RIO Transfer I/O Data Problems...

[rs14smith]

Do you have any other existing installations to compare to?

What Hardware and Firmware Version is your DHRIO Card?

Stu....

I do not have anything to compare it to, but I have attached an image of the information i currently have for the DHRIO Card. I'll have to wait til tomorrow if you need an image of the information on the back of the actual DHRIO card in the rack.

 

[sthompson]

One thing that comes to mind, is before Firmware Revision 10. The most you could Block Transfer with ControlLogix over RIO is 8 words. If you need more than that, you have to set up a second Virtual ASB for the remaining.

Try changing your Block Transfer to 8 Words, and see what happens.

If you have a AB/RA TechConnect Contract, there are a number of Articles there regarding this.

Ken should be able to help us with that.

I guess the first thing to figure out is whether it is an ASB or DCM Module. I haven't had any luck searching for information on the Web.

Stu....

 

[rs14smith]

One thing that comes to mind, is before Firmware Revision 10. The most you could Block Transfer with ControlLogix over RIO is 8 words. If you need more than that, you have to set up a second Virtual ASB for the remaining.

Try changing your Block Transfer to 8 Words, and see what happens.

Stu....

To change the transfer to 8 Words, that would mean in the Numbers of Elements field I would need to input 128 (8words * 16bits)?

If so, that is not possible, since the max number that the field allows me to enter is 64 if I remember correctly. I remember trying to input a large number (probably 128) earlier today, and it said the value was too large. However, I may be confusing "elements" with something else.

 

[sthompson]

The Picture in your first Post show 16 Words in your Block Write.

While I am thinking of it, your Read and Write Tags are Data Type Int and not Dint I hope? The Data Types have to match. In the SLC a Word was 16 Bits, which would be the same as Int in a Logix PLC.

Stu....

 

[rs14smith]

The Picture in your first Post show 16 Words in your Block Write.

While I am thinking of it, your Read and Write Tags are Data Type Int and not Dint I hope? The Data Types have to match. In the SLC a Word was 16 Bits, which would be the same as Int in a Logix PLC.

Stu....

Okay, so a single "element" is actually equal to a single word. So in that field I need to type 8.

Also, yes, I used an INT data type for the tags.

 

[rs14smith]

Another thing, does it matter if I have a resistor attached across the connectors of the MEDAR (RIO Scanner)?

 

[sthompson]

Another thing, does it matter if I have a resistor attached across the connectors of the MEDAR (RIO Scanner)?

Absolutely! It is very important. From memory it needs an 82 Ohm for 230KB, and 150 Ohm for 57.6KB on each end of the Cable.

Stu....

 

[rs14smith]

Absolutely! It is very important. From memory it needs an 82 Ohm for 230KB, and 150 Ohm for 57.6KB on each end of the Cable.

Stu....

Okay, currently I do not have the 82 Ohm resistor on it, but out of curiosity, what exactly does that cause it to do or not to do if you do not have them on both ends of the blue host cable?

 

[rs14smith]

I just put the resistor on both end, but still the same outcome. I think next I will try to use DH+ instead of RIO as a connection method and see if that works...kind of running out of ideas haha

 

[sthompson]

I just put the resistor on both end, but still the same outcome. I think next I will try to use DH+ instead of RIO as a connection method and see if that works...kind of running out of ideas haha

STOP! Data Highway is a completely different animal, even though it uses the same Cable and Ports. Stick to RIO.

You really need to track down better information the Medar Card. Phone them if you have to. I am still leaning toward it being equivalent to a DCM, but right now we are all shooting in the dark without good information.

Stu....

 

[cbuysse]

I'm going to suggest something a little different. What happens if you scrap the whole Block Transfer method and try using the I/O data set up with the module? If you look in the controller tags, you should have two tags called RIO:I and RIO:O. These were set up automatically for you when you created the module. What happens on the SLC side if you toggle the RIO:O.Data[0].0 bit in the ControlLogix? (You should probably remove the MSG instruction before trying this.)

Edit: I would expect SLC input I:5.0/0 to follow with the ControlLogix bit.

 

[rs14smith]

I'm going to suggest something a little different. What happens if you scrap the whole Block Transfer method and try using the I/O data set up with the module? If you look in the controller tags, you should have two tags called RIO:I and RIO:O. These were set up automatically for you when you created the module. What happens on the SLC side if you toggle the RIO:O.Data[0].0 bit in the ControlLogix? (You should probably remove the MSG instruction before trying this.)

Edit: I would expect SLC input I:5.0/0 to follow with the ControlLogix bit.

This is funny! Why? Because I had just got off of Live Chat with a AB Agent and she directed me to an article that may help so I followed that article and things worked just fine. That article used the same method that you have just suggested. So no Message Configuration is needed, no timers, and I also did not use a resistor on my bluehose cable.

For those in the future that may need to know what I did, I followed this article located here: https://rockwellautomation.custhelp.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/19341

 

[sthompson]

Aha! It was a DCM. Thank you for updating the Forum.

I still believe the Termination Resistors should be in place.

Stu....

 

[rs14smith]

Aha! It was a DCM. Thank you for updating the Forum.

I still believe the Termination Resistors should be in place.

Stu....

You are probably right, but what I'm failing to understand is what exactly it does when you put those resistors in?

 

[Ken Roach]

Terminating resistors prevent signal reflection at the end of long transmission lines. You can Google or Wikipedia the effect to your heart's desire.

DH+ and RIO frequently work very well even without terminating resistors, especially with short cable distances. That's a testament to how well-engineered the technology was.

But just because small systems work much of the time without the terminators doesn't mean they will work all the time, or that large systems will work without terminators.

They cost pennies. Install them when you get a chance.