The answer comes from the NEC section 250. 162, referring to the grounding of two-wire DC systems, which includes the 5V and 24V outputs, depending on your case. DC voltage systems exist to provide controllers and field devices with stable power, but it is not always clear when these systems should be bonded with the earth ground of the AC line voltage supply. Industrial DC power supplies are common in control cabinets, most often used for powering field. However, grounding via the neutral, equipment grounding conductor (EGC), or protective ground wire is necessary and mandatory for personnel and equipment protection against electric shock, as well as for system stability and reliability. I made this diagram, just for illustration. Although most electrical energy produced commercially is generated, transmitted, and. Better to have a known reference and be able to fuse the ungrounded pole at appropriate points than to have a floating supply where you have to fuse both poles because 'something' will eventually get grounded and you just don't know what or where. I've always seen the + and the - on dc systems. Most DC power supplies installed within control cabinets output the common 24V. Computer power supplies (including PLC power supply units, or PSUs) usually output 5V and +/- 12V, all at a constant, direct current polarity. When examining the output wires, they only contain a + and a – terminal and.