GE FANUC 90-30 Model 364 Comm. Problems

The serial port on the CPU364 module is strictly for maintenance functions like firmware upgrades. For serial communications with VersaPro, you will need to use the 15-pin RS485 port on the power supply. This will require an RS485.RS232 converter. IC690ACC900 or HE693SNP232. The converter gets its 5 VDC power from the port. The +5VDC is on pin 5 (Pin 7 is 0V).

Default port settings are 19,200 baud, 8 data bits, 1 stop bit, odd parity. Are you sure that the COM port on your computer is available? What COM port is VersaPro set up to use?

I have the adapter and I am using the RS-485 port to try to apply the firmware upgrade. I have VersaPro config'd for COM1 with the default settings you mentioned. They are uniform between winloader, VersaPro, and my COM port settings. I have even tried Telnet and no response.

Check to make sure you have +5VDC on pin 5 of the power supply port. The cable between your computer's COM port and the 9-pin side of the adapter should be pins 1 - 1, 2 - 2, 3 - 3, etc.

With just the CPU and the power supply installed in the baseplate, what LEDs on the power supply are lit when you power the system up? What LEDs on the CPU are lit?

When you first try to go online with VersaPro, does the 'SNP' LED on the CPU module blink at all?

When the system was in storage, were the CPU module and the power supply installed on the baseplate? I ask because the battery that backs up RAM is located on the power supply and connected to the CPU through the baseplate. If the CPU was stored seperately from the power supply, then you can be sure that there is nothing left in RAM, although it may have been configured to load a program and configuration from flash memory on power-up.

The Ps gives me a PWR and OK light, the CPU gives me a EOK light.

Nothing changes when I try to connect from versapro. And the PS and CPU were stored mounted to the backplane.

There is no voltage on pin 5 of the SNP-RS485 adapter but pins 2&8 hold at 9.5v and pins 1,6,&9 are at 10.1v.

The 'SNP' LED on the CPU module blinks when there is traffic on the serial cable. The fact that it does not even blink once when VersaPro tries to establish a connection, points in the direction of a physical problem like a broken wire, the wrong cable, or no power for the adapter.

When I said that +5 VDC should be on pin 5, I meant pin 5 of the 15-pin port on the power supply, not on the 9-pin side of the adapter.

The LEDs on the power supply are what you would expect to see when you power up a CPU that doesn't have anything stored in it, so that's a good sign. Since the 'BATT' LED is not lit, there may still be something stored in RAM. However, since the 'SNP' LED doesn't show any sign of serial traffic, I think you should focus on the wiring. While VP is attempting to establish a connection, you should see the 'SNP' LED blink every second or so.

1. Make sure there is +5 VDC between pins 5 and 7 on the power supply. This is what powers the active components in the adapter. If it is blown, it is possible to make a 'cheater' cable that will allow you to go straight from the RS232 port on your computer.

2. Verify that the COM1 port on your computer is functional and available. Some software packages grab the COM port when the computer boots up and don't relinquish it.

3. Make sure that the cable between your computer's COM port and the adapter's 9-pin side is 1 - 1, 2 - 2, 3 - 3, 4 - 4, 5 - 5, 6 - 6, 7 - 7, 8 -8 , 9 - 9.

By SNP led i assume you are refering to the PS Port led or status led, there is no change regardless.

I do have +5v on the PS port.

And my com port is configured properly.

Is this simply a faulty CPU?

By 'SNP' LED, I mean the one on the CPU module. The one that's all by itself in the upper right hand corner.

The manual I have (GFK-0356q) shows the LED labeled 'SNP'. However, the same manual shows the the corresponding LED on a CPU363 or CPU374 labeled 'PS PORT'.

It certainly could be a bad CPU. It could also be a bad adapter. It could also be a bad power supply. I ran into a case last year where an old power supply had degraded over time to the point where it couldn't furnish the 125 mA required by the adapter. In that case, when I plugged the adapter into the power supply, the 'OK' LED on the power supply started to blink. That's not what you're seeing.

Even though the COM port on your computer is configured properly, are you sure it's available? Are you able to communicate through it to some other external device using some other software application? For example, RSLinx can be set up to launch itself when you boot up the computer and assert control over the COM port, locking out other applications that may try to use it.

I contacted GE support and we ran all the same tests over again and the engineer even gave me a port matching software utility, and still nothing.

It may be the adapter. I have yet to see the PS port led light up. I even opened the CPU and cleared the memory to start from scratch. No luck.

My next course of action is to go back to the shop and see if we have another adapter, CPU, and power supply and see if I can get a working unit through the process of elimination.

I will let you know the results. Thanks.

Here are the pinouts for the cheater cable I mentioned. It eliminates the need for the adapter.

Note that it is not approved by GE Fanuc.

9 pin 15 pin-M

 

 

Rd       2 ---------------    12 SD+(B)

 

 

Td       3 ---------------    10 RD+(B')

 

 

 

Sig.Gnd. 5 ----------------   7 SG

 

 

 

RTS      7 ---|        |---   6 RTS+(B)

              |        | 

CTS      8 ---|        |---   15 CTS+(B')

 

 

 

DTR      4 ---|        |---   8 CTS-(A')

              |        | 

DSR      6 ---|        |---   14 RTS-(A)

Are you using the genuine adapters for GE? There's only 3 in the world that will work on GE 360 series. The 2 that Steve mentioned, and another one that my GE supllier carries (name starts with A I think). The other generics work on micro and some 300 series (backplane CPU's), but not 36x. I wasted a lot of time figuring this out a while back. I was using a 'homemade' adapter from eBay.

I covered that base as well with GE tech support, i am using an HE693SNP232A adapter. However, if it is actually working or not is another story.

I went to the shop and picked up 3 more power suppies and a 350, so by elimination I should be able to find the weak link.

keithkyll said:

Are you using the genuine adapters for GE? There's only 3 in the world that will work on GE 360 series. The 2 that Steve mentioned, and another one that my GE supllier carries (name starts with A I think). The other generics work on micro and some 300 series (backplane CPU's), but not 36x. I wasted a lot of time figuring this out a while back. I was using a 'homemade' adapter from eBay.

Click to expand...

I think that the one you are referring to is the AS693232SNP made by Applied Systems Engineering, I like it because it has a 10' cable and two LEDs (Tx and Rx). It still gets 5 VDC from the 15 pin port.

However, technically any RS-232 to RS-485/422 converter will work. GE Fanuc support will insist on one of the above so that it is easier or maybe even possible to troubleshoot blind.
You can also build the "cheater cable" that Steve suggests, but keep it under 15'.

Another thought

I haven't tried this myself, but since the 364 has a ethernet port on it could he use an arp -s to put in a known IP address and then try to connect that way?

Good idea, or maybe try the Temporary IP utility in Proficy ME in the Navigator Window, Utility Tab. Also check that your NIC is not set for 100T only (the CPU364 is 10T only) and use a known good cross-over network cable, I have had trouble with some "Auto-detect" PC NICs with this CPU.