Micrologix 850 programming experiences

I am working with a Micro830 24 I/O controller and am trying to find out how to convert a 10 point push pull absolute gray encoder input to an integer and I agree with the above comments about the software difficulties of the Connected Components Software.
I have worked through the code for RSLogix 500 and can share it if any one is interested but cant find the help in the help files so I can work through this and apply it to the Micro 830. If any one has done this I would greatly appreciate the input.
Thanks.

We use the Micro820/micro830 in a lot of our remote location monitoring stations. They all have sms text modules that send alarms and will process sms request thru the cellular network.

They work great for our needs.

Have to be careful about running out of memory with the SMS module.

I have a customer who is obsessed with converting everything to AB. Although I do all AB PLC's I can honestly say I hate them. I have been swapping out Automation Direct PLC's and putting these in place. And I feel guilty about it every time. Keep trying to get the customer to shell out a few more buck and at least go Compact Logix, but they wont.
When I started CCW was version 1.0 and to get the little 2 line HMI (AB Compact PV) to talk to it I had to map the tags using Modbus! Really AB Modbus? With newer computers, it's harder and harder to get a serial port to work so I end up having to use the USB and it's sloooooow.
I would never use them if it was my plant. Minimum would be Compact Logix. And BTW don't use the L32E, I have had 3 of the Ethernet ports go bad on them. We now use the L35E and have no problems with those.

Ended up using Micrologix 1000 used the first 10 inputs -24 VDC and converted to decimal from gray code encoder input.
Running at 200 PPM with 0-1023 cont. Open window 300 - 500 1x every revolution of the encoder shaft and it works great- using this application as a signal to fire an air cylinder 200x a min.

I used a Micro830 several years ago when they had first come out. Being a “self taught” PLC programmer I found programming the Micro830 not worth the trouble. It is COMPLETELY different than RSLogix programming and not even remotely intuitive (at least it wasn’t for me). Having said that when I was trying to learn how to do this there was pretty much nothing online along the lines of examples or tutorial video’s (not even from Rockwell). I have no idea if this is still the case or not but I couldn’t even find anybody at Rockwell that could tell me how to program it and I have to believe that this has changed. If you’re looking for something “quick and simple” then the Micro line isn’t going to work for you however if you want to (or at least are ok with) learn a new method of PLC programming then it might be a good fit for you.

JaxGTO said:

I have a customer who is obsessed with converting everything to AB. Although I do all AB PLC's I can honestly say I hate them. I have been swapping out Automation Direct PLC's and putting these in place. And I feel guilty about it every time. Keep trying to get the customer to shell out a few more buck and at least go Compact Logix, but they wont.
When I started CCW was version 1.0 and to get the little 2 line HMI (AB Compact PV) to talk to it I had to map the tags using Modbus! Really AB Modbus? With newer computers, it's harder and harder to get a serial port to work so I end up having to use the USB and it's sloooooow.
I would never use them if it was my plant. Minimum would be Compact Logix. And BTW don't use the L32E, I have had 3 of the Ethernet ports go bad on them. We now use the L35E and have no problems with those.

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They're willing to spend the money to indiscriminately tear out PLCs for no reason other than the logo on the plastic, yet they won't pony up for a Compact Logix? Weird.

JaxGTO said:

I have a customer who is obsessed with converting everything to AB. Although I do all AB PLC's I can honestly say I hate them. I have been swapping out Automation Direct PLC's and putting these in place. And I feel guilty about it every time. Keep trying to get the customer to shell out a few more buck and at least go Compact Logix, but they wont.
When I started CCW was version 1.0 and to get the little 2 line HMI (AB Compact PV) to talk to it I had to map the tags using Modbus! Really AB Modbus? With newer computers, it's harder and harder to get a serial port to work so I end up having to use the USB and it's sloooooow.
I would never use them if it was my plant. Minimum would be Compact Logix. And BTW don't use the L32E, I have had 3 of the Ethernet ports go bad on them. We now use the L35E and have no problems with those.

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I run into that quite a bit here. Sometimes I'm able to talk them out of it. In reality any maintenance guy that can understand AB ladder can probably read anything from AD.

I am in the middle of using a Micro850 for a small telemetry application, and initially compared the Micro850 with a Prosoft SMS module or a WAGO To-Pass system - went for the Micro850 as it is Rockwell....

Thankfully the Prosoft card comes with sample code that you load in, using the CCW software, although I did have to obtain the latest version (V9) to make it work. That said, Prosoft answered my email query very promptly.
Their code worked first time, when loaded into the Micro850, so well impressed with that.

The CCW is nothing like Rockwell PLC software.
Have to use the help files to figure out the keyboard shortcuts, as could not find a toolbar to insert rungs/contacts etc.
Have to realise that with the "standard" version you can program offline and monitor-only online, so no changing code on the run. For my first application, that is ok.

Relatively straightforward to use with a bit of practice, just not what I would call a decent PLC.
If going to run anything stand alone or substantial, consider a Micrologix 1400 (or similar), but it has its limitations especially where communications are concerned.

