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Hi Jimbo You can use System Integers to display the time. Store the following in the data table. Hour (24 hour format)- SI35 Minute- SI36 Second- SI30 Regards Denis

Keith In older version of the help files there was a description for what SB90 is, however I can not remember what it was. From what I can tell it only goes high if communication is lost between the plc and the EX-A2X. We use the PLC with snap in and EX-A2X to control large compressor motors and we use a contact of SB90 to do the following. 1. Closed contact of SB90 on the coil of each drive. 2. Open contact of SB90 to display the following message on the screen "Communication failure power down PLC to reset". Not sure if this helps. Regards Denis

Thanks Flex I was hoping I could do this, but I was sure the program would fail if the actual configuration did not match exactly the programmed configuration. Surely though there must be some limits to this as to the way inputs and outputs are addressed? Do I need to have the interchangeable modules at the end of the line so that the programmed outputs match the actual. Regards Denis

Hi Alex We normally use a V1040 unit. For a small unit we need a E6B snap in unit + DI8RO8 + 2 x ATC8 For the larger units we need a E6B snap in unit + 2 x DI8RO8 + 2 x ATC8 + AI4-AO2 I was hoping that we would not have to install the additional hardware on units if it was not required. Having more than 1 program would not be a problem but we prefer to send out the units with the program installed. Regards Denis

Hi Folks We have developed a program for a vision series controller that controls a machine. These machines come in various sizes. I would really like to have one program, with the first display when the unit is firstly powered up being a selection of the machine size. This part I can do. However larger machines have more I/O. Is there any way I can give a different hardware configuration based on options selected on this initial screen. I assume that if the configuration does not match there will be a problem with the program even if these I/O are not being used in the program. I can probably do this if I send an SD card with the unit with the different programs installed on it so the user can clone the correct machine size program from the card, but it would be better if this was just an option to select from a display. Any ideas would be appreciated. Regards Denis

Hi All Would it be possible to re-design the trends in future updates. Im thinking of having the possibility of making the trend transparent with also the option to hide the units on the X,Y axis. In this way it would be possible to overlay the trend onto a background image complete with graph and custom axis designs. Regards Denis

Petar Give a look at the examples in visilogic under version 900, project examples and events. There is an example of an alarm log with timestamp etc. We use it in a number of applications and it works very well. Regards Denis

Thanks Jerin I am just doing some testing with a single unit at present and I am able to communicate. However when I add a second read function block with another slave address the communication stops. Maybe this will be ok in the field when i have seven units. I was just wondering how you would set up the net to only read from 1 unit at a time. Do you set a bit and only reset after a successful scan? The sample program is good but implimenting a second or third unit is causing problems. Regards Denis

Thanks Joe That explains why I stop communicating with one when I try to configure the second. I cant really upload anything at the moment as all I have is the UNITRONICS example with some additional configurations. I will attempt to do what you suggest and cycle the slave ID. Regards Denis

Hi all I need some help in setting up a 485 Modbus communication. I have several power meters with 485 outputs. By using the communication example I can set up 1 meter and obtain the readings. My problem is how do I communicate with all seven. Do I need to set up a modbus configuration for all meters and if so what will be the network ID in each. How do I initialise them, a single one is initialised with a power up bit after the com init block. No matter what I do I seem to loose comms on the one that is running. If someone has done this before I would appreciate some help. Regards Denis

Hi All A question for the developers. When we are asked to enter the SD password in the INFO screen we get a really nice keyboard (on V1040). I dont think this keyboard is available for use on the main program for entering text. We are getting more and more requests for the option for people to LOG IN to a program. In the examples there is a sample program for keyboard text entry on a V570 but this is not easily implimented. Is it possible to access this keyboard at any other time and if not is there any plan to introduce this facility in future upgrades. Regards Denis

Hi I have used SB90 for checking the communication link on a number of applications and it works well. On older versions of VISILOGIC there was a description of what it was for. Just a suggestion, why not have the expansion i/o error active at all times but have an option in the information mode to switch the PLC to test mode. In this way the user will always know when there is a problem and the programmer can run in test mode to test the program. Test mode could also be used to activate some other features such as virtual inputs etc. Regards Denis

Just wondering what other users think of this issue. I have designed some displays on visilogic using unpressed buttons for elements that can be modified and pressed buttons for values etc. On visilogic the displays look very well, but when I download to the PLC it is almost impossible to distinguish between both. At first I thought it was a problem with the software and that there was no actual difference but I sent program involved to unitronics support and they pointed out that there was a slight difference. Is it possible to get this looked at on the next version update or is it that I just need to get new glasses. Regards Denis

Thanks TM The frame sounds like a good solution. Regards Denis

Thanks Lukas Hopefully this can be solved in a future update. Regards Denis

Hi All I am working on a V1040 at present and have a small problem with the display. I have placed a background picture on the display. This consists of just a pattern to improve how the display looks. When I use the hide MB to hide some buttons or objects I would expect to see the only the pattern behind where the button / image was. Instead I see original plain background color of the display. Is there any way I can use the hide object function when I am not using a Unitronics background? Regards Denis

