need help with restoring program to Siemens Simatic TI335-37

Hi guys,

Update for you. I am at the plant, and with the TI305 programmer when the PLC is turned on and the key is in RUN, nothing happens when I push the NXT or PRV buttons. So it seems like that would indicate the memory has somehow been cleared, right? Is there anything I have to do before I can browse the code if it's there? Also according to the manual, when I press SHF the SHF light should be illuminated to indicate future key presses correspond to SHF but that isn't happening either, the SHF light does not illuminate.

Second, I'm trying to connect to the CPU via the RS232C connection with DirectSoft6, and when I try to connect I see the RX LED illuminate so I know it's seeing the attempts, but it doesn't TX anything. Couple questions:

1. Should the protocol be K Sequence or DirectNET? ECOM seems to only be ethernet, so that doesn't appear to be a legit option.

2. Is there a way to know what the address of the CPU module is? I pulled it from the rack and saw two circular switches and a row of four DIP switches, but I'm not sure what those are used for.

Don't want to jump to conclusions but this seems like a dead CPU to me. Wondering if that sounds reasonable to anyone else.

Thanks again for all the help!

If the Address/Data display stays at "0000" when you touch the NXT key, that would indicate no program. ​

For protocol I would expect DirectNet.

Failure to respond to the software could indicate a mismatch in port parameters or the software is trying to communicate with a different device number (address). I expect the dip switches and the rotary switches establish those parameters, but you'll need the manual to decode the settings. The only manuals I have are for the GE product line which doesn't include the CPU you have.

Steve Bailey said:

If the Address/Data display stays at "0000" when you touch the NXT key, that would indicate no program. ​

Click to expand...

Yeah it's not even showing the "0000". I'm pretty sure the CPU is bricked.

For protocol I would expect DirectNet.

Click to expand...

Looking at the documentation for the AD replacement, that's exactly what it says.

Failure to respond to the software could indicate a mismatch in port parameters or the software is trying to communicate with a different device number (address). I expect the dip switches and the rotary switches establish those parameters, but you'll need the manual to decode the settings. The only manuals I have are for the GE product line which doesn't include the CPU you have.

Click to expand...

Between some old manuals I found in the O&M manuals at the plant and doing some searching, seems like there is a switch that says FIXED or USER, and that determines the address. FIXED means the address is 1, and that's what the existing CPU module was set for, so at least that was correct. DirectSoft has the ability to try different baud rates and parities, and after several attempts with that, still no luck. Thus, I'm going to order a new CPU and see if that brings the system back to life. Luckily the plant can be run in manual (which they incorrectly told me was not possible a few days ago) so while not idea, it's at least not a catastrophe.

Thanks again for the help!

Well after a week of troubleshooting, got everything fixed. In case anyone comes across this thread, here's the scoop:

1. Turns out it was the power supply; DC bus measured 27.6VDC with 51mV of AC ripple. Can't just buy the power supply, they only sell them with backplanes. New backplace was 24.1VDC with 0.9mV of AC ripple. New CPU in old backplane did the same thing the old CPU did; no data or addressing on the handheld programmer, and wouldn't talk to my PC despite lots of serial port setting changes.

2. CPU with new power supply fired right back up, no problems at all. I put the hand held programmer on it, and it immediately started showing addresses and data. So the CPU wasn't bricked at all, and didn't lose its memory. At least they have a spare, I guess.

3. Be VERY careful to not mix up the connectors. Something really weird happened, the breaker for the panel was off and the Power light on the CPU was not illuminated, but my co-worker accidentally plugged the Relay Output connector to the Analog Input card, and somehow 120VAC went to the common terminal of the card. Fried the Analog Input card and the two Relay output cards next to the Analog Input card. Still can't figure out how that happened, luckily it didn't take out the CPU and the other cards as well.

4. DirectSoft 6 is a very odd development environment, and maybe you get used to it with experience but I hated it, and am glad AD is very rare in these parts (only one other client has them, and the second client only uses them as RTUs, so no functional code (other than loading I/O into registers) is done.

Thanks for all the help!

Thanks for the followup!

Please don't rate Automation Direct based on the DirectSoft product line. They simply bought it and keep it alive for dead-enders. Their Productivity line is fairly nice, even has Ethernet/IP I/O support.

pturmel said:

Please don't rate Automation Direct based on the DirectSoft product line. They simply bought it and keep it alive for dead-enders. Their Productivity line is fairly nice, even has Ethernet/IP I/O support.

Click to expand...

Good to know! I’ll give it a look, thanks for chiming in.

drbitboy said:

Thanks for the followup!

Click to expand...

Sure thing! Oh and as far as the software ignoring my license, AD tech support suggested I run the program as administrator when unlocking, and that did the trick.