trouble wiring line tracking sensors

[Ted3299]

Our team is heavy on programmers and mechanical people, but none of us have any idea what we are doing when it comes to wiring. We have looked at the diagrams, but because none of us are electrical engineers, they mean next to nothing.

Can we just have an extremely dumbed-down version of the wiring instructions for the line sensors (i.e. plug the brown wire into the three-pin hole on the digital sidecar, or whatever)?

Thanks.

[mikets]

Brown wire goes to one of the +12V red terminal of the power distribution board with a 20A fuse.
Blue wire goes to the black terminal (Ground) right next to it.
Black wire (or white wire, take your pick but only one should be used, leave the other one unused), should go to the signal pin of a digital input channel on the digital sidecar.

[Alan Anderson]

The wires coming from the sensors are too small to work reliably in the Power Distribution board's Wago connectors. The easiest solution for a team lacking expertise is probably to use a section of the pale green terminal strips from the Kit of Parts. Screw the brown (power) and blue (ground) wires from the sensor into a couple of terminals. Run properly-sized red (power) and black (ground) wires from the other side of those terminals to the Wago connectors.

[mikets]

Oops, yeah, need to use 18 guage wires to connect to the power distribution board.

[Peyton]

Just a question, are we allowed to sodder an 18 gauge wire onto the existing 22 gauge wire on the line tracking sensors, because it is illegal to hook up any wire to the 20A breaker that is above an 18 guage wire...

[Alan Anderson]

Short answer: yes, you will be fine if you solder/splice/connect the 22 gauge wire to the 18 gauge wire from the 20A Power Distribution circuit.

It isn't really illegal to have smaller wires in a custom circuit than the circuit breaker can protect. The letter of the rules permits it, the inspectors expect and accept it, and I'm pretty sure even the Q&A has said it's okay (though I can't find it at the moment, sorry).

[ElectroMechanic]

Peyton, I think we can connect all the reflective light sensors to a terminal strip and then power the terminal strip from one 20A breaker using 18 gauge wire. I don't see any other options at the moment. The white sensor wires will then connect to the digital I/O using PWM cables from the terminal strip.

[Al Skierkiewicz]

Everyone,
Yes you may splice the sensors or use a terminal block to parallel the power connections to your sensors. #18 is recommended as smaller wires don't hold well in the WAGO blocks on the PD. Remember that whatever method you choose, insulation is required for exposed wiring.