For this DL06 ECOM100 setup, the working correction was to execute the ECOM100 IBox at the top of the ladder on every scan, trigger configuration writes only after startup, and leave about half a second between writes. The ECOM100 IBox itself has no done bit, so do not use it as the completion signal for a chain of write instructions.
Check the slot and module setup first
Before changing the logic, confirm the physical module location and the PLC family. In the DL06, the first slot is addressed as slot 1, not slot 0. Slot numbering differs across PLC families, so do not copy a slot argument from a 205 or 405 program without checking that controller’s documentation.
The reported configuration targeted an ECOM100 in the DL06 first slot and requested IP address 192.168.1.10, DHCP off, a module ID of 10, and a name and description. The later test description mentions a new DL05 instead. Treat those as separate installations: verify the actual CPU model and slot before using either program as a template.
Also check ECOM100 DIP switch 7. The startup troubleshooting guidance specifically identified it as a condition to verify. Do not infer the module’s actual setting from ladder logic; inspect the switch on the card.
Check: Record the CPU family, physical ECOM100 slot, and DIP switch 7 position. Confirm the program’s slot argument matches the installed PLC.
Keep the ECOM100 IBox outside stage logic
Place ECOM100 at the top of the ladder, before the first stage instruction, and let it execute on every PLC scan. Stage logic can suspend or condition execution based on a sequence state; that is unsuitable for this IBox, which monitors backplane status and does not provide a done bit that signals completion.
The configuration IBoxes run asynchronously relative to the PLC scan. A one-scan stage transition does not mean an IBox operation has completed. For IBoxes that do expose a done or success bit, use that result to control the next sequence step or to leave a stage. Do not wait for a done bit from ECOM100; none is available.
Check: Monitor the ladder and confirm ECOM100 is not gated by a stage or a one-shot condition and executes on each scan.
Trigger configuration writes once after startup
The setup IBoxes for DHCP, IP, module ID, name, and description respond to an OFF-to-ON transition. A rung that stays true after the first scan may not create the edge they need. Use a deliberate startup transition to initiate the writes once, rather than leaving their trigger condition continuously true.
The suggested pattern uses a non-retentive control relay that is cleared on power loss and then set during the running program. On startup, the relay is initially OFF; the configuration rungs see the needed transition, and subsequent scans do not repeatedly initiate the same writes. Select and verify a relay appropriate for the PLC and project. Do not copy a first-scan or special-relay arrangement without confirming its behavior on both a power cycle and a Program-to-Run transition.
Check: Trend or monitor the trigger relay and each IBox’s status. Confirm the trigger produces one OFF-to-ON event after startup, rather than remaining permanently enabled or retriggering every scan.
Separate asynchronous writes instead of chaining from ECOM100
Each configuration write causes a flash-memory write on the ECOM100. The reported write time was about half a second per configuration write, during which the module is unavailable for another operation. Starting multiple write IBoxes together can therefore make them appear inactive or leave no success or error indication to follow.
Do not start the first write from an assumed ECOM100 success bit: that IBox has no done, success, or error bit. The field fix was to delay the first configuration write after startup, then space later writes by about half a second. The tested program used timer compare points such as K1, K5, and K10, and delayed ECWX until the timer reached its configured point. Those count values are an example from that installation, not a portable time base; read the timer’s actual preset and PLC timer resolution before adopting them.
- Allow the ECOM100 startup monitoring rung to run.
- Start the first configuration write only after an initial delay.
- Start each following write after the prior write’s status indicates completion, where that IBox provides a status bit, or after a separately verified delay.
- Delay
ECWXuntil configuration writes have finished.
Check: Confirm no two write IBoxes are initiated together. Verify the timer’s real elapsed time against the roughly half-second write interval before commissioning.
Choose whether to retain the DHCP write
The proposed logic includes ECDHCPD to disable DHCP, but the programming guidance says ECIPSUP assumes DHCP is not wanted when writing IP setup information. That makes a separate DHCP-off write potentially redundant in this configuration. If the project retains ECDHCPD, it still consumes execution time because it is another configuration write; it must not be launched simultaneously with the other writes.
Leaving DHCP enabled is not a protection against unauthorized configuration changes. The concern raised in the installation was that someone with network access might change the card settings. Treat DHCP selection and network access control as separate engineering decisions; the ladder sequence only writes module configuration.
Check: Confirm the intended DHCP state, then decide whether the separate ECDHCPD operation is needed. If retained, give it its own startup slot in the write sequence.
Resolve the module ID and identity values before loading
There is an important discrepancy between the requested value and the posted mnemonic: the request says module ID 10, while the shown ECWRMID call ends with K11. Do not load that value on the assumption that it represents ID 10. Check the IBox parameter definition in the installed DirectSOFT help and confirm the intended ID value in the ladder before downloading.
The posted write calls also include a name and description string, VWMS 9400 PLC D0 06, for both identity fields. Confirm that exact text is desired and that the target PLC is the DL06 before reusing the strings. The shown ECIPSUP call contains packed constants, but the mnemonic alone is not a safe substitute for verifying the IP parameter format in the software help. Confirm the encoding and word order there rather than editing the constants by visual inspection.
Check: Review the module ID, IP encoding, name, and description parameters in the IBox help and compare them with the intended values before writing to the card.
Verify the writes in NetEdit and inspect failed rungs
After download and startup, read the module settings in NetEdit. Change a name temporarily, cycle the PLC, and confirm the startup logic restores the programmed name; this was the reported verification method. Repeat for IP, DHCP state, module ID, and description, taking care to avoid changing network settings in a way that disconnects the commissioning workstation.
| Observed condition | Likely logic issue to check | Next check |
|---|---|---|
| Configuration bits never change | The trigger never makes the required OFF-to-ON transition. | Monitor the trigger relay and rung continuity during startup. |
| Writes appear to start but settings do not all update | Write IBoxes may be starting too close together while flash writes are in progress. | Separate starts and monitor each IBox’s available status bits. |
| First slot module is not addressed | The ladder may use slot 0 from another PLC family. |
Check the DL06 slot argument and physical module position. |
| ECWX starts before configuration finishes | The sequence may be using a nonexistent ECOM100 done bit or an insufficient delay. | Gate ECWX on completed write statuses or a measured startup delay. |
If ladder export is needed for review, export the program as mnemonic text without expanding IBox logic. Expanded output can show lower-level instructions rather than the IBox calls, making it harder to check the sequence and trigger conditions.
Check: Re-read every programmed property after a PLC power cycle and confirm the intended values persist. If a status indication remains unclear, inspect the unexpanded IBox mnemonic and its input logic.
FAQ
Can I put the ECOM100 IBox inside a stage?
No. Run ECOM100 at the top of the ladder on every scan, outside stage logic. It monitors backplane status and has no done bit for stage sequencing.
Does ECIPSUP turn DHCP off?
The programming guidance for this arrangement says ECIPSUP assumes DHCP is not wanted when writing IP setup information, so a separate ECDHCPD write may be redundant. If you keep ECDHCPD, stagger it like every other configuration write.
Can I start the next write from the ECOM100 success bit?
No. The ECOM100 IBox does not provide a done, success, or error bit. Use the next IBox’s available status where applicable, or a startup delay verified against the actual write timing.
Does the ECOM100 write finish in one PLC scan?
No. The writes operate asynchronously to the PLC scan, and the reported flash write took about half a second. Separate starts and verify the elapsed timer interval on the installed controller.
Stop commissioning if the module does not respond after confirming slot, DIP switch 7, trigger edges, and write spacing. Collect the CPU model, IBox mnemonic, parameter values, and status observations, then contact AutomationDirect through its official support channel.