Industrial networking
M12 L-Code vs A-Code: Power Current and Sensor Current
A-code on these Phoenix Contact pages is a 4 A sensor connector. L-code is a 63 V DC power connector at 16 A on the 2.5 mm² cable.
On this page
Use A-code for the sensor port these pages describe at 4 A. Use L-code for the DC power port at 63 V and up to 16 A. Phoenix Contact part 1697098, as of October 20, 2026, is A-coded, 5 positions, 48 V AC, 60 V DC, and 4 A, under IEC 61076-2-101. Part 1276572 is L-coded, 5 positions, 63 V DC, and 16 A, with 5 x 2.5 mm² conductors, under IEC 61076-2-111. The keys are different. Both shells are M12, and the current on the A-code page is 4 A while the current on the L-code page is 16 A.
What the A-coded sensor page limits
Part 1697098 is a sensor and actuator cable, straight M12 plug to a free end, length from 0.2 m to 100.0 m. Overvoltage category is II. Pollution degree is 3. The UL Listed line says 125 V and 4 A, which is a different voltage from the 48 V AC and 60 V DC connector nominal. The product property says not shielded. The black PUR option is 5 x 0.34 mm², 22 AWG, outside diameter 4.55 mm, bend radius 23 mm fixed and 46 mm movable. Details of that option are also in the M8 and M12 comparison. Other A-coded pin counts, including 4-position and 8-position sensor cables, are in the sensor cable guide.
What the L-coded power page allows
Part 1276572, as of October 20, 2026, is described as a power cable for direct current up to 16 A and 63 V. It is shielded, with Advanced Shielding Technology. Ends are a straight M12 plug and an angled M12 socket, both L-coded for power. Length is a free entry from 0.2 m to 40.0 m. The page says the item is made to order and non-returnable. Nominal voltage is 63 V DC. Nominal current is 16 A. Overvoltage category is III. Pollution degree is 3. Insertion and withdrawal cycles are 100 or more. The standard is IEC 61076-2-111. UL Listed and cUL Listed approval ID on the page is E468743. Degree of protection is IP65 and IP67. Plug and socket ambient temperature is -25°C to 85°C.
The PUR halogen-free gray option, cable type 280, is 5 x 2.5 mm², 14 AWG, 80 strands of 0.20 mm, outside diameter 9.50 mm plus or minus 0.3 mm, and cable weight 185 kg/km. Wire colors are brown, white, blue, black, and pink. Conductor resistance is 8 ohms/km or under at 20°C. Fixed bend radius is 48 mm. Movable bend radius is 95 mm. Fixed installation temperature for that cable is -50°C to 85°C. Flexible installation is -30°C to 85°C. The PVC gray option on the same item is also 5 x 2.5 mm² and 14 AWG, with outside diameter 10.80 mm plus or minus 0.3 mm, fixed temperature -40°C to 80°C, and flexible temperature -20°C to 80°C. Pick the jacket the route needs. The connector current stays 16 A on the electrical-properties line for this item.
| Field | 1697098, A-code | 1276572, L-code |
|---|---|---|
| Role on the page | Sensor and actuator cable | Power cable, direct current |
| Positions and coding | 5, A | 5, L, marked Power |
| Connector rating | 48 V AC, 60 V DC, 4 A | 63 V DC, 16 A |
| Conductors on the cited option | 5 x 0.34 mm², 22 AWG | 5 x 2.5 mm², 14 AWG |
| Outside diameter | 4.55 mm | 9.50 mm |
| Shield | Product property: no | Yes, Advanced Shielding Technology |
| Standard | IEC 61076-2-101 | IEC 61076-2-111 |
| Overvoltage category | II | III |
| Length | 0.2 m to 100.0 m | 0.2 m to 40.0 m |
The cable voltage is higher than the connector voltage
On 1276572 the cable nominal voltage for the PUR option is 300 V AC or under, and the test voltage is 3,000 V AC. The connector nominal voltage remains 63 V DC. On 1697098 the black PUR cable nominal is 300 V, and the connector nominal remains 48 V AC and 60 V DC. Use the connector line for the port. Use the cable line for the jacket and the installation. The other M12 power keys cover T, S, and K, which are separate codings from L.
What the power or sensor note needs
Write the coding printed on the device. If the device says A, part 1276572's L key is the wrong mate even though both have five positions. If the device says L and the load is 16 A at 63 V DC, part 1697098's 4 A connector line is the wrong current.
- Device port and whether it is a plug or a socket.
- Coding: A or L.
- DC or AC, voltage, and current.
- Wire size. 2.5 mm² is the L-code option cited here. 0.34 mm² is the A-code option.
- Shield. 1276572 is shielded. 1697098's product property says it is not.
- Length inside the range that item publishes.
Questions about mixing the two keys
Do five positions mean the same circuit?
Both cited items have five positions. The codings, currents, wire sizes, and standards differ. Position count is one field. It does not select A versus L.
Is 63 V DC inside the A-code voltage?
Part 1697098 lists 60 V DC as a connector nominal, and a separate UL line at 125 V and 4 A. Part 1276572 lists 63 V DC at 16 A. Even if a voltage number looks close, the current and the key are the fields that move this from a sensor cable to a power cable. Match the device's coding.
Where is the functional earth on 1276572?
The page calls the cable 5-position L-code and lists five wire colors, including pink on the PUR option and gray on the PVC option. It does not label a pin as FE in the text read for this guide. If the device requires a marked functional-earth contact, ask Phoenix Contact which color and which position that is on this item.
Sources
Ratings, lengths, and standards are from the two Phoenix Contact pages opened October 20, 2026. The L-code PUR and PVC options are both on 1276572. Jacket figures above name which option they come from. No pinout was inferred.