KepserverEX 6/MicroLogix 1400

As I've mentioned in a previous post, I'm very new to PLCs and have just acquired a MicroLogix 1400 1766-L32BWA.

I want to connect to this PLC via Kepserver and attempt to read some data from it. I have both the PLC and the laptop running Kepserver connected to a router. I've set a static IP on the PLC.

On Kepserver, I created a new channel with the Allen Bradley ControlLogix Ethernet driver.

When I attempted to add the MicroLogix 1400 as a new device in the channel (specified PLC IP, and port 44818), I got the message below:

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Attempting to automatically generate tags for device 'ControlLogix.MicroLogix1400'
Unable to generate a tag database for device 'ControlLogix.MicroLogix1400'
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How can I diagnose the connection between Kepserver and the PLC i.e how can I tell that Kepserver has successfully established a connection to the PLC?

I'm able to successfully ping the PLC IP from the laptop running Kepserver. I've also run some network scanning tools against the PLC IP and saw that it has two TCP ports open: 2222 and 44818. So I know the PLC is up and on the network.

That message is because that driver is looking for Contrologix tags to generate from and there aren't any in a Micrologix. Use the Quick Client and see if you can read some registers to test connectivity

TheWaterboy said:

That message is because that driver is looking for Contrologix tags to generate from and there aren't any in a Micrologix. Use the Quick Client and see if you can read some registers to test connectivity

Click to expand...

By registers, do you mean as in the screenshot linked below? Does this show that Kepserver is successfully connected to the PLC?

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1CUgX8WmQVl-AH7BHCuRAM2zds1S1s81P/view?usp=sharing

No image was attached. You have to create a tag in the Kepware Config and then query it with the quick Client
[/ATTACH]

I uploaded my screenshot to google drive, rather than attach it. See the following link https://drive.google.com/file/d/1CUgX8WmQVl-AH7BHCuRAM2zds1S1s81P/view?usp=sharing

I have worked with older flavors of Kepware that had a distinct driver for Micrologix/SLC PLCs which might be more straightforward to use. Instead of the Contrologix driver, are you given a choice of other Allen Bradley PLC drivers?

The tags you see are all Kepware tags. Anything that begins with an underscore is Kepware system tags. You have to create a tag in Kepware before you can read it with the Quick Client.

Kepware uses the Contrologix Driver for the ML1400. Allen Bradley Ethernet driver is limited to SLC and PLC5.

If you have no code in the PLC you will have a tough time knowing is its working other than the data quality. Add N7:0 as in the example I showed you and see where it takes you.

TheWaterboy said:

Kepware uses the Contrologix Driver for the ML1400. Allen Bradley Ethernet driver is limited to SLC and PLC5.

Click to expand...

Thank you for clearing that up.

TheWaterboy said:

The tags you see are all Kepware tags. Anything that begins with an underscore is Kepware system tags. You have to create a tag in Kepware before you can read it with the Quick Client.

Kepware uses the Contrologix Driver for the ML1400. Allen Bradley Ethernet driver is limited to SLC and PLC5.

If you have no code in the PLC you will have a tough time knowing is its working other than the data quality. Add N7:0 as in the example I showed you and see where it takes you.

Click to expand...

@TheWaterboy Thank you very, very much. I'm able to read/write values using the quick client as well as the LCD panel on the PLC. Much appreciated.