I’ve ordered the smaller case with 107mm length to do a collisontest with the components before. The longer 161mm case is here, but for smaller projects it’s too big. So the best solution would be the 107mm with option to fully featured board. But looks hard to reach the goal. The cheap ebay moduls (w5100, RTC, Mega2560-R3 piggy, Nextion 2.4" TFT) are orderd too.
bye iot
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Arduino ethernet plc
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Hi @Hr-FS,
I’ve ordered MEGA2560 + W5100 too.
I wanted to fit it on the this plate.
But I am considering whether not make a custom board with basic protection I/O ports. Probably not worth devise some complex protection solutions when MEGA is only a few Euro.But now I’m interested in Software. Do you have any suggestion?
Pimatic = Smart Home
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Hello,
I think a better option WITH protection would be these shields:
http://www.stall.biz/?project=vielseitiges-io-shield-board-2-0-fur-fast-alle-arduinos
and maybe this:
http://www.stall.biz/project/homeduino-4-0-das-universelle-mess-und-aktormodul-fuer-die-hausautomationYou can use it with a normal Mega2560 R3 form size and there is software available here:
http://www.stall.biz/project/homeduino-3-0-das-ultimative-io-modul-fuer-die-hausautomationupdate iPLC:
I received 2x Mega2560 Pro boards and they look really small. During waiting for RTC, Nextion 2,4" and W5100-modules I play with the connectors. The smaller Phoenix Contact case (BC 107mm) looks too small for all connectors but I try to realize all the 15 PWM-channels which can be used for analog output.What do you mean? Does it make sense to have
11x PWM (5V level) switchable to 0-5V analog out +
4x PWM (10V level) switchable to 0-10V analog out (with 4x OPV & 12V power supply)?
There are at least 20x IO in addition possible. Also the 16x analog in should be realized. So I guess it’s much more IO then all the buyable PLC.
iot -
Yet another PLC. This time from spain and with a nice documentation on Github.
http://tienda.ray-ie.com/basados-en-arduino/350-arduplc-mega.html
But it looks really huge and there are 6 relays and many more included. The developer seems to have a view for IO-protection.
Unfortunately the alternative usage of 2 UARTs (Rx1/Tx1 + Rx3/Tx3) for an I2C-Display-connector and a RTC don’t look perfect.
So - now I try to get support from a professional hardware developer to check if iPLC could be realized. Many people need small but powerful PLC for a reasonable price.
bye iot -
From my perspective, as a simple PLC + Arduino Ethernet Shield. For this price, I do not know whether it is worth at all to invent some protection. The reason may be just reliability.
Rather, I really cares software. Can not get any MQTT compatible.
For me would be an ideal ESPEasy with ethernet
The price must be really low, otherwise it will simply buy the PLC. But the problem with the software will continue.
Pimatic = Smart Home
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“…just reliability.”
If you have to control really useful but also critical devices (in time, in power) like PV-inverters & heat pump than only reliability makes the goal. It starts with industrial connectors and ends up with protection of the IO. A customer appreciates a long term working device which doesn’t need maintenance.
The LAN-shield should be included in the iPLC. I think it’s state of the art now.There are 2 options for PLC which I try to show next time. One brings up all possible Meduino/Mega2560-IO but takes 157mm in length.
The second brings up less Meduino/Mega2560-IO and is only 107mm in length. Neither 1 nor 2 will bring internal relays on the iPLC-motherboard. This could be realized by cheap external relay/SSR-DIN rail boards, where power could easily be switched outside the PLC.I don’t know how to build up an ultra low cost PLC with full featured IO. The only chance is using ready made components. That’s the aim of iPLC with components like this:
- Meduino 2560 - 16$
- DS3231 real time clock - 4$
- W5100 Ethernet Network Module (SPI) - 10$
- nextion TFT - 15$
- industrial case - 20$
In addition the iPLC-motherboard with industrial connectors like Wago 233 will be the more expensive part but could be lowerd if you don’t pick&place all connectors.
Software: If we use standard Meduino/Mega2560 no extra development should be necessary. The simplest would be “configurable firmata”@Meduino + JS@server but also other SW could be used.
iot -
@Hr-FS said in Arduino ethernet plc:
If you have to control really useful but also critical devices (in time, in power) like PV-inverters & heat pump than only reliability makes the goal. It starts with industrial connectors and ends up with protection of the IO. A customer appreciates a long term working device which doesn’t need maintenance.
The LAN-shield should be included in the iPLC. I think it’s state of the art now.I fully agree.
There are 2 options for PLC which I try to show next time. One brings up all possible Meduino/Mega2560-IO but takes 157mm in length.
The second brings up less Meduino/Mega2560-IO and is only 107mm in length. Neither 1 nor 2 will bring internal relays on the iPLC-motherboard. This could be realized by cheap external relay/SSR-DIN rail boards, where power could easily be switched outside the PLC.Dimensions does not bother me. Power relay outside the PLC, absolute agreement.
