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We have a extensive AB DH+ network running over several km's utilising armoured DH+ cable and AB Fibre optic repeaters in a copper to copper repeat mode. It has worked quite well for a number of years. We are looking at the possibility of upgrading our PLC 5's (5/25,5/30,5/40's and SLC 5/04's) to ethernet with side car or new PLC5 "E" processors (not that keen on the Control Logix platform). I am Looking for some good "independent" sources of information on ethernet networks run on Fibre based cable, all the sorts of things you would need to know to investigate if its viable or not . We would be looking for 4 to 5 segments of 6 to 7 PLC's with each segment being possibly up to 8 km in length at its final length . Is this sort of configuration viable ? should we be looking at a Control net type comms network (can it do these length's ?). The traffic between PLC's is minimal, the majority is to Citect SCADA system. Neil Firmin Technical Officer Yallourn Energy Pty Ltd
