PV value in a TIA Counter

[John Morris]

Morning,

Playing with my shine new TIA portal. Mom says it will make me go blind. But I don't care.

Trying to get this simatic counter to count up. Instructions say the value is between C#0 and C#999.

AB isn't this difficult to understand. Open box, enter number, turn on, done.

Am I suppose to assign a tag to the PV input, and assign the value in C?

Please advise at your convenience.

Thanks for your time.

 

[boneless]

Hi John

Maybe look at the 'new' counters, not the legacy counters? They have a much larger are of use.

The old ones count from your preset value (PV) to 999 (or 0). You can set a tag or a constant, it doesn't really matter.

 

[m_turk]

Why would you even use a counter?

I'm serious and curious...

I never used it once... Always just Add, never saw a point in it..

 

[Geoff White]

What boneless said. The Siemens timers/counters are pure evil.

Use the IEC ones. You can have as many as you want and they make more sense.

 

[John Morris]

Right, OK Mr. White confirmed my suspicions.

I was trying out the PLC that I will be using on this project (315-2 PN/DP), It rejects the IEC timers. It only allows the SIMATIC.I'll Practice on another PLC

Even the delay on/off timers are rude.

Spending alot of time on YouTube watching the starter videos. But I haven't found one that covers the timers and counters yet. I'll get it done.

When I figure it out I'll come back and do a follow up to close out the thread.

In the mean time I appreciate all of you taking the time to help.

Thank you

 

[steffen_sohl]

Hi John

The S7-300 series do accept IEC timer / counters, but they'll require a DB ( or multiinstance )

 

[John Morris]

I do not understand the meaning of this statement I get when I try to compile the program with the time installed

I "assumed" the target system was referring to the PLC


"Network 1,This use of IEC timers / IEC counters is not possible in this target system.,,,7:40:19 AM"


Please advise

Thank you

 

[L D[AR2P#0.0]]

Here's my OB1 - compiles ok. What have you got?

 

[John Morris]

Id like to see the tag you used for PT

I must be entering it incorrectly

 

[L D[AR2P#0.0]]

No tag for PT, that is the IEC format for time: t#1s

 

[cjd1965]

Remember the tag must be of type TIME and the value is in milliseconds

 

[John Morris]

I get it

Had the out put as a "set", it doesn't like that. Changed it to and "output" and it compiles.

I double checked the instructions. Either it's written in a language I don't speak yet (which is entirely possible), or......THEY DIDN'T BOTHER TO WRITE IT DOWN.

 

[John Morris]

Mr Turk

I apologize for not answering you questions.

I use timers and counters for all sorts of situations. I use timers to debounce liquid level control inputs so as not to keep slamming the valve open and close. I'll pause a function or give time to a process, such as lowering the 30 foot hood and allowing a 2 second run off before shutting down the hydraulic pump, then another two seconds before starting the 25 Hp wash pumps.

Why? Most of the time its so the operator can hear and decipher the functions of the machine and know when something is not acting correctly. Even thought is serves a purpose I like to think of it as personality.

Most of our processes are run on time. Timers usually cannot be paused retentively and act unpredictably in a reset. So as a time keeping tool I use counters which can be paused retentively and reset predictably.

IDEC carries a valuable M Relay. Its an internal one second timer. Plop that down on the counter input and whala, a pause-able retentative resetable timer.

In AB it has to be set up and its called a one second tick timer (Usually a B3 internal). but does the same thing.

Besides what little I have mentioned here, there are literally thousands of applications for timers and counters.

I hope this stirs your curiosity Mr Turk.

Be well

 

[m_turk]

Mr Turk

I apologize for not answering you questions.

I use timers and counters for all sorts of situations. I use timers to debounce liquid level control inputs so as not to keep slamming the valve open and close. I'll pause a function or give time to a process, such as lowering the 30 foot hood and allowing a 2 second run off before shutting down the hydraulic pump, then another two seconds before starting the 25 Hp wash pumps.

Why? Most of the time its so the operator can hear and decipher the functions of the machine and know when something is not acting correctly. Even thought is serves a purpose I like to think of it as personality.

First, no need to apologise...

I use timers, I like timers.. The question was really only on counters.. They bug me

Most of our processes are run on time. Timers usually cannot be paused retentively and act unpredictably in a reset. So as a time keeping tool I use counters which can be paused retentively and reset predictably.

Ok, I think this actually gives me some answers.. I mostly use Siemens, and always IEC Timers and I never had the problems with the retentivity, so never saw that use..

IDEC carries a valuable M Relay. Its an internal one second timer. Plop that down on the counter input and whala, a pause-able retentative resetable timer.

In AB it has to be set up and its called a one second tick timer (Usually a B3 internal). but does the same thing.

Yeah, in TIA it is the MB0 byte, since you are playing with it

I use it in a similar way, but, I like it more with EdgeUp-Add. Gives me total control, one Tag to change it, to set it to 0, whatever I need...

But if you are used to them becouse of the old phisical Timers, and slow processors, ok, I understand it better..

Besides what little I have mentioned here, there are literally thousands of applications for timers and counters.

I hope this stirs your curiosity Mr Turk.

Be well

Well, it does a bit, thank you..

Of course, I didn't question the usefullness of counting and its aplications, it was the way of counting by Counters that was in question... I still don't see it as something to use anywhere today, but at least now I understand one reason why they are here..


Enjoy your new shiny portal