H2-ECOM100 Timeout Errors

[utwo229]

I just installed an ECOM100 into my 6-place rack communicating with a D2-250 and I am seeing a significant number of timeout errors reported in DirectSoft. I don't see any errors in NetEdit3. On another 9-place rack with the same cpu and ecom100, the timeouts are making the system unusable.

Any help appreciated.

[Greg]

Some questions:
(1) What is the error message you are seeing verbatim?
(2) Are you just using DirectSOFT for monitoring (i.e. Status / Data View)?
(3) When you say the system is unstable, are you referring to the PLC system or the PC itself?
(4) Is the ECOM100 doing anything else (like communicating with other devices)?

[utwo229]

1) the only error message is in DirectSoft on the Link Info screen. It says Error: Transport protocol error  Extended Error: Timeout Error

2)I first saw this after installing the ECOM100 and trying to save a program from DirectSoft to the D2-250. I encountered a timeout when writing the data and lost the link. I looked at the Link Info screen and I see the timeout errors there.

That happened on a new 9-place base that I wasn't sure if it was the problem. So I switched to a 6-place base that I had just taken off a production system. I was able to write the program from DirectSoft to the PLC, but I still see some timeout errors on that setup, too (at idle I see one error every 2 or 3 minutes)but I don't loose the link.

3) The D2-250 to ECOM100 is unstable because of the timeouts.

4) For this testing, the ECOM100 is doing nothing except communicating from DirectSoft to the D2-250.

FYI: The ECOM100 is at firmware 4.0.1735 and the D2-250 is at 1.51.

[utwo229]

I have done some more searching and testing today. Seems I can make the problems go away by raising the Timeout parameter in the Ethernet Advanced Settings. I have it at 2000ms now and will let it run and see what happens. Also raised Retries to 5 so see if that helps, too.  So far it looks good.

[utwo229]

Just when I thought all was fine I discovered another symptom.

If I do COMPARE PROGRAMS between DirectSoft disk via the ECOM100 and the PLC, I frequently get mismatches. I can do consecutive COMPAREs and I get completely different results. If I do the same COMPARE via the serial cable, everything is fine. I have done this with different Ethernet cables, different routers, different bases, different CPUs, different PC's, no other modules present....   But I only have one ECOM100 to test with and I fear that it is the problem.

So this tells me something is wrong in the link. It is dropping bits somewhere. It seems that when I write a program/data to the PLC it is getting there ok (verified via the serial cable).

Is there any way to nail this down and be sure the ECOM100 is the problem?

[BobO]

Truthfully, problems with ECOM100s are very rare.

What do you have between the PC and the ECOM? A switch? Cable? Bad wiring locations? Noisy environment? Flaky data points to a flaky physical layer, not necessarily a flaky ECOM. If you have ruled out issues with the physical layer, then I suggest requesting a replacement ECOM from ADC...but I would look long at the physical layer first and rule that out. In a very high percentage of cases where stuff isn't working right, it is one of the things I mentioned.

[utwo229]

Thanks for your suggestions. I have tried replacing every item in the physical layer with a spare. The only part I don't have to replace is the ECOM. The physical connection is quite simple; just a router siting here idle connected with a single cable. Nothing else connected, no long wires passing near high voltage sources, no other devices on the LAN. I have even tried multiple bases, 2 different CPU's, 3 different routers, a few different cables, two different PC's, two different physical locations.... 

I will get another ECOM and nail down that final piece of the puzzle.