Help out a beginner with GE90-30 PLC in proficy?

[Jaycobie]

So to start off: I have no experience with PLC's, but I'm good at figuring stuff out, but I need some help to know if my PLC is just dead in the water or not.

This is a blank GE90-30 that I salvaged from a lathe barfeeder. I know the barfeeder had some software issue, but it wasn't cost effective to try and get it running, so it was getting scrapped. Most likely it was a PLC issue but I don't know.

I have the PLC hooked up to my computer, it talks to proficy machine edition 7.0 without issues. I brute forced the original OEM key, which was surprisingly easy.
My problem is that I cannot get this thing to register any input into the %I table.

The setup:
3CHS397J - 5 slot base
Power Supply: IC693PWR331E
CPU: IC693CPU360-EL
I/O Link Master: IC693BEM321G
Discreet Input Module: IC693MDL655F
Discreet Output Module: IC693MDL753F

I'm only focusing on the IC693MDL655 input module right now, just to be sure that I have any inputs that show life in proficy.
I've wiped the memory of the PLC and only downloaded a basic hardware setup into it from proficy. I have a cable strip with wires going into the first few channels of the input module. When I put 24v across any of the input wires, the corresponding number lights up on the front of the input module itself. Seemingly every channel is working according to those lights.
I do not ever get any update on the bit values in the %I table in proficy when I'm manipulating the inputs.

My question, since I'm still an absolute newbie with proficy: Do I need to create any logic or variables in proficy and download those into the PLC for the %I table to get updated when an input is active? Should they not just turn from 0 to 1 at the correctly defined %I start register when a discreet input is on or off?

 

[Steve Bailey]

When you say, "downloaded a basic hardware setup" what do you mean? Did you download the hardware configuration file that list s all of the modules in the 5-slot rack? The download of the hardware configuration is separate from the download of logic. If you double click n the MDL655 module in the hardware configuration you will see the %I address assigned to the module. Are you looking at that address range when you're triggering the input? You do not have to have a program in the PLC, but the PLC has to be servicing the I/O for it to show up in the reference table. Easiest way to make it service the I/O is to start it running, with or without a program.

 

[Jaycobie]

Ah, I figured out what was going on since you mentioned that I should start it running.
The CPU had "Key switch run/stop" set to "disable". I guess the CPU wasn't actually running, therefore it wasn't showing any life.
Changed that setting, downloaded new hardware configuration and now the %I table shows input on the correct bit registers for the input module.

Thanks!