I am on my way to the workshop now to conduct an experiment involving the PowerFlex 700s. I am curious to see if these drives can swap control boards and successfully power up in order to access parameters from a different board. While we have managed to do this with other brands in the past, some drives prove to be less cooperative due to being specifically matched to their own boards. For instance, my colleague mentioned that Schneider Electric (Square D) drives exhibit this behavior and the parameters are reset to default settings. If anyone has insights or experience with this issue, please share them. It will take some time to get everything set up, especially since the drives are slightly different sizes. However, these drives are ones that have been replaced and are kept for experimental purposes. I will share the results of the experiment once it is completed.
I have recently set up several PF700 drives. If you have the PF700 with ADC (Ethernet)/ADR (DeviceNet) selected in your IO config tree, the parameters will automatically download upon powering up. This option can be found in the configuration tab within the IO config tree. It should be compatible with CCW, where you save the drive parameters in a file during commissioning. However, this process is a one-time deal where you connect to the drive, upload the parameters, and replace the drive. When replacing the drive, go online with CCW and download the parameters once the connection is established. One potential issue arises when using parameters from a drive with a different firmware revision. To address this, consider back flashing the new drive to the old drive firmware to download the old parameter set. Otherwise, compare the old non-default parameter set to the new set and adjust the parameters on the new drive accordingly.
Jim3846 mentioned that he has successfully started up a few PF700 drives. If you have the PF700 with ADC (Ethernet)/ADR (DeviceNet) selected in your IO configuration tree, the parameters will automatically download upon power up. This feature can be found in the configuration tab of the IO config tree. It should also work with CCW, where you can store the drive parameters in a file during commissioning. However, this process is a one-time deal where you upload the parameters from the drive once commissioning is complete. When replacing the drive, go online with CCW and download the parameters after establishing a connection. One issue that may arise is when the parameters are from a drive with a different firmware revision. In this case, you may need to back flash the new drive to the old drive firmware in order to download the old parameter set. Otherwise, you will need to compare the old parameter set that is not default with the new parameter set to identify matching parameters and make the necessary changes on the new drive. According to my research, the auto download feature started with RSLogix 5000 version 18. I am currently working with version 17. I often get called in when a customer's drive needs to be replaced due to failure. In most cases, I can set up simple parameters based on backup drives or similar application drives. However, sometimes I encounter unique applications like a customer's centrifuge that communicates over Ethernet IP and requires pre-setup parameters from the manufacturer. Alternatively, there are many legacy machines out there without any known backup files, posing a challenge. In a recent instance with a customer, the VFD's outputs were damaged due to water exposure, resulting in blown output IGBTs. I am looking to retrieve the speed control PID tuning parameters to configure the new drive. There is also a complication with VFD firmware versions between the old drive and the replacement. For now, I will focus on addressing these issues step by step.
After conducting a test with two different drives - one with 408v and 15 HP, firmware version 10.00, and the other with 480v and 25 HP, firmware version 4.00 - I decided to swap the firmware from version 10 into the version 4 drive. Upon power-up, no issues were encountered. The keypad prompted me to select a setup method, and after choosing to abort and connect to CCW, I noticed that the non-default parameters had disappeared. While further testing may be necessary, it appears that this behavior is similar to Square D drives where swapping the control board resets the parameters to default settings. It is uncertain if this holds true in all scenarios, especially if the drives are the same size and firmware. To clarify this, I may need to consult AB for more information.
By the way, that was a typographical error. Both drives operate at 480 volts.
I recently created a video showcasing an experiment I conducted in the hopes of achieving success. While it may not be highly polished, I wanted to have something to share with my colleagues if it turned out well. You can view the video on YouTube by following this link: https://youtu.be/uVj-BQe0Nrw.
You're heading into an interesting experiment! While I've never tried this with PowerFlex 700s, I've had some success transferring boards between units of the same brand with similar specs. Keep in mind that even minor differences in model or type often make control boards incompatible. Getting parameters from different boards might seem exciting but avoid force-fitting to prevent hardware damage. Also, ensure you're working in an ESD-safe environment as these electronic components are sensitive to static discharge. Looking forward to hearing about your results!
That sounds like a fascinating experiment! I've encountered similar issues with the PowerFlex 700s—sometimes the control boards are indeed pretty finicky about compatibility, especially when it comes to retaining parameters. In my experience, even if they physically fit, the firmware differences can cause unexpected resets or malfunctions. I’d be keen to hear how your tests go; it's always valuable to have practical insights on these kinds of hacks! Best of luck, and keep us posted!
That sounds like an interesting experiment! I've had some mixed results with swapping control boards, too. With the PowerFlex series, I've noticed that while some boards can be interchangeable, others definitely seem to have those proprietary ties that prevent them from using parameters from a different board. I’d be curious to see whether your findings align with that, especially since the Schneider Electric drives were so resistant in your colleague's experience. Good luck with the setup, and I’ll be waiting to hear how it goes!
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Answer: - The experiment aims to determine if PowerFlex 700 drives can swap control boards to access parameters from a different board.
Answer: - Yes, some drives from other brands like Schneider Electric (Square D) may exhibit behavior where parameters are reset to default settings when control boards are swapped.
Answer: - Challenges such as drives being specifically matched to their own boards and differences in sizes may be encountered during the experiment setup.
Answer: - The drives being used for the experiment are ones that have been replaced and are kept for experimental purposes to test their behavior when control boards are swapped.
Answer: - The results of the experiment will be shared once it is completed and the data is collected from the PowerFlex 700 drives.
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