dronai

If there is a problem, all I have to do is trace the input from the aux

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“From the ages of 8-18, me and my family moved around a lot. Mostly we would just stretch, but occasionally one of us would actually get up to go to the fridge.”

eric7379

Soooo.....what's the problem??

Is this for your new job? I can understand it being a little hairy in a situation like this where you don't know where everything is and just hope that the person that labeled everything wasn't a nutcase.

I have to do this all the time, but in my situation, everything (well, mostly everything) is labeled. If there are different racks or remote I/O's scattered throughout the machine, every enclosure is labeled with what the rack number is or what part of the machine the enclosure is for. Sort of the same thing with the electrical prints.

dronai

I'm long time electrician, but new to controls. But what I'm seeing is, that once you know one MCC in my place, the components are pretty much the same and repeat. times 92 cabinets.

Yes, the wires are all numbered perfectly, and panels labeled. Prints are in every cabinet, and document everything to the tee.

Looks intimidating at first till your familiar with the components.

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“From the ages of 8-18, me and my family moved around a lot. Mostly we would just stretch, but occasionally one of us would actually get up to go to the fridge.”

MDShunk

So why did you take pics of the Ethernet modules in the PLC rack?

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One reason not to give DIY advice:
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Frank Mc

I thought they were profibus modules...?..?

Frank

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MDShunk

They could be anythingbus or anythingnet and my question would still mostly be the same. I'm not super familiar with Seimens stuff the recognize the particular type of network module they are. I'm more of an A-B guy.

__________________
One reason not to give DIY advice:
Catch a man a fish and you can sell it to him.
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eric7379

In this case, I certainly understand why it looks intimidating if you are not at all familiar with controls, especially at a new job.

Is the whole place on Siemens PLC's, or is there a mix of a few different types?

nolabama

It will be a learning curve, but you will get the hang of it. Or not and leave.

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Wireman191

Start at the beging of the problem ckt, fuse may be the problem. If thats not the problem move to the middle of the control ckt, if you have no power there then you know its upstream from that spot. Best way Ive found for finding issues.
Check all E-stops, We had to install lights above all the E-stops at one place because the lady's wanted a break so one of them would just hit the E-stop.

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nolabama

Checking those breakers will keep you from looking like an idiot. I was troubleshooting a brake motor, so I thought....

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“Dammit, Smithers, this isn’t rocket science, it’s brain surgery!”

Wireman191

Control fuses are typically smaller then the breaker, thats why I would start there. No power coming through the fuse, you pretty much know its the fuse or the breaker.

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buddhakii

Pretty simple to troubleshoot the newer mcc. Older installations can be time consuming because you have to trace everything. If the motor is not starting as said before make sure you have control power. If you do have voltage make sure it's getting a start command from the plc. If not check the proper plc output to make sure it is on. If all the lights on the plc are dead check the control fuse in the plc cabinet. If you have the proper start command at the mcc and nothing is happening check the coil on the starter. It all is pretty simple once you get the hang of it. Escpecially if you are just working in this one plant as a maintenance person and can learn the system inside and out.

dronai

All Siemans

Yep, Problem will be time to have the belts down, and find, and fix fast.

Have to get familiar

Everything reports back to control via the PLC. But learning the links in the chain, from the disco, which also has an aux, all stop start stations also have an aux reporting back to the I/O cards.

There is probably a simple method I can use after I know the system better.

In general building wiring, I can locate a problem and isolate, and repair pretty fast. This is just new territory for me.

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“From the ages of 8-18, me and my family moved around a lot. Mostly we would just stretch, but occasionally one of us would actually get up to go to the fridge.”

dronai

Why not Maybe you can help me ID all communication wiring. The PLC's have what looks like (Large Purple jacketed) Data lines. small orange colored fiber optic wires ? and small purple wires that look like their ethernet ? The same larger purple cables are running through all the VFD's


I found the only 120V panel that read Profi-Bus Optical Network
Panel 2 OLMZ 120V 1 phase I was thinking maybe it's the fiber optic network ?

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“From the ages of 8-18, me and my family moved around a lot. Mostly we would just stretch, but occasionally one of us would actually get up to go to the fridge.”

dronai

Looks like 3 control transformers per cabinet.

I would think testing from the failure back to the MCC, and seeing if the I/O is lighting. Then test power to the Overloads, then starters, and if the coils are pulling in. Next the control transformer fusing. Am I right in the sequence ?

The cabinets would still have power to all the rest of the 10 -15 starters, so I know it's a control issue.

If it's a PLC issue, then it would be testing to see if the I/O is working or not. Possibly a bad card. Am I right ?

More pictures

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“From the ages of 8-18, me and my family moved around a lot. Mostly we would just stretch, but occasionally one of us would actually get up to go to the fridge.”

dronai

I didn't see this post ! That is pretty much what I listed above in my previous post, except I started from the motor, to the disco, and then back.

My shift is understaffed, There is an Industrial electrician on the graveyard shift, who is really knowledgable.
But we only hook up for about an hour between shifts overlaps

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“From the ages of 8-18, me and my family moved around a lot. Mostly we would just stretch, but occasionally one of us would actually get up to go to the fridge.”

Big John

Jesus, you're lucky.

-John

nolabama

I second that.

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“Dammit, Smithers, this isn’t rocket science, it’s brain surgery!”

lefleuron

Dronai,

You are going to find out its a 90/10 game. After a while 90 percent of the problems you run into you will know exactly what to do because they are repeat problems.

The other 10 percent may be a challenge. If you are there long enough it will become a 99/1 game. Problem then is remembering the 99.

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76nemo

dronai,

In a scenario like this, your best place to start is with the machine operator. Before you even read error codes or pull prints, see just what you can get out of the machine operator if one exists. If you have someone onboard that knows all of the sequences, ALWAYS start with them, ALWAYS!!!

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