SLC5/03: (problem) Serial Communication RS232 to RS232 using Laptop DB9

[Muhammad Abdullah]

I have wasted a week trying to figure out how to connect an SLC5/03 with my laptop.

I do not have and can not Buy the 1747 UIC and PC3 cables.

I have a DB9 to DB9 cable which I am trying to connect to the PLC using my Laptop with a DB9 serial Port.

I am not a very technical person but am aspiring to become one but this is taking my morale off now.

the slc5/03 is on an empty 1746-A10 B RACK with no modules attached, the power supply is good, FLT light is blinking quickly DH-485 blinks slowly (8 blinks flt and 1 blink dh-485). Rest are Off, and SLC is reset to default.

I am not able to auto-configure nor am I able to manually enter the 19200 baud ,crc and SLC-CH0/micro/panelview to make it appear in RSlinx.
tried with the 1200 baud as well. still no go.

any Idea where I am making a mistake here? I don't see a single guy setting up a defaulted SLC5/03 using serial on YouTube and forums.

Please any help is appreciated.

regards,
Muhammad Abdullah,
[email protected]

 

[Muhammad Abdullah]

I have the key to SLC and it is set to REM.
laptop is not giving any connection response from PLC ... is send data but recieves zero, also no connection sound when i plug in PLC i am using windows 7 professional and rs linx 3.81.00. Emulate 500 works fine with it. i am also using rs logix lite free verion ( i have not reached that stage but does it support slc500 series prog as it only shows micrologix limited options. this will be my next problem after this one i guess.)

feel free to mail me or askhere directly for any additional info on request

 

[Muhammad Abdullah]

Pictures if you need to see what i am using
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1A2q-0c3mpk65fVJREoV7qLB3kGZRpgY9?usp=sharing

 

[plvlce]

Is there a reason you are not replying on the thread you already made for this?

You make no mention of whether you are now using a null modem adapter/cable as directed, a simple standard DB9 cable will not work.

As you suspect the RSLogix Micro software only supports MicroLogix, not SLC, and the free 'lite' version specifically is restricted to the 1000 and 1100 models of those.

 

[Muhammad Abdullah]

Is there a reason you are not replying on the thread you already made for this?

You make no mention of whether you are now using a null modem adapter/cable as directed, a simple standard DB9 cable will not work.

As you suspect the RSLogix Micro software only supports MicroLogix, not SLC, and the free 'lite' version specifically is restricted to the 1000 and 1100 models of those.

In previous thread, honestly i thought I would get it working using this rs232 cable however i lied that i got it working cause i decided to quit if it did not.
now I am welcoming this challenge and looking to learn from it. i thought i had closed the previous one but that is not the case i guess...

i am not sure if the cable is null modem i think only difference is that a couple of wires are switched right? a continuity test ought to clear that confusion i guess then. suppose it is not a null mmodem cable. can i hack it into one by physically altering the wire ( breaking and reconnecting said wires?

 

[Steve Bailey]

In post #8 of the thread that plvlce cited, you said you had it solved. What happened?

 

[Muhammad Abdullah]

In post #8 of the thread that plvlce cited, you said you had it solved. What happened?

I lied and hid my inefficacy to make it work. I apologies for that.

 

[plvlce]

i am not sure if the cable is null modem i think only difference is that a couple of wires are switched right? a continuity test ought to clear that confusion i guess then. suppose it is not a null mmodem cable. can i hack it into one by physically altering the wire ( breaking and reconnecting said wires?

Correct, a null modem cable will have pins 2 and 3 swapped. This redirects each side's 'transmit' line to end up on the other side's 'receive' pin; without it any data sent will not be seen on the other end. A continuity check will quickly tell you if your cable is a null modem or a 'straight' cable with no wires switched.

You can make your own or modify your cable, but adapters are available pretty cheap as well.

Used to be you could get them easily at a local consumer electronics store, but these days those are harder to find and serial connections are dated enough they might not keep them on hand.

 

[IO_Rack]

I am not a very technical person but am aspiring to become one but this is taking my morale off now.

Your morale will return with small successes. Before attempting a connection to the PLC, did you verify your serial port is functional?

This could be a multitude of problems.

1) Verify your USB to RS232C converter is working. I normally do a loop back test with a terminal program like RealTerm. There are many, everyone has their favorite.

 

[Ken Moore]

Plus, in some cases the serial port has been assigned to another program, and not available to RSLinx. Need to check that too.

 

[I_Automation]

Also open DeviceManager and check if the serial port is issued the COM number you are using and it is enabled.


On my desktop the serial port in the computer is COM3 because COM1 is used by the LED light show - if I wasn't to cheap to not buy the LED's - but the COM port for it is still there.


Being a COM port RSLinx DOES see it and can open it as it isn't used, just can't use it to communicate.


I doubt a laptop has a LED light show built into the motherboard, but strange things do pop up.

 

[I_Automation]

I lied and hid my inefficacy to make it work.

Embarrassing to admit here

Fatal to your employment if you do it at work


I fully admit I am not perfect and openly admit when I can't do something or made a mistake, even when it killed a project in my younger years.


Get a reputation as untrustworthy and you won't have a career in any field, and this field where people can get killed or maimed it's important

 

[Muhammad Abdullah]

Embarrassing to admit here

Fatal to your employment if you do it at work


I fully admit I am not perfect and openly admit when I can't do something or made a mistake, even when it killed a project in my younger years.


Get a reputation as untrustworthy and you won't have a career in any field, and this field where people can get killed or maimed it's important

Sir,

I'll try not to gain such bad repute in my career I am currently just starting my Degree as a Mechatronics Engineer I am sure seniors like you will Groom me to a great Engineer.

 

[Muhammad Abdullah]

i'll try other all these solutions seems i have missed a few steps like checking port functionality etc so let me check an then i'll get back to this thread.

 

[dmroeder]

i'll try other all these solutions seems i have missed a few steps like checking port functionality etc so let me check an then i'll get back to this thread.

This post is the key:

https://www.plctalk.net/qanda/showpost.php?p=955183&postcount=8

Don't mess with anything until you have either a null modem adapter or re-wired your serial cable accordingly.