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rgormley
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Joined: 22/02/2006
Location: Australia
Posts: 245

Posted: 02:00am 01 Mar 2015

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has any one connected a plasmatronics PL20 to a PC and used the plasmatronics software?

i read that it needs a "wys" cable and a "PL1" adaptor....($$$)

what is being fed out on the back block on the PL20 unit? some wierd comms? or is is plain RS232? can we just map out the pins and go straight to the back of a PC into a comm port?

has anyone mapped the rear 8 way connector block?

Regards,
Richard

yahoo2

Guru

Joined: 05/04/2011
Location: Australia
Posts: 1166

Posted: 05:06pm 01 Mar 2015

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http://www.rpc.com.au/pdf/plasmatronics_PLI_manual.pdf

http://www.plasmatronics.com.au/downloads/shielded_howto.pdf

http://www.plasmatronics.com.au/downloads/shielded_intro.pdf

I think it is just shielded and grounded phone cable. I have no clue whats inside the PLI but I think there is more to it than just an opto-coupler.

I'm confused, no wait... maybe I'm not...

rgormley
Senior Member

Joined: 22/02/2006
Location: Australia
Posts: 245

Posted: 06:11pm 01 Mar 2015

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yes had looked mostly at all that info.

it`s the 8 way connector block that we (I) need, if it`s pure RS232 then should be easy to map out. (cro and look for levels/signals) yeah??

but if it`s some black magic protocol and we need the PL1 converter.... then hhhmmm could be a little more difficult..

anyone else played with these PWM units?

angus
Newbie

Joined: 08/12/2009
Location: Australia
Posts: 7

Posted: 01:08am 03 Mar 2015

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Are you trying to connect the Pl 20 via the PLI interface (RS232) into a computer with a RS232 port or are you trying to connect to the computer USB port?

Angus.. (The older I get, the better I was).

rgormley
Senior Member

Joined: 22/02/2006
Location: Australia
Posts: 245

Posted: 01:59pm 03 Mar 2015

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Hi Angus and others...

I was trying to connect the PL20 directly to a computer via the PL20 `s rear 8 way header block.

good news and VERY BAD news...

partially mapped the pins found signal GND pins and measured 5v on others, next move was to scope them.

(i don`t even know if the header pins are RS232 levels out or some strange protocol, (hence it requires the PLI interface to convert??)

I was was just trying to go direct via TX,RX,GND to a computer port (com1)

THE BAD..
accidentally shorted GND to VCC on the 8 way block (with the tip of my DVM probe)
blew a GND track of PCB.....
manged to repair the track.

but it`s as dead a door nail (bricked...)

for whats it`s worth. on the 8 way header i found
1 pin (polarising ) not connected
2 x GND pins
1 x VCC
4 pins that measured 5.0v
(never got the scope on them)

so disappointed, small slip, and magic smoke released....

KarlJ

Guru

Joined: 19/05/2008
Location: Australia
Posts: 1178

Posted: 10:25pm 06 Mar 2015

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if it makes you fell better.....

I've been using this to charge my ebike battery directly from an 85W 12V panel
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dcU8Xz4Zh7w

connected it to a 12V battery and it worked great at 3A output into 50V for all of 2 mins before i could smell some heat
burnt myself on it and looks like i've fried the fet/mosfets

$20 vs $250 but still "disappointed" with myself as i should have had my hand on the heatsink from the getgo.

I'm a BIG fan of the PL20 a great controller

Luck favours the well prepared

fillm

Guru

Joined: 10/02/2007
Location: Australia
Posts: 730

Posted: 12:52pm 09 Mar 2015

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Hey Karl,

Call Plasmatronics tech service, they are pretty help-full and know their S*i!. Like you I think these are the best solar charger on the market...BIGGER Fan here pitty they were not MPPT.

PhillM ...Oz Wind Engineering..Wind Turbine Kits 500W - 5000W ~ F&P Dual Kits ~ GOE222Blades- Voltage Control Parts ------- Tower kits

rgormley
Senior Member

Joined: 22/02/2006
Location: Australia
Posts: 245

Posted: 02:01pm 11 Mar 2015

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i wonder how it would go cost wise if i was to put it in for repair?
being and older unit... might get in touch with them , and sound them out...

i only would get it fixed to sell it, but repair cost v sell recoup price... may not be viable.

PL20 new price $250-$260
repair cost???? $40-$100??

second hand resell on Gum/Flea bay.... bugger all...

the only bonus is that i got it for free, so if it was a cheap repair... maybe worthwhile, other wise it sits on my shelf with other dead items for 7 years then goes in the bin.....

( most things i destroy, sit around for years then during the clean up there tossed)

yobortsa
Newbie

Joined: 12/12/2011
Location: Australia
Posts: 37

Posted: 10:02am 05 Nov 2016

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Hi all,

I plugged a Dingo 2020 into a PC via a RS485 adapter. The pinout seems to be (in order):

GND
D1 RS485
D2 RS485
+12V VBAT??

At 19200 I get a constant binary data stream - see attached. Perhaps modbus or something; I don't know enough about it.

I tried running up the PRISM software from Plasmatronics but it didn't detect a Dingo on my Serial port. So I'm guessing the RS485 network from the Dingo is only used for controlling other devices and status (I'll call the 'control bus'), and that the adapter from Plasmatronics interprets the 'control bus' sending a different protocol to the PC.

Anybody got any ideas? I may even have the wrong BAUD rate...

