Product Description:

The EL2008 is a digital output terminal manufactured by Beckhoff as part of the EL EtherCAT Terminals series. Mounted inside modular control panels, it interfaces the high-speed EtherCAT fieldbus with on-site actuators by translating bus process data into isolated 24 V switching signals. By providing localized output channels directly on the DIN rail, the component reduces wiring to centralized racks and enables granular expansion of machine I/O without altering the controller hardware. This arrangement lets control cabinets place switching points near valves, contactors, or indicator lamps instead of routing every output back to a central module.

Internally, the terminal draws a typical E-bus supply of 110 mA for its logic section, while the 8 discrete channels switch the external 24 V DC power rail. Each channel can deliver up to 0.5 A to resistive, inductive, or lamp loads, allowing mixed actuation without derating. The unit snaps onto a 35 mm DIN rail and occupies only 12 mm of width. To the controller, the module appears as eight output bits in the process image, so individual bits can be toggled every EtherCAT cycle. Because the output stages are non-reactive, they prevent back-feeding into the supply. The separate power contacts draw just 15 mA, so the upstream line remains lightly loaded.

Safety and timing characteristics support deterministic control. The transistor stage reaches a typical turn-on delay of 60 µs and a turn-off delay of 300 µs, so channel status follows bus commands within one millisecond even under load. During de-energization, the internal suppression absorbs up to 150 mJ/channel of inductive energy, eliminating the need for external flyback diodes on small solenoids. Reverse polarity protection at the supply terminal prevents damage if the 24 V line is wired incorrectly, and the housing meets the IP20 ingress rating for cabinet-mount installations.