EK1100

Product information

Product Overview

The EK1100 EtherCAT Coupler is the link between the EtherCAT fieldbus and the EtherCAT Terminals. It converts the passing Ethernet 100BASE-TX telegrams into E-bus signal representation, and it is the first module of every EtherCAT Terminal station.

It is one of Beckhoff’s “preferred type” products — the recommended standard coupler for new stations. One coupler plus the terminals behind it forms a complete station.

Why Buyers Specify This Model

Two RJ45 ports, so the station sits in a line

The bus interface is 2 × RJ45, letting the coupler sit inline: an incoming cable from the controller or the previous station, and an outgoing cable to the next. The distance between stations is up to 100 m over shielded Cat.5 or better Ethernet cable.

Because EtherCAT passes telegrams through rather than routing them, the propagation delay contributed by the coupler is roughly 1 µs — not a store-and-forward switch delay. That is the reason EtherCAT systems hold cycle times in the tens of microseconds with tens of nodes.

It feeds the terminals: 2000 mA on the E-bus

The EK1100 supplies 2000 mA at 5 V to the E-bus, which is what powers the terminal electronics behind it. The current drawn from the 24 V supply is 70 mA plus a quarter of the total E-bus current — Beckhoff’s published formula, not an approximation.

This matters when planning a station: add up the E-bus current of every terminal behind the coupler (each EL terminal’s data sheet gives a typical figure) and check it against the 2000 mA budget. Beyond that you insert a power refresh terminal rather than another coupler.

Power contacts and isolation

The power contacts carry up to 24 V DC / 10 A along the terminal row, so field supply can be distributed through the station instead of wired individually to each terminal. Electrical isolation between power contacts, supply voltage and Ethernet is 500 V.

Up to 65,534 EtherCAT Terminals can be addressed in a single system, so the coupler is not the practical limit on station size — the E-bus current budget and physical rail length are.

Technical Specifications (Official Beckhoff Data)

Parameter	Official value
Task within EtherCAT system	coupling of EtherCAT Terminals (ELxxxx) to 100BASE-TX EtherCAT networks
Transmission medium	Ethernet/EtherCAT cable (min. Cat.5), shielded
Distance between stations	max. 100 m (100BASE-TX)
Number of EtherCAT Terminals	up to 65,534
Protocol	EtherCAT
Propagation delay	approx. 1 µs
Transmission rate	100 Mbit/s
Bus interface	2 x RJ45
Power supply	24 V DC (-15%/+20%)
Current consumption from U S	70 mA + (∑ E-bus current/4)
Current consumption from U P	load
Current supply E-bus	2000 mA
Power contacts	max. 24 V DC/max. 10 A
Electrical isolation	500 V (power contact/supply voltage/Ethernet)
Operating temperature	-25…+60°C
Storage temperature	-40…+85°C
EMC immunity/emission	conforms to EN 61000-6-2/EN 61000-6-4
Relative humidity	95%, no condensation
Vibration/shock resistance	conforms to EN 60068-2-6/EN 60068-2-27
Protect. rating/installation pos.	IP20/variable
Approvals/markings	CE, CCC, UL, ATEX, IECEx, DNV, cFMus
Ex marking	ATEX: / II 3G Ex ec IIC T4 Gc / IECEx: / Ex ec IIC T4 Gc / cFMus: / Class I, Division 2, Groups A, B, C, D / Class I, Zone 2, AEx ec IIC T4 Gc

Specifications are Beckhoff’s official product data for the EK1100. Beckhoff designates this model a “preferred type” — the recommended standard coupler.

Housing, Installation and Wiring

Data	Official value
Design form	compact terminal housing with signal LEDs
Material	polycarbonate
Installation	on 35 mm DIN rail, conforming to EN 60715 with lock
Side by side mounting by means of	double slot and key connection
Marking	labeling of the BZxxxx series
Wiring	solid conductor (s), flexible conductor (st) and ferrule (f): spring actuation by screwdriver
Connection cross-section	s*: 0.08…2.5 mm², / st*: 0.08…2.5 mm², / f*: 0.14…1.5 mm²
Connection cross-section AWG	s*: AWG28…14, / st*: AWG28…14, / f*: AWG26…16
Stripping length	8…9 mm
Current load power contacts	I max : 10 A
Dimensions (W x H x D)	44 mm x 100 mm x 68 mm

Material Compliance

The following is Beckhoff’s published material compliance data for this product, reproduced unchanged. Beckhoff notes that absence of a substance is not verified by analytical tests.

Item	Official statement
REACH SVHC	no
POP	compliant
RoHS	compliant with exemption
RoHS exemption	7c-I: Lead-containing electrical and electronic components in glass and ceramic materials, excluding dielectric ceramics in capacitors
China-RoHS	www.beckhoff.com/china-rohs-io
CA Prop65	www.beckhoff.com/prop65

Official Documentation

Every figure in the table above is published by Beckhoff. We reproduce it rather than paraphrase it, so that you can check it against the manufacturer’s own documentation:

• Beckhoff official product page — EK1100 — the source of every specification on this page.
• Beckhoff official documentation for EK1100 — downloadable PDF from Beckhoff’s documentation server.
• Canonical Beckhoff documentation link for EK1100.

Ordering This Part

Tell us the model and, where an order code exists, the complete code — Beckhoff variants differ in ways that matter, as set out above. For discontinued models, a nameplate photograph is the fastest way to confirm exactly what you have.

• Exact model or order code (including any suffix such as -0111 or -ES variants)
• Quantity required
• Whether you need the terminal alone or a complete station with coupler and power supply
• For replacements: a photo of the existing nameplate or the old order code

We confirm availability and condition before quoting. We do not publish stock levels or lead times on this page because they change; ask and we will answer specifically for your requirement.

Frequently Asked Questions

EK1100 or EK1110 — which do I need?

The EK1100 is a coupler: it starts a station and connects EtherCAT Terminals to a 100BASE-TX network. The EK1110 is an extension: it goes at the end of a terminal segment and adds one more RJ45 port so the line can continue. Most stations need one EK1100 and, if the line carries on, one EK1110 at the end.

How many terminals can I put behind one EK1100?

The E-bus current budget is the limit that bites first: 2000 mA. Add up the typical E-bus current of each terminal (published in each data sheet) and keep the total under that. EtherCAT itself addresses up to 65,534 terminals.

How far apart can stations be?

Up to 100 m between stations over shielded Cat.5 or better Ethernet/EtherCAT cable. The propagation delay through the coupler is approximately 1 µs, and the transmission rate is 100 Mbit/s.

What 24 V supply does it need?

24 V DC (-15% / +20 %). Current consumption from the supply is 70 mA plus one quarter of the total E-bus current drawn by the terminals behind it. The power contacts carry up to 24 V DC / 10 A.

What approvals does the EK1100 carry?

CE, CCC, UL, ATEX, IECEx, DNV and cFMus, as published by Beckhoff. The Ex marking covers ATEX II 3G Ex ec IIC T4 Gc, IECEx Ex ec IIC T4 Gc, and cFMus Class I Division 2 Groups A-D / Class I Zone 2 AEx ec IIC T4 Gc.