Rockwell Automation Allen-Bradley ControlNet 1786 Series User manual

ControlNet Coax
Media Planning
and Installation
Guide
1786-series
Installation Instructions

Important User Information
Because of the variety of uses for the products described in this
publication, those responsible for the application and use of these
products must satisfy themselves that all necessary steps have been
taken to assure that each application and use meets all performance
and safety requirements, including any applicable laws, regulations,
codes and standards. In no event will Allen-Bradley be responsible or
liable for indirect or consequential damage resulting from the use or
application of these products.
Any illustrations, charts, sample programs, and layout examples
shown in this publication are intended solely for purposes of
example. Since there are many variables and requirements associated
with any particular installation, Allen-Bradley does not assume
responsibility or liability (to include intellectual property liability) for
actual use based upon the examples shown in this publication.
Allen-Bradley publication SGI-1.1, Safety Guidelines for the
Application, Installation and Maintenance of Solid-State Control
(available from your local Allen-Bradley office), describes some
important differences between solid-state equipment and
electromechanical devices that should be taken into consideration
when applying products such as those described in this publication.
Reproduction of the contents of this copyrighted publication, in whole
or part, without written permission of Rockwell Automation, is
prohibited.
Throughout this publication, notes may be used to make you aware of
safety considerations. The following annotations and their
accompanying statements help you to identify a potential hazard,
avoid a potential hazard, and recognize the consequences of a
potential hazard:
Allen-Bradley is a trademark of Rockwell Automation
ATTENTION
!
Identifies information about practices or
circumstances that can lead to personal injury or
death, property damage, or economic loss.
IMPORTANT Identifies information that is critical for successful
application and understanding of the product.

1Publication CNET-IN002A-EN-P - December 2001
Preface
What’s in This Chapter
This manual describes the required components of a ControlNet™
Coax media system and how to plan for and install these required
components.
Abbreviations and Symbols
Related Publications
For information about this topic: Read:
Understand the ControlNet Coax Media System Chapter 1
Plan a ControlNet Coax Media System Chapter 2
Install a ControlNet Coax Media System Chapter 3
Reference Mount dimensions (taps and universal
mounting bracket)
Appendix A
Maintain the Cable Strip Tool Appendix B
IMPORTANT We assume that you understand the fundamentals of
electronics and electrical codes. If you do not, you
should not attempt the procedures described in this
manual.
This Means
PVC cable polyvinyl chloride cable
FEP cable fluorinated ethylene propylene cable
PLC processor Allen-Bradley programmable logic controller
network continues
Publication: Publication
Number:
ControlNet Cable System Component List AG-2.2
Industrial Automation Wiring and Grounding Guidelines 1770-4.1

Publication CNET-IN002A-EN-P - December 2001
2
Common Techniques Used
in This Manual
The following conventions are used throughout this manual:
•bulleted lists provide information, not procedural steps
•numbered lists provide sequential step
Rockwell Automation
Support
Rockwell Automation offers support services worldwide, with over 75
sales/support offices, 512 authorized distributors, and 260 authorized
systems integrators located throughout the United States alone, plus
Rockwell Automation representatives in every major country in the
world.
Local Product Support
Contact your local Rockwell Automation representative for:
•sales and order support
•product technical training
•warranty support
•support service agreements
Technical Product Assistance
If you need to contact Rockwell Automation for technical assistance,
use Pre-Sales e-mail at [email protected].com
TIP This symbol identifies helpful tips.

Publication CNET-IN002A-EN-P - December 2001
3
Obtain Technical Product Support
If you need to contact Rockwell Automation for technical assistance,
try one of the following methods:
•Call your local Rockwell Automation representative
•ControlNet Post-sales Technical Support, 1.440.646.5800
•Web Links: http://www.ab.com — as a registered member, go to
http://www.ab.com/mem/technotes/techmain.html
Your Questions or Comments about This Manual
If you find a problem with this manual, please notify us of it on the
enclosed “How are We Doing” form (at the back of this manual).
If you have any suggestions about how we can make this manual
more useful to you, please contact us at the following address:
Rockwell Automation
Control and Information Group
Technical Communications
1 Allen-Bradley Drive
Mayfield Heights OH 44124-6118
email: [email protected]

