The fieldbus standards require that buses must be terminated at

both ends to prevent signal reflections. Usually one terminator is

provided by the power conditioner in the control room. The MTL range

of fieldbus terminators are ideally suited to provide the Terminator that

is normally in a junction box in the field (along with a Megablock for

interconnecting devices). A large “T” is placed on all terminator labels

for easy identification of the Terminator location.

Additionally the F100 and FCS-MBT(-XE) provides some differential

and common-mode (cable shield) over voltage protection.

The Ground connection on the F100 and FCS-MBT(-XE) are used

to shunt any surge currents that may get on the cable shield to a local

ground in the junction box. Under normal operating conditions, the

cable shield remains DC isolated from this local ground. Although the

normal practice is to ground the cable shield in the control room, this

additional ground connection will not cause ground loops. However, in

the event of an overvoltage on the cable shield, a gas discharge tube

in the F100 or FCS-MBT(-XE) fires and shunts this unwanted current

to ground.