Redundant Controllogix Time Sync Issue

[davidvu]

Hi. I need help troubleshooting time sync. My setup is redundant L72 Controllogix with 2 processor racks and 1 RIO rack with 1756HP-TIME module in slot 10. I followed Rockwell Automation Publication IA-AT003B-EN-P page 111 to setup time sync.

The problem I'm having is the processor not time syncing to the grandmaster clock 1756HP-Time module. The Time module is ok and is getting time values from the NTP server. The processor EN2TR sees the 1756HP-TIME module as the grandmaster clock. I have checked the configs and statuses and the only thing that seems off to me is the processor EN2TR time sync backplane state is slave and ethernet state is master. I think the master/slave status should be the opposite where ethernet state is slave and backplane state is master. See the attachment for the screenshot of the processor rack en2tr time sync tab.

Any suggestions would be appreciated. Thanks!

 

[harryting]

Your screenshot is a bit fuzzy and my eyes are already going... but it seems you might need to change your PTP priority to something with a higher value. in PTP, the lowest priority wins and the default is 128, so set your slave to say, 255.

 

[Nova5]

Your screenshot is a bit fuzzy and my eyes are already going... but it seems you might need to change your PTP priority to something with a higher value. in PTP, the lowest priority wins and the default is 128, so set your slave to say, 255.

Thats an actual screen shot.. by camera phone. Yeesh....

 

[davidvu]

Are there any special requirements or settings when doing CIP sync over DLR? I have set all of the EN2TR to "Time Sync and Motion." What would cause an EN2TR to not time sync to the grandmaster clock with the lowest priority values? Isn't the grandmaster clock the best clock source in the network?

 

[harryting]

DLR shouldn't change anything. Beside setting up the network card for CIP time-sync. Be sure to check the Enable Time Sync under processor property.

If you have more than one network card in the rack, be sure only the card that's on the time-sync network have it's module definition set to Time Sync and Motion.

 

[davidvu]

DLR shouldn't change anything. Beside setting up the network card for CIP time-sync. Be sure to check the Enable Time Sync under processor property.

If you have more than one network card in the rack, be sure only the card that's on the time-sync network have it's module definition set to Time Sync and Motion.

The processor is set to time sync. The processor rack has two ethernet modules (en2tr and en2t) which both are set to time sync. I have advised them to only set the en2tr to time sync.
Thanks,

 

[harryting]

If you have a screen shot of the processor property's Date/Time tab and also the Advanced Popup screen, that would help.

 

[Jim3846]

I know from experience that any specialty card usually resides in the local rack. I have had weird problems that always happen when I don't follow this unwritten rule. The way to fix it is some weird config issue that you have to implement. Maybe that Time card needs more bandwidth than can be provided by the remote rack? Is the card a separate connection to the processor or is it part of the rack optimization for that remote rack? Is there an RPI setting for the card that it needs to work?

I see your time card is in a remote rack. Is that the best place for it?

 

[davidvu]

I know from experience that any specialty card usually resides in the local rack. I have had weird problems that always happen when I don't follow this unwritten rule. The way to fix it is some weird config issue that you have to implement. Maybe that Time card needs more bandwidth than can be provided by the remote rack? Is the card a separate connection to the processor or is it part of the rack optimization for that remote rack? Is there an RPI setting for the card that it needs to work?

I see your time card is in a remote rack. Is that the best place for it?

I think for redundant configuration the time module needs to be in the remote rack. If the time module can reside in the local rack it would not be economical because I would need two modules in order to achieve sync.

 

[harryting]

OP does say the TIME module is in a remote rack. I have a similar setup and it works.

 

[davidvu]

I don't have anymore screenshots for troubleshooting. The system is remote and I have limited contact with the owner.

I want to verify the wiring of the time module. I'm using NTP so ethernet port 2 of the time module connects to the NTP server. Should ethernet port 1 of the time module connect to anything? With my current setup, I'm expecting the time values to go from the time module > backplane > EN2TR > EN2TR ethernet port > other modules in network. Is my understanding of how the time values propagate correct?

 

[harryting]

I don't have anymore screenshots for troubleshooting. The system is remote and I have limited contact with the owner.

I want to verify the wiring of the time module. I'm using NTP so ethernet port 2 of the time module connects to the NTP server. Should ethernet port 1 of the time module connect to anything? With my current setup, I'm expecting the time values to go from the time module > backplane > EN2TR > EN2TR ethernet port > other modules in network. Is my understanding of how the time values propagate correct?

I believe you are right. You need to have the right AOI to view and change the configuration. I just tried this the other day but trying to go to the configuration page crashed my Logix5k. The support for the TIME module seems to be orphaned at this point. The old Hirom webpage is gone.

Does anyone know what the status of TIME module is with Rockwell?