How to Control AC Loads from a PLC

How to Control AC Loads from a PLC

This article was written by Chris Urban, an automation educator and PLC trainer with over 30 years of hands-on teaching experience. Find Chris on YouTube and LinkedIn. — CU A question that comes up constantly from beginners: if PLC control logic runs on safe low-voltage DC, how do you actually switch a 120V, 220V, or 460V AC load like a … Read more

Get Rid Of Surges That Are Destroying Your PLC Outputs

DC Solenoids are the worse culprits for electrical surges in your system. When the electrically generated field collapses, an opposite polarity voltage is generated. This voltage spike can be high enough to weld the contacts on a PLC output relay. To protect your PLC output relay, use a diode to ensure that the voltage spike … Read more