WinPLC Frequently Asked Questions
Use "Ctrl-F" to search for specific words in this FAQ.
Question:
Can the WINPLC act as an OPC server?
Answer
Yes.
FAQ ID: 633
Question:
Can the WINPLC handle square roots?
Answer
Yes.
FAQ ID: 634
Question:
Will the WINPLC work with Devicenet?
Answer
No.
The 205 series PLC I/O does not have a DeviceNET slave or master(Scanner) card available to allow this.
FAQ ID: 635
Question:
Can the WinPLC be used with an operator interface?
Answer
Yes, the C-More and C-More Micro panels have Entivity Modbus drivers.
C-More panels can use Modbus RTU(serial) and Modbus TCP/IP(Ethernet).
C-More -R panels do not have Ethernet.
C-More Micro panels can use Modbus RTU(serial) only.
The WinPLC must have Modbus RTU enabled, this is set in the I/O view and is off by default.
Both require that the Think and Do project be saved to disk so you can reference the .MAP file for the I/O mapping in the device driver configuration.
Note!
If you make changes to the WinPLC project you must re-read the .map file for the addresses to be corrected in the panel.
Also note that String Tags > S-192 cannot be read from the WinPLC as they do not have Modbus Addresses for tags greater than S-192
FAQ ID: 1039
Question:
Where can I find the latest WinPLC Image files and support info?
Answer
Those can be found on the Entivity website here;
Entivity Customer Support
FAQ ID: 1042
Question:
Why do the WinPLC's RUN/POWER LEDs blink?
Answer
The WinPLC uses the indcators to display an error has occured.
- RUN LED off - No project running
- RUN LED on - project running
- POWER LED flashing - used with "Identify CE Station"
- RUN LED blinking - unable to run project
Sometimes there may be exceptional problems that the WinPLC can't recover from. The WinPLC tries to trap these errors and give some indication of the error by flashing a pattern on the LEDs. The POWER LED constantly goes through a sequence where it blinks a number of times and then stays off for a while. The number of times it blinks between the pauses indicates the type of error it encountered:
- 1 blink - runtime thread stopped running
- 2 blinks - cpu exception in the runtime thread
- 3 blinks - winsock server on WinPLC stopped running
- 4 blinks - cpu exception in winsock thread
- 5 blinks - cpu exception in serial comm thread
- 6 blinks - cpu exception in background thread
- 7 blinks - not used (indicates power-fail exception)
- 8 blinks - unknown error
Here's the link to the Entivity/Phoenix Contact Knowledgebase entry
FAQ ID: 1046
Question:
Can the WinPLC be used as a Serial Modbus Master?
Answer
Please see Application note #08.
http://www.entivity.com/appnotesindex.htm
With TnD Version 8 you will also find the app notes & user manual installed on your local drive. Look in C:Program FilesPhoenix ContactThinkNDoDocs
This app note includes a downloadable example which consists of some subcharts which implement the Modbus master protocol. These Thinklets will run on either an NT/2000/XP-based system or a WinPLC utilizing the serial port. We recommend using the project 'as-is' and getting it to communicate with your device FIRST (before adding the subcharts to your project). It includes an HMI and serial port IO configuration and you should be able to read/write to the registers on the RMU.
FAQ ID: 1054
Question:
I am having trouble getting the IP address of my WinPLC set up, is there an easy way to do this? Not using Windows Vista
Answer
The latest Netedit3 software can be used to assign IP addresses to WinPLCs.
You just need to be locally connected to the WinPLC, open Netedit, and select the IPX option.
Then change the IP address of the WinPLC to an appropriate address for your network.
NOTE!
This will not work if using Windows Vista.
Vista does not support the IPX protocol.
FAQ ID: 1058
Question:
How can I set the IP address in my WinPLC with Windows Vista, Windows 7 or a Windows Xp PC that cannot use the IPX protocol?
