you used. I have several at the plant that we want to back up.
James

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+1

As far as I know you can use a 1203-USB it comes with 2 leads one to connect to PF7 series and one to connect to PF4 series, PF523 and PF525 drives.

As long as you are not using the DSI port you can connect to any PF4 series, PF523 and PF525 drives. Not PF527 which has 2 ethernet ports and the configuration is done in ControlLogix.

PowerFlex 4 drives have a DSI serial port, same as PowerFlex 40 and 400. It's physically RS-485 but the Drive Serial Interface (DSI) protocol is a superset of Modbus RTU. It's an RJ45 jack because RA was torn between "people are going to mistake it for Ethernet" and "not another novel connector !".

The direct interface is a 1203-USB, the successor to the old 1203-SSS "snake head" interface, which supports DSI, DPI, and SCANPort.

More commonly the drives are connected one at a time, or in groups, to a network adapter like a 22-COMM-E mounted on a larger drive, or a standalone 22-XCOMM-DC.

I wish RA had built a cheaper USB/DSI (only) interface, but the argument is now "that's moot there's USB direct on the 520 series", and "Ken shut up, DeviceNet died with grunge".

Ken Roach said:

"Ken shut up, DeviceNet died with grunge".

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Devicenet may have gone the way of the dinosaurs, but some of us still enjoy a bit of grunge. I hope it long outlives the Powerflex 4!