XYCOM mod 2050 HMI CRT gone black...

Hey guys,

I have a Xycom connected to a GE 90/30 PLC that is used for a Coal Mill Fire Protection (KVB) system.
Monday I noticed the screen was unstable and notified supervisor that CRT which has been running continuosly since installation in 98 was possibly failing.
Today I checked again and the screen was worse, so stupid me decided to power down and try to conserve life until we had a replacement plan.
Now the bugger will not power up. Just a faint chirp, chirp from the inside.
I know we have "softsend" software for the Xycom but noone here has ever worked on it. Same as the GE plc.
I am familiar with Modicon PLCs and Panelmate HMIs only unfortunately.
I really don't have a specific question right now but I am sure to be going to try to install a panelmate if I can get it to talk to the GE and find or download the Xycom configuration.

Brian.

I can't help you with the XYCOM HMI, but I can tell you that you shouldn't have any trouble getting the PanelMate to communicate with the Series 90-30. I've done many of them.

Having said that, since you've got Modicon PLCs, do you also use the PanelMates that were brand-labeled by Modicon? I don't know whether those had any 'poison pills' added to prevent them from using any protocol other than Modbus.

If you have to use Modbus, you can set up the 90-30 as an RTU slave with the appropriate hardware. If you have to do that, be aware that the RTU protocol can only read inputs, outputs, registers and analog inputs in the 90-30. It can't read internal coils. Furthermore, RTU doesn't support writing to inputs or analog inputs. If the existing HMI reads or writes to any memory types that RTU doesn't support, you'll have to modify the ladder logic to move data to memory locations accessible by Modbus.

Thanks Steve,

I blew the dirt out of the xycom and checked all the fuses and got nowhere.

We have upgraded all of our Modicon branded Panelmates to Cutler-Hammer so sounds like I'm good to go.

Thanks for the confirmation I'm not going down a dead-end

Brian.

Having trouble finding a place to download GE drivers, have a call in to Eaton/Cutler-Hammer support but if someone has this info handy (Steve?)
The Zycom com used a DB9 RS485 from the GE 90-30 CMM311 communication coprocessor card port 2 rs-485,19200,N,8,1
since this cable is already there can I use the same to talk to the panelmate if I find the right driver?

Brian.

Found drivers here

since this cable is already there can I use the same to talk to the panelmate if I find the right driver?

Click to expand...

There's a good chance it will work. At worst, you'll need to swap the transmit and receive pairs.

The driver you need used to be called GE Point-to-Point. That's assuming that the 90-30 was configured for SNP protocol. The port on the CMM311 module can be configured for SNP, CCM, or RTU protocol.

Edit: You'll most likely use the GES90P.DRV

Driver I found was GE series 90 point to point.

Tech Support has provided me with "Panelmate GE Fanuc Communication Driver Manual" on PDF 90 odd pages, gots some readin to do.

Thanks for all the help Steve, I'll let you know how I make out, they have me staying on OT to work on this.

Brian.

Update:

I actually have two GE Fanuc 90-30
called "Control PLC" and "Remote PLC"
The HMI was connected to the Remote PLC through a 15 pin connector on the power supply (NOT CMM311 card as I had previously thought)

I have built a cable using the following pinout from the manual I was given.

Panelmate 9 pin (male) GE 15 pin (male)
hood ------------------- hood
1 TD+ ------------------- 11 RD+
6 TD- ------------------- 10 RD-
4 RD+ ------------------- 13 TD+
9 RD- ------------------- 12 TD-

. |- 8
. |- 14

|- 6
|- 15

5 SG ------------------- 7


I am going to order the proper cable when I find out what the Cutler-Hammer cat number is.

Now I was able to find a panelmate 3000 color and was able to install the driver
"GE series 90 Point-to-point (version 4.06)"
Exec firmware C-H Panelmate Power series 3000 color 4.20d7
I made a test configuration to read analog values in the remote plc in the format [%AI1],[%AI2],[%AQ1],[%AQ2]

AI is analog input words
AQ is analog output words

I set the communication parameters as Com2 rs-422 19200 baud None (parity) 8, 1 as seems to be called for in the GE PLC hardware configuration overview document that I found we had.

I set the PLC name to default (plc1) which I'm not sure actually has to match the GE program's name.

Anyway I get LOC (loss of communication) fault
LOC: 1202 on plc1 via port 2 reading %AI1

I'm not expecting anyone to do my work for me, but if anyone can see something obvious while I'm working my way through customer support again, I'd be grateful,

thanks,
Brian

The GE Fanuc programming port (15-pin on the power supply) defaults to odd parity, not none. Most people never change it because the programming software defaults to the same settings. The PanelMate setup defaults to a parity setting of none. I always vote for changing the setting in the PanelMate.

Older versions of the PanelMate driver had a problem with the SNP ID of the PLC. The PLC defaults to a blank ID field, but the PanelMate wouldn't accept a blank field; you had to use a number from zero to 99. Zero is not the same thing as blank, and the comms failed. This got fixed in later versions of the driver, but I don't remember exactly where.

You're a life saver Steve, I'll be back....

I've tried every combination I think is logical and I still LOC

I've tried to contact the original company (KVB) and they have been bought out, never heard of us!

I need to be able to find out what the GE plc network/node/address number is.

I do have logicmaster 90 software and I have looked at the PLC configuration offline and I still don't have a clue what the PLC id is.

Because of the critical application I'm leary of going online and making any changes to the program.

I guess I'm stuck...

not the first time, wont be the last....

Brian.

On the Logicmaster screen, the PLC ID shows up in the lower left hand corner. You start Logicmaster and at the first screen that pops up, hit either F1 to launch the programming half of the package or F2 to launch the configuration half. The field is labeled "ID:xx", where xx is the SNP ID. If xx is blank, that's OK for Logicmaster, but not for older versions of the PanelMate GE Fanuc driver. To change it, you need to be running Logicmaster configuration.

I have PanelMate software. If you want to send me a copy of the configuration I'll take a look at it and flag what the settings should be.

I sent you a PM also.

You are a saint Steve,

I'll be calling you when I get set back up, they just set me up a phone beside the PLC yesterday.

Thanks,

Brian Silver

This is a public thankyou to Steve who singlehandedly pulled my butt out of the fire. I still have a LOC 1201 (was LOC 1202) on the panelmate but I am seeing data! Time to start building the interface screens.

Once again,

Thanks Steve!