Regards,

David2016-11-05_200146_modbus.zip

yobortsa
Newbie

Joined: 12/12/2011
Location: Australia
Posts: 37

Posted: 11:08pm 06 Nov 2016

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Further to last email, I think I had the RS485 lines the wrong way around. I hooked the Dingo up to a Salae Logic Analayser and got framing errors with anything but 19200 8N1. Below is a log of the data with these settings, but it doesn't seem to have valid a MODBUS CRC, so probably a proprietary protocol. The revised pinout seems to be (in order left to right):

GND
B RS485
A RS485
+12V VBAT??

At 19200 8N1 I get no framing errors on the Salae Logic recording.

00 2C FF 24 94
00 69 05 A8 7F FF
00 62 05 E4 5F FF
00 69 05 E8 DD FF
00 69 05 E8 DD FF
00 69 05 E8 7F FF
00 69 05 E8 DD FF
00 69 05 E8 7F
00 42
00
00 2C FF 24 94
00 69 05 E8 7F
00 47 0C 42 35
00 69 05 A8 7F FF
00 69 05 E8 7D
00 69 05 A8 7F FF
00 69 05 A8 7F FF
00 69 05 E8 DD FF
00 42
00
00 2C FF 24 94
00 69 05 E8 7F F7
00 69 05 28 DD F7
00 69 05 A8 7F F7
00 69 05 28 DD F7
00 69 05 F8 D7 FE
00 69 05 E8 DD FF
00 42
00
00 2C FF 24 94
00 69 05 E8 7F 22 72 99 35
00 69 05 E8 7F FF
00 69 05 E8 7D
00 69 05 A8 7F FF
00 69 05 E8 7F FF
00 69 05 A8 7F F7
00 42
00
00 2C FF 24 94
00 62 05 E4 F5 FC
00 69 05 E8 7F FF
00 69 05 E8 7D
00 69 05 E8 7F
00 69 05 E8 7F FF
00 69 05 A8 7F F7
00 69 05 E8 7F FF
00 42
00
00 2C FF 24 94
00 47 0C 42 35
00 69 05 28 D3 76
00 69 05 E8 DD FF
00 69 05 E8 DD FF
00 69 05 A8 7F FF
00 69 05 E8 BD FF
00 69 05 E8 5D FF
00 42
00
00 2C FF 24 94
00 69 05 A8 7F FF
00 69 05 E8 DD FF
00 69 05 A8 7F FF
00 69 05 E8 DD FF
00 69 05 E8 D7 76
00 42
00
00 2C FF 24 94
00 69 05 E8 7F 23 72 98 A5
00 69 05 A8 7F FF
00 69 05 E8 BD FF
00 69 05 28 7D FF
00 69 05 E8 DD FF
00 69 05 E8 7F
00 42
00
00 2C FF 24 94
00 62 05 E4 5F FF
00 69 05 E8 7F FF
00 69 05 A8 7F FF
00 69 05 28 DD F7
00 69 05 A8 7F FF
00 69 05 E8 7F
00 69 05 A8 7F F7
00 42
00
00 2C FF 24 94
00 47 0C 42 35
00 69 05 28 DD F7
00 69 05 E8 7F
00 69 05 A8 7F F7
00 69 05 E8 7F
00 69 05 28 77
00 69 05 A8 7F F7
00 42
00
00 2C FF 24 94
00 69 05 E8 BD FF
00 69 05 E8 DD FF
00 69 05 E8 DD FF
00 69 05 E8 DD FF
00 69 05 E8 DD FF
00 69 05 E8 BD FF
00 42
00
00 2C FF 24 94 24 72 9A 95 08 6E 87 9C
00 69 05 E8 7F
00 5A 41 69 67 FF
00 69 05 E8 7F FF
00 69 05 A8 7F FF
00 69 05 A8 7F FF
00 42
00
00 2C FF 24 94
00 69 05 F8 D7 76
00 62 05 E4 F5 FC
00 69 05 E8 7F
00 69 05 E8 7D
00 69 05 A8 7F FF
00 69 05 E8 7F
00 69 05 28 7F F7
00 42
00
00 2C FF 24 94
00 69 05 E8 7F FF
00 47 0C 42 35
00 69 05 E8 BD FF
00 69 05 E8 DD FF
00 69 05 E8 DD FF
00 69 05 E8 7F
00 69 05 E8 7D
00 42
00
00 2C FF 24 94
00 69 05 E8 BD FF
00 69 05 A8 7F FF
00 69 05 28 DD F7
00 69 05 28 7F FF
00 69 05 A8 7F FF
00 69 05 F8 D7 76
00 42
00
00 2C FF 24 94 25 72 9B 05 08 6E 87 9C
00 69 05 E8 DD FF
00 69 05 E8 7D
00 69 05 A8 7F FF
00 69 05 E8 7F
00 69 05 F8 D7 76
00 42
00
00 2C FF 24 94
00 69 05 28 DD F7
00 62 05 E4 F5 FF
00 69 05 A8 7F FF
00 69 05 28 DD F7
00 69 05 E8 DD FF
00 69 05 E8 DD FF
00 69 05 E8 7D
00 42
00
00 2C FF 24 94
00 47 0C 42 35
00 69 05 28 D3 7E
00 69 05 A8 7F FF
00 69 05 A8 7F FF
00 69 05 E8 DD FF
00 69 05 A8 7F F7
00 69 05 E8 DD FF
00 42
00

I tried running up the PRISM software from Plasmatronics but it didn't detect a Dingo on my Serial port.

Regards,

David

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