PanelView Plus 6 400, 600 – DH-485 Workaround

By
Shawn Tierney
-


2711P-RN3 InstalledMost of the original PanelView Plus 400 and 600 models accepted an optional communications module, and the following were available:

  • 2711P-RN3 DH-485 communication module
  • 2711P-RN8 DH+ communication module
  • 2711P-RN15C ControlNet communication module
  • 2711P-RN22C RS-232 isolated communication module

However, with the release of the new PanelView Plus 6 400 and 600, we lose the option of adding ANY communication modules (even the mounting holes and nuts for the comm modules have been removed.)

This is not the case with the larger PVPlus 6 products – on those systems we can still use the add on 2711P-RN6 to get DH-485. But what if you need to replace a 550 or 600 legacy DH-485 PanelView?

PanelView Plus 6 600 FrontIts still possible, but not nearly as clean and neat a solution. The PanelView Plus 6 400 and 600 still support the DH-485 protocol on it’s built-in RS-232 DB9 serial port, so what also is needed is an RS-232 to RS485 converter.

One option is to use the din-rail mount 1761-NET-AIC. This 24vdc powered device is a pure RS-232 to RS485 converter, one I’ve used not only for DH-485 applications, but also for ASCII, Modbus, and PC applications as well.

UPDATE: I’ve added a three part video series HERE showing how to setup a PanelView Plus on DH-485 using it’s serial port.

Besides the 24vdc power, you’ll also need to know which cables to purchase. The 1761-NET-AIC has three ports: the 6 position terminal block is the RS-485 port, and the 8 pin mini din along with the DB9 are RS-232.

If you are connecting to a daisy chain DH-485 network then no cable is needed on that side – just wire the daisy chain into the TB and you’re good to go. However, if you need to connect to an RJ-45 DH-485 connector, like that found on the front of many SLC-500’s, well you’ll want a 6-pin Phoenix to RJ45 cable, either the 1761-CBL-AS03 (3 m / 10 ft) or the 1761-CBL-AS09 (9 m / 30 ft.)

1761-NET-AIC Front ViewTo connect to the PVPlus 6 you’ll want to use one of the two serial ports. It doesn’t really matter which port you use, just chose the your less likely to program through.

Just keep in mind the PVPlus is a DCE device, meaning the cables you program your PLC via it’s DTE serial port will not work (without a null modem adapter.)

So to connect from the PVPlus 9-pin D-shell to the 1761-NET-AIC 8-pin mini DIN port you can use either the 2711-NC21 cable (5 m / 16.4 ft) or the 2711-NC22 cable (10 m / 32.7 ft.)

To connect from the PVPlus 9-pin D-shell to the 1761-NET-AIC 9-pin D-shell you would use either the 2711-NC13 cable (5 m / 16.4 ft) or the 2711-NC14 cable (10 m / 32.7 ft,) or any standard female 9-pin D-shell to female 9-pin D-shell “straight through” (DTE to DCE) RS-232 cable.

With the hardware sorted out you just need to know which driver to use in RSLinx Enterprise.

For this application you would chose the Serial DH-485 driver (same driver you would use for the 2711P-RN3) accepting the default port, but choosing the correct node address for the PVPlus, along with the corrent baud rate for the network you’re connecting to.

Hopefully you’ll find these details on how to use the new PanelView Plus 6 400 and 600 on DH-485 helpful.

If you’ve implement the above, or plan to, we’d like to hear about your experience – just click on the “post a comment or question” link below.

Until next time, Peace ✌️ 

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Shawn M Tierney
Technology Enthusiast & Content Creator

Eliminate commercials and gain access to my weekly full length hands-on, news, and Q&A sessions by becoming a member at The Automation Blog or on YouTube. You'll also find all of my affordable PLC, HMI, and SCADA courses at TheAutomationSchool.com.

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16 COMMENTS

  1. Is it possible to use DH-485 communication from SLC 5/03 to communicate with a PVP 6 HMI in RS-232, using the 1761-AIC converter?
    Make the same configuration as John White.

    In the AIC + Advanced manual
    Interface Converter on page 33 has an image that says that the SLC does not communicate in DH-485 with the converter.

    • Good afternoon @Dantas,

      The truth is the 1761-NET-AIC is an RS232 to RS485 converter, and does nothing with “protocols.” I’ve actually used it with PCs to communicate Modbus RTU RS-485 devices.

      That said, DH485 is a protocol, and you’ll actually find some old PanelView Standards that have RS232 ports but communicate the DH-485 protocol.

      So if you have a PVP 6 HMI, and set the Serial port (not add-on card) to DH485, then yes, it will be able to communicate to the 5/03 via channel 1, or channel 0 if it is set to DH485.

      I have several other articles and videos on this here: https://theautomationblog.com/?s=dh-485

      Hope this helps,

      Shawn Tierney,
      Instructor at http://www.TheAutomationSchool.com

  2. I found this article very helpfull, four months ago i migrated some PV standar to PVplus and i did not have any problem using these article.

    I take hands on work and used a PV 2711p-b6c20d9 connected with an AIC throw 2711-NC13 cable, and a SLC 1747-L532 connected with the AIC throw 1761-CBL-AS03 (did it myself) cable, I supplied the AIC with external 24VCD supply. I used the 485 driver in RSLinx enterprise and “voila” every works fine.

    But… since I installed the PVPlus I watch that there is a latency time between the data i have in PV and the data in PLC (around 3 seconds) I really did not care about that but the machine is a high speed process and I need to have at least the same response that I used to have with PV Standar.
    I think it is important to mention that the SLC controls which display the PV
    Does anybody know if I can improve another interface to get better results?
    Does anybody experimented that the latency between transmission is too long?
    Does anybody have any idea to resolve this problem?