Keith / Joe I have fitted snubbers on the 230vac cooling fans and on 5 x 230vac solenoid coils. The unit has been running for a number of days without any communication problems. I did not fit diodes onto the 24vdc relays as I wanted to narrow down the source of the problem. I suspect that the problem was the cooling fans, as Keith suggested, but I don't want to interfere with the setup anymore in case the problem returns. Again thanks for your assistance on this problem. Regards Denis

Keith This could quite possibly be the source of the problem. The panel does contain two 230vac cooling fans controlled by a thermostat. I have seen the system start and stop several times without giving a communication fault. The fan will always continue to run on after the system stops until the panel cools. It is possible that when the fan stops that the communication is interrupted, or at least a combination of the fan and another input. Should the 1 spark arrester be fitted to each fan or just 1 between the feed to the thermostat and the neutral? Details of fans and thermostat attached. Many thanks Denis

Thanks Joe As I had tested each output and input separately and not found a problem I was thinking it was a combination of two or more devices. Many times if the unit trips on another fault I also get a comms fault. This would make sense as the motor and many of the coils will then go off at the same time. It will be a few days before I get back to this site but I will definitely need to supress the other coils. The relays are SCHNEIDER ELECTRIC RXM4AB2BD 24vdc relays. Again thanks for the help and advice. It's assistance like this that sets Unitronics service miles ahead of everyone else. Regards Denis

Thanks again Joe and Keith. The unit is a screw compressor with a 132kw motor on an ABB ACS800 inverter. Keith- I was thinking the opposite to you and had the inverter set to coast stop but decided to change it to a ramp stop, thinking that dropping out at a lower frequency would solve the problem. I am still getting the problem with the drive set both ways. Today I switched the drive on and off several times and did not get any trip. In fact the fault has never shown up when I have been present on starting or stopping the drive. I was able to simulate the problem originally by switching on and off the small contactors, but since I fitted snubbers on these they do not cause this problem. For this reason I am tending to look at other options than the drive. I have spent hours watching the system starting, running and stopping with no problem, but suddenly I get the fault. Unfortunately so far I have not been there to see if the unit was running or not at the time. The solenoids I originally suspected are 110vac driven by interface relays from the PLC, so I think these may also be unlikely. The only other inductive loads I have on the 24vdc side are some small relays, could these be the problem? I also have some 4-20ma analog signals between the drive and the PLC. These have not been screened, but as mentioned above the fault does not occur with the unit running. Is it more likely to be interference on a snap in module or on a I/O expansion module? I think this will be a case of eliminating inputs until I find the proble. Regards Denis

Thanks Joe I have been using this PLC configuration for these units for a few years now (with a V280 PLC). I think the SB 90 has was described in the help a few years ago and that's where I found it. My only use for SB 90 is to display a message on the screen to tell the operator to restart the PLC. During commissioning I started and stopped the drive several times and had no problems. The only time I could duplicate the fault was in cycling the 24vdc contactors and I now have supressors on these. I do however have some large solenoid coils on the unit and one of these also goes off when the unit stops. maybe i will need to supress these too. Again thanks for your help, hopefully I am looking at the right thing and will report back when the problem is solved. Regards Denis

Hi all I have a V1040 PLC with the following configuration. Snap in V200-18-E6B + IO-Di8-Ro8 + 2 off IO-ATC8/AI8 + IO-AI4-AO2 The PLC is controlling a compressor with a large motor The problem is that I keep losing communication. I don't get any error message, just the unit will not start. When this happens SB 90 comes on and i can only restart the unit by switching on and off the PLC. The unit uses an inverter to control the motor speed which is located close to the controller, at first I suspected interference from this, but communication is ok when the motor is running and the loss of communication is only happening when the motor is stopped. I also have some small 24vdc contactors in the panel. I fitted supressors on the coils and this reduced the communication failure rate drastically, but i still get some tripping. Is there anything else I can check to solve this problem. Regards Denis

Thanks Joe I was thinking of using a snap in but the configuration you suggest will certainly be better if we need to add on again after. Regards Denis

Hi All I am quoting a project and plan to use a vision 1040. I need the following I/O count Digital in 100 Digital out 50 Analog in 16 Analog out 8 Can you suggest the most suitable hardware configuration. Regards Denis Morrissey

just to add another question related to this topic. I have read in other topics that to change the battery you loose all the information stored in the RAM and must use remote access to download the settings. Is this also the case with the V1040 where the battery is accessible without powering down the unit. In relation to the topic above, surely the bit going from high to low is constantly being updated, to have the bit only tested on power up would mean the battery could be drained for a considerable time without knowing. regards Denis