Answer
Unlike Windows Xp, Windows Vista and Windows 7 do not support the IPX protocol that previously was used to reset the WinPlc.
- Alternate means to reset WinPLCs
- Insure that you have turned off your PC's firewalls
- Power down the rack containing the WinPLC.
- Remove the WinPLC and set dipswitch #7 (last to left)to ON
- Place the WinPLC back in the rack and apply power. The RUN and POWER LEDs will be flashing.
- Use Netedit3 and scan network using TCP/IP
- Double click on the WinPLC and change the IP address.
- Power down the rack containing the WinPLC.
- Return dipswitch #7 to OFF.
- Place WinPLC back in the rack and apply power. The RUN and POWER LEDs will not be flashing.
Your WinPLC should now be accessible using the IP address you used above.
FAQ ID: 1067
Question:
Can the WinPLC be a Modbus TCP Server?
Answer
- Yes, but you must enable Modbus TCP in the WinPLC.
- Open TnD and select I/O view.
- Highlight the WinPLC module
- Select Module Info
- Set EZ Ethernet (Modbus TCP/IP) Port to Enabled
FAQ ID: 1068
Question:
Where can I find more help for Think & Do?
Answer
You can find more help here;
Phoenix Contact Knowledgebase
With TnD V 8.x, you will also find the user manual and appnotes were installed on your PC with the TnD Software here
C:Program FilesPhoenix ContactThinkNDoDocs
FAQ ID: 1104
Question:
What are the dipswitches in the WinPLC used for?
Answer
The switches on the WinPLC have the following functions:
- switch 0 On = the currently loaded program is automatically started when the WinPLC powers up.
- switch 1 On = the built in password is ignored. This is the back door for the case where the user forgets the password.
- switch 2 (2-5) Should be Off. Some of these have been used in the past to enable custom code for particular customers.
- switch 3
- switch 4
- switch 5
- switch 6 Reserved for use by Host.
- switch 7 On = the WinPLC powers up in the Booter and stays in the booter. This is useful for updating or resetting IP addresses of WinPLCs connected directly to Windows 2000 PCs. This is a new feature which may not be on older WinPLCs.
FAQ ID: 1186
Question:
Can you use multiple H2-CTRIO modules with a WinPLC?
Answer
Yes
There is a software bug that you should be aware of
Place the CTRIO modules starting at the highest number slot and build downward. If they are placed in the lower slots and build up you can have addressing issues.
FAQ ID: 1237
Question:
What versions of Think & Do and MS Windows are compatable
Answer
Please refer to TnD FAQ
FAQ ID: 1275
Question:
I can't configure my WinPLC with TnD version 5.7.0 for the combination analog cards (F2-8AD4DA-2 or -1).
Answer
You need to update the WinPLC to version 5.7.1.
Entivity Customer Support
FAQ ID: 1326
Question:
Can the WinPLC be a Modbus TCP Client (Master)to communicate with Modbus TCP Servers (Slaves) such as I/O?
Answer
No
Only the PC based version of Think & Do supports a Modbus TCP Client driver and devices.
The WinPLC can be a Modbus TCP Server (slave) but not a client.
FAQ ID: 1350
Question:
Are there any tags in the WinPLC that cannot be read/written to from an HMI?
Answer
String Tags > S-192 cannot be read from the WinPLC as they do not have Modbus Addresses for tags greater than S-192
FAQ ID: 1413
Question:
Does the WinPLC have an OPC server built into it ?
Answer
- No but Version 8.x of the programming software has a OPC server application.
- Download the tnd verion 8.x demo
- Use the OPC server with that…. Limitation is that it needs to be Win7 32bit or XP only. Once installed, the SCADA should see the OPC server and be able to connect to the WINPLC
FAQ ID: 1554
Question:
ERM100 Compatability with H2-WPLC3-EN
Answer
The H2-ERM100 will not work with a H2-WPLC3-EN.
You will need an H2-ERM.
FAQ ID: 1558