Do you have an idea for an Expansion Card?

[ECC]

The BCS has an expansion port, it is a 5V i2c bus. If you would like to design, manufacture, or just suggest expansion options, we are generally open to interface updates.

[dobeluvr]

The Bcs460 has 6 discrete outs and 4 discrete ins. The digi16 has 12 outs and 4 ins. Total is 18 outs and only 8 ins. between the two cards. So I would be interested in more inputs on a card. It could possible be a card solely for din's, or the reverse of the digi16 with 4 outs and 12 ins.

[ECC]

Each BCS supports up to 4 Digi16's. Does that help?

So for a BCS-460, you have 4+4*4 = 20 ins and 6+4*12=54 outs.
For a BCS-462, 8+4*4 = 24 ins and 18+4*12=66 outs.

[dobeluvr]

I used 8 inputs and only 4 outs. I have 14 more outputs I could still use, but no more inputs. It just seems limiting to not be able to get more inputs than outs. (don't know the manufacturing costs or coding etc, it may just be too cost restrictive). A person might want inputs for 1)auto or 2)on, 3) a float for level, 4) a flow switch maybe even remote just to name a few--- all to control 1 output.

All I'm trying to say is that if a card had been available with only inputs, or with 12 inputs and 4 outputs I would have bought that configuration vice the digi16. 20 ins and 54 outs seems to me to be a little unbalanced the wrong way. In industrial controls we always seem to have more inputs than outputs. Even a simple sump pump might have a local, remote, on and 3 or 4 floats (all inputs) to turn on the pump(1 output). I suppose a person could run the 5v signal thru multiple devices and have just 1 input for a permissive but this reduces flexibility. So yes there are workarounds.

I bought a BCS460 and a digi16 and luv em. They meet the needs currently, but just saying if i had more inputs available on the cards I have I could probably think of more things to do with it. Like run a low voltage cable out to the garage to a ssr to turn on outside lights from in the house. But I need an available input for the switch, and you was asking for expansion suggestions. So...

[ECC]

Excellent points. I think with the addition of the Ladder Logic interface (and after it is a little more polished), we're going to see more demand for inputs. It makes it much easier to code the logic for multiple inputs as you describe. Honestly there hasn't been much customer demand (in brewing at least) for more inputs, but you make a great argument.

I think having 2 flavors of Digi16 is a great idea.