SLC 5/02 & Panelview 300 error 612 No active nodes found on network

Hello,
I have a forming machine that has a SLC 5/02 and Panelview 300 terminal. Unfortunately, the machine was seldom used and the battery quietly passed away...

I did manage to find the associated Eprom, and after installing it (and a new battery), I have some functionality of the machine - it is obvious to me that the program loaded as I can place the machine in manual and the I/O works, I can operate valves and motion manually, I just cannot access any of the timers or temperature settings because of the error.

I do not have software for either... The SLC 5/02 shows no com light (I think the 5/02 is DH only and I think it is supposed to be on steady). The PV panel has a flashing comms light (pretty sure it is also DH only).
I went into the panel using the <> buttons and it is DH, address 2. If I change the address to 1, it tells me "duplicate address" - does this mean it can see the 5/02 ? If I change the address to "0", it tells me required addresses are missing... I tried all of the baud rates, etc. No joy.
I found another 5/02 and cleared it, placed the Eprom in it, same situation. AB stuff is not really my thing (which is why I don't have the software), but I would sure love to have this machine back.
It's really not all that complicated, bunch of timers and some proportional temp controls, but it would still be much easier to get these guys talking rather than start from scratch....

Any suggestions ? Thanks in advance !

Hi,

To be clear, the protocol in use is "DH-485", as opposed to the "DH+" protocol, which could confuse folks here. So best use "DH-485" when referring to it.

The SLC 5/02 just has an RJ-45 DH-485 protocol port. The default settings are...

Baud: 19200
Node Address: 1

The program was/is most likely using this default. This is also confirmed by you setting the PanelView 300 node address to "1" and seeing the "duplicate address" error message. So the DH-485 node addressing, of "1" for the SLC 5/02, and "2" for the PanelView 300 I reckon looks good. Just make sure the PanelView 300 baud rate is also set to "19200" now that you know what the SLC 5/02 is likely set for.

After that, can you tell us how they are interconnected? Is there an interface between the two devices or are they cabled directly and which cable or cables are in use?

In theory, if the "working" program loaded to the SLC 5/02 from the EEPROM is the original that the PanelView 300 used to work with, we "should" be able to get it back communicating again.

Regards,
George

Thanks George, yes - DH-485... sorry.
The devices are connected using 1747-C10 cable, I thought maybe it was a cable issue - I re-terminated the RJ end, still no joy. I really didn't suspect the cable anyway as this occurred after battery death, but I tried it anyway...
I did verify that the terminal baud rate is 19200, I also tried them all anyway !
Sure seems like all should be good...

If I change the address to 1, it tells me "duplicate address" - does this mean it can see the 5/02 ?

Click to expand...

I'm not 100% sure about that.

The PanelView user program knows what SLC-500 network node addresses it's configured to talk to, so even without being able to "see" the conflicting node number participating in DH-485 network token passing traffic, the terminal might be able to tell you that you have configured it for a node number that will conflict with the other devices it expects to be on the network.

The PanelView terminals hold their program in nonvolatile flash memory, so they can happily ride through a long-failed battery. So if the PanelView's configuration menus show you 19200 baud and Node 2, those are very probably correct and appropriate.

This should be a simple problem to solve for anyone who works on old SLC controllers; most of the leading systems integrators in your area are going to have RSLogix 500 software and a USB/DH485 interface box. So will your A-B distributor; they might send somebody to have a look in exchange for an opportunity to talk to you about this and other upgrades or maintenance needs you have in your facility.

Thanks Ken for the info on the PV...
I just noticed that my location still shows as Florida... have to change that... Anyone in the Southern Maryland area want to take a crack at it?

Ken Roach said:

...The PanelView user program knows what SLC-500 network node addresses it's configured to talk to, so even without being able to "see" the conflicting node number participating in DH-485 network token passing traffic, the terminal might be able to tell you that you have configured it for a node number that will conflict with the other devices it expects to be on the network...

Click to expand...