Publication CNET-IN002A-EN-P - December 2001
4
Notes:

iPublication CNET-IN002A-EN-P - December 2001
Table of Contents
Important User Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
Preface
What’s in This Chapter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
Abbreviations and Symbols . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
Related Publications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
Common Techniques Used in This Manual. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
Rockwell Automation Support . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
Local Product Support . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
Technical Product Assistance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
Obtain Technical Product Support . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Your Questions or Comments about This Manual . . . . . . . 3
Chapter 1
Overview of The ControlNet Coax
Media System
What’s in This Chapter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-1
Understand the ControlNet Cable System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-1
Understand the ControlNet Components . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-2
Nodes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-3
Taps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-3
Trunk Cable . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-4
Cable Connectors. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-4
Segments. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-5
Repeaters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-5
Links . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-6
Bridge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-6
Network . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-7
What’s Next . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-7
Chapter 2
Plan a ControlNet Coax Media
System
What’s in This Chapter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-1
Determine the Number of Taps You Need . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-1
Connect Program Devices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-3
Determine What Type of Cable You Need . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-4
Determine Trunk Cable Section Lengths. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-5
Determine How Many Terminators You Need . . . . . . . . . . 2-7
Determine if You Need Repeaters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-7
Configure Your Link With Repeaters. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-8
Determine What Type of Connectors You Need . . . . . . . . . 2-10
Using Redundant Media (Optional) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-11
Using IP67 Media . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-15
Application Considerations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-15
General Wring Guidelines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-16
Order Components . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-18
Create a General Plan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-18
Plan Your Segments. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-18

Publication CNET-IN002A-EN-P - December 2001
Table of Contents ii
Order Parts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-20
What’s Next . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-20
Chapter 3
Install a ControlNet Coax Media
System
What’s in This Chapter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-1
Install the Trunk Cable . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-2
Wire the External to Enclosures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-2
Wire Inside Enclosures. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-2
Mount the Taps. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-2
Select Where To Mount The Taps. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-2
Mount the Taps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-3
Install a Repeater Adapter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-5
Install Cable Connectors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-6
Collect Your Tools . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-6
Locally Available Tools. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-7
Calibrate the Cutting Blades. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-7
Strip the Cable . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-9
Attach the Connectors to the Cable . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-14
Test for Electrical Shorts and Continuity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-18
Connect Cable Sections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-19
Terminate Segments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-20
Connect Devices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-21
Connect Programming Terminals Through the NAP. . . . 3-21
Connect the Repeater to a ControlNet Link . . . . . . . . . . 3-22
Appendix A
Mounting Dimensions
What’s in This Appendix . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A-1
Taps. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A-1
Universal Mounting Bracket. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A-2
Appendix B
Maintain the Cable Strip Tool
What’s in This Appendix . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B-1
Reverse/Replace the Cutting Blades . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B-1
Change the Memory Blade Holder . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B-3
Index

1Publication CNET-IN002A-EN-P - December 2001
Chapter 1
Overview of The ControlNet Coax
Media System
What’s in This Chapter
Read this chapter to familiarize yourself with the ControlNet cable
system.
Understand the ControlNet
Cable System
The ControlNet cable system gives you the flexibility to design a
communication network for your particular application. To take full
advantage of this flexibility, you should spend sufficient time planning
how to install your network before assembling any of the hardware.
Use the following figure and term definitions to understand the
ControlNet cable system.
For information about this topic: See page:
Understand the ControlNet Cable System 1-1
Understand the ControlNet Components 1-2
R
NN
N
NN
N
N
N
N
N
TT
T
T
T
T
T
T
TTTTT
T
40952
B
n
etwork
segment
link
trunk-cable
segment
link (one segment)
Term Means
bridge a device that allows traffic to pass from one link to another link
link a collection of nodes with unique addresses in the range of
1-99
network a collection of connected nodes — the connection paths
between any pair of devices may include repeaters and bridges
B

