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Application /Product Knowledge

What points need to be checked if programming with the PGT-08-S/1036616 does not work?

Article No: KA-09355

Version: 6.0

Subject to change without notice

What points need to be checked if programming with the PGT-08-S/1036616 does not work?

Related Products

Table of Contents

Troubleshooting when programming with the PGT-08-S

General information

The PGT-08-S is a programming tool for programmable absolute and incremental encoders using the software SOPAS ET.

Programmable incremental encoders are recognisable with the electrical interface "P" or "M", programmable absolute encoders with the electrical interface "P", "R" or "S".

Programmable incremental encoders are:

DFS60
DFV60
DFS2x
VFS60

Programmable absolute encoders are:

AFS60/AFM60 SSI
AFM60 SSI + incremental
AFM60 SSI + sin/cos
AHS36/AHM36 SSI

There are two possibilities how to connect an programmable encoder to the PGT-08-S:

spring terminals if the encoder has a cable outlet
adapter cables for encoders with a connector

For more information please check out the operating instructions on the following link.

Sources of error that could lead to a programming or general issue

1) General suggestions/warnings/safety notes

When connecting an encoder, make sure you are grounded. Static charges can damage the programming tool and/or the encoder.

The programming tool is supplied with voltage exclusively via the USB interface. Under no circumstances an external voltage supply should be connected! The connection of an external voltage supply damages the programming tool, the encoder and the connected PC.

The USB interface of the PGT-08-S hardware is designed solely for direct connection to a computer. USB hubs or extensions should not be used.

The programmable encoders must be connected directly to an adapter cable or the spring terminal block. An extension cable must not be connected in between.

The SOPAS software is designed for use on a Windows® PC. Other operating systems or virtual machines are not supported.

Disconnecting the connection to the encoder prematurely can cause data loss and damage to the encoder.

2) Wrong adapter cable (12/2024)

If the encoder has a connector please make sure to use the correct adapter cable. Due to the programmable encoders have different pin assignments there are also different adapter cables available to connect the encoder to the PGT-08-S.

A wrong adapter cable can damage the encoder or the programming tool!

In the following table you see which adapter cable belongs to which encoder. For some programmable encoders there are two adapter cables with a M23 or a M12 connector available.

Encoder type	Connection type
DFS60 DFS2x DFV60 VFS60	DSL-2D08-G0M5AC3 (M12, 8-pin) or DSL-3D08-G0M5AC3 (M23, 12-pin)
AFS/AFM60 SSI	DSL-2D08-G0M5AC2 (M12, 8-pin) or DSL-3D08-G0M5AC2 (M23, 12-pin)
AFM60 SSI + incremental AFM60 SSI + sin/cos	DSL-3D08-G0M5AC4 (M23, 12-pin)
AHS/AHM36 SSI	DSL-2D08-G0M5AC2 (M12, 8-pin)

3) Wrong assignment of the spring terminals (12/2024)

The easiest way to conntect a programmable encoder with cable outlet with the PGT-08-S is to use the spring terminals.

Same as described in the last point, there are also different pin assingments for the spring terminals depending on the encoder.

One pin assignment is for all incremental encoders, the other one for all absolute encoders. Basically only two wire colors are different.

Please check if the correct pin assignment is used.

4) Isolated wires in the spring terminals (12/2024)

If the correct pin assignment is used, there is another error source that happens sometimes.

The talk is about that there is no connection between the wires from the encoder and the spring terminals. There are two possible reasons:

the wires from the encoder are not stripped long enough.
the wires are stripped long enough but are inserted too far into the spring terminals so that only the insulation of the wire is clamped.

Please avoid those two points. If the stripped wires look like in the picture below after putting them into spring terminals then you can assume that the connection is good.

5) Wrong SDD file (12/2024)

Please make sure to always use the latest SDD-file for the PGT-08-S.

At the moment the latest version is V2.2.

Sometimes and especially for encoders with an old firmware/datecode it is necessary to install older firmware versions.

In the following table you get an overview of the different and available SDD file versions and the date of their publication.

For more information and to get the older firmware versions, check out the following link.

SDD file version	date of publication	Name of file
V1.0	02/20/2013	PGT08S_v1.0.sdd
V1.1	06/29/2015	PGT08S_v1.1.sdd
V2.0	07/31/2015	PGT08S_v2.0.sdd
V2.1	09/20/2016	PGT08S_v2.1.sdd
V2.3	03/02/2021	PGT08S_v2.3.sdd
V2.2	latest version	PGT08S_v2.2.sdd

6) Wrong search settings in SOPAS ET (12/2024)

If the encoder is connected correctly from the hardware side, it is normally getting automatically recognized in SOPAS. If this is the case the following window will pop up.

If the encoder is not getting recognized in SOPAS ET automatically, try the following steps shown in video below to find it:

7) Customized/ Exclusive encoders (12/2024)

There are also customized and exclusive encoders out there recognizable by the "-Sxx" in the end of a typecode.

Sometimes those encoders also have a customized pin assignment which is different to the standard pin assignment.

Therefore please make sure to check the pin assignment before you connect those encoders to the programming tool to avoid that the encoder gets damaged.

8) Uninstall/Install SDD files (12/2024)

It is worth a try to uninstall all encoder-specific SDD files first and reinstall them after restarting SOPAS.

9) Update the Device Drivers of the used PC (07/2025)

Please make sure that all device drivers of the PC you are using are up to date.

Especially with regard to Windows 11, this seems to be the main reason why no connection can be established between the PGT-08-S and SOPAS.

10) Manual Download & Install the Drivers for the PGT-08-S (09/2025)

Normally the drivers for the PGT-08-S come directly with the installing package when using the PGT-08-S with SOPAS.

ItNethertheless, it has been experienced that it can help to download and install the drivers again manually to solve connection issues between SOPAS and the PGT-08-S.

Please click here to download the drivers. We have the drivers D2xx.

11) Latest version of SOPAS ET (09/2025)

Please always use the latest software version of SOPAS ET. Check for the latest upgrade here.

12) Use a different USB port (04/2026)

Please also try to use a different USB-port from the PC when there is no connection between the PGT-08-S and SOPAS.

It has occured that when disconnecting the PGT-08-S from the USB port WITHOUT saving the project and closing the SOPAS ET program properly, there could be a communication issue with this port and SOPAS the next time you use it.

To prevent this issue, always close the SOPAS ET version properly at first and then disconnect the encoder from the USB-port.

13) PGT-08-S with NEW hardware design (05/2026)

Due to a phased-out component, a change in the hardware design has recently been implemented in the PGT-08-S.

For a proper function of the new PGT-08-S, please make sure to use at least the SOPAS ET version 2026.1/Safety Designer 2026.1.

Have a look here for more information.

14) Wrong SOPAS ET version (07/2026)

There are four different versions of SOPAS ET available:

SOPAS ET (green framed)
SOPAS ET 32 bit Portable Version (green framed)
SOPAS ET 64 bit (red framed)
SOPAS ET 64 bit Portable Version (red framed)

When using the PGT-08-S (and all other customized versions like PGT-08-S-S01 or PGT-08-S-S03) for programming an encoder the green framed versions of SOPAS ET have to be used.

So either:

SOPAS ET or
SOPAS ET 32 bit Portable Version

The red framed versions of SOPAS ET are NOT working with the PGT-08-S due to the bitness of SOPAS ET.

Keywords:
PGT-08-S, programming tool, encoder, troubleshooting, 1036616, errors,