Reading SINAMICS G120 Hand/Auto Mode Status in a PLC

Overview

The SINAMICS G120 is a modular frequency converter used for speed-controlled operation of three-phase motors. The drive accepts a manual/auto operating-mode command in two places:

• Locally from the BOP-2 (Basic Operator Panel 2) HAND/AUTO key, or
• From a digital input on the Control Unit (CU), wired to BICO parameter P806.

Once selected, the active mode is reflected in the read-only parameter r807. A PLC that needs to know which mode the drive is currently in (for example, to suppress a remote start, change setpoint source, or log operator actions) reads r807 — typically as a single bit in a periodic PROFINET/PROFIBUS telegram, or as a digital output on the CU wired back to the PLC.

This reference documents the exact parameter numbers, BICO interconnections, telegram bits, and wiring patterns required to make the Hand/Auto state visible to an external PLC. It is built around the CU230P-2 and CU240E-2 control units but applies to the whole G120 family with minor I/O index differences.

G120 Hand/Auto Operating Concept

The G120 distinguishes two command sources, often called the "Hand" and "Auto" channels:

The selection between these two channels is stored internally and is independent of the drive's enable state. Selecting Hand does not start the motor; it only re-routes setpoint and command source.

Parameter P806 – Hand/Auto Command Source

P806 is a Binector Input (BI) parameter that defines where the drive listens for the Hand/Auto toggle. It is part of the command source group (parameter range 800–809 on most CU firmware versions).

The default value 0 ties Hand/Auto control to the BOP-2 button only. If you want a PLC or a hard-wired switch to override the BOP-2 selection, you must wire P806 to a digital input or to a control-word bit that the PLC writes.

Common interconnections for P806:

Parameter r807 – Hand/Auto Status Feedback

r807 is a Binector Output (BO) read-only parameter that mirrors the currently active mode. It is the answer to the question "what does the drive think the operator mode is right now?".

Two important behavioural rules for r807:

1. BOP-2 does affect r807. When the operator presses the HAND/AUTO key on the BOP-2, r807 toggles immediately, regardless of P806's source. This is a frequent commissioning surprise: engineers expect the BOP-2 key to be "overridden" by P806, but in reality the BOP-2 acts as a parallel front-panel selector.
2. P806 affects the command/setpoint routing, r807 reports the mode. If P806 is set to 0 (BOP-2 only), the PLC cannot change the mode but can still read r807 to know what the operator selected.

BICO Interconnection Patterns

There are three practical ways to expose the Hand/Auto state to a PLC. Each has different latency, wiring cost, and firmware-version constraints.

Pattern A – r807 Wired to a Digital Output (CU Local I/O)

Route r807 into the source of a digital output, then wire the DO terminal back to a DI on the PLC.

Use STARTER, Startdrive (TIA Portal), or the SINAMICS Web Server to set the parameter. After the parameter write, perform a power cycle or "Copy RAM to ROM" if you want the setting to survive a CU restart.

Pattern B – r807 Read via PROFINET/PROFIBUS Cyclic Telegram

The standard PROFIdrive telegrams (1, 2, 3, 4, 20, 350, 352, 353) do not include r807 directly. To expose r807 cyclically, you must either:

• Use a free telegram (telegram 999 or a manufacturer-specific telegram) and add r807 as ZSW bit, or
• Use acyclic parameter access (PROFIdrive parameter channel, DS47 / record-data) and read r807 in the PLC's background OB.

For S7-1200/S7-1500 with the SINA_SPEED or SINAMICS library, the recommended block is "SINA_ReadDriveParameter" or "RDREC" against the PROFINET slot. The slot/sub-slot for the drive object DO1 is 1; for the CU's parameter object (DO0) use slot 0.

Pattern C – r807 Mapped into ZSW1 (Status Word 1)

If a free status-word bit in ZSW1 is available (e.g., bit 9–13 depending on the active telegram), r807 can be BI-connected to one of those bits:

• P2080[0..15] = bit source for ZSW1 bits 0..15 (CU-side ZSW1 = r2089)
• Example: P2080[9] = r807 puts Hand/Auto state into ZSW1 bit 9.

