Allen Bradley PLC repair.

[Elcan]

Hi all,
A customer of us had a problem with an Allen Bradley CompactLogix. He called Allen Bradley tech support, followed some of their instructions to test it, and AB recommended to replace the processor.
The customer sent the processor to us to see if it can be repaired. I checked the processor and I didn't noticed anything wrong, but I am not a repair guy.
Then, I called my local AB rep, and told them what happened and they said that just diagnosing the processor takes a lot of time and money. I mean, we pay a lot of money for their PLCs and then, when they fail, we have to just get rid of them?
Am I too naive? Is this the usual way to deal with AB faulted components?
Is there any alternative to paying AB a lot of money for just diagnosing a faulted component?

Thanks...

 

[JHarbin]

Hi all,
A customer of us had a problem with an Allen Bradley CompactLogix. He called Allen Bradley tech support, followed some of their instructions to test it, and AB recommended to replace the processor.
The customer sent the processor to us to see if it can be repaired. I checked the processor and I didn't noticed anything wrong, but I am not a repair guy.
Then, I called my local AB rep, and told them what happened and they said that just diagnosing the processor takes a lot of time and money. I mean, we pay a lot of money for their PLCs and then, when they fail, we have to just get rid of them?
Am I too naive? Is this the usual way to deal with AB faulted components?
Is there any alternative to paying AB a lot of money for just diagnosing a faulted component?

Thanks...

You can quite often find someone who will repair PLC parts, but I never do. The cost to manufacture (by machine) is so much less than the cost to diagnose and repair (by human) that the cost to repair is usually too high a percentage of the cost to buy new. Anything more than 40% of the cost of a new wouldn't make much sense, especially since you can't be *sure* the repair was successful.

I know there will be folks who disagree with me, so take my opinion or leave it keeping in mind what you paid for it.

 

[Mark Snodgrass]

I can give you two possible places that can possibly help you, both of them here in NC. Southland Electrical Supply is who we use on a regular basis for repairs and used/reconditioned equipment. they have an automation group in High Point that does there electronic repairs. Electrical South, which has been bought by Schneider Electric, is in Greensboro. I have used them in the past but not since they have been bought out, but always had good luck with them.

Here are the website links:

http://www.schneiderelectricrepair.com/index.html

http://www.southlandelectrical.com/index.asp

Good Luck

 

[bkottaras]

Hi all,
A customer of us had a problem with an Allen Bradley CompactLogix. He called Allen Bradley tech support, followed some of their instructions to test it, and AB recommended to replace the processor.
The customer sent the processor to us to see if it can be repaired. I checked the processor and I didn't noticed anything wrong, but I am not a repair guy.
Then, I called my local AB rep, and told them what happened and they said that just diagnosing the processor takes a lot of time and money. I mean, we pay a lot of money for their PLCs and then, when they fail, we have to just get rid of them?
Am I too naive? Is this the usual way to deal with AB faulted components?
Is there any alternative to paying AB a lot of money for just diagnosing a faulted component?

Thanks...

There's a guy out of Chicago that does repair AB PLCs.
I think his nick on here is "JoseM".
Not sure if he can help.
I'll do a search for his handle but you may want to look around for his posts.

 

[bkottaras]

Not sure about the handle going by memory here.
Search for SLC repair or something.

 

[OkiePC]

Check with K&S Services in Lawton Oklahoma. They can load test about anything for you, let it run for weeks a test program with I/O attached, similar to your install. I've no idea the cost, they are especially good to new customers, and pretty good in general with PLC and drive testing and troubleshooting, they even now do servo motor repair.

 

[brstilson]

I can give you two possible places that can possibly help you, both of them here in NC. Southland Electrical Supply is who we use on a regular basis for repairs and used/reconditioned equipment. they have an automation group in High Point that does there electronic repairs. Electrical South, which has been bought by Schneider Electric, is in Greensboro. I have used them in the past but not since they have been bought out, but always had good luck with them.

Here are the website links:

http://www.schneiderelectricrepair.com/index.html

http://www.southlandelectrical.com/index.asp

Good Luck

I've had more than one component come back from Electrical South that was non-functional out of the box or would break down within 24 hours of being installed. Getting stuff repaired should be a last resort, something for old, obsolete components that are prohibitively expensive to replace with new ones. Even though there is a warranty on the parts, the cost in arranging to ship the part back plus the downtime any time a part fails makes it not even worth doing. Management will inevitably ask "if this place didn't fix it before, what happens when the part comes back and it breaks down again? We just eat even more downtime?"

The problem with used components and getting them repaired IMO is that sure, they might fix the problem at hand, but there's no way of telling if some other resistor, diode, capacitor, memory chip, etc. is ABOUT to go bad. It's like an old car. Eventually, you're going to be in the shop every week playing wallet whack-a-mole with failling parts.

You may have had a good experience with ES and other repair services, but in my experience, when you consider the ENTIRE cost of the process--from the overhead of shipping, paperwork, and the higher risk of downtime you get with ANY used or remanned part, the numbers rarely fall on the side of repair services. Even though it seems counterintuitive, it is often cheaper just to buy a new part. It's easy to put the numbers side-by-side and say "getting it repaired is cheaper!" but there are hidden costs associated with it.

 

[Elcan]

Thank you everybody for your comments!
The processor I'm trying to get repaired is less than 3 years old (out of warranty), so it is not that old.
I agree, for electrical components, a lot of times is better to replace than repair. However, in my experience repairing a HMI still makes sense.
The news I got from AB is that the diagnosis will cost $800...

 

[dmargineau]

Let's face it gentlemen...It's 2013 afterall...
I second @brstilson when it comes to any type of "repairs", especially Automation Controllers or Auto...
There is too much at stake when turning loose a "repaired" modern system...
We all know what it takes to put on the market a competitive product (design, manufacturing technology, quality inspection and testing) and trusting even an extremely skilled individual to achieve the same results as a multi-billion corporation is a bit non-sense to me...
Unless coming out of your pocket and runs the backyard automatic sprinklers, always REPLACE WITH NEW (or Manufactured repaired & certified)...At least that's where I am standing...

 

[Elcan]

And Red Lion has $0 (zero) diagnosis fees for their HMIs. That's service!!!!

 

[JHarbin]

And Red Lion has $0 (zero) diagnosis fees for their HMIs. That's service!!!!

Is that something new? My recollection was that there was no charge to evaluate, but you had to give them a PO for a certain percentage of the cost of a new one. If they could repair it for that, they would do so, if not, it was deemed repairable. You didn't have a choice once you sent it to them (but they would return the unit if it couldn't be repaired).

Again, has this changed?

 

[Bit_Bucket_07]

There are many good arguments for replacing, rather than repairing electronic equipment. That said, if you choose to have a component repaired, you'll generally be better of with a repair shop such as Electrical South than with returning the part to the manufacturer.

 

[geniusintraining]

We repair them and many others... The CompactLogix are a pain, they run about 700-800 for the repair, if they can not be repaired its no charge and we will send it back, we also do PanelView repairs for a LOT less then anyone else on the market

Call me tomorrow or email [email protected]

We have a FREE evaluation and 1 year warranty

 

[Elcan]

Is that something new?

I don't know. I'm relatively new with Red Lion.

 

[Elcan]

We repair them and many others... The CompactLogix are a pain, they run about 700-800 for the repair, if they can not be repaired its no charge and we will send it back, we also do PanelView repairs for a LOT less then anyone else on the market

Call me tomorrow or email [email protected]

We have a FREE evaluation and 1 year warranty

Thank you! I will e-mail you.