Publication CNET-IN002A-EN-P - December 2001
1-2 Overview of The ControlNet Coax Media System
Understand the ControlNet
Components
The ControlNet Coax media system is made up of these components. For
information on purchasing these components see the ControlNet
Cable System Component List (publication AG-2.2).
•nodes
•taps
•trunk cable
•cable connectors
•terminators
•segments
•repeaters
•links
•bridges
•network
node any physical device connecting to the ControlNet cable system
which requires a network address in order to function on the
network — a link may contain a maximum of 99 nodes
this address must be in the range of 1 - 99 and be unique to
that link
repeater a two-port active physical layer component that reconstructs
and retransmits all traffic it hears on one segment side to
another segment side
segment trunk-cable sections connected via taps with terminators at
each end and with no repeaters
tap the connection between any device and the
ControlNet Coax Media system
terminator a 75Ωresistor mounted in a BNC plug
trunk cable the bus or central part of a cable system
trunk-cable section a length of a cable between any two taps
Term Means
N
R
T

Publication CNET-IN002A-EN-P - December 2001
Overview of The ControlNet Coax Media System 1-3
Nodes
Nodes are physical devices connecting to the ControlNet media
system that require a network address in order to function on the
network.
Taps
Taps connect each node on a network to the Coax media system via
an integral 1m (39.6”) drop cable.
There are four taps available with a:
•T or Y placement of BNC connectors
•straight or right angle connector on the drop cable
T
TT T
NN N
N
40953
TTT
T
NNNN
40944
drop cable 1m (39.6")
40955
T-tap Y-tap
40956
straight right-angle

Publication CNET-IN002A-EN-P - December 2001
1-4 Overview of The ControlNet Coax Media System
Trunk Cable
The trunk cable is the bus, or central part of the ControlNet
Coax media system. The trunk cable is composed of multiple sections
of cable. The standard cable that can be used to construct trunk-cable
sections is quad shield RG-6 type Coax.
There are also several types of special-use cables you can use
depending on the environment in which you are installing your cable
system.
Cable Connectors
A cable connector (cat. no. 1786-BNC) attaches Coax trunk-cable
sections to the tap’s BNC connector.
Optional Connectors
Allen-Bradley also offers optional cable connectors for use in your
network configuration.
Terminators
A 75-Ωterminator (cat. no. 1786-XT) must be installed on the tap at
each end of a segment.
NN
NN 40957
trunk-cable
TT TT
NNN
N40958
trunk-cable

Publication CNET-IN002A-EN-P - December 2001
Overview of The ControlNet Coax Media System 1-5
Segments
A segment is a collection of Coax trunk-cable sections, taps and two
terminators.
The total allowable length of a segment depends upon the number of
taps in your segment and the Coax cable type used. See page 2-1 for
detailed information.
Repeaters
Use repeater adapters and modules to increase the number of taps,
extend the total length of your segment, or create a star configuration
(go off in multiple directions from one point). The number of
repeaters and cable length total is limited depending on your network
topology. Refer to Chapter 2 of this manual for information on system
limitations.
When you insert a repeater into your cable system, you create a new
segment. You can attach up to 4 repeater modules to one repeater
adapter. Refer to Chapter 2 for topology examples. The same
restrictions on the number of taps and cable length apply to this new
segment. Refer to Chapter 2 of this manual for information on system
limitations.
TT
T
T
NN N N40959
trunk-cable
segment
trunk-cable NNN
N
N N
TTTT TTT T
R
T
N
40960
segment segment

Publication CNET-IN002A-EN-P - December 2001
1-6 Overview of The ControlNet Coax Media System
Links
A link is a collection of nodes forming:
•a segment
•multiple segments connected together via repeaters
Each node in a link must have a unique address in the range of 1-99.
Bridge
A bridge is a device used to connect links.
NNNNNNN
TT
T
TT
T
TT
T
R
40961
segment segment
link
NNNNNN
N
T
T
TT
T
TTT
R
T
T
T
T
T
T
NNN
B
40962
link
link (one segment)

Publication CNET-IN002A-EN-P - December 2001
Overview of The ControlNet Coax Media System 1-7
Network
A network is the collection of nodes connected together by repeater
adapters, repeater modules and bridges.
What’s Next
Now that you have a general understanding of the ControlNet cable
system, you are ready to design a ControlNet cable system for your
specific requirements. Go to Chapter 2.
NNNNNN
N
T
T
TT
T
TTT
R
T
T
T
T
T
T
NN
N
B
NN
TTTT
R
40963
network
segment
link
trunk-cable
segment
link
segment segment

Publication CNET-IN002A-EN-P - December 2001
1-8 Overview of The ControlNet Coax Media System
Notes:

