Slice I/O—field power bus breaker

An automation control system comprising a plurality of I/O devices mounted to a support and connected in series, at least one of the I/O devices being a field power break (FPB) I/O device including a device housing mountable to the common support, a control power input for receiving control power from a first adjacent I/O device, the control power input configured to supply control power to the control circuitry, a control power output for outputting control power to a second adjacent I/O device located opposite the first adjacent I/O device, a field power input for receiving field power from the first adjacent I/O device, and a field power output for transmitting field power to the second I/O device, wherein the field power input is selectively removable to prevent field power from being received by the I/O device from the first adjacent I/O device.

A method for selectively breaking field power distribution in an automation control system comprising:

• providing at least on I/O device including a device housing mountable to a support, a control power input for receiving control power from a first adjacent associated I/O device, the control power input configured to supply control power to the control circuitry, a control power output for outputting control power to a second adjacent associated I/O device located opposite the first adjacent associated I/O device, a field power input for receiving field power from the first adjacent associated I/O device, and a field power output for transmitting field power to the second adjacent associated I/O device, wherein the field power input is selectively removable to prevent field power from being received by the I/O device from the first associated I/O device;
• and
• selectively removing the field power input from the I/O device to break field power distribution.