Failure - Transfer Program to PLC

[ICT]

 
 :'(Hi,
TriLogic T100MD+ always gives Password error when we try to transfer program to PLC.

Your distributor in PAKISTAN (Islamabad) told us to replace EEPROM and saying that we should buy extra EEPROMS becuase it is necessary for yur PLC.

Please commnet in this regard. Why one should use a product which has design problem or manufacturing defect or somthing???

They have quoted a very high price i.e US$14.00 (Pak.Rs.800.)

Please just tell me how to keep the EEPROM working?

The unit is being operated on 24Volt Regulated Power Supply with excellent filter capacitors and Japanese Transformer and Regualtor mounted on Heatsink.

The PLC is conacted with COMPAQ PII systems and the operating system is Windos 2000 Professional.

Please note that the PLC Hardware / Circuit is operation, because after Power Off/On cycle one can set the RTC and the LED goes of which indicated that the communication program and PLC hardware in operational and only the Program Transfer is not prossible becuase of the EEPROM failure (which we understand is a manufacturing defect or somting whcih your representative can not explain due to their poor knowledge about your product)

We would appreciate if yur take this matter seriously and give us a reply whcih should solve this problem.

Thank you
 

[support]

Have you transferred program to the PLC before?

EEPROM can be corrupted or damaged if your power system is bad. This tend to happen more often in developing countries when power is unstable.  Frequent power failure in the utility main could mean a big surge when power return and that can have impact on electronic devices. Did you employ AC line filter to prevent high enery surge from entering the power supplies?

If EEPROM is corrupted because of power system, it may not be damaged and not necessary to replace. You can clear the corrupted area by entering the command in TLServer "@nn$cKILL00*"  where "nn" represent the ID of the PLC. You can get the ID using the "IR*" command. So if the ID is "01", just enter:  "@01$cKILL00*". The corrupted program will be cleared and password removed and you can try to transfer program to the PLC again.  

If this does not work then the EEPROM may be damaged. Replacement of M2017P is necessary. But you do have to check the filtering of your AC power. Tens of thousands of the M-series PLC are used in industries 24/7 for years without a problem. So I don't think your comment is fair without understanding the cause of your own operating environment.

[ICT]

 

Thank you for the information regarding the possible causes of the EEPROM / Program Transfer Problem / Password error......

The PLC was purchased in May'06 and certainly our students developed many programs, but we did faced many problems.

The power supply is AC input section has filter circuit and we never had any problem with this power supply on other Microcontroller Development boards (like PIC / ATMEL and Intel Microcontrollers).

I would appreciate if you please let know the Recommemded Filter Circuit for the DC Output and AC Input section, yes I do agree that the power interruption / fluctuation do impact the operation of Electronic Devices.

But this is a PLC and not a sensitive test equipment or lab. instument and PLC should be designed to overcome power glitces / sags / surges and standard filters at the input (AC) section should be sufficient.

Well, we are certainly having problems with your PLC and would appreciate if you  please help us in overcoming the Program Transfer Problem / EEPROM Failure.

We already used the @nn$cKILL00*" command ad it only worked once!

Please let us have filter circuit and advise your representative to provide EEPROM free of cost or at a special discounted price becuase it is quite expensive and this cost is out of our budget.

We do agree with you that TriLogic  PLC is a very good product but it is possible that the PLC in our use have a manufacturing defect or technical problem.

Our studetns are very comfaorable with the PLC software and the features of the PLC but they are dealys in their practicals due to the Program Trnasfer Problem / Password Error.......

Please help us in this regard.

Thank you again.

[support]

So these PLCs are used by different students on different PCs? Did you personally check on the PLC connection or just reporting what the students told you? Students are learner and they tend to make a lot of mistakes, in term of wiring, programming, settings etc.  

Note that if the PC com port is not selected properly the pseudo com port may just echo what is sent to it, and the earlier version of TRiLOGI software may be fooled into thinking that a wrong reply is because of a "password" in the PLC. The latest version of TRiLOGI software (version 5.33 and 6.1) take care of not wrongly reporting a fake com port response as password lock. So you may like to verify it.

If you have a student who report the PLC requires password, can you use a computer that you know to work with the PLC to test it just to be sure that it is not a setting issue. Also another password scenario is due to TLServer password settings that is changed against the username. The third password scenario is caused by the previous student who programmed a "SETPASSWORD" command into the TBASIC program. So you did not state very clearly what was the "password" that you were talking about.

I suggest you capture screenshots of the password lock and through the distributor sent to us for advise.

[ICT]

Well, the PLC is presently connected to Compaq AP200 (PII System)  Windows 2000 Professional. Earlier, the PLC was connected to Pentium III (Windows 2000 Server).

Our Lab incharge connects the PLC and we always checks all connection and verify communication with PLC with the execution of Real Time Setting via TriLogi 5.2 software.

When the  RTC Error LED switches Off it confirms that the PLC is properly connected and the communication ports and the software and the PLC hardware is operational.

Anyway, we will download and install the New Version of the software today. Just to make sure that the problem is not related Fake Com Port etc.

We are using Password and the students are being told not to Play with the PLC and we make sure that all practical are carried out when the teacher is present.

Please refer to our last message "please let us have information regarding the power supply filters or recommended circuit of a 24V DC Power Supply."

The subject related to the chares for the spare EEPROM was also left unasnwered?

As you and your representative in PAKISTAN are saying that the EEPROM are sensitive to Electric Failure etc.

Do you think that the EEPROM will not blow if we connect the PLC with a DC 24 Volt Battery (12V + 12V Automotive Battries)? Please comment.

Please note that this PLC is not somting out of the universe and as yu have said hundreds of these PLC's are in operation in different parts of the world.

But it also a fact that becuase of frequent failures we have lost business  (students) and also the delays in getting proper (quick) after sales support from your representatives in PAKISTAN. Insted of good buiness practice to listen to the clients and respod immediately they just have the habbit to put the blame on the clients to avoid the responsibility of replacing the defective parts / EEPROM.  

We ask you to please read our message again and just tell us what steps should be taken by us to protect the EEPROM / Program Transfer error / Password Issue??

Also note that the PLC is 100% operation and it just the Program Transfer Problem and the price of the spare EEPROM.

Awaiting  

   

[support]

The PLC doesn't have built-in power supply and therefore it is mentioned in the manual that a good quality power supply is important. AC line filter is necessary if your facilities experience regular power trip.

It sounds that your concern seems to central around trying to get free spare parts. You should arrange with the distributor to send the EEPROM that you think are damaged back to the factory to verify if they are indeed damaged.  If the distributor is not responding well then write to sales@tri-plc.com with your concern and cc to the distributor. You should provide the details of purchase, quantities purchase and problems encountered etc.

We have checked with the distributor in Pakistan Ah Automation and understand that your insitute have bought only 1 unit of the PLC and did not want to pay for the software. When you complained about the program transfer problem, they have first changed for you the EEPROM and then subsequently the entire unit, and you still seems to be having problem. The distributor was not unresponsive but was unable to satisfy your appetite for freebies all the time. We have advised the distributor to contact you to resolve the issue.