Bluetooth & 1200 MicroLogix

[elevmike]

With no disrespect intended, but if your asking this question then you dont have a lot of expierance in this very specilized field. I wouldnt reccomend bluetooth but an approved ready made system.

There are a lot of wireless crane control manufactures, here's a few of many links from a google..

http://www.hydrapro.com/marineelectronics/wirelesscranecontrols.html
http://www.remtron.com/crane.asp
http://www.hubbell-icd.com/rcp/files/31100.pdf

 

[kamenges]

Mike-

I think atgroff has a crane controlled by a Micrologix plc and he wants to program the plc from the floor. He isn't looking for wireless crane controls per se. He's looking for a wireless programming interface.

Keith

 

[elevmike]

Keith, I guess you might be right.. I got a different impression..

So another suggestion...B&B makes (or sells) a line of radio modems that will interface with a RS-232 or RS 485, eithernet, and so on.

http://www.bb-elec.com/product_multi_family.asp?MultiFamilyId=9

 

[Ken Roach]

Mike: I absolutely agree that Bluetooth or 802.11b or even DF1 over radiomodems is inappropriate for crane control. Vendors like Control Chief and others have done tremendous diligence and build the high-reliability radio systems that can perform this function safely.

I agree that atgroff and Tracy H were both looking for a way to access a difficult-to-reach PLC for diagnostics, not for control.

Because of today's mild weather in Seattle, I did some range testing with the SD-202 (Class 1, 63 milliwatt power) and the F8T003 (Class 2, 2.5 mw power).

Indoors, I could get about 30 meters before (A) I ran into a wall, and (B) the signal strength dropped into the "Too Low" range. This is with three gypsum walls between me and the controller.

Outdoors, with no obstructions, I went about 90 meters before losing my line of sight, and never totally dropped the signal. At about 35 meters I was still getting "Good" signal strength.

Line-of-sight seems very important for this technology; if I ducked behind a truck in the parking lot and lost my line-of-sight from the controller, the signal dipped into the "Too Low" range even at 20 or 30 meters.

I would believe it that two Class 1 devices could maintain good strength at 100 meters. My next USB/Bluetooth device will be a Class 1, probably the Linksys with the external antenna.

 

[Thomas Sullens]

Right

Ken you`re right we have some cranes with radios they are Control Chief. None of our cranes are plc controlled. The plc`s would do what is hard wired now we could just see what`s happening from the floor. IT`S LIKE YOU AND KIETH THOUGHT MORE TOYS Thanks Mike I think when we put the radios on we probabaly got the info from :site:

 

[atgroff]

I went through the AutomationDirect catilog and found CR-HN series serial radio modems. Anyone ever use these?

 

[elevmike]

In my quest for a radio modem I found these: http://www.bb-elec.com/wireless.asp

I think their a little lees expensive then the ones at AD.

Note: they also have a 232 to Bluetooth adapter. http://www.bb-elec.com/product_family.asp?FamilyId=29

 

[atgroff]

Thanx for the heads-up to the B&B website address.

 

[bobbeck259]

in 2005 you posted some info about getting a bluetooth device to work with rslinx. I would very much like to make this work in my plant. I have bought the newest sena device which is a Parani SD1000. You used a Promi SD-202 and belkin adapter. do you remember if that adapter used the same com port for both incoming and outgoing serial data? do you still have this setup today? have you since then found a better bluetooth device to work with DF1??

Bob Steiner
Rubbermaid
Winfield, KS