PLC-Side Integration (S7-1200 / S7-1500)

Reading r807 over PROFINET (Acyclic)

// SCL example for S7-1500 using RDREC
// Slot 1 = drive object DO1; index = parameter number 807
// Attribute = 0 (value)
#req.Header.Slot := 1;
#req.Header.Index := 807;        // r807
#req.Header.Length := 4;         // 1 WORD = 4 bytes
#status := RDREC(
    REQ          := TRUE,
    ID            := #hwIdDrive,
    INDEX         := 16#002F,    // PROFIdrive parameter channel
    MLEN          := 10,
    VALID         => #valid,
    BUSY          => #busy,
    ERROR         => #error,
    STATUS        => #recStatus,
    LEN           => #recLen,
    RECORD        := #paramRecord);
// r807 low byte contains 0 (Auto) or 1 (Hand)

Reading r807 via SINAMICS Library Block

With TIA Portal V17+ and Startdrive V17+ you can also use the official "SINA_PARA" or "LAcycStartDrvLib" blocks from the SINAMICS G120 library. The block encapsulates the PROFIdrive parameter request and returns r807 as an integer.

Commissioning Procedure

1. Decide who owns the mode — local (BOP-2 / DI on the CU) or remote (PLC via fieldbus). This drives P806 configuration.
2. Wire or define the source — if using a DI, land the wire on the correct terminal of the CU and document the terminal-to-index mapping (e.g., DI3 = 722.3).
3. Set P806 in STARTER / Startdrive. Accept the prompt to "Copy RAM to ROM" if persistence is required.
4. Configure the feedback path — either route r807 to a digital output (P730.x = r807) and wire to a PLC DI, or expose r807 over PROFINET.
5. Verify r807 toggles — use STARTER's online watch on r807 while pressing the BOP-2 HAND/AUTO key. The value must change between 0 and 1.
6. Verify the PLC sees it — in the PLC tag watch, force the input (for DI) or read the parameter (for acyclic PROFINET) and confirm the value tracks r807.
7. Test fault transitions — issue an OFF2 from the PLC while the drive is in Hand. The drive must trip and r807 must remain at its last value (Hand/Auto is not cleared on fault).
8. Document — record P806, P730.x, telegram layout, and PLC tag names in the project functional specification.

Verification Checklist

Troubleshooting Matrix

Edge Cases and Field-Proven Caveats

• BOP-2 + DI conflict: If P806 is wired to a DI but the BOP-2 is also connected, the BOP-2 key still toggles r807, but the command/setpoint routing still follows the DI. This means the drive can be in "Hand" per r807 but not actually respond to the BOP-2 RUN key. The fix is either to remove the BOP-2 or to align logic so both sources are in the same state.
• Firmware version: Parameter numbering for P806/r807 is consistent from V4.4 through V6.0 of the G120 firmware, but the BICO of digital outputs changed in V5.x. Always cross-check the parameter list (r2) of your installed firmware version. The official list of all parameters is in the SINAMICS G120 Parameter Manual.
• PROFIdrive application class 3 (AC3): If the drive is in application class 3 with active closed-loop control, the Hand/Auto handling is essentially identical but the safety telegram (PROFIsafe) and STW1/ZSW1 bit allocations differ. Override r807 onto ZSW1 only on unallocated bits (typically 11, 12, 13).
• Multiple parameter sets: G120 supports up to four drive parameter sets (DDS). r807 is a status and not stored in the DDS, but P806 is. If the active DDS is switched, P806 may change, which will change the active command source for Hand mode.
• Safety integrated (SINAMICS Safety Integrated): On a CU250S-2 with safety enabled, an SS1/STO does not affect r807. The Hand/Auto state is preserved across safety events, which is correct behaviour but must be tested.

Reference Parameter Summary

For full parameter lists and the BICO list, refer to the SINAMICS G120/G120C/G120D Parameter Manual and the SINAMICS G120 Operating Instructions. The latest firmware is available on the SINAMICS G120 support and download page. For TIA Portal integration, see the SINAMICS G120 in TIA Portal (Startdrive) manual.