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GE Fanuc Series Six PLC FAQ Support
Please click below to find the answers to our most Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ):
- My GE Fanuc Series Six system stopped working; how do I troubleshoot the problem myself?
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The Series Six PLC should have all lights on the CPU cards (I/O Control, Arithmetic Control, Logic Control, and Logic Memory) for normal operation. Often one or more of the lights will be off when a PLC shuts down. You will want to make a note of the status of the CPU lights.
When it is safe, turn the key switch on the front of the Power Supply from Run to Stop. Turn the power switch to the off position, wait 1 – 2 minutes and turn the power back on. After you turn the power on, turn the key switch to Run. If all lights are on and the process starts, then you had a soft fault. You should be fine and continue running.
However, if the lights go back out after cycling power, then you have a hard fault. This is caused by a hardware failure or loss of program. To know what boards to change first, you will want to refer to the manual GEK-25361, Installation and Maintenance manuals, and look at the chapter Troubleshooting and Repair. This section will have a flow chart to follow showing what cards are suspect based on which lights are off. You may also contact us directly at 1-800-784-9385 or through email to support@qualitrol.com.
- My battery died and I lost my program, what do I do now?
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First, you will need a replacement battery, IC600MA507, for the card. Replace the battery, verify that all of the lights come back on the front of the CPU cards, and reload your program. Qualitrol provides several Series Six programming tools that assist you in re-loading your program.
If you do not have a copy of your program on a diskette, you have several options:
Re-key the program into the PLC from a printout.
Contact the OEM who made your machine.
Copy the program from another machine and, with minor changes, adapt it to your process.
Contact Qualitrol to request an engineer who can come on site and re-write the program. Our technical support staff is ready to assist you by phone at 1-800-784-9385 or through email to support@qualitrol.com
- Should I upgrade my Series Six PLC system to a newer product?
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Qualitrol has made the upgrade process straightforward. Several options determine which conversion is best for your process. If cost is an issue, the choice to replace only the PLC CPU section will provide a fast and cost effective solution. If down time is an issue, a combination of CPU swap out and Genius distributed I/O can be used to speed the conversion. All options offer diagnostic capability. The modern PLC now has fault-recording features that you can use to troubleshoot failures resulting in a huge reduction in down time. Visit our Series Six Conversions page to learn more about our conversion options.
- The letter at the end of the part number on my spare Series Six module is different than that on the board in my system. Can I still use it?
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The letter at the end of the part number is referred to as the Revision code. Typically, the revisions were changed to keep up with events with the card’s circuitry. If a change in components on a module required a circuit change, the redesign would result in incrementing the revision code.
GE had many customers ask about this revision letter so they tested all cards and brought all cards to Revision “K.” This revision says all cards have been tested and work with other cards. All cards with the same part number will work the same way. The exception to this rule is Rev “A” cards. Therefore, if you are using a rev “A” card you will want to ask for that revision to insure your system works. This is documented in the Series Six Data Sheet manual.
- My Program Development Terminal (PDT) has stopped working. What do I do?
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Hopefully the circuit boards are just loose inside. Simply remove the top and with the power off, re-seat the cards in their sockets. Replace the top and power on. If this worked, you are indeed lucky, as there are no parts left for the PDT. While your unit is working, we recommend that you upgrade to Logicmaster software which can run on a PC (see How do I communicate to my Series Six PLC on our Series Six programming page). Then when the PDT finally powers down for the last time, you will be prepared for the transition.
- How can I view, print, or change the ladder logic in my GE Fanuc Series Six PLC?
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Logicmaster Six software is your answer. The Parallel version of Logicmaster Six requires a special interface card, IC641WMI610, that plugs into an ISA slot in a computer with a bus speed of less than 100mhz. The parallel card will use a parallel cable (IC600WD005) to communicate to the Series Six CPU via the I/O Control Module. However, these cards are hard to come by – please contact us for current availability of this card.
We recommend the serial option, which communicates via a standard serial port in your computer. Your Series 6 PLC will need a communications card, IC600CB536 to connect the PC serial port to.
One note: LogicMaster software for Series Six is a DOS software package - Windows does not support the program. The original software has no communication drivers or memory handler routines for Windows. This means that you will need a PC with DOS or an equivalent. An equivalent that has been successful is a “virtual PC with a DOS type operating system.” I use this method on my XP laptop and have no problems. You can contact us about getting the software with virtual PC option. Our computer savvy technicians have put together a virtual PC that will work on XP computers.
To address this issue further, we have created our own dedicated PC-based programmer with Logicmaster already installed. This is a very cost effective means of programming the Series Six – learn more by clicking here.
- I am upgrading my old series 6 PLC; do you want to buy the old stuff?
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Yes, we are interested in all GE PLC products. You can send an email to info@qualitrol.com and attach a list of the parts you would like to sell. We will look over the list and send you an offer. Naturally, some components are more valuable than others based on condition, availability and current need.
For more Technical Tips from our Engineers, visit our Qualitrol Blog.
