interface photoelectric sensor to PC COM port

I would like to connect a retro-reflective sensor directly to my PC com port and use VB6 MSCOMM to detect the on/off signal.

The signal would be used as a simple counter in my program.

I'm not sure what I'm doing here, and I would rather not fry my motherboard in the process.

sensor: Cutler-Hammer E65CNL1A

red +12-24V +/-10% DC (works well enough for me at lower voltages)
black (-) OV
green Dark-On
White Light-ON

response time <3ms
input current 30 ma max
output dark on/light on switchable
160 operations/sec max

hi ting,

It would help if you could post the specification of the E65CNL1 device.

The PC's serial port expects signals to the RS232 standard.

It is also possible to connect it to to the PC's parallel port.

Anyone? anyone?...

(I posted the specifications I have in my first entry above)

Okay, how about this:

what pinouts on the com port should I use fto attempt to power the sensor?

I'll figure out the data signal next.

or are they on in the same?

hi ting,
>> input current 30 ma max, if this is the operating current then it too high for the RS232 Comm to drive.

As you may know the RS232 Comm outputs of a PC are somewhere between +/-5Vdc and +/-15Vdc.

Also, what are the high and low dark/light output voltages from the device?
Are they TTL levels...?

I'm sorry,
that is all the info I have here.
I have not been able to find the specs from the website yet.

I have had the sensor working (not connected to a pc) on <12v (not sure what the amps were) at the cost of reflective distance; which is not really a factor in this project.

Project: to count sheets of paper moving on a conveyer system.

I figured the gaps between the sheets would give me the on/off I would need to program a counter in visual basic.

There may be a better way?

hi ting,
Do you have a voltmeter?

You could check the dark/light voltage on the output lead.

You say you are running it at < +12V, measure the voltage, measure the current in the +12v lead.

Depending what readings you get I may be able suggest a way to connect to the PC.