Hi Ken, most definitely, the "duplicate node address" error (615) is only thrown during active communication attempts where the PanelView terminal is detecting one or more nodes on the network with the same address as itself. The PanelBuilder 32 software throws a specific error if it detects the configuration of the same node address configured for the controller and terminal under the "Communications Setup"...

Error - <Node Name> - Node Address matches PV Terminal Node Address

This means that we cannot configure an application and download it to a terminal and run it with a duplicate node address configured. It is only detected when we either introduce another same node address on the network, or we edit the terminal's node address to the same as an active node address.

So I am pretty confident that the terminal is indeed "seeing" the SLC controller at node address "1", which is good. The copy of the program on the EEPROM most likely has the default DH-485 settings as described above (19200, 1) and downloaded them into the controller. But what gives after that?

Let's go through the basics...

The PanelView 300 terminal is likely a native DH-485 model (2711-xxx2 or 2711-xxx3) with the compatible AMP connector that is on one end of the 1747-C10, allowing you to connect this cable directly to the RJ-45 DH-485 port on the SLC 5/02.

Just a quick check on your "check" of that cable...

icc1john said:

...I thought maybe it was a cable issue - I re-terminated the RJ end, still no joy...

Click to expand...

You've obviously cut and remade a manufacturer's cable here, so are happy that you made it off properly, pin-for-pin, and it "bells" out for continuity, or had you also checked that?

Here's the cable pinout, just for reference...


If happy with that...

Your opening error in the title is...

612: No active nodes found on network

This error will occur when the terminal is seeing no other active nodes at all on the network, like a broken or disconnected cable, device powered off, or incorrect baud setting. But you appeared to be getting some communications at one point...

615: Duplicate node address

This error, as I've explained, appears to be seeing the SLC controller at node address "1" when the PanelView 300 is test configured to "1". So this should be proving to us that the controller is responding at node address "1".

613: Required Network Nodes Not Found on DH-485

And lastly, when you configured the PanelView 300 to node address "0", it is telling you that the "required" node address, configured for the SLC controller in the project, is no longer detected on the network. This is because the project running on the terminal is expecting the PanelView 300 terminal to be node address "2" (not "0") and the controller node address "1". By the way, node address "2" is the default for the PanelView terminal when you open the Communications Setup window, and baud "19200".

So everything appears to pointing towards the PanelView 300 terminal being at the default node address "2" and the SLC controller being at the default node address "1", and both being "19200" baud.

When the terminal is configured to "19200, 2", what error are you then receiving?

Once we've knocked over all these pins, and we're still no better off, then if you're really determined to get this terminal back in action, I'd also say it's time to seek "outside" assistance.

Regards,
George

Thanks for the explanation of the 615 error code; I had forgotten that the PanelView has a specific code for when the Config Mode node number conflicts with the node number that's part of the User Application.

A flashing green COMM LED on the PanelView and an extinguished one on the SLC-5/02... that definitely seems to point to a damaged cable or a damaged port or maybe an isolator that's out of commission.

Well, I rung out the cable, all good - thanks for the pin-out. Error when the terminal is configured to 19200 and address 2 is 612: No active nodes found on network

icc1john said:

Error when the terminal is configured to 19200 and address 2 is 612: No active nodes found on network

Click to expand...

Sounding suspiciously like the port on the SLC 5/02 so?
Even when you're configured for the duplicate node address do you ever see any sign of life on the SLC port LED indicator?

You "might" be getting some connectivity through on some pins but loosing it on others, or the like?
It might explain why the terminal can detect the duplicate address, but won't detect the controller as "active", whatever tells it that?

I'm off home now so I can't (and don't want to) try start getting into dissecting the DH-485 protocol, packet-wise!

This really needs, at a minimum, an RSLinx Classic browse to see what will or won't show up under a DH-485 driver browse? Then take it from there.

We might still be missing something here, but I'm out of options, I think?

Start screaming "Help!"...

G.

Trying desperately to eliminate potentials, I cleared the memory of my spare 5/02, inserted the Eeprom and battery and powered it up.... Same result, ladder logic is working as I can turn devices on and off using the I/O, but no data in the PV300, and error reads 612 - No active nodes found on network.
Flashing light on the PV, nothing on the 5/02