    Regrads everybody!!!

    • Morning Carlos,

      Well, DH485 is not very fast to start with, supporting around 400 words per second total for the entire network.

      That said, I’m wondering if all your Graphic Displays in ViewStudio are set to 1 second updates? If they are that would give you a 2 to 3 second lag, and I would recommend changing them to no slower than .25 second updates (under display settings for each graphic display.)

      You may also find “direct references” update about 1 second faster than HMI tags, and while Rockwell does offer a free utility to convert from HMI tags to direct references, I would test a single display first to see the speed increase is worth the effort.

      Please let us know how you make out!

      Sincerely,

      Shawn Tierney

      Join my free community to follow along! You can also become a member and support our work at: Automation.Locals.com

  3. So just this week…

    A reader used the site’s contact form to send me what seemed to be an angry note about a typo I made above (I decided to leave it in for anyone curious enough to look for it)

    It’s a common typo I make and don’t always catch, but hey I’m a programmer with a degree in electronics who publishes a FREE blog, not someone with an English major writing for a newspaper.

    That said, I do very much appreciate all the kind folk who comment on articles or contact me directly when I post a broken link or make a typo – I very much appreciate your thoughtfulness!

    However, to the angry person who used a fake email address to lecture me about my typo, please know my articles are provided FREE and AS IS, and if you are not able to correspond respectfully please abstain from commenting or using the contact form.

    Sincerely,

    Shawn Tierney

  5. Hello I’m am having difficulty hooking my panel view plus 6 600 up via the AIC to SLC as well. My panel view is a 2711-t6c20d8 and my SLC is a 5/03 1747-l531e.
    I have applied my runtime using serial dh485 station 0 and com port 1 set at 19.2 k then added the SLC 5/03 as station 1 in rsview and downloaded my program
    my AIC is fed with 24vdc and set at 19.2k
    I have used the 2711-nc13 from the panel view to the AIC and a 1761-as09 from AIC to port 1 on SLC 5/03
    It looks like I have done everything as you have but still getting failed to write errors any suggestions? what about point to point address 254?

    • Good afternoon John,

      Sounds like you’re doing everything right so lets start over.

      First, RSLinx Serial DH-485 driver set at Station 0 and Com port 1 and 19.2 k is same as I used.

      So, first double check to be sure in RSLinx Enterprise you have applied the Shortcut to the SLC-5/03 in the Runtime Tab. Then press ok, create a new runtime, and download to the PVPlus replacing comms on download.

      If it still doesn’t work, pinout your NC13 to be sure it’s good – Pins 2-2, 3-3, 5-5.

      If it is, set your SLC-5/03 Channel 0 Serial port to DH485, Station 1, 19.2K and plug the PVPlus into it to see if it works connected there.

      Also, make sure the AIC+ is hard set to 19.2K and not autobaud.

      Also if you’re using direct referencing, check to be sure it looks like this {::[SLC]T4:0.ACC} (the {} are needed in fields where expressions are allowed)

      Hope this helps,

      Shawn Tierney

      Join my free community to follow along! You can also become a member and support our work at: Automation.Locals.com

    • Good morning yassine,

      Can you confirm the following?
      – ML1400 is connected to 1763-NC01
      – PVP6 600 is connect to NET-AIC via CP3 Cable
      – RSLinx Enterprise Runtime/Target tab driver being used is Serial DH-485 Com Port 1

      Note: Local tab setup only needed for testing on PC, and does not have to match Target

      Sincerely,

      Shawn Tierney

      • Question: ML1400 is connected to 1763-NC01?

        Answer: No, ML1400 is connected to 1761-net-aic through 1761-CBL-AM00 cable

        Question: PVP6 600 is connect to NET-AIC via CP3 Cable?

        Answer: No, PVP 600 is connected to 1761-net-aic through 2711-NC21 cable. In fact I used 1747-CP3 to connect the PC to 1761-net-aic and it was detected in rslinx.

        Question: RSLinx Enterprise Runtime/Target tab driver being used is Serial DH-485 Com Port 1?

        Answer: yes, I used this driver but ML 1400 and PVP were not detected.

        • Good afternoon yassine,

          I did some testing here and plugging the ML1400’s Comm 0 into the AIC+ using the AM00, and the PVPlus into the AIC using the NC21 should work without issue.

          I tested the PVPlus serial port setup for Serial DH-485 directly to the ML1400 with both an NC21 equivalent (PM02 with Null Modem adaptor) to Comm 0, as well as with a standard straight through DB9 to DB9 cable directly to Comm 2 and both cables worked.

          I also tested the PVPlus plugged into the AIC+ with either an NC21 equivalent (PM02 with Null Modem adaptor) as well as with a standard straight through DB9 to DB9 cable directly, and both worked.

          Finally, I tested both ML1400 ports with the PM02 and CP3 going to the ports of the AIC+, and Comm 0 with the NC01 cable, and they all worked.

          So assuming your Belden 9842 DH-485 cable is wired correctly and run less than 4000ft, it may be a software config issue.

          Can you confirm you have your RSLinx Enterprise Target Tab setup for Serial DH-485, Station 0, Com 1, 19.2K, add added the ML1400 under that as Station 1, and then applied the ML1400 to the Shortcut? You should also have no other serial drivers in the target tab.

          Can you also confirm the port you are using on the ML1400 is setup for DH485, 19.2K and Station 1? And that the AIC+’s are hard set to 19.2 and powered with 24vdc?

          If all your settings are as above, try plugging the PVPlus directly into the ML1400 to see if that works. If it does, then try plugging the PVPlus into the same AIC+ as the ML1400 and see if that works…

          Hope this helps,

          Shawn Tierney

          Join my free community to follow along! You can also become a member and support our work at: Automation.Locals.com