Powerflex 525 Communication Issues

[Sparkyman1]

PLC L30ER V30.01
VFD PF 525 V7.0001

Running into an issue that I've never seen before. Ive configured many PF525's before so i know the basics.

I configured a brand new PF 525 with IP Address matching that of project, and not overlapping any other device addresses. I can open the VFD config via Studio, and in some places in Studio the VFD shows connected, in the bottom left corner it shows, "Faulted" then "Shutting Down" then "Connecting" The VFD does not show any fault codes. In the project tree the VFD shows up with an exclamation point. The GSV Value of entry status shows 4096 in decimal.

RS Linx shows the drive us UNKNOWN DEVICE, even after uploading the EDS file

I have tried
- Jumpering STO
- Using Match Drive after adding the module and going online
- Starting with a blank project, and just putting the VFD in the project by itself
- Flashing CPU to V29
- Changing to a different IP address with the VFD and the PLC
- New ethernet cable
- Failed Flashing the VFD to a different Firmware version using:
- Control Flash - Control Flash says it is unable to connect to the device
- Firmware update VIA USB. Program does not show the folder browse to is empty?
- Firmware update VIA CCW. CCW says that it cannot locate the drive

What am i missing here, is the VFD just bad?

 

[dmroeder]

The "UNKNOWN DEVICE" in RSLinx is a red herring. From what I can tell, Rockwell is abandoning RSLinx in favor of Factory Talk Linx. The fact that it shows up as unknown, I don't think is related. v7 drives always seem to show up this way in RSLinx.

If you try to open the parameters from the properties of the drive, what happens? If you get some sort of port error, you probably need the latest AOP, which is a trip to find.

If you can browse the parameters fine, the AOP is probably fine here is what I do:

• Inhibit the drive
• Go offline
• From the properties > drive parameters, download them (yes, while offline)
• Uninhibit the drive (still while offline)
• Download the program back to the controller

 

[Sparkyman1]

The "UNKNOWN DEVICE" in RSLinx is a red herring. From what I can tell, Rockwell is abandoning RSLinx in favor of Factory Talk Linx. The fact that it shows up as unknown, I don't think is related. v7 drives always seem to show up this way in RSLinx.

If you try to open the parameters from the properties of the drive, what happens? If you get some sort of port error, you probably need the latest AOP, which is a trip to find.

If you can browse the parameters fine, the AOP is probably fine here is what I do:

• Inhibit the drive
• Go offline
• From the properties > drive parameters, download them (yes, while offline)
• Uninhibit the drive (still while offline)
• Download the program back to the controller

Yes i can read and write the parameters just fine. This is a strange suggestion. I will try it tomorrow and report back.

What do you think about the fact that both viable routes for a firmware update fail due to communication error?

 

[dmroeder]

When the drive is attempting to communicate to the PLC because it is un-inhibited, it doesn't surprise me that the firmware update fails. If you have 30 drives in the tree and try to download parameters via the properties tab, when they are un-inhibited, not all will fail, but some will. Same for firmware update.

I've been commissioning those drives from the earliest firmware revisions, the process I outlined works for me every time (assuming the IP address set and configured in the tree match). Hopefully I haven't mis-read something...

 

[Sparkyman1]

The "UNKNOWN DEVICE" in RSLinx is a red herring. From what I can tell, Rockwell is abandoning RSLinx in favor of Factory Talk Linx. The fact that it shows up as unknown, I don't think is related. v7 drives always seem to show up this way in RSLinx.

If you try to open the parameters from the properties of the drive, what happens? If you get some sort of port error, you probably need the latest AOP, which is a trip to find.

If you can browse the parameters fine, the AOP is probably fine here is what I do:

• Inhibit the drive
• Go offline
• From the properties > drive parameters, download them (yes, while offline)
• Uninhibit the drive (still while offline)
• Download the program back to the controller

This work on the first try. I can’t believe it. I think I have purchased the last power flex 525 I will ever buy.

 

[dmroeder]

You might find that not all those steps are required in all situations, however, those steps work. For example, you might not have to inhibit them. Sometimes the download of parameters will be interrupted by the PLC trying to exchange I/O data. So inhibit always make sure that doesn't happen.

You don't have to be offline either when downloading the parameters. I find it much faster though. Opening drive properties offline is much faster than when you are online. So I just do it all offline.