Product Overview

The Allen-Bradley 1746-C9 serves as a vital hardware link within the SLC 500 modular hardware platform. This 36-inch (approx. 0.9m) interconnect cable facilitates the physical and electrical expansion of PLC chassis, allowing a single SLC 500 processor to control I/O modules across multiple racks. By extending the backplane communication bus, the 1746-C9 enables larger-scale automation architectures without requiring additional processors. We supply this unit as 100% Brand New and Original, ensuring peak signal conductivity and mechanical integrity for your legacy systems.

Technical Specifications

This cable features industrial-grade shielding and specialized connectors to maintain bus speed and data accuracy between chassis.

Engineering Advantages

• Multi-Chassis Expansion: The 1746-C9 breaks the physical limit of a single rack. It allows engineers to link up to three chassis together, supporting high-density I/O configurations while maintaining a centralized control logic.

• Superior Noise Suppression: High-frequency electrical noise from VFDs and motors often disrupts backplane communications. The 1746-C9 utilizes specialized shielding to prevent "Bus Errors" and data corruption in high-EMI industrial environments.

• Rugged Mechanical Strain Relief: Reinforced connector boots protect the internal data pins from vibration-induced fatigue. This ensures a stable, low-resistance connection even in heavy machinery applications.

• Plug-and-Play Integration: This cable requires no software configuration. Once you physically seat the connectors into the expansion ports of the 1746 chassis, the SLC 500 backplane automatically recognizes the extended I/O capacity.

FAQs

Q: Can I use the 1746-C9 to connect an SLC 500 rack to a ControlLogix rack?

A: No. The 1746-C9 exclusively supports the SLC 500 (1746) backplane architecture. To integrate SLC 500 I/O with newer Logix controllers, you must use a communications adapter like the 1747-AENTR or 1747-ASB.

Q: What is the maximum total cable length allowed for chassis expansion?

A: The SLC 500 system supports a maximum total length of 30 feet (approx. 9.1 meters) for the entire expansion string across all cables. Using the 3-foot 1746-C9 allows you to maintain low latency and high signal strength within this limit.

Q: Should I install this cable while the PLC power is on?

A: No. Always remove power from all connected chassis before installing or removing the 1746-C9 cable. Failing to do so can result in electrical arcing, which may damage the sensitive backplane communication circuitry on both the processor and the I/O modules.