This is regarding a Fiber Optic Sensor that I am using in a project. This is the BF4R Fiber Optic Sensor from Autonics. I am trying to step-down the output voltage (24V) of this sensor to a voltage below 5V.
I would like to know why when connected to a step down converter circuit (LM2596 High Power DC-DC Adjustable Step-Down Power Supply Module), the Stabilizer LED indicator on the sensor does not turn green or it only faintly blinks continuously when trying to detect something. As a result, the output voltage of the sensor is always 0V and it does not detect any object.
The current connections between the BF4R Fiber Optic Sensor, 24V power supply and step-down converter circuit are as follows. This configuration had worked with a voltage divider circuit we had used previously, but when connected to the step-down converter circuit it does not work.
The positive terminal of the power supply is connected to the brown (+V) wire of the sensor
The negative terminal of the power supply is connected to the blue (0V) wire of the sensor
The white (self-diagnosis output) of the sensor is not connected to anything
The positive input of the step-down converter circuit is connected to the brown (+V) wire of the sensor
The negative input of the step-down converter circuit is connected to the black (control output) wire of the sensor
Also, I had a look at the connection diagram for this sensor, as attached. The datasheet (page K-84) I referred to is also attached.
It shows the following connections:
The brown (+V), black (control output) and white (self-diagnosis output) wires are connected to the positive terminal of the power supply
The blue (0V) wire is connected to the negative terminal of the power supply
What is the "Load" mentioned in the diagram? Also, is it mandatory to include the white (self-diagnosis output) wire in the connections?
Greatly appreciate any help regarding this matter.
The output current is probably not enough to drive a buck regulator, what was wrong with the voltage divider? Or you could use an opto isolator. The load is usually a PLC input or small relay, it's the device that receives the output signal, where is the output going now?
Oh ok, but the specifications I've got of the buck regulator do not mention any input current limit, only a continuous output current of 2A.
The reason for stepping down the output voltage of the sensor is to connect the output of this sensor to the Arduino board and get the readings and then transfer these readings to a computer.
The voltage divider was fine, but after a while of operating the sensor, the Arduino board does not function and the serial communication to the computer stops. The sensor is still operating at this point though. Would you know why this would happen?
"where is the output going now?": The output of the sensor? This is going to the Arduino board as mentioned above.
Maybe the connections we have used previously are not the proper configurations. I shall now make the connections according to the diagram I have attached and see what happens.
The sensor still didn't function with the same configurations as shown in the previously attached diagram.
The "Load" now will be the buck converter. So what I need to do is connect the
sensor's brown (+V) wire to the positive input of the buck converter and
sensor's black (control output) wire to the negative input of the buck converter right?
The above were the connections, but the sensor is not able to detect any object.
Sorry I just realised that I have made an error in my previous message: "where is the output going now?": The output of the sensor? This is first going through the buck converter (voltage divider earlier) and then going to the Arduino board