Preference would definitely be Compact or Control Logix as a minimum standard for most applications.

Firejo said:

I used a Micro830 several years ago when they had first come out. Being a “self taught” PLC programmer I found programming the Micro830 not worth the trouble. It is COMPLETELY different than RSLogix programming and not even remotely intuitive (at least it wasn’t for me). Having said that when I was trying to learn how to do this there was pretty much nothing online along the lines of examples or tutorial video’s (not even from Rockwell). I have no idea if this is still the case or not but I couldn’t even find anybody at Rockwell that could tell me how to program it and I have to believe that this has changed. If you’re looking for something “quick and simple” then the Micro line isn’t going to work for you however if you want to (or at least are ok with) learn a new method of PLC programming then it might be a good fit for you.

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They do have tutorials on youtube now. Here's a link to their playlist:

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL3K_BigUXJ1MV_pr7gnrD63UleKJkwMQs

Any updated experiences on this platform? Do the modules and other equipment hold up? Software better or still kinda crappy (technical term)?

PLCMentor said:

They do have tutorials on youtube now. Here's a link to their playlist:

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL3K_BigUXJ1MV_pr7gnrD63UleKJkwMQs

Any updated experiences on this platform? Do the modules and other equipment hold up? Software better or still kinda crappy (technical term)?

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Thank You for the information,

They have been good for me

I have designed a number of machines with the Micro800 series starting back in early late 2015. Mostly using the 820 and a few 810's. They work great with the Panelview800 series HMIs too. I have a little experience in RSLogix, but I haven't used it too much and always found the software to be old and basic looking. Not necessarily a bad thing, but it literally looks like late 90's early 2000s software IMO. I mean, cmon, it's almost 2020. I'm mostly comfortabe with the Connected Components Workbench software. It can be a little buggy at times because it's visual studio run (Micro$oft), but I still manage to get my machines built out, and have had absolutely zero problems with any of them over the past 4 years they have been operating. I personally like the fact the software is free and supports IEC-61131 standards. I have used structured text at times where I need to run loops and do comparisons for conveyor row time tracking reasons and such, and it has been great. One machine I did for a biomed company had petri dishes being produced and they could only sit for a maximum allowed time before they needed to be scrapped. If the machine was stopped for any reason, my program knew exactly which rows' time had expired and scrapped just those rows. Previously, the operators would either scrap the entire belt (80 rows 6 wide) or none of the belt, which lead to either a high scrap rate, or poor quality finished product.

Spending good money on their controllers and then having to buy $6400 software to program them caused me to chose to go with the Micro series. None of the machines I did have been super complicated, but I have used Ethernet TCP/IP and Modbus connections where needed. I really think the micro series and the software is going to be the way of the future if they continue developing it and making it better and betetr. I'm currently working on a project using a micro820, Panelview800 4" and a PowerFlex 4m. I had to buy the serial adapter for modbus comm to the PowerFlex, but all should work when I'm done. I'm also working on another machine using the Micro830 and a Panelview800 4" which should also go without issue. Maybe for really complex machines with a lot of motion control needs, it may not be the best choice, but it still would probably work. The Micro870 is able to be expanded to 304 I/O points.

I use the Mocro820 all over the Oilfields (100's out in the field for about 4 yrs - I do have a few Micro850 at some of the larger installs). I love these units, easy to program ( I have them interfaced to "Schneider VFD's" controlling/monitoring various pumps used in the oilfields.

I use several Micro820 as remote I/O's sending "Modbus TCP" data back to the main location across Ubiquiti wireless bridge network.

All of our device's communicate back to an Ignition Scada with MQTT for realtime analysis.

I have them running on Solar Power because of there low power consumption.

To me, I have not found any type of project they have not worked well in.
(But I'm not a machine builder for plant floor operations!!)

JeffKiper said:

My 2 cents is AB is targeting Automation Direct with the price point.

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With the price point, I was looking at these as well. I had one experience in the 800 line, and I just didn't care for it. It was clunky and inefficient. Others has said it has gotten better.


Personally, I'm hooked on the productivity PLC's. I just used a p1000 as well, and they are hard to beat, especially with their IO options and integrated communication. The software is constantly getting better as well. I have not really used the click's for much, as I see their instruction set as too limited.

I was debating between an 800 or an IDEC smart relay for this up-and-coming project, and this forum talked me into an IDEC, primarily for the temperature rating, integrated ethernet and increased ampacity of the relay outputs. Pretty slick in my opinion.

So that leaves me with the IDEC's for simple projects, the productivity PLC's for not-so-simple projects and some scrap wire / ice cube relays for those "Oh **** gotta do something now" projects.

geniusintraining said:

I have a lot to say about the 800 series but nothing good

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Time heals all (four years later)

They are getting much better and would not have any issues using them now... I think just like any other 'new' PLC on the market it had bugs and they needed to work them out