Product Description:

The EL1098-0000 is an eight-channel digital input terminal manufactured by Beckhoff for the EL EtherCAT Terminals series. Installed within EtherCAT node assemblies, it accepts 24 V DC field signals and conveys their binary states to the controller through the internal E-bus, offering deterministic communication for PLC timing loops. The polycarbonate housing keeps weight low, and the variable installation position allows the terminal to be mounted horizontally or vertically without affecting operation. By digitizing discrete sensor lines within the cabinet, the unit helps streamline wiring and supports modular machine design.

Each input channel is referenced to the 0 V potential. The terminal presents 8 discrete points to the process image, so eight bits are mapped directly into the controller’s memory. A hardware filter of 10 µs rejects short transients, helping ensure that only valid signal changes reach the application layer. During operation, the EtherCAT interface draws 90 mA typical from the E-bus, while the individual input circuitry requires only 3 mA per channel, minimizing heat and allowing dense stacking of terminals. An additional 25 mA is drawn through the power contacts for the front-end electronics.

Physical integration follows the standard 35 mm DIN rail profile, and the spring contacts inside the bus coupler carry up to 10 A, allowing adjacent supply modules to distribute sensor power without separate feeders. The input side uses 1-wire connection technology, so each sensor channel needs only a signal lead because the common ground is shared through the power contact, which supports the terminal’s ground-switching scheme. The enclosure is rated IP20, meaning it has finger-safe openings and no protection against water, which suits enclosed control panels. This arrangement keeps field wiring straightforward while maintaining compatibility with standard 24 V digital sensor circuits.