How should I distribute channel numbers across the motors?
Every direction of movement consumes one relay contact; a single motor moving forward and reverse needs 2 channels. On a 4-channel set, CH1-CH2 is mapped to the forward-reverse direction of the first motor and CH3-CH4 to the forward-reverse direction of the second motor. On a 6-channel set, the same logic puts a third axis of movement on CH5-CH6. Do the distribution on paper before wiring.
Start the channel distribution with a table: each row holding the movement name, its direction, the contactor to be driven and the channel number. The rule is simple; a relay output is an on/off contact, so forward and reverse are separate channels.
- 2 channels: forward/reverse direction of a single motor.
- 4 channels: on a twin-motor platform, CH1-CH2 the first motor, CH3-CH4 the second motor; or crane hoist + boom movement, gate + barrier, X/Y actuator.
- 6 channels: on a port crane, hoist + boom + slew, a three-axis platform, or A/B/C pump groups.
There are three practical rules for the distribution. First, put the two directions of the same motor on adjacent channels; the operator finds the buttons intuitive and the risk of a mixed-up command drops. Second, assign the most frequently used movement to the most easily reached button on the remote control. Third, there must always be electrical and mechanical interlocking between the contactors of two channels belonging to the same motor; if both pull in at the same time, you get a phase-to-phase short circuit.
Label the channel mapping on the panel cover and on the remote control. Since the same map will apply when a spare remote control is put into service, this document becomes the most valuable one over time.
The full topic: Receiver-transmitter pairing procedure