Hi All,
Another thread has got me thinking about proximity sensors for my current build.
I already have a control box with everything wired from my first build, Gecko 201X, and the top of the line breakout board from CNCRP (well it was the top of the line several years ago when I bought it, I honestly don't remember the model number, I'd have to do some digging)
So I will be using the same control box on this build. Previously I used the little square mechanical limit switches. Now I am considering proximity sensors. I have bulkhead connectors, nice and neat, on my control box, for audio cable jacks. In the past I have found these work well for 2 wire mechanical limit switches. I have a bunch of good quality audio cables. I really don't want to redo the bulkhead connections for 3 wire proximity sensors or figure out all of that......
Also, my limit switches are Normally Open.
So I found these on EBay:
DC 2 Wire 6-36V 300mA NO 8mm Inductive Proximity Sensor Switch LJ18A3-8-Z/EX | eBay
2Pcs 2-wire DC6-36V NO Approach Sensor Inductive Proximity Switch LJ8A3-2-Z/EX | eBay
Looks like these are two wire proximity sensors. Why do some senors need three wires if these can use only two? I just want to find something with two wires that works and is inexpensive, and not think about it too much. If the simple answer is that they will work for me, really, that's all I need to know.
They list 6 to 36 VDC as an operating range. I don't recall what the limit switch voltage is on my BOB, but I think 5V rings a bell. I have watched some vids of people with 3D printers using 5V on the 6 to 36V sensors and it worked fine for them, but also, in the vids I saw, they were using 3 wire sensors as far as I could tell.
Has anyone out there used some of these 2 wire prox sensors? How do they work for you? What voltage did you run them at?