Lighthouse PLCs, Inc. : Automation Forum
THE PURPOSE OF THIS FORUM IS: AUTOMATION SOLUTIONS. IF YOU ARE A PERSON INVOLVED IN SOME ASPECT OF AUTOMATION, HAVE AN APPLICATION YOU JUST CAN'T QUITE GET A HANDLE ON 
- HAVE A PRODUCT QUESTION - OR MAYBE HAVE AN ISSUE WITH SOMETHING (EVEN IF IT IS WITH US 
), IT IS POSSIBLE YOU WILL FIND THE ANSWER HERE!!
OR, IF YOU ABSOLUTELY KNOW THE ANSWER, OR EVEN THINK YOU KNOW THE ANSWER, THEN JUST POST IT! MAKE THAT REPLY!
YOU ARE PROBABLY RIGHT ON THE MARK, AND MIGHT BE ABLE TO HELP SOMEBODY OUT!! 
AND, IT COULD BE YOU THAT NEEDS HELP NEXT TIME. AFTER ALL...(REALLY?).. ARE WE NOT ALL "CHILDREN" - AT VARIOUS POINTS ON THE LEARNING CURVE OF TECHNOLOGY" ??? (I know I've still got a lot to learn and I've been at it for... well since 1970!)
Hopefully the information presented here will help provide solutions to some of today's automation challenges. Some issues are probably old, some are probably new. Many are products of the economy, the resultant reduction in manpower, exacerbated by aging equipment crippled by decreases in maintenance budgets. The ULTIMATE goal here is that we all become more successful in our careers and chosen professions.
MAYBE THIS FORUM CAN HELP!!!
You know the rules - ADVERTISING IS NOT ALLOWED ! 
This area is for we, :
...the Fraternal Order of Propeller-Heads
You know the rest - no flaming 
, profanity, blatant advertising, etc., etc., blah, blah, blah. If you are 5 years old, or feel like acting 5 years old, you really need to go outside and ride your bike - OH, and seek some professional therapy. Yea, that would be good, too!
OH! BTW, if you don't feel like providing your name/company, just put "Anonymous" / "Withheld"/ "Not On File" or Anything! I promise 
we won't tell !
Note: For best viewing..
We suggest switching to "Board Style" (below) rather than "Threaded Style" !
Your choice! 
The Hitachi "J-Series" was produced from 1984 to 1992.
Its successor was the "E" series, and the expansion modules you reference would work with the "E". The "E-Series" was replaced in 1995 by the "EB-Series". It would not accept the "J" expansion modules, nor would the "EB's" successor, the "EC". The "EC" (EC2) is still produced, but does not have the total number of I/O you need.
The good news, is that although your "J-Series" is 5 generations old, the program used in your PLC will work in the currently produced "EMII" series. The "EMII" is a "card and rack" system, so you can customize the system to meet your I/O needs.
To make the existing program work, you will need to "reassign" the I/O addresses from the format used n the "J", to that needed by the "EMII".
You will need a PGM-JR2 (more sophisticated programmer than the PGM-J you currently use). The PGM-JR2 has a built-in serial protocol converter, which allows you to connect the "J" to your laptop.
We do not support eladder, and therefore could not tell you whether or not it will work with the "EMII" series. ActSip-E (from Actron A.B.) will work with both, and is what we use in our PLC lab when we are called upon to make this conversion/upgrade.
We hope this information will help with your project. 