1Publication CNET-IN002A-EN-P - December 2001
Chapter 2
Plan a ControlNet Coax Media System
What’s in This Chapter
Use this chapter to determine your network requirements.
After reading this chapter, consult engineering drawings of your
facility for specific information concerning the best location for
installing your network.
Determine the Number of
Taps You Need
The number of taps you need depends on the number of devices you
want to connect to the network. You need a tap for each node and
repeater on a segment.
If you plan to add nodes at a later date, you should order and install
the cable and connectors for these additional nodes when you install
For information about this topic: See page:
Determine the Number of Taps You Need 2-1
Connect Program Devices 2-3
Determine What Type of Cable You Need 2-4
Determine Trunk Cable Section Lengths 2-5
Determine How Many Terminators You
Need
2-7
Determine if You Need Repeaters 2-7
Determine What Type of Connectors You
Need
2-10
Using Redundant Media (Optional) 2-11
Using IP67 Media 2-15
Application Considerations 2-15
Order Components 2-18
IMPORTANT The ControlNet cable system is a ground-isolated
Coaxial network. Proper selection of cable,
connectors, accessories, and installation techniques
is necessary to make sure it is not accidentally
grounded.

Publication CNET-IN002A-EN-P - December 2001
2-2 Plan a ControlNet Coax Media System
the initial network. This will minimize disruption to the network
during operation.
These tap kits are available:
IMPORTANT A disconnected drop cable can cause noise on the
network. Because of this, we recommend having
only one unconnected drop cable per segment for
maintenance purposes. Be sure to keep the dust cap
on any unconnected drop cable. If your cable system
requires more than one unconnected drop cable,
unused drop cables should be terminated with a
dummy load (1786-TCAP).
Straight T-tap
(1786-TPS)
Straight Y-tap
(1786-TPYS)
Right angle T- tap
(1786-TPR)
Right angle Y-tap
(1786-TPYR)
IP67 Y-tap
(1786-TCT2BD1)
TIP If you are planning future installation of additional
nodes, do not install the tap. Instead, install a BNC
bullet connector. See page 2-10 for more
information.

Publication CNET-IN002A-EN-P - December 2001
Plan a ControlNet Coax Media System 2-3
Each tap kit contains:
Connect Program Devices
Program devices may be connected to the ControlNet cable system
through:
•the maintenance tap on a segment (for a temporary connection)
•a tap on a segment (for a permanent connection)
•the ControlNet network access cable (1786-CP) —
this connects your programming devices to ControlNet nodes
(processors, communication interfaces, and adapters) through
network access ports (NAPs ) and allows you to gain full
access to the network
dust cap
screws
tap (1786-TPS, -TPR, -TPYS,
-TPYR, -TCT2BD1)
For noise suppression, ferrite beads
are molded on the drop cable.
ControlNet cable labels
TNC or BNC connector
universal mounting bracket
30012-M
ATTENTION
!
Taps contain passive electronics and must be used
for the network to function properly. Other methods
of connecting to Coax trunk cable will result in
reflected energy that will disrupt communications.
IMPORTANT The 1786-CP cable can be plugged into any
ControlNet product’s NAP to provide programming
capability on the ControlNet network. When you
connect a PC connected through this cable, it is
counted as a node and must have a unique address.
RSNetWorx and RSLinx automatically finds and
assigns a node address for you.

Publication CNET-IN002A-EN-P - December 2001
2-4 Plan a ControlNet Coax Media System
.
Determine What Type of
Cable You Need
There are several types of RG-6 quad shield cable that may be
appropriate for your installation. Choose the appropriate cable with
environmental factors associated with your application and installation
site in mind.
1784-KTCX15 communication card on Coax media 1784-KTCX15 communication card and NAP
Using a 1770-KFD15 communication interface on Coax media Using a 1770-KFC15 communication interface on Coax media
node
PC
PC
PC
PC
node
node
node
1786-CP
1770-KFC15
serial or parallel
connection serial or parallel
connection
1770-KFC15
1786-CP
1784-KTCX15
1784-KTC15 or
-KTCx15
30013-m
ATTENTION
!
Use the 1786-CP cable when connecting a
programming terminal to the network through NAPs.
Using a commercially available RJ-style cable could
result in possible network failures.