EL2002 by Beckhoff

The EL2002 digital output terminal is produced by Beckhoff and belongs to the EL EtherCAT Terminals series. As a compact slice I/O device, it connects the EtherCAT E-Bus to field wiring through two high-side output switches. Within an automation cabinet, the terminal forwards control bits from the PLC to load circuits so that valves, relays, and signal beacons receive properly timed 24 V control signals. Its narrow profile allows many channels to be installed on a single DIN rail without occupying excessive cabinet space.

Each of the two channels can deliver up to 0.5 A per channel, allowing the terminal to drive resistive, inductive, or lamp loads within this current limit. To protect the switching transistor from back EMF, the design limits dissipated turn-off energy to 150 mJ per channel. Coils that exceed this threshold require suitable flyback diodes or suppression networks. The output stage operates at 24 V DC, allowing power to be distributed from common industrial control supplies. The typical switch-on delay is 60 µs, while the switch-off delay remains below 300 µs. These response times allow motion sequences and interlocks to be scheduled with submillisecond precision by the process controller. The output circuitry also prevents unwanted feedback into upstream logic when both channels share the same supply.

The terminal clips onto a 35 mm mounting rail and receives logic power through the EtherCAT E-Bus. Its typical E-Bus current consumption is 100 mA, which must be included when calculating the node's available power. The power contacts draw only 15 mA while the outputs are idle, helping to limit heat accumulation inside the housing during standby. The enclosure has an IP20 protection rating, so the module must be installed in a protected cabinet. Its wiring arrangement permits convenient connection of field conductors during panel assembly. The two outputs occupy 2 bits in the process image, allowing the EL2002 to operate on deterministic field networks without unnecessarily increasing the EtherCAT telegram size.