SLC 5/01 a couple simple questions

I need to download my current program from a SLC 5/01, and I am not quite sure I know how to set up the driver. I have communicated with a 5/03 and up before and just want to make sure I know what I am doing on this 5/01 before I try it.

My questions are

1. I have a 1747-PIC, so to set up the driver I just go into RSLinx and selecet 1747-PIC/AIC... are station number and max station number baud rate important? It is a single lone PLC, not communicating with any other devices, besides I/O. Also will baud rate auto correct if I have the incorrect value selected?

2. I think I read something in this forum about not being able to have the driver running before connecting to the PLC physically... is this correct?

3. When I do connect will the PLC continue to operate as normal? and will I be able to dowload the program... or is it upload to my laptop? This is my major concern as the piece of equipment controlled by this PLC can not be shut down until this weekend and if the PLC must stop to communicate I will have a mojor problem on my hands.

Thanks in advance...

I would suggest waiting till machine is down to do the upload...mainly because of situation. I wouldnt attempt to up or download while machine is running if it was my first time to connect to that make/model plc.

The main thing to do is configure the PIC for the com port you are connected too...ie com 1 make sure PIC is using com 1. I wouldnt worry too much about baud etc. Have it connected then do an autobrowse, the 5/01 should show.

When you configure the PIC driver...make sure you set it to MANUAL start. That means you will have to start it when needed, the pic will hog the com port so you dont want it running when not needed.

Good to go, except!

Nate, you are good to go using the PIC module for communicating with the SLC5/01 unless, you are working from an XP machine. Windows XP does not support the PIC module and if you are using XP you will have to get the AB USB to DH485 converter. They run about $200 bucks depending on your pricing factor from AB. If you are using anything less than XP you should be able to set up the PIC driver and get your job done.

1. I have a 1747-PIC, so to set up the driver I just go into RSLinx and selecet 1747-PIC/AIC... are station number and max station number baud rate important? It is a single lone PLC, not communicating with any other devices, besides I/O. Also will baud rate auto correct if I have the incorrect value selected?

Click to expand...

The best approach here is to let Linx do autoconfig once you have selected the driver. Once the driver is showing as running in the box, go to config and look down near the lower left side of the dialog box and you will see the autoconfig button.

2. I think I read something in this forum about not being able to have the driver running before connecting to the PLC physically... is this correct?

Click to expand...

Not as I understand it. You should set up the driver and then it can be running in Linx and will be available to RSLogix when you go online. Should not be a problem to set up the driver and then connect, but obviously you will have to have the processor connected to do the autoconfig.

3. When I do connect will the PLC continue to operate as normal? and will I be able to dowload the program... or is it upload to my laptop? This is my major concern as the piece of equipment controlled by this PLC can not be shut down until this weekend and if the PLC must stop to communicate I will have a mojor problem on my hands.

Click to expand...

Yes, it will, and all you will have to do is select upload the program from the processor to RSLogix. This may sound funny but the way AB interprets the upload/download comms path is up from the processor and down from the terminal to the processor. You will be able to upload the program and not disturb the operation of the machine.

I am running win 98 so i should be good to go. I have already set up the driver and it shows as running under the configure drivers box, and I do not see an autobrowse feature in the "configure" window. Actually the start and stop buttons are greyed out, so I guess I can't stop the driver if I wanted to? I am using RSLinx Lite revision 2.20. Also is there a website that goes into detail about how to configure different types of drivers and what all of the acronyms mean? I know what to do after I get connected, but getting connected always seems to be overly difficult.

Nate, you are good to go using the PIC module for communicating with the SLC5/01 unless, you are working from an XP machine. Windows XP does not support the PIC module and if you are using XP you will have to get the AB USB to DH485 converter.

Click to expand...

That is not exactly accurate. I didnt think about XP/2K but the PIC does work with XP/2K...AS LONG as your serial port is built in and you are not using an adapter for the serial port.
http://domino.automation.rockwell.c...3C11391A62543E0685256B7D00711E86?OpenDocument

If you are running XP and have SP2 installed then you may want to look at this: http://domino.automation.rockwell.c...8E88101E5E363E8C85256EBB007F90DB?OpenDocument

The basics for configuring PIC:
http://domino.automation.rockwell.c...A5DD9BC43D357F0D85256B1B00689174?OpenDocument

Common Problems: http://domino.automation.rockwell.c...310D1DD7CF69924785256AFB005D8953?OpenDocument

The main problem with PIC and XP/2K is ACPI: http://domino.automation.rockwell.c...D55ABD27967B45CE85256AFB005D52C3?OpenDocument

Darn, and I thought I was being thorough!

LOL. Once in a while I have days of clarity, it doesnt last long though.

I have a dell inspiron 600 and use the serial port to talk to the 500 bricks we have and also the 5/01 amd 5/02.But I use the serial cable to the net-aic 485 to aic then from the aic to the 500 have less trouble with the driver that way.
Regards,
Tom

OT ALERT
I am thinking of buying a Dell 600M with XP Pro. Since I am purchasing this myself I have to obtain what I need at the best price. I have not found another model with a serial port built in that compares, features and price, to the 600M.

Have I missed something? I may need to make this a topic.

Well all I can say is the reason I bought it was because of the serial port. I have'nt had any probs with it yet. I have sp2 in it and all the AB software still works and even the pic driver < had probs with the pic driver in the HP I had.
Most of what I talk to is 500's so it works wonderful with them and most are bricks and 5/01&5/o2's.
Regards,
Tom

OK everything makes sense that you've said so far and I appreciated the link from you rsdoran to http://domino.automation.rockwell.c...74?OpenDocument, very informative. I just tried to connect and it didn't even show me a node using the PIC in RSLinx. The PIC is the only driver I have running and I know I have the com port configured right. So from the link above I get to step 13(which has a typo on the driver type i believe) I can go no farther because my PIC driver doesn't even show up. Any ideas?

configure rslinx with the pic driver. close it and then reopen it as it opens look to see if linx is opening the pic driver. you might get a warning the it is not compatable with xp tell it to go ahead and load the driver.
Regards,
Tom

Also what cable are you useing to connect to the 500?If you are trying to use the pic unit your serial port probably wo'nt power it.
Regards,
Tom

I did close and reopen RSLinx, didn't do anything, also rebooted computer. Still the node never showed up, but I did find an older version of the program I was trying to get. When I loaded it in RSLogix the correct driver loaded there with the program and I had no problem connecting to the PLC. I checked the "system Comms" in RSLogix again and the node was still not there. Does this even make sense? I did accomplish my goal... but I would like to be able to go to a PLC and be able to connect without having a copy of the program that is already on the PLC, and I read the link on configuring the PIC and followed it exactly I have also read a page over at Mr. PLC about configuring a DF1, and they were almost identical. Is it possible that my RSLinx has some sort of software problem and maybe I need to reinstall? Because as soon as RSLogix knew which driver to use I had no problems, but I could never get RSLinx to show the node and thus I could not manually select it in RSLogix.

P.S. I am using windows 98 and 25 to 9 pin adapter on my cable from the PIC

Are you using lite or the full blown rslinx? I amd using the full version, I don't know if that would make a difference. Also as I said I don't use the pic I use a net-aic to aic to get to the plc.
Regards,
Tom