The Allen-Bradley 1794-ACN15 is a Flex I/O communication adapter module. This module supports ControlNet communication, enabling Flex I/O modules to transfer and receive I/O data over ControlNet network with transmission rate of up to 5 Mbps.

The 1794-ACN15 comes with a single ControlNet port that uses the Belden RG-6/U. Not only that this module enable ControlNet communication, it also converts incoming power from the Flex I/O power supply to backplane power which is consumed by the adjacent Flex I/O modules to allow them to operate according to their designed function.

The 1794-ACN15 has built-in status indicators such as I/O Status – red/green; Comm A – red/green and Comm B – red/green. It has an input supply voltage of 19.2-31.2V DC, 400 mA and output voltage and current to the bus of 5V DC, 640 mA. It is able to withstand an inrush current of 14 A for 2 ms.

The 1794-ACN15 has an isolation voltage of 50V (continuous), Basic Insulation Type; Type tested @ 860V AC for 60 s, power to system, power to ControlNet, and ControlNet to system No isolation between ControlNet channels. It has a power dissipation of 3.4 W @ 19.2V DC. When terminating voltage supply to the 1794-ACN15, recommended wires for use with this module are: 0.33... 2.5 mm2 (22...12 AWG) solid or stranded copper wire rated at 75 °C (167 °F) or greater 1.2 mm (3/ 64 in.) insulation max for single wire connection and 0.33... 1.3 mm2 (22...16 AWG) solid or stranded (not intermixed) copper wire rated at 75 °C (167 °F) or greater 1.2 mm (3/64 in.) insulation max for double wire connection.

One adapter can function with up to 8 I/O modules, which have communication speeds of up to 5 Mbps. The maximum power dissipation of the 1794-ACN15 is 3.4 Watts at 19.2 Volts DC, with a thermal dissipation of 15.7 BTU/hour maximum at 19.2 Volts DC. Its inrush current is 23 Amps for 2 milliseconds with a current draw of 450 mA maximum or 330 mA at 24 Volts DC. The 1794-ACN15 is mounted with a DIN rail to the ground chassis for proper grounding, and the users can use a zinc-plated yellow-chromate steel DIN rail with an open-type design. It is European Zone 2 and North American Hazardous Location-approved, it has a protection rating of IP20 to prevent injuries and to the users and damage to the machine, and it should be mounted in an enclosure that is suitable for a specific environment. The equipment’s temperature rating runs between -25 and 55 degrees Celsius, and its power wiring must not exceed 32.8 feet (10 meters) in length. Its total size is 3.6 x 3.7 x 3.44 inches (87 x 94 x 69 millimeters) and it weighs up to 0.3 pounds (0.136 kilograms). The 1794-ACN15 has the following indicators: I/O status - red/green, Comm A - red/green, and Comm B - red/green.