Product Description:

The EL2202 is a digital output terminal produced by Beckhoff and included in the EL EtherCAT Terminals series. Mounted in a modular I/O station, the unit translates real-time EtherCAT telegrams into discrete switching signals, allowing deterministic actuation of relays, solenoids, lamps, or other field devices used in industrial automation. Its narrow terminal format also lets it sit beside other EtherCAT slices in compact control cabinets without interrupting the continuous I/O chain.

The terminal has 2 output channels, and each channel is referenced to the supply voltage and designed for 24 VDC field power. A per-channel limit of 0.5 A protects wiring and connected loads, while the circuitry uses a symmetrical push-pull output stage that can both source and sink current. Electrical safety inside the control cabinet is provided by the IP20 protection class, indicating finger-safe terminals when the module is snapped onto a DIN rail. Because the terminal maps one control bit and one diagnostic bit for every channel, the process image width is fixed at 4 bits, which helps keep bus traffic low. Ohmic, inductive, and lamp loads are acceptable, so the terminal can switch pilot valves or indicator beacons directly without extra interface hardware.

I/O timing favors applications that demand microsecond precision. The drivers reach a valid logic level in a switching time of less than 1 µs, and the integrated clock unit holds edge deviation to DC accuracy of less than 1 µs when synchronized over EtherCAT. Support for Distributed Clocks allows several output terminals to switch simultaneously along a machine line. Logic power is delivered through the system backplane marked E-bus, eliminating separate wiring for the electronics section while field power continues through the external feed. A selectable tri-state mode places the channels in high impedance during startup or fault handling so unintended current cannot flow. This makes the terminal suitable for fast valve manifolds, LED strobes, and other loads that benefit from precise, repeatable actuation.