Solution
We do not recommend that you use the same power supply to power both the modules and the controllers. The NI-9870 and NI-9871 modules contain serial transceivers that require more power than the controller can provide. National Instruments recommends using an isolated power supply to power these modules for safety reasons. An isolated power supply is a separate supply from the power supply powering the CompactRIO controller.
This is necessary for the NI-9870 and NI-9871 modules because the instrument you are communicating with may be on a substantially different ground plane than the module, causing a large common mode voltage. This common mode voltage may cause problems with communication.
The controller is isolated from the chassis of CompactRIO controllers, preventing damage caused by connecting instruments on different ground planes. However, if this same ground plane is also connected to the controller via a common power supply, damage can occur.
If you wish to use the same supply to power modules and the controller, you should take precautions to ensure that there are no common mode voltage issues with devices with which you communicate. For more information about common mode voltage, see
Isolation Types and Considerations when Taking a Measurement .