I don’t know how to build up an ultra low cost PLC with full featured IO. The only chance is using ready made components. That’s the aim of iPLC with components like this:
Meduino 2560 - 16$
DS3231 real time clock - 4$
W5100 Ethernet Network Module (SPI) - 10$
nextion TFT - 15$
industrial case - 20$Certainly I do not need to display. Instead RTC enough for me NTP.
Software: If we use standard Meduino/Mega2560 no extra development should be necessary. The simplest would be “configurable firmata”@Meduino + JS@server but also other SW could be used.
iotIf the software is quite versatile. I’d have more freedom in the design of HW. I sure I want MQTT compatible firmware. As I said, nobody can get at least similar software such as ESPEasy but for Arduino. Quite amazed that such a thing does not exist.
Have a nice day
Pimatic = Smart Home
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Maybe your “ArduEasy”-Software will be developed in future. If it’s not possible for the AVR-2560 Mega (less RAM, speed…) the concept of iPLC would give you the option of changing the processor-unit (Meduino) by using a piggyboard with new processor. You don’t loose all the important and expensive parts like connectors, step-down-converters, LAN, case and so on.
Only the Indusrial Shiels PLC works similiar with the mass product Arduino Mega 2560 R3, which could be changed in future. But compared to Meduino 2560 it’s a huge board and most of the people like smaller ones (safes place & money).
Bye iot -
Good morning,
after fighting with the size here you can see a modified proto with the smaller 107mm case. I hope to reach the smaller size by using some vertical PCB inside the Phoenix case. Also you can see the “Meduino 2560”-modul with backpacked LAN-shield inside the case. The USB and LAN-connetor would be on the left side.
I’m not sure if the motherboard and the vertical PCB’s give enough space for the components like protection-optos, OPV for 0-10V output but will give it a try.An optional 2.4" Nextion-TFT (<15$) could be easily fixed on the transparent cover with doublesided tape. There are only 4 lines to 5V, GND, Tx and Rx.
bye iot -
a little update for PLC:
Actual there is an indiegogo campain for a small but powerful Raspberry-HAT with nice features:
https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/monarco-hat-industrial-interface-for-raspberry-pi–2/x/14320633#/As I understood, the long Pins on the HAT are fully featured to give option for additional HATs. This will give possibility of using more GPIO than the Monarco itself or HATs with USV/UPS and so on.
If somebody is interested in writing a plugin for Monarco or give support for mwittig there will be one Monarco left. Requirements are good developer skills.
iotupdate from developer:
The Monarco HAT uses only one SPI bus and adds several devices to the I2C bus (RTC, 1-Wire). The remaining GPIOs can be used for anything you like, just like on a Raspberry Pi without any add-on board.Just attach a relay board and you are good to go
http://www.sainsmart.com/relay-1/omron-8-channel-12v-relay-module-for-arduino-mega2560-r3-uno-r3-raspberry-pi-arm.htmlAnd yes, you can control it with REX. Outside REX, there are several frameworks to work with GPIO on Raspberry Pi.
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Hello,
and here some new detais of the internal Monarco-hardware. It works with a Cortex-M3-micro which will save time at IO-operations.
https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/monarco-hat-industrial-interface-for-raspberry-pi–2#/updatesLooks like the “Arduino ethernet plc”-topic doesn’t fit to Monarco but I think it’s a PLC.
bye iotps
Think on my offer for 1 remaining Monarco-HAT which I will give to a developer who will create Pimatic-software for this HAT. -
I’m not sure whether my dream HW for PLC is Rpi
And expensive. Indeed $100 for a few I/O and 1wire + RPi.
For MiniPLC impressed me this: http://www.open-electronics.org/a-useful-and-simple-io-shield-for-arduino/
In combination with Arduino UNO + Ethernet Shield = cca 30€My idea of a small home PLC. It is inexpensive, it is easy to assemble, with ethernet and has a good immediately usable software. Ideally MQTT compatible.
I just building three “PLC”.
Fishtank (Arduino UNO + Ethernet Shield + I/O shield) - Mainly due to the automatic exchange water and lighting control.
Boiler room (Arduino UNO + Ethernet Shield + I/O shield) - It will be interesting to measure the temperature above 200 °C
My workshop (Arduino MEGA? + Ethernet Shield + ?) - Complete control of only one room.The problem is with the software. While on ESPEasy (Wemos D1R2 + Screw Prototype Shield - see. Pic. 1) I will set up PLC in 60 minutes, including the programming rules for the exchange of water in Pimatic(9). And all of this for less than 10 Euros
On my above solution (Ethernet) problem is to find software which is at least remotely similar ESPEasy.
And people will be hard to program their own software. Yes, I think it was to the PLC easily replicable, for the greatest possible number of users.
Pimatic = Smart Home
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Hello,
there is a nice option for a non expensive Arduino-PLC with 2560-Megaboard and LAN-shield called RAILDUINO for only 73 Eur brutto (only the PLC-board).
Railduino from sedtronic.cz
link to sedtronic.czUnfortunetaly the PWM is with open collector so an analog output of 0-5V is more difficult to realize. Also there are no status-LED on the PLC-board.
iot -
Pimatic = Smart Home
