Mitsubishi S500 VFD no RS845 comms port, how to extract parameters?

Hi everyone after a long time!!!

I have afew stone cutting machines that are having VFDs upgrades. They all have various S540 models installed. Mostly FR-S540-x.xK-EC Now you notice that this model doesn't have RS485 port. So how do I extract parameters from them? It will take really long time to write down each and every one from the diplay on the paper and then put manually in again for new ones. Does anybody know if it is just the connector that they didn't put in (which I doubt) or there is whole part of communications electornic section missing inside? I have a few on the bench from different machines, but they all have RS485 port.

Thanks for the advices!!!!

ROAMER_AUS said:

Hi everyone after a long time!!!

I have afew stone cutting machines that are having VFDs upgrades. They all have various S540 models installed. Mostly FR-S540-x.xK-EC Now you notice that this model doesn't have RS485 port. So how do I extract parameters from them? It will take really long time to write down each and every one from the diplay on the paper and then put manually in again for new ones. Does anybody know if it is just the connector that they didn't put in (which I doubt) or there is whole part of communications electornic section missing inside? I have a few on the bench from different machines, but they all have RS485 port.

Thanks for the advices!!!!

Click to expand...

There is a menu selection to show the parameters that have been changed from default. It's a much shorter list.

I remember something about a cable that could plug in instead of the keypad, and give your computer access. We never did have one.

Hmm. If you
1 - save your parameters to the keypad
2 - move the keypad to a drive that has an RS485 port
3 - restore the parameters to your RS485 drive
4 - connect to your drive and see what the parameters are

That might work. You'd have to spot check a few parameters, to make sure your bench drive supported the options used. I don't think the drives modified any parameters if the options were not installed. They just ignored the parameters that were not required.

If the stone cutting machines are set up the same, the VFDs should all have the same setup. Is the PLC code that controls the VFDs all the same?

Worst case, you can set up one of each type of drive properly, then copy the parameters to it's keypad. Install that keypad into to each of their sister drives and restore parameters

Thnaks for the advice! But S540 series doesn't have removable keypad for thet sort of approach
They are all similar but different again. Older type, no PLCs, just buinch of relays and potentiometers. They are almost all upgrades from ROWAN 280 drives, so there is few different setups. None of them documented ofcourse. I will have to check each and every one just to be sure anyway.

ROAMER_AUS said:

Thnaks for the advice! But S540 series doesn't have removable keypad for thet sort of approach
They are all similar but different again. Older type, no PLCs, just buinch of relays and potentiometers. They are almost all upgrades from ROWAN 280 drives, so there is few different setups. None of them documented ofcourse. I will have to check each and every one just to be sure anyway.

Click to expand...

Sorry - I should have looked up the model number and figured that out myself

No PLCs should mean very basic control?

Sorry I have no useful comments. We used the A560s back in the day ... they had more parameters and I guess a bunch more options! I may have one or two still in service ... not sure. They last pretty well. Sooner or later the capacitors will give out, or the keypads will die and we won't be able to see fault codes ....

But I'm quite paranoid about backups. We have every revision in parameters that we've ever made ... unless someone messed with stuff and didn't mention it. That's not too likely since our electricians seem scared of the older drives

Yeah quite simple. Run forward and back signals with 2 fixed speed selections or potentiometer for speed setting. It's that potentialy I will have 15 or so of them to do, so lots of scrolling and copying. I wonder what sort of backup exists for these, if any.

All you need to do is download the manual with a list of the parameters check one of them write down the ones that have been changed from default. You will probably find only a few parameters have been changed, it would have to be some special control otherwise. Typical settings that often change are:
Ramp up/down.
Min/Max speed
Type of control (local Remote)
Speed reference
and sometimes the digital multispeed settings
sometimes the parameter for write during run is also changed.
I know there are hundreds of parameters but the chances are that only the standard ones have been changed.
Note: I believe that this range of VFD's can be ordered with or without coms However, I just looked at two manuals & one shows it as an in-built option but the other shows it as standard, If standard it should have an RJ45 connector at the top but I believe you need to remove the cover to see it. If so you will need FR configurator software & cable which I believe is 485 to 232, not sure if there is now a USB version.

Thanks Parky, I'll figure something out. I have all 3 versions of configurator so no problem there. I just taught someone already ˝cracked˝ the way to extract these to speed up the process. So I take it, if you want backup on these VSDs it's pen and paper only.

It does sound like it, It depends on the age of the drives, I believe the later versions just before the 7 series came with 485 as standard, I believe it is not always obvious but removing the cover should expose the port, i believe there is a breakable tab that can be removed if coms fitted. What I did before I got the software was to produce some spreadsheets with the standard parameters and a column for the modified ones, the chances are you will only need to look at 0-79, others are rarely used by most applications and suspect, depending on application only a few will require changing.