mini din

anybody know of any simple device to convert a mini din on a SLC to a RJ45...i've seen mini din's to the normal serial connector

If you don't mind building your own cable, Jameco has an 8 pin DIN connector. I believe it has wire-wrap connections, which makes things a bit difficult.

Ken can verify this, but I believe that the A-B 8-pin mini-DIN connector is not standard, but has their own keying tab. Unless you are needing a butt load, pay the price, buy the A-B DIN to DB-9 cable, and buy a DB-9 to RJ-45 adapter or build a cable for that.

MiniDIN on SLC? or Micrologix?

I am not aware of MiniDIN connsectors on SLC500

DH+ uses standard MiniDIN8, but this is not what you asking

May be SLC100? It uses DIN not MiniDIN.

Micrologix SLC has non standard MiniDIN 8 with key on the opposite side.
It is really hard to modify regular MiniDIN8

Electrical connection:
SLC500 uses RJ45 with DH-485 over RS485 network.
Micrologix can be set for DH485 but over RS232.

Two threads that discuss the 'non-standard' mini-DIN connector are HERE, and HERE.

Note: In my second "HERE", you'll find that the link to the A-D cable in my last post is dead. Use THIS as a replacement.

beerchug

-Eric

Eric,
The cable from Automation Direct does not provide DB9 on the other end. That is the problem.

Contr_Conn,
I believe that he is talking about Micrologix mini DIN.
Since you have a web site that sells PLC cables you are probably
the most qualified to answer the questions regarding this issue.
I have tried to doctor up a standard mini DIN connector but
it has never worked quite right.
Do you have a solution? Is there a non-standard mini DIN connector on the market that will fit?

We were not able to find exact connector replacement for Micrologix.

Some standard Minidin8 connectors are easy to modify, some almost impossible.

We just lost supplier of good miniDIN cables, new supplier's shippement coming tomorrow. Will see.

Jiri Toman said:

Eric,
The cable from Automation Direct does not provide DB9 on the other end. That is the problem.

Click to expand...

That's correct, but the link I gave was meant as a replacement for the dead link in THIS POST (which just so happens to be a reply to YOU... ), where I stated "and replace the other end with a DB-9 connector."

beerchug

-Eric

I once used a Apple Computer mini din connector with a Micrologix.
It fit just fine.

Apple connector

Let me make it clear about apple connector:

See picture below: true AB vs Apple,
The difference between apple and AB is in the keys.
Normal Apple connector is a standard MiniDin 8 has 2 of these keys at 4 and 8 o'clock. AB connector does not have these keys.

I have seen some variations of apple connectors without these keys, but they are really hard to get, if someone knows, please let me know.

Another way apple connector will fit is to push it really hard and it will form 2 slots in the plastic housing - I saw this also, I have one PLC like this here.

Contr_Conn said:

MiniDIN on SLC? or Micrologix?

I am not aware of MiniDIN connsectors on SLC500

DH+ uses standard MiniDIN8, but this is not what you asking

Click to expand...

Have you looked at a 5/03 or the ASCII-BASIC module? I think one of them has a DIN connector.

Have you looked at a 5/03 or the ASCII-BASIC module? I think one of them has a DIN connector.

Click to expand...

5/03 has RJ45 for DH485 and DB9 for CH0.
I have no idea about ASCII-BASIC module.

I think 5/04 has MiniDin 8 for DH+, but not sure about this.

what's our final objective here? ...

ebenezer started this thread with this question:

anybody know of any simple device to convert a mini din on a SLC to a RJ45

Click to expand...

and he's been given some pretty detailed answers (complete with some excellent pictures) to his question ...

... BUT ...

somehow through this ongoing discussion of what connectors will or will not fit together, we really need to keep in mind that just because the connector will physically "plug into" the socket doesn't mean that you will be able to communicate through the connection ... there are different voltage levels and communication protocols, etc. to be considered too ...

just a suggestion to ebenezer: it might be a good idea to tell us WHAT specific devices you want to connect together (example: programming computer's serial port to SLC-5/03's DH-485 port) ... and WHY you want to make this connection (example: to be able to program the SLC-5/03 with RSLogix500) ...

with that type of specific information, we can give you much more detailed advice on how to go about solving your problem ... or (more to the immediate point) whether what you're trying to do will even work at all ...

finally ... I've seen too many cases where someone has spliced together their own "home brew" cable adapters and found out that "you can't get there from here" ... or worse yet, they've ended up damaging the communication ports on some very expensive equipment ...

even more about MiniDINs ...

I went ahead and drew a picture ... Allen-Bradley (bless their hearts) uses two different types of 8-pin MiniDIN connectors ...

[attachment]

you’ll run into the one on the left on the front of enhanced PLC-5 processors; on the SLC-5/04; and on the ControlLogix DHRIO module ... as far as I know, it’s always used strictly for DH+ (Data Highway Plus) type communications (which CAN include programming activities) ... specifically, I’m pretty sure that it’s never used with DF1 or with DH-485 or with RS-232 communications ...

the one on the right is mainly used on MicroLogix processors ... you’ll also see them on some of the small communication adapters such as the 1761-NET-ENI ... as far as I know, this type of connector is always used with either the DF1 or the DH-485 (Data Highway 485) or the RS-232 protocol ... specifically, I’m pretty sure that it’s never used for DH+ communications ...

maybe Ken Roach will drop by later and either confirm my opinions ... or correct me where I’m wrong ...

and yes, I HAVE seen both types of MiniDIN connectors brutally forced into places where they don’t really belong ... it’s not a pretty picture and the desired communication link never works out right ...

and incidentally ... as if this weren’t confusing enough, on page 1-3 [Adobe Reader page 19 of 422] of the official book:

MicroLogix 1000 Programmable Controllers User Manual

if you’ll look closely you’ll see the DH+ type MiniDIN connector pictured on the front of the MicroLogix ... this is incorrect ... I’ve never seen any type other than the DF1 type of MiniDIN connector used on one of these processors ... but once-upon-a-time someone did mention a rumor that AB had originally intended to use the DH+ type connector for the MicroLogix until someone realized that all sorts of “wrong-plug-in-the-wrong-socket” type of mischief would ultimately result ...

hope this helps ...

Today one of my new vendors offered this version of Micrologix connector.

It fits really smooth into Micrologix port but as you see it has 2 ugly slots cut in place of keys.

What do you think?