PLC controlled reef vs standard reef controller

[Dweaver]

Would you consider a PLC controlled reef over the classic aquarium controller? If the PLC system was cost effective and configurable.

 

[ZombieEngineer]

No. I am an electrical engineer and I use an apex not a PLC. They are more expensive, significantly harder to configure, often are extremely difficult to get a working HMI, are not accessible from an app without building one first, etc etc.

Pretty much the only place these make sense is for things like a 10,000+ gallon system that require VFDs to control pump flows, contactors for strings of lighting on multiple circuits, etc.

 

[LSU-reefer]

I would agree, unless you are just looking for a challenge and enjoy playing around with a PLC the pre-configured controllers are going to be more cost-effective in the long run.

 

[ryboy707]

Considering doing this, even though it may be way more difficult and expensive. As an instrumentation technician I like the thought of robust industrial conductivity analyzers, and maybe pid control for a loop of a return valve and a small level transmitter in the overflow. Not to mention the expansion factor with controlling multiple frag tanks and quarantine tanks. Trying to determine the most efficient PLC to use in this application.

 

[Dweaver]

Considering doing this, even though it may be way more difficult and expensive. As an instrumentation technician I like the thought of robust industrial conductivity analyzers, and maybe pid control for a loop of a return valve and a small level transmitter in the overflow. Not to mention the expansion factor with controlling multiple frag tanks and quarantine tanks. Trying to determine the most efficient PLC to use in this application.

I used an automation direct click for mine and a headless cmore hmi with an hdmi port to a TV. Works pretty good. Definitely more expensive but I went a bit overboard.

 

[ryboy707]

Wow that seems like a good deal, are you running any AO or AI or just DI and DO?

 

[Dweaver]

Wow that seems like a good deal, are you running any AO or AI or just DI and DO?

I’m using a lot of analog inputs from devices telling me water temp, water flow, water level, and amps of heaters and pumps(using current transducers). They have some 10 amp rated output cards I use for my heaters and some 3 amp rated output cards I use for other devices. I use two outputs in series for heaters so they are fail safe if one of the outputs fail on.

 

[ryboy707]

This seems like it will work for everything I want to do. Is there a limit to the number of i/o?

 

[Dweaver]

This seems like it will work for everything I want to do. Is there a limit to the number of i/o?

Depending on which plc you pick. The cheapest one with Ethernet(like 97 dollars) has a max limit of 8 expansion modules.

 

[MaddyP]

I attempted to go the PLC route and quickly found it more complex than I wanted to develop. Ended up utilizing Raspberry PI, Widgetlords PI-SPI-DIN boards, and Node-Red to manage. It can certainly be done but takes some know-how (or willingness to experiment) and time.

 

[ryboy707]

I attempted to go the PLC route and quickly found it more complex than I wanted to develop. Ended up utilizing Raspberry PI, Widgetlords PI-SPI-DIN boards, and Node-Red to manage. It can certainly be done but takes some know-how (or willingness to experiment) and time.

That’s awesome

 

[Dweaver]

I attempted to go the PLC route and quickly found it more complex than I wanted to develop. Ended up utilizing Raspberry PI, Widgetlords PI-SPI-DIN boards, and Node-Red to manage. It can certainly be done but takes some know-how (or willingness to experiment) and time.

Your setup looks great! I have more experience with PLC’s so it made more sense for me to stick with what I knew. I did look at the raspberry pi setups tho.

 

[JDCagley]

Look into DDC controllers. DDC is slightly different from a PLC yet does many of the same things. I am a software engineer using DDC controls for whole building automation systems (AutomatedLogic). I control boilers, chillers, pumps, lighting, etc. Using all available IO types (AI/AO/DI/DO, PID control etc.) While PLC/DDC are not cheap (!) by any means, I find the software much easier to use than say Apex. When I look at Apex programmiing, it takes me back to the 1980's and I just can't do it. Maybe it's becuase I love my software and find it very easy to configure. PLC software, to me, is not real easy (ladder logic) but there are some newer versions hitting the market now that are more object oriented vs ladder. There are many DDC controllers available that are not out of reach to the average consumer (allerton comes to mind) - but again, I hate their software. Really comes down to what you find programmable for YOU. There are people that find Apex programming easy, and given the community of backers, I am sure a lot of things I'd call 'bugs' or 'buggy' have been worked out. For me, I use Automated Logic controllers for mostly monitoring - very little control. Most of these hobby devices do not allow direct AO control anyways, so I see no point in beating that horse to death. BUT - for temps, heat control, amp/voltage/wattage monitoring, etc., no apex controller has this beat.

 

[JDCagley]

Just a few screenshots of the system - disregard the spikes in the green trend - I have a zone sensor that is failing. I'll get it swapped one day - it does nothing other than monitor (it has temp/co2/humidity) the whole sensor is going bad - co2 readings indicate I should be dead haha.