When using pressure sensors, the output signals 0 ? 20 mA, 4 ? 20 mA and DC 0 ? 10 V are generally chosen to ensure that the sensor signals to be evaluated and further processed. Because of this, the signal output of the pressure sensor is normally linked to a corresponding input card in the PLC.
In this context it could often be confusing, as the day-to-day using the terms ?active?, ?passive?, ?current source?, ?voltage source?, ?current sink? and ?load? tend to be wildly mixed together. Any electrical signal processing always takes a voltage supply (an ?active part?) and a ?load?, for Outlawed , which represents the ?passive part?. Sometimes the active part of the interconnection is also referred to as an electrical source/voltage source and the passive part is known as a ?current sink?. To ensure that a power circuit can function, current must flow in a circuit ? even though an instrument is usually known as a load, the current isn’t consumed because of it, rather it only flows from the current or voltage source through the strain and back to the current source.
This works only when an ?energy gap? exists between current source and current sink, so the power source operates actively (= sending out current) and the existing sink passively (= current flows through it) . Therefore, an interconnection of two current sources or two current sinks won’t operate normally. This example is complicated in day-to-day application:
When does a pressure sensor work passively (current sink) and when does it work actively (current source)?
So how exactly does the input card in my own PLC operate?
Generally of Irs , you can keep in mind that 2-wire sensors usually work passively and therefore need a dynamic PLC input card. It really is difficult with 4-wire sensors, since, for example, a 4-wire flow sensor includes 2 wires for a separate voltage supply and 2 wires for a dynamic or passive 0/4 ? 20 mA signal output. It is therefore vital to check the datasheets for the sensor and PLC input card used.