Newbie Wiring

Hi,

I've just bought a SLC 50/3 with a few digital input / output cards.

I've attached a print screen of the I/O configuration.

What I want to do is figure out how to turn an outpu on and off with, i figure this is the first step in figuring out how to write a program,

I hoped it would be as simple as fitting a switch to the positive and negative of input 1 and a light or led circuit to the positive and negative terminals of output 1.

Obvioulsy it isn't as simple as that (no positive and negative terminals!)

I'm guessing the 24V input card needs 24V to energise the switch, and that this can be taken from the PSU 24V supply? There's a power out +24V and a power out com, theres also a com terminal on the cards, what are these for?

I guess the outputs are wired in a similar way?

I basically want to figire out how to wire a light switch through the PLC....any help would be greatly appreciated...

Thanks,
James.

There many different discrete cards for the SLC series. AC,DC,sinking, sourcing etc...

I recommend that you write down the exact model numbers of the I/O modules, and then go to the AB literature site and download the manuals for each one. There's a lot of useful information in each, including wiring diagrams.

managed to add a picture, if anyones has a bit of time to explain this to me in lay mans terms and help me setup a simple on off circuit i'd really appreciate it (i know its the lazy way of doing it but i spent so long trying to establish comms between the laptop and the PLC that i need to see some lights flashing right now!!)

So you are connected now?
Is there an existing program in the machine?



Have you tried to Go Online?

You may have to hit Alt+2

i am online, think i have added a digital input and a digital output, have downloaded, no LEDs come on the cards when i force them on though, i assume i need to power the circuit by wiring upto the 24v output or something?

jimmycooker said:

no LEDs come on the cards when i force them on though,

Click to expand...

Is the PLC in run mode?

i have the key turned to prog at the moment, when i switch to run the ladder goes green down the sides

PLC has to be in run mode for it to scan the program and turn "on" the output.

You should see the output LED light up once you put the PLC in run mode and force it on.

NOTE: On the PLC you show in your pics you must also ENABLE FORCES to get them to work.

I right click on the input and force it on, the force light appears on the CPU, no lights on the Input card and it doesn't energise my output when i force the input in run mode

can you tell me how i wire up a simple switch to the 24v digital imput card?

Depends on the card. Different Cards wire up different ways. You need to take the model number of you input card and search for a manual. Post the model numbers of all your componets so everyone will know what your working with.

As I said before. You have to 'enable" forces to get them to work. Look on your tool bar and you will see a Pull Down box labeled Forces Disabled. Hit the down arrow and click enable foreces and your force should work.

managed to get an output energised! Thanks, just need to figure out how to wire up the switch (tomorrow) thanks again, this is a really great site / forum.

Greetings Jimmy ...



welcome to the forum ...



see if these pictures help with your problem ...












the original pictures are from this manual



http://literature.rockwellautomation.com/idc/groups/literature/documents/in/1746-in027_-en-p.pdf



on the AB website ...



I just cleaned them up a little bit to make the basic ideas easier to understand ... the little square boxes show how the screws are aligned on the modules’ terminals ... note that the same pattern should be shown inside the little doors on the modules BUT make SURE that the right door is installed on the correct module ... sometimes they get switched around ...



so now you have a diagram for connecting a 24 VDC switch as an input ...



and a diagram for connecting a 120VAC light bulb as an output ...



make sure that when hooking things up that you don’t connect outputs which draw more current than the individual outputs are rated for ... check the specs in the manual that I linked ...



hope this helps ...