PLC Question

[contractdesign]

Hello all, not sure if Im in the correct forum. Has anyone had experience with A/B Micrologix controllers. I am tring to figure if it is possible to use sinking outputs as opposed to sourcing on a Micrologix. A/B manuals are clear on pnp npn inputs, but make no mention of sinking outputs. I am tring to duplicate the operation of a Koyo sinking output PLC from Automation Direct.

Reno

[Al_The_Man]

If you presently have sourcing outputs, it is easy to reconfigure by changing the way the loads are switched, I mainly used the SLC500 and occasionally used the Micrologix, but these were relay output.
If you are substituting an exsisting sytem, there is a bit of rewiring involved, but if new system you can wire it according to the outputs, or is there a reason you particularly want sink outputs?
Al.

[contractdesign]

Al, I am using an Automation Drrect stepper system that requires sinking outputs which are pretty common on a Koyo plc. Normally I wire a common leg to vac/vdc terminals on the output side of a micro, and the outputs supply voltage to solenoids or whatever the load is. In this case I am tring to use the pulse generator on the output of a micrologix BXB series plc to send signals to the stepper drive. The wiring diagrams for the stepper drive specify and illustrate a sinking configureation. Can I just run the positive 5v into the common and sink out of the output. I am using sourcing outputs on the other blocks of outputs with common into the common terminals and positive 24 vdc on the outputs.

Reno

[Al_The_Man]

If it is just one or two outputs you need to have the capacity to sink instead of source, you could hook up a simple inverter, from your source output wire a 10k resistor to common and at the output, connect to the gate of a 2n7000 transistor and put the source on common and connect the drain to the stepper input.
Are you sure the stepper drive cannot be configured for source fed?
Al.

[contractdesign]

Thanks for you input. I'm all set. Since the drive is designed to run PNP and NPN, all that is required is swapping the pulse and direction + and - wiring. We'll see if it works tomorrow when I power it up. Sounds too simple.