Connecting photocells to the NICE MC424LR10 control unit (with MCA2R10)
Three types of photocells can be connected to the control unit:
- both wired: EPM, BF, EPS, and older MOF, FE, FI models
- one wired, the other battery-powered, FT210
- reflective, i.e. one wired photocell and the other replaced by a reflector, EPMOR
Photocells work with the control unit by opening and closing the safety circuit: when the photocells can see each other, the circuit is closed; when the beam is interrupted, the circuit is open. Basically, you can also connect the control unit without photocells by hard-wiring the safety circuits together. The control unit comes from the factory with these jumpers installed, so it will work without photocells unless you change the wiring.
Photocells connected to the NICE MC424LR10 control unit can operate in three modes:
| Designation | Safety circuit terminals | |
|---|---|---|
| active only while the gate is closing | FOTO | 8-10 |
| active while the gate is both closing and opening | FOTO1 | 8-11 |
| active only while the gate is opening | FOTO2 | must be reprogrammed |
I. Type: FOTO
The photocells are active only while the gate is closing; they do not respond while it is opening. This means that if the gate is closing and you interrupt the beam between the photocells, the gate will stop and start opening. If the gate is open and you interrupt the beam, the gate cannot close until you remove the obstacle from the beam between the photocells.
The safety circuit is connected between terminals 8 and 10.
- If the gate opens inward (the motors are on the inside and the gate opens inward), these are usually the photocells on the outside.
- If the gate opens outward (the motors are on the inside and the gate opens outward), these are usually the photocells on the inside.
If the gate opens outward but the motors are on the outside, it is essentially the same as opening inward, except that what would normally be "inside" is outside.
II. Type: FOTO1
The photocells are active while the gate is both opening and closing. This means that if the gate is moving in either direction (opening or closing) and you interrupt the beam, the gate will stop. The gate cannot open or close while the beam is interrupted.
The safety circuit is connected between terminals 8 and 11.
- If the gate opens inward (the motors are on the inside and the gate opens inward), these are usually photocells mounted on posts on the inside, just beyond the gate's fully open position.
- If the gate opens outward (the motors are on the inside and the gate opens outward), these are usually photocells mounted on posts on the outside, just beyond the gate's fully open position.
If the gate opens outward but the motors are on the outside, it is essentially the same as opening inward, except that what would normally be "inside" is outside.
III. Type: FOTO2
The photocells are active only while the gate is opening; they do not respond while it is closing. This means that if the gate is opening and you interrupt the beam between the photocells, the gate will stop and start closing. If the gate is closed and you interrupt the beam, the gate cannot open until you remove the obstacle from the beam between the photocells.
The safety circuit is not active by default; this mode is rarely used. For this function, see Programming and setting photocells that are active only while opening (FOTO2).
The only practical use is along the leaf of an open gate—for example, when the leaf opens close to a wall, to prevent someone from getting trapped there.
If you want to use multiple pairs of photocells operating in the same mode, connect the photocells in series.
Programming and setting photocells that are active only while opening (FOTO2)
write :)
Connecting photocells: one wired, one wireless (NICE FT210)
Connect the NICE FT210 photocells to the NICE MC424LR10 control unit as follows:
- Disconnect the control unit from the power supply.
- Adjust the yellow jumpers 8-9-10-11 so that only 8-9 and 9-11 remain connected.
- Set the jumpers on the TX photocell as follows:
- Jumper J1 – removed (if the photocells are more than 7 m apart, insert it)
- Jumper J2 – removed
- Jumper J3 – removed
- Set the jumpers on the RX photocell as follows:
- Jumper J1 – removed
- Jumper J2 – inserted
- Connect the wires as follows (photocell terminals are numbered from top to bottom):
- From terminal no. on the MC424LR10 control unit 7 (+24V) to terminal no. on the RX photocell 10 (+24V)
- From terminal no. on the MC424LR10 control unit 6 (-0V) to terminal no. on the RX photocell 9 (-0V)
- From terminal no. on the MC424LR10 control unit 10 (Photo) to terminal no. on the RX photocell 1 (PHOTO)
- From terminal no. on the MC424LR10 control unit 8 (Common) to terminal no. on the RX photocell 2 (COM)
- Reconnect the control unit to the power supply.
The LEDs on the RX photocell should be lit as follows (from left to right):
LED 1 – green, should be lit
LED 2 – red, should be off
LED 3 – yellow, should be off
LED 4 – red; the slower it flashes, the better the photocells can see each other, or it may show a diagnostic sequence
