H2-EBC100 / H2-ERM100 show Error light after a few seconds running H2-WPLC3

[marchj2]

I have two DirectLogic205 racks (D2-09B-1) that I need to connect in order to extend the number of I/O cards for a project. To do this I am using an H2-ERM100 in one rack (with H2-WPLC3 Think & Do as the processor) and an H2-EBC100 in the other rack.

I can see and configure the EBC and ERM cards in ERM Workbench and NetEdit3.

Think & Do can connect to both racks and can see all the I/O cards.

When I load and run a program (e.g. blink an output on the EBC's rack), the program will run for a few seconds, then the Error light on the EBC will illuminate, followed by the Error light on the ERM, and the program will stop running. CE Watch shows and IO status of "Fault".

I have tried running and configuring the ERM & EBC cards both through an Ethernet switch and directly connected with a crossover cable.

All hardware was purchased in the past few weeks from AutomationDirect.com.

Questions:

1. Can this hardware setup be made to work?
2. What am I doing wrong?

Thanks

[MikeS]

When the ERM100 is used in a system with a DL processor, the ERM100 is the comm master. Once it is configured it begins automatically reading from the configured slaves and will send output data to the slaves when the PLC is in RUN mode. When the ERM100 is used in a system with a WinPLC the ERM100 is more like a "proxy" comm device because the WinPLC program initiates the read and write cycles through the ERM100, the ERM100 doesn't do any automatic reads and writes.

The ERR LED on the EBC100 is most likely ON because the watchdog timer in the EBC100 has fired - because it's master (the ERM100 / WinPLC) has started talking to it then it stopped talking to it for longer than the watchdog time is set for.

The ERM100 LED being ON typically indicates errors from I/O modules in the slaves base, like broken transmitter, missing external 24v, etc.

We are not well versed in handling issues with the ThinknDo version of the WinPLC, you will need to contact Automationdirect or PhoenixConatct for tech support on using that version of the WinPLC.

[marchj2]

Interesting. Thanks for this info.

Yesterday I started experimenting with the Think & Do max scan time and with the watchdog timeout on the EBC. I was able to delay the error, but not eliminate it.

I don't have anything wired to the IO cards yet.

This may be a question for AutomationDirect or Phoenix, but, is there a way I can have my TnD program reset the fault in the ERM so that I don't have to manually cycle power?

[rlp122]

Fix the root cause and then the clearing of the fault is a moot point.  I'd give AutomationDirect Tech support a call.  It's free.  (800) 633-0405

[marchj2]

I called AutomationDirect before I tried here. Didn't get anywhere. Now that I have a little more info I will try them again.

[marchj2]

FYI - I spoke to someone at Phoenix Contact. They said that the H2-ERM100 is the problem. They say it is not compatible with the H2-WPLC3 Rev 3A, and that the solution is to use the H2-ERM or an earlier revision of the H2-WPLC3.