Unable to find network via 5100PC

I have a 5100PC serial PCI, as well as an 8-channel dimmer unit DIMDN8 (5508D1A) and a second newer CBus2 dimmer unit. I can't seem to contact either dimmer unit via the PCI.

Setup is simple: Mains power to dimmer unit, single short (20cm) CAT5 connection to 5100PC which is then connected via USB/Serial to the PC.

Symptoms are:

- Diagnostic Utility (V2.1.0) can communicate with the PCI over serial (responses are received), but "Installation MMI" returns "Unit Address Not Present" for all addresses.

- No other interactions via the Diagnostic Utility seem to get responses from the C-Bus.

- Using C-Bus Toolkit (v1.14.1) and "Find C-Bus Networks" -> "Scan Default Interface" (PCI COM Port) searches for approximately 20 seconds and then says "An error has occured .. no network could be found, please check Default Interface that you have selected"

- If I use the "Scan COM Ports" dialog in C-Bus Toolkit then "PCI not found" appears under the Result column for the relevant COM port.

Things I've tried:

• Verified DC voltage (32.1V) on the C-Bus +/- connections.
• Verified RJ45 pinout is correct for the C-Bus +/- on correct pins, and that the CAT5 cable is wired through correctly.
• Monitored C-Bus + on oscilloscope, confirmed an AC square wave modulation is visible when "Installation MMI" request is running. Can supply oscilloscope captures if that helps.
• Attached (self-made) network burden, 1K resistor in series with 10uF 80V electrolytic cap. No difference in response.

The dimmer unit itself seems OK - all lights come on during power on, and the manual channel on/off buttons work. (No channels are connected to loads at this time.) It was working when last used.

The newer CBus2 dimmer unit has the same symptoms, but I've done most of my testing with the older one as I thought the older PCI may have some compatibily problems with CBus2 devices.

Do you have any tips on what to try next?

 

Hi Angus
5100PC predates my experience but here is a couple of things to check.

Are the CBus indicators LED lit solid?
If not maybe there is no system clock activated.

Sometimes in the past I have had trouble scanning new networks.
In Toolkit you could try rather than scan the network, add a new project and set the connection properties manually.
Then try to connect to the project directly from the new project's network in the project tree.

Some people have problems with various USB to RS232 converters so you may as well mention which one you are using.

Firewall?

 

Hi Daryl,

Thanks for the tips!

Yes, lit solid. I didn't explain properly in my first post, but I can see a 5V P-P square wave at 2ms intervals on te scope - which is I assume is the system clock. Extra transitions get overlaid on that whenever I run a scan from either of the Windows tools.

Good idea, thanks. This didn't seem to work either ("failed to open PCI") - however I noticed some output in the log line window that suggests a bad serial link corrupting data. I see similar output there when using the "scan" feature too:

Prolific PL2303. This is probably it, I saw the note about FTDI adapters being recommended so I'll get hold of one ASAP and re-test.

Thanks again.

- Angus

 

I've never used a USB serial adapter so I cant tell you which but it has been discussed on the forum.
For all my serial devices I use a Moxa Ethernet device server which is probably overkill but does allow for Ethernet and therfore Wi-Fi connection to serial devices.
It offers RS232/RS485, software to run as a virtual serial port for programs which don't have a TCP connection option and hasn't really let me down yet.

 

Hello Angus.

This may or may not help you, but I've had to change out a few 5100PC's over the years due to rust on/in the DB9 connector (high humidity up here). Theoretically, you could clean them up with contact cleaner and time but due to the age and general deterioration it was deemed better to replace them. Maybe you have the same issue?

Note: this is not due to quality, more the ambient conditions.

 

The Prolific chipset has given me heaps of trouble over the years.

Even if it turns out not to be the actual problem here, it's still well worth getting rid of them for a FTDI unit.

I get them from Dontronics and they have worked with everything I have ever used them for.

Cheers

Rohan

 

Just echoing what others have said, but the USB adapter is definitely your problem.

I have used the same Prolific chipset before in some Aten converters but since C-Gate 2.7 they do not work and I have gotten the same rubbish for certain caricatures as you have shown in your screenshot.