Prices as of April 16, 2014. Check Web site for most current prices.

When choosing the type of input or output

Sinking = provides a path to supply common (-)
module for your system (or DL05/DL06/
DL105 I/O type), it is very important to Sourcing = provides a path to supply source (+)
have a solid understanding of sinking and S inking Input S inking Output
sourcing concepts. Use of these terms (IE C: pos itive logic) (IE C: negative logic)
occurs frequently in discussion of input or Input Output
Load
output circuits. It is the goal of this section + +
Input Output NP N
to make these concepts easy to under- S ensing S witch
stand, so you can make the right choice -- Common --
Common
the first time when selecting the type of I/O
P LC P LC
points for your application. This section
S ourcing Input S ourcing Output
provides short definitions, followed by
(IE C: negative logic) (IE C: pos itive logic)
general example circuits. Common Common
First you will notice that the diagrams on + Input Output
+
P NP
this page are associated with only DC --
S ensing S witch
--
Input Output
circuits and not AC, because of the refer- Load
ence to (+) and (-) polarities. Therefore, P LC P LC
sinking and sourcing terminology applies
only to DC input and output circuits. Sink/source I/O circuits combine sinking
Input and output points that are sinking S ink/S ource Input
and sourcing capabilities. This means (IE C: pos ./neg. logic)
or sourcing can conduct current in one that the I/O circuitry in the PLC will allow Common
direction only. This means it is possible current to flow in either direction, as
to connect the external supply and field shown at the right. The common terminal + -- Input
device to the I/O point, with current OR S ensing
connects to one polarity, and the I/O point -- +
trying to flow in the wrong direction, and Input
connects to the other polarity (through the
the circuit will not operate. However, the field device). This provides flexibility in P LC
supply and field device can be connected making connections to your field power
every time based on an understanding of supply. Please note:
S ink/S ource Output
sourcing and sinking. (IE C: pos ./neg. logic)
Wire all I/O points with a shared common Common
The figure below depicts a sinking input. as either sinking or sourcing.
Do not use an AC power supply on a DC Output + --
To properly connect the external supply, it P NP /NP N OR
sink/source I/O point. S witch -- +
must be connected so the input provides Output
a path to supply common(-). So, start at Load
the PLC input terminal, follow through the P LC
input sensing circuit, exit at the common
terminal, and connect the supply (-) to the
common terminal. By adding the switch
between the supply (+) and the input, the
circuit is completed. Current flows in the
direction of the arrow when the switch is
closed.
By applying the circuit principles to the
four possible combinations of input/output
sinking/sourcing types, there are four
Field device examples - 3 wire connections
circuits, as shown above. The common
terminal is the terminal that serves as the NPN (Sinking) PNP (Sourcing)
common return path for all I/O points in Field Device Example Field Device Example
the bank. 24VDC DC Sourcing Input Module 24VDC DC Sinking Input Module
+ +
Common Common
P LC + +
Input
(s inking)
+ Sensor
Output Optical Sensor
Optical
Input Input Isolator Output Input Isolator
S ensing
-- Current Sourcing Current Sinking
Configuration Configuration
Common
(NPN) Current Sinking (PNP) Current Sourcing
Field Device Field Device
Book 1 (14.1)
eAX-2 Book 1: Appendix 1-800-633-0405
 Prices as of April 16, 2014. Check Web site for most current prices.

Company
Information

Control Systems
Overview

CLICK PLC
circuits are grouped into banks that
Common P LC share a common return path. The best Do-More
terminals and Field Main P ath I/O
indication of I/O common grouping is PLCs Overview

how to use them Device

(I/O Point) Circuit on the wiring label. Sample DL05, DL06
and DL105 wiring labels and their mean-
Do-More H2
PLC
In order for a PLC I/O circuit to operate, +
ings are shown below.
current must enter at one terminal and Do-More T1H
-- PLC
exit at another. This means at least two
R eturn P ath
terminals are associated with every I/O DirectLOGIC
point. In the figure at the right, the input PLCs Overview
or output terminal is the main path for
DirectLOGIC
the current. One additional terminal Input DL05/06
must provide the return path to the power Input 1
S ensing
supply. Together, the main path and the DirectLOGIC
DL105
return path create a loop, or a complete Input 2
circuit for current to flow. DirectLOGIC
DL205
If there was unlimited space and budget Input 3
DirectLOGIC
for I/O terminals, then every I/O point DL305
could have two dedicated terminals. Input 4 AC s upply 12--24VDC INPUT DL405 input
However, providing this level of flexi- +
TB
module shown DirectLOGIC
DL405
A B

bility is not practical or even necessary

0 4 0 4
1 5 1 5
2 6 2 6
3 7 3 7

for most applications. So, most input or -- Common

D4--16ND2
Productivity
AC or DC s upply Controller
output points on PLCs are in groups that
10.2-- 26.4VDC
4-- 12mA

CA Overview
share the return path (called commons). 4
0

The figure at the right shows a group (or 1

5
Productivity
3000
bank) of four input points that share a DC s upply 2
6

common return path. In this way, the four Wiring labels -- + 3

7 Universal
CB
Field I/O
inputs require only five terminals instead
and how to
4
0

of eight. Input S witch

5

interpret them
1 Software
6
NOTE: Assuming all input circuits have a similar 2

C-More
7
resistance, the current at the common terminal is DL205, DL305, DL405 - Most DL205, Output Load 3
HMI
four times greater than the current at any one of the
inputs. This effect is especially important to note for
DL305 and DL405 input and output L
output circuits, where the current through a common modules group their I/O points into C-More Micro
HMI
terminal can reach several amperes. You will need banks that share a common return path.
to decide whether to fuse each output point individu- The best indication of I/O common ViewMarq
ally, or to put a fuse in the common terminal path. Industrial
grouping is on the wiring label, such as Marquees
the one shown at the right. The miniature
schematic shows two circuit banks with Other HMI
eight input points in each. The common
Communications
terminals are labeled CA and CB,
respectively. Appendix
Book 1
In the wiring label example, the positive
terminal of a DC supply connects to the Terms and
common terminals. Some of the symbols Conditions

you will see on wiring labels and their Input Bank (DL05)
meanings are shown at the right.
DL05/DL06/DL105 Most DL05,
DL06 and DL105 input and output

I/O Common Grouping Bar (DL105)

Two banks of four inputs and two banks of three outputs (DL05)

Two banks of four inputs and one bank of two (DL105)

Book 1 (14.1)
www.automationdirect.com Book 1: Appendix eAX-3