The Siemens 6ES7136-6BA00-0CA0 is an ET 200SP digital I/O module packing 8 inputs and 8 outputs in a 15 mm-wide slice. Input thresholds are clean: a signal '0' spans -30 to +5 V, and a signal '1' kicks in from +15 to +30 V, with a typical draw of 3.7 mA per input at 24 V. Outputs are short-circuit protected, and the module delivers up to 0.3 A per channel at 60 °C, with a total encoder current cap of 800 mA across all outputs. That 0.3 A derating is worth noting if you're packing the cabinet warm — the headline per-channel number drops when ambient climbs.
Diagnostics and integration
This module gives you a full diagnostic suite: a green/red DIAG LED for module status, red LEDs per channel for fault indication, and a green RUN LED plus red ERROR LED on the front. It supports diagnostic alarms and I&M data (I&M0 to I&M3), so you can tag it with location and installation date — handy for asset tracking in larger ET 200SP racks. The module uses BU type A0 base units, so it snaps into the standard ET 200SP backplane without adapters. Switching times are symmetrical: 0.4 ms minimum and 20 ms maximum for both on and off transitions. That's fast enough for most discrete sensing and valve actuation, but if you need sub-millisecond response for high-speed counting, you'll want a dedicated counter module. The inputs are source/sink (P-reading), and automatic encoding means the base unit tells the module its position — no DIP switches to set.