Need help with component selection

Just a quick update. I am still plugging away with my main control panel and wiring. Can add pics if anyone wants, as soon as I can hide my messy workshop in the background :blush: :blush: :blush:

This brings me to a couple of questions. The 5i25 & 7i76 have internal or external 5v options. Are there pros n cons to either?

Next question. According to the information supplied by DMM Tech the cable linking the DYN4 to the 7i76 requires 2 shielded twisted pair + 4 more wires. This combination is not available in a single cable as standard. Guided by the reasoning 'better to have more shielding than I need than need more than I have' I made my first lead using Dynamix CAT 6A. This is 4 individually shielded twisted pairs with an outer shield and therefore VERY rigid. Can anyone suggest suitable alternative to this cable?

Thanks again guys

Hytek wrote: This brings me to a couple of questions. The 5i25 & 7i76 have internal or external 5v options. Are there pros n cons to either?

Cable power to the 7i76 from the 5i25 to the 7i76 is easy and doesn't require a separate power supply. But the current is limited and an external psu should be more reliable if the 7i76 has high current demand.

requires 2 shielded twisted pair + 4 more wires. This combination is not available in a single cable as standard.
...
Can anyone suggest suitable alternative to this cable?

There are suitable cables in existence, for example Lapp Ölflex.
lapplimited.lappgroup.com/fileadmin/docu...flex/DB0036170EN.pdf
I have a quantity of one of them that I found on eBay that contains 2 x twisted pairs and 3 x larger power wires.
The trick is to scour the manufacturer site, work out what cable code you want, then try to find some.

You can find it by the metre from various vendors.
www.conrad.de/de/search.html?search=olfl...gory=%1Ft10%1Fc14734

andypugh wrote:

requires 2 shielded twisted pair + 4 more wires. This combination is not available in a single cable as standard.

I just had a more careful look at the cable I have, and found that it is LAPP 6XF8008-00277131
So has 3 of 2x0.14 individually screened twisted pairs, + 4 x 0.1 + 2 x 0.5 cables.

There is a list here:
lapplimited.lappgroup.com/products/onlin...ndard-6fx-8plus.html

Have a look on eBay, there are often remnants available by the metre.

Just a quick message to share my fix for the stiff cable issue. I basically designed & 3d printed up some new backshells for the D-sub 25 connectors. If someone can tell me how to add .stl file, I will add them in case these are of use to anyone else. The attached pic shows the space saved as well as the more desirable cable direction.

And before I forget, thanks for all advice so far.

Hytek wrote: Just a quick message to share my fix for the stiff cable issue. I basically designed & 3d printed up some new backshells for the D-sub 25 connectors. If someone can tell me how to add .stl file, I will add them in case these are of use to anyone else

You could put them on ThingyVerse (though that is owned by Autodesk now, so might not be OS enough for purists)

Ok, added to Thingiverse. Hope I'm not breaking any rules posting the link here.

www.thingiverse.com/thing:4251813