powerflex 525 firmware 2.002

jimcav

Member
Join Date
Dec 2004
Location
new jersey
Posts
229
Has anyone installed the new firmware update for the power flex 525 AB drives? It has shut me down nothing is running.

Thanks
Jim Cav
 
Did the firmware upgrade fail ?

What sort of indicators are showing on your drives ?

Or is it something that's mismatched over the network now (like an electronic keying issue) ?
 
We had drives that were programmed to automatically start and stop via Ethernet communication. We experienced several instances where the drive just didn't start - like it never received the start command.

Tried flashing 2 drives using a USB connection and failed. Drives were left in an apparent brain-dead condition and could not attempt another upgrade (drive seemed to have lost the internal file required for the upgrade).

Flashed other drives using an Ethernet connection and had no problems. Was also able to revive the 2 drives that tanked via USB. I'd estimate 5-10 minutes per drive?
 
Is the "failure to start" issue the reason you updated the firmware, or a new problem after updating the firmware ?

I have written extensively on this Forum about the proper use of the Stop bit command with networked Powerflex drives. I'm posting from a mobile phone in a bar in central Japan or I would link to the other threads.

I am not insisting you don't have a firmware problem, just suggesting you look at a common programming and network timing issue as well.
 
The "failure to start" issue is what drove us to upgrade the firmware. We worked the programming over every which way in terms of the start and stop and using the drive status bits to confirm the drive was ready....and yet every so often it just wouldn't start. It was an application that was constantly starting and stopping, so the "infrequent chance" of a failure was more likely than other applications.

Our local AB rep not only connected us with AB support, but actually put us in touch with the guy that was involved in the development of the 525 and the one who actually identified the anomaly that led to the firmware upgrade. He was quite helpful and recommended the use of the Ethernet. When we told him that we had already bricked two drives, he assured us that he had never bricked a 525 that couldn't be recovered via Ethernet. We were quite thankful for that comment because we were assuming that the two bricked drives would need to go back to AB - we recovered them with ease over Enet.
 
I worked on a project last year for a company who were having problems with their PF40's not starting on Ethernet. I know from past experience that the stop command must be off before the start command is energised because the start command is a oneshot operation. Once I modified their start/stop logic for all the drives the problem went away. I would imagine the same would be true with the 525, although I've not had the joy of using one yet.
 
Ken,
Can you throw us a bone on those post you were talking about? I am about to put 2 PF755 out in the field and I want to make sure that I am doing the start/stop bit properly via Ethernet.
 
Do a search for posts for "PowerFlex" that Ken has authored and i am sure you will find his recommendations.

But as 'kekrahulik' you have to make sure that the stop signal is removed before you send the start signal, don;'t just make the start the opposite of the stop signal give it its own bit.

Alan
 
Program your start stop logic as you require but also make sure you add that the stop bit is not on before allowing the start bit to energise. If your start command is on the rung above your stop command then the start command will not be energised until the scan after the stop command goes off.

Regards,

Barry
 
Hi, I'm having the same sort of problem. We have many drives in our network and updated only one. For this guy, we are not receiving the "I.Ready" bit. The Stop bit is being turned off before turning on the Start bit but it is still not starting..
Any Ideas?
 
Thanks AB

From firmware rev 2.02 keeping the stop command on until you try to start the drive will fail, because the stop command inhibits .Ready
Thanks AB for making us change all our customer code incase they fit new drives
 
Ra psa

I read the attached PSA a while ago and think it applies to your issue. I have a few 525's installed over ethernet that replaced PF70's and haven't had any issues.
 
From firmware rev 2.02 keeping the stop command on until you try to start the drive will fail, because the stop command inhibits .Ready
Thanks AB for making us change all our customer code incase they fit new drives

If your post was in reply to my comment then the stop bit is switched off before the start command is switched on so unless I'm misunderstanding you my logic would still work?
 

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