Input Triggers

[Guest wbottomley]

Question here: If you had to use two controllers for four inputs, can the ground be connected together on both controllers?

[-klb-]

I have not checked with an ohm meter, but from what I recall, the logic/data ground is isolated from the controller power ground and neutral. It is only connected to the adjacent controller logic/data by the ground in the data cable. Though it probably would not hurt to check with an ohm meter. If confirmed, I would think your only concerns would be any stray voltage picked up in long runs.

[Steven]

That is correct. The AC power ground doesn't connect to the board at all. The neutral is isolated from the logic ground by the power transformer and the 16 opto-isolators. The logic ground is probably the same as the network ground (pin 6), but I haven't checked recently enough to remember.

[Max-Paul]

My concern would be with tieing the two logic grounds together. Is that the two controllers would be tied together. Now if some kind of freak spike came along, both controllers would take a hit. But I agree with klb's suggestion to check to see if there is a potential between the two controllers with the use of a voltmeter.

Me, if I was to end up using two controllers worth of inputs. I think I would play it safe and keep the grounds seperate.

Max

[Guest wbottomley]

That's what I'm thinking just in case something happens.

It's no problem to isolate the two grounds coming from all four triggers.

Another way to cure this... DIO32. I think that will have my answer.

[-klb-]

I finally got around to checking with an ohm meter. For those of you who want to keep your logic grounds separate, you will need to use Easy Linkers for all your controllers. The logic ground for triggers is identical to the RS-485 ground.

Take two controllers that are not plugged into power, or anything else. Plug a RJ-45 cable between them, and you will read continuity between the ground pins on the headers.