Beginner electronics help with wiring PLC's

[rthorntn]

Hi All,

Apologies if this is a little bit off-topic, everyone is just so darn helpful here (many thanks for all that helpfulness)!

Please keep it relatively simple, all this is an occasional hobby for me, thanks!

I just purchased a PFXLM4301TADAC it's a Pro-Face HMI/PLC combo, I would like to learn a bit about PLC (including security) without blowing an expensive bit of kit up.

So the integrated I/O specs:

DIO (Source Type)

12 Points Standard Input (including 2 Points for Fast Input)
6 Points Standard Output, 2 Points for Fast Output

AIO

2ch analog inputs (13-bit) and 2ch analog inputs (16-bit) for Thermocouple
2ch analog outputs (12-bit)

My first issue is what's the best way to provide 24v DC to it, I have a MW S-201-24 (24v, 8.5A) that I ripped out of cheap CNC controller, should I use that or get something less "dangerous" from Jaycar?

My second issue is I can't really comprehend the differences in the way I would wire sink vs source and whether I need to look for a certain characteristic of a sensor/actuator that would make it compatible/incompatible with my source-type (for output the load is on the negative?) digital I/O?

I would like to get a temperature input to the PLC, what do I buy or can I just use something I have already from my electronics gear, I have a few DMM temperature probes, would they be OK, if so, how would I wire it (in the manual I can see pin C8-11 & D8-11 are temperature inputs with the signal names MS0+/EX0+/MS1+/EX1+ and MS0-/EX0-/MS1-/EX1- I've no idea what it means)?

Also is there an output accessory I can add to switch 240v AC, can I use the PowerSwitch Tail PSTK-240 I have here, it can be configured for 24v control, if so, how would I wire the control to the PLC?

Do I need to ground and/or fuse things, sorry this is a basic question?

Feel free to suggest I go read a section of some book or look at a certain video, I just purchased... Electronics from the Ground Up, The Art of Electronics, Practical Electronics for Inventors & Grob's Basic Electronics.

Thanks (again)

Richard