How to Interface with Siemens VFD, W120 and G120

[harryting]

So I have some Siemens drive that I want to examine the existing setup parameters. From the Operating Instruction manual it shows a "PC Connection Kit". I already download the free "STARTER" software but it's unclear what's in the "PC Connection Kit". Is it just a simple RS232 straight/null cable or something I have to get from Siemens?

I looked on their "Industrial Mall" but it doesn't seems to give me an option to create an account on there.

 

[mk42]

support.siemens.industry.com is the support site. The industry mall is like the catalog, not sure what an account really gets you. I doubt you can actually order directly.


Which VFDs are you using, specifically? Mine always support ethernet, but I know some of the Siemens ones are still serial only.

Also, never head of the W120 before, did you mean S120?

 

[harryting]

None of the one we got come with Ethernet. There's a DB9 port that also used to talk to the Panel Display. From the manual it seems that I have disconnect the Panel display (AOP3R for W120) then connect my laptop with this "PC Connection Kit"

I have the W120 manual PDF here but not the manual for G120.

W120 is what used to be called Rubicon drive. I also have the more standard G120 that I also need to connect and upload the parameter from.

https://www.industry.usa.siemens.co...aspx#Robicon_20W_20Technical_20Specifications

 

[JesperMP]

The G120 consists of a "Power Module" PM and a "Control Unit" CU.
Exactly what types are both ?
The current CU's have a USB port in addition to the serial port. You can connect to the CU via the USB port.

It seems the W120 uses CU230P-2 as control unit. This one also have a USB port.

Does the G120/W120 have operator panels (BOP or BOP-2) ? If not, you should consider getting it. It costs almost nothing. You can change parameters via the BOP (a bit of a cludge, but doable) and see fault codes which may be important, if you need to get the drive up and running and cannot wait to startup and connect a laptop with STARTER.

edit: The USB port is available in the current CU's. In the oldest CU's for G120 there were no USB port. So please inform the exact type no.

 

[harryting]

So, I got the STARTER installed, that's a hefty install.. There is a DB9 that's used for the operator panel in the W120 drive. The drawing in the manual shows that even for the AOP, it still uses the "PC Inteface Kit" so I may already have it. I don't have the manual for the G120 so I'm not sure how the operator panel is done or if it is hooked up. btw. The G120 panel looks very different than the W120 panel and it got a round wheel knobin the center.

The CU for the W120 is CU240S DP, the panel is AOP3R

Another issue with the W120 panel is the fault display, it doesn't show date/time but rather... in the format of ####:##:##:##, in the W120 manual it says "The time stamp relates to the relative time in milliseconds", eh, what?

I fired up the STARTER software here and it doesn't ask me what kind of VFD I have and just have this note "Please select DEVICE as the access point and set S7USB as the interface for the G120 with a CU2xx-2!"

Oh, i'm doing all these off-site at the moment. I'll update this thread when I return there and tries a few things.

 

[JesperMP]

You will get better responses if you provide the exact type numbers.
I.e.
Power module PM240-2 11kW: 6SL3210-1PE22-7ALO
Control unit CU240E-2PN: 6SL3244-0BB12-1FA0

You need to setup the starter project with the exact drive and control unit that matches what you have.
You start with "insert single drive unit" and you will be prompted to specify the Control Unit.
After that you use "configure drive unit" and you will be prompted to specify the Power Unit.
You may have to download a device definition file if the parts are not available in the list of hardware.
You dont have to make a thorough configuration, because you should upload the existing configuration from the drive.
So what you do initially is just to be able to get online with the drive.


The "access point" mentioned is the way to get online with the drive. Use "options" ... "set PG/PC interface", and change from S7ONLINE to DEVICE, and then set DEVICE to USB.


When you are ready, you right-click on the drive in the project tree, and select "connect target device".
If that goes well, you should be able to upload the parameters from the drive.