AB PLC2 Programming

[orangestorm87]

I want to start this by saying all the following is for curiosity sake only, no real world / production ramifications come along. Inspiration came from a post in the forum talking about trying to get a PLC-2 to talk to a controllogix over ethernet.

I am looking for the official way to program a PLC2. PLC-2/20 specifically. I recently had the crazy idea to acquire old AB PLC's and try to get them talking to one another or atleast send signals to each other for a fun demo just to say I could, and I think it will be fun. So PLC-2 to a PLC-3, PLC5, SLC etc etc

So might as well start as old as I can with a PLC-2.

Reading the manual it talks about the programming port is a 15-pin socket that uses a 1772-TC Programing Panel Interconnect Cable. It says this can be used by Industrial terminals or "IBM PC-compatible" with 6201 or 6211 software. How/what kind of port on the IBM PC do you need to accept this cable? Are their drivers you need to install, I assume so being it is Datahighway.

Is there some programming interface required? I found while searching AB Datahighway interface (1770-KF2) that looks like it has a 25pin PC interface.

Does anyone who worked with PLC-2's remember how to setup the software to communicate with the PLC?

Are their any known "modern" solutions like using dosbox with 6201 or 6211?

There seems to be a few different software options. If I was to travel back to the 1980's what were people using back then? Or what software gives the most functionality when working with a PLC-2.

 

[I_Automation]

What I USED to have for the PLC-2 was the 6201 software with a PCMK PCMCIA card for the laptop ($999.00) and a specific cable for it for the PLC-2 ($237.00)


As far as a desktop PC it was the 1784-KTX card with a special cable. That I know because I still have one of those cards in my office that hasn't been in a computer for 15 years.


EDIT: as far as comm's RSLinx has the PCMK driver and I think the KTX came with a floppy of drivers to use it

 

[JaxGTO]

Actually the oldest is the 1771-PLC also known as a PLC1 to some of us older folks. Only had discrete 8 point modules.


I keep an old Dell laptop around with the PCMCIA card. I then have cables for PLC-2 front port or DH+ for PLC-5's. The PC also has AB 6200 software and the easier to use ICOM for PLC-2 and PLC-5. I also have the PLC-3 and PLC-5/250 software.


For a PLC2/20 to talk to others it would need a Data Highway or Data Highway+ module. There was also a Data Highway 2 but those thing were huge and used special coaxial cabling, for a whopping 2m bit that was then choked down to 9600 baud. The easiest would be Data Highway +.

 

[GaryS]

I will see if I can answer some of your questions
First you are going back many years
PLC2 , PLC3 and PLC5 all use different software for programming
The Rockwell software still requires a license
If you are trying to learn on your own I hope you have deep pockets and an older computer
The software I have only works in Windows 98
As for programming connections
PLC 2 has a 15 pin DIN connection, I think you can still purchases a cable
It is a 6 channel RS422 ( all 6 channels are required) you need an RS232 to RS422 adaptor
PLC3 uses the old 25 pin RS232 communication cable I don’t know if it is a NULL cable or not but I don’t think so
PLC5 depending on the plc you can program them with an RS232 Null modem cable or Ethernet if they have an Ethernet port

As for networking
PLC2 did not support networking very well
Some models of the PLC2 did not support networking
Other you needed a networking module
Both the PLC2 and the PLC3 used Data highway network ( Blue coax cable )
Note : Don’t confuse this with the later introduced Data Highway Plus
I see this all the time they are not the same. You can get a bridging module ( if you can find one )
To bridge the networks
PLC3 supports both Data highway and Remote IO

PLC5 supports Remote IO, Data Highway Plus and some models support Ethernet
You have to check them out to be sure what is supported.

I learned to program on the PLC2 and 3 with the original AB programming terminal

If you would like the pin out for the PLC2 PM me

 

[L33er]

hardware & software not a problem. THE DARN CABLE is the biggest problem.

 

[orangestorm87]

I work at a place that has some stuff lying around, but I also expect to be buying parts off of ebay. I was surprised at the price ranges of some things, and hope to keep costs down.

I am going one PLC type at a time, and going to concentrate first on just being able to connect via a computer and program the thing. I'll then move on to trying to message signals.

For those that have answered already, does the PCMIA card slide into a laptop then provide some sort of special port? Then does this port utilizes a special cable?

Would the AB Datahighway interface (1770-KF2) allow me to not need the PCMIA card since it looks like it translates 25 pin (serial?) to Datahighway? Or is the programming port not DH, and the I/O Rack port the DH?

 

[I_Automation]

For those that have answered already, does the PCMIA card slide into a laptop then provide some sort of special port? Then does this port utilizes a special cable?

Yes! The PCMK card has its own port that AB had a slew of cables for to connect to whichever PLC you wanted.


Personally I think I had 6 cables for the PCMK, and the price of $237 EACH is permanently etched in my mind, along with a PCMCIA card that cost $999.00 - and these were mid-1990's prices where this was the only PCMCIA card I ever saw priced over $200. And the PCMK uses the full width PCMCIA slot, not the (slightly newer) ones with the narrower connection notched out.

 

[James Mcquade]

the icom software also required a license.
james

 

[GaryS]

Cable is not a problem I have 2
always have a backup ready to go
Also have the license
You can make your own cable Serial RS232 to RS422, USB to 9 Pin RS232 to RS422

 

[L33er]

Cable is not a problem I have 2
always have a backup ready to go
Also have the license
You can make your own cable Serial RS232 to RS422, USB to 9 Pin RS232 to RS422

Do you have WD?

 

[orangestorm87]

L33ER I don't know what you mean by WD so probably not.

James and Gary, looks like I got ahead of myself. I do not have a license but was able to find the AI-2 6.25 software. I will have to rummage around at work to see if we have a license, or if our Rockwell "Legacy Toolkit" provides one, though I doubt it. Other forum topics have said Rockwell does not provide licenses anymore so don't know what I am going to do about that at the moment.

Gary, I'll take the pinout if you are willing. Would this be a replacement for the ICOM smart cable?

In positive news I got my PLC2, though it looks like the Memory Card has some battery leakage damage. To get the battery out, is it simply yank really hard? Everything else looks like its ready to go.

 

[GaryS]

I don’t mean to rain on your parade But
What PLC 2 do you have , some models require a chasse
the PLC2-30 requires at least 1 remote IO chasse
you will need at least some IO to test run

Software
There were 2 versions, OFF Line and ON Line each requires a separate license
You will need an older computer or at least a VM machine to run it
I run mine on a Win 98 VM

Good Luck

 

[orangestorm87]

Gary, no worries. I am just enjoying the ride. Oldest stuff I interact with are PLC5's and that is RSLogix based, so I find it very interesting trying to work with these older controllers.

I have a PLC2/20 1772-LP2. I do not have an I/O chassis yet. I have not come across anything yet saying I need one to program/test run. That's good to know. My initial idea was to simply setup some internal memory addresses and see if I could transfer their status to the next PLC in line. Looks like I need to be on the lookout for an I/O chassis and some I/O.

To that end, does the entire I/O chassis need to be filled with I/O cards or can slots be empty like a SLC/Controllogix?

 

[L33er]

It's true cable is not a big problem for you since you have 2 on hand. But since you are not able to make more, I still say the cable is a big problem.

 

[GaryS]

What do you mean? Not able to make more
How many do you want, and hat are you willing to pay.
Everything is still available, I can make as many as you may want
I also have the original programming cable for SLC 100 / 150 and a backup for it.
I still have clients out there with SLC100, PLC2's still running after the original install
in the early 1990's as long as they are still running they are not wiling to upgrade