Connect ION 8650 via serial port to PME

[lsubillaga]

Hello to everyone,

I have a case of two meters ION 8650 that are having communications troubles with the Ethernet port. The two devices are connected to different ports of the same unmanaged switch. The problem of the meters is that they have intermittent and random communication issues. They stop communicating via Ethernet port to a SCADA and to PME, also they don't respond to ping, even when the port on the switch seems to be on.

With this problem we are trying a different solution, that is connect the ION meter to SCADA (Modbus) and PME via serial port (COM4 - RS485). We are using a serial to Ethernet converter (Gateway). The Modbus protocol works fine so SCADA is going to work. The problem we have is with PME because we want to add the ION 8650 via Modbus protocol, but in PME it appears via ION protocol and we don't know how to change this. I don't know if there is a different procedure to add the ION via Modbus or what is the problem. 

Thank for your help, I wait for your comments. 

Regards

[Charles_Murison]

Hello @lsubillaga ,

Regarding PME and ION8650 connected via modbus. PME only knows how to talk to ION meters with ION protocol. While is it possible to create a modbus device driver in PME for the PME8650, all you will get is real time data. Logged data, waveforms, event logs etc. will not be accessible via modbus in PME.

When meter is not accessible, are you able to Telnet/SSH to the meter?

Regards,

Charles

[lsubillaga]

Hello @Charles_Murison ,

No, we can't access the meter via Telnet/SSH. Is there another way to access the meter for a SCADA in Modbus and a PME? We only have port COM4 available because port COM1 is in use.

[Charles_Murison]

Hello @lsubillaga ,

In PME you can create a DTE device driver and create a modbus driver that can talk to the ION8650 meter. Sadly this would not support onboard logs.

When meter does not respond, if you connect directly to the meter, does meter respond? Are you able to contact technical support to start a troubleshooting case.

Regards,

Charles

[Yut]

Wonder when you have problem with ION8650 Ethernet port please check your Advance Ethernet setting see if all the port you need was set enabled are Yes. ION8650 work best with ION protocol no need to create Modbus map. At the same time SCADA can access via Modbus or DNP  via Ethernet port simultaneously. 

[lsubillaga]

Hello @Charles_Murison ,

When the meter does not respond we couldn't connect even ION Setup to it. In this case the main trouble is that we need the meter to be read by two systems: SCADA in Modbus protocol and PME via ION protocol to get all the available information from the meter. And we have only port COM4 available.

Regards,

Luis Subillaga

Falcon Ingenieria

[lsubillaga]

Hello @Yut ,

Actually the meter have Modbus TCP enabled, the meter works fine for some time but then, at a random moment it fails and communication doesn't get restored until the meter is rebooted manually.

Regards,

Luis Subillaga

Falcon Ingenieria

[Charles_Murison · Accepted solution]

Hello @lsubillaga ,

You cannot have 1 comm port talk 2 protocols at the same time. The meter will support either ION or Modbus but NOT both at the same time. You cannot have PME and SCADA system use different ports. PME can have limited communications with Modbus and ION8650 meter. There is NO option that will get you want you want.

Do you have a support case regarding the Ethernet connection? Saying "we couldn't connect even ION Setup" does not tell me how you were connected to the meter at the time, via network or directly connecting computer to meter. Could the switch require 802.1x authentication (not supported on meter)? Could the meter have older connections that get "stuck" filling up the concurrent connection limit? Could the meter be in condition where it is trying to service a request from PME that is taking up CPU bandwidth causing meter to not respond to other packets. Does disconnecting meter from network for a minute return communications etc.

Not asking for all these questions to be answered on this forum but wanted to show why trying to troubleshoot this on a forum is not the best option. Recommend working with tech support to try and troubleshoot to understand that is happening. Perhaps they will want to get diagnostic information after comms restored to meter.

Regards,

Charles

[lsubillaga]

Hello @Charles_Murison ,

Yes, I think this problem should be analyzed by support tech, but they tell me to post the case in the forum first and then if it could not be solved in the forum they could help me. So I will contact them again and ask for help. Thank you for your help.

Regards,

Luis Subillaga

[Charles_Murison]

Hello @lsubillaga ,

Could you let me know who in tech support asked you to post on the forum first please.

Thank you,

Charles