Suggestion on AutomationDirect's Presentation of BRX

[Mike Nash]

There may be a lot of unhappy people when their new BRX PLC arrives without terminal blocks. This is not pointed out well at all on AD's shopping pages. Been there, seen that with A-B and that is an expensive oopsie when you can't make the machine run.

AD's Recommended Items is so often a farce that I usually don't even look at them. The I/O modules do pretty clearly state the need for terminal purchase separately. (I thought the module prices looked too good to be true.  )*

I am suggesting it here since Host has a vested interest, so to speak.

I didn't get to play with the software today - bummer. Three times bigger download than 1.4.3! Wonder what I'll find inside?

*(And yes I am cheap to the bone, but I'll get over it. It's not even my money.)

[PLCGuy]

Unless they just updated the site, but it does say what is required for additional purchase right in the description. "Requires BX-RTB08, BX-RTB08-1 or BX-RTB08-2 terminal block kit or ZIPLink pre-wired cables."

[Mike Nash]

https://www.automationdirect.com/adc/Shopping/Catalog/Programmable_Controllers/Do-more_Series_PLCs_%28Micro_Modular_-a-_Stackable%29/BRX_Series_PLCs_%28Stackable_Micro_Brick%29/10_Point_Micro_PLC_Units_%28BX_10-z-10E%29/BX-DM1E-10ED13-D

I'm not seeing it in the above random choice of processors. (I/O cards do tell you to get terminals.)

[Mike Nash]

I tried today to get a little more info on the whole connector business and find it quite difficult. The videos just gloss over it. If I hadn't already figured out from a close look at one of the pictures that no method of actually using the I/O comes with the BRX, I for sure would not have just guessed it.

The top and bottom connectors on some of the units look to be not much fun, but I got frustrated looking for better info. The terminal-less pictures on the website are pretty deceiving as far as panel space requirements. How are you supposed to wire to the screwless terminal strips on those? Surely not by holding the strip in one hand, the wire in another and a screwdriver in your mouth? Spring clamp terminals are some of the most difficult to figure out how to work and I haven't been able to tell how these work. Also, are the PLCs robust enough to handle the pressures involved with actuating them?

While I'm on a rant, 5 second connections is such a blatant lie on the zip links in so many ways. At least that's not a Host thing.

[Controls Guy]

A lot of times, for modules of whatever brand, if they have removable terminals, I'll take them out and prewure them in a vise.  I do like cage clamp terminals (only for control signals, not for power), so I'll probably use some mix of the spring and the forward-facing screw terminals.  I think ADC calls that variant 180 degree.  I definitely want the screw facing forward for changes and VOM probing.

Now I'm not crazy about having to use multiple terminals with 5 or 6 positions each.  I can see them getting removed to change a module and not put back in the right place.  I may buy some third party ones in the correct total count.  Hopefully, the pitch isn't subtly different at the position ADC breaks theirs.

[BobO]

Standard 5mm Euro style. No weird pitches. Use whatever makes you happy. There was much debate on terminals before ADC decided to use the small groups.

[Controls Guy]

So still 5mm at the point where the joints are?  Cool!

Why did ADC think people would want that?

[BobO]

So still 5mm at the point where the joints are?  Cool!

Why did ADC think people would want that?

Yeah. I think the headers are actually 15s.

I was not a participant in the discussions. I'm sure they would be happy to offer their viewpoint.

[BobO]

Actually thinking about this, I think they wanted to emphasize the common groups and power connections.

[Controls Guy]

Meh.  I'll take one connector that can be inserted or removed in one shot and can physically only be put in the right way.  I'm used to keeping the groups straight.

[Mike Nash]

For the 10 pt and less, and the expansion modules I agree with the 180 terminals (the 180 screw terms are from China, the other 2 are Italy.) But for the 18 pt and 36 pt maybe not. I love the 10pt form factor, but I keep needing high speed I/O more and more often.

I still think the manual showing these 90's looking like they are included is misleading. And you'll note the zip modules don't have the cheesy butt paper "stickers" (that don't) installed, so no 5 seconds there. (I know, wrong site for the zip gripe.)

OTOH, I see why the processor section looked oddly sized when the PLC is shown connector-less. It looks right with the 90's installed. And I don't mind one way or the other on terms per section. Well, except they aren't going to be printed terminals, bummer. I have a lot of issues with parallax trying to figure which terminal is which. I can't always get my head in there and when I do I can't see that close up. (And the plant safety people get uptight too...)

[Mike Nash]

For the sake of thread completion, I see that the AD Shop page for each PLC unit now includes something along the lines of:

Terminal blocks sold separately. Requires either BX-RTB18, BX-RTB18-1 terminal block kit or ZIPLink pre-wired connection cables

Yea!

I do note however that there does not seem to be a terminal set BX-RTB18-2 or BX-RTB36-2 (180 degree screw terminals). But considering where they are on the processor I can see why. There is a set BX-RTB10-2 for the 10 pointers with front facing terminals.

[BobO]

Short term fix. I think they are doing more over time.