AB Power Flex

I was curious, what all methods can be used to connect a power flex 4 drive to a laptop?

I have found one idea that was presented in a manual I found that said a user was required to have a 22-SCM-232 cable. And it also mentioned something like DS1 or DSI, was not quite sure. However there was also a comment made about a cable being available that was USB. And finally there was some sort of comment that I found about a poor mans cable.

So not being to familiar with AB products I was wonder, what all methods can be used to connect from laptop to power flex?

Which has the general population on this site used?

Which is the best and most recommended?

And will this cable do other AB products or will it only do the drives?

Thanks for all the feedback.

You can use a 1203-USB, it comes with 2 cables one to connect to the PowerFlex7 series of drives (that use the mini Din plug) and one to connect to the PowerFlex4 series of drives (that use the RJ45 style of plug).
The 22-SCM-232 is the old serial cable/converter used to connect to the PowerFlex4 series of drives by using the serial port on your computer.

Alan

you'll also need drive explorer or drive executive if you want to program the drive from a computer.

Or you can use Connected Components Workbench, all the PF4 and PF7 can be programmed and monitored with this software. NOTE version 4 is now available.

You will also need RSLinx if you use Drive Executive or CCW, if you use Drive Explorer you do not need RSLinx.

Alan

Didn't think about connected components workbench, just started using it. Pulled it up, and powerflex 4 is there, beginning to love this idea. All the software for a small system!!!!! At no cost .... Wonder how long that will last

CCW will also connect to AB's PF7000 medium voltage drives, it will not connect to 1336 or earlier drives.
The only problem that I have with the software is that you have to know exactly which drive you are connecting to, for example wether it is a PF700 or a PF700VC, after you have selected the drive you want and opened it up in the workspace it will not go online if you have selected the wrong drive.
I also had problems importing the .dno file with version 3 have not tried with version 4 yet.
Another good feature is that you can call up the manual for the drive that you are working from from the software itself, you do not need to go looking for it on your computer, I think this is one of the reasons that the software when you download it is so large.

It doe not have something like DriveObserver yet, hopefully when they stop supporting DriveExecutive they will incorporate the trending feature in CCw but I won't hold my breath.

Drive Explorer is also free now as it a discontinued product, I also like using it as you can connect to a drive very quickly and can see that the tags are updating by an * beside the tag list.

Alan

yes, CCW has many things I like, and some I don't but all in all it is great to have everything right there together integrated into a single package.