# Plc for this application?



## dronai (Apr 11, 2011)

garfield said:


> Okay I have a carwash with a heat exchanger glycol/boiler water. I want to control the temperature of the water/glycol based off of the air temperature and or the slab thermostats. I plan to use variable speed injection pumping to accomplish this. I also need temperature sensors for freeze protection on startup, maximum of 40 degrees in/out to protect the concrete slab. I would also like to at least stop and start the system from the internet. Tekmar makes a 667 controller that does most of this. No internet control but the rest of it is in the controller. Now for the truth about my plc skills. They don't exist. I keep wanting a little project to learn on. Does this fit the bill for a project to learn on? If so what plc should I use. I lean toward Allen Bradley just because they have so much market share and i may use it in the future.


 
I thought most modern day car washes already were set up with this technology when built ? Is this an old carwash ?


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## McClary’s Electrical (Feb 21, 2009)

The software to program an Allen Bradley PLC is about 6 grand.


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## garfield (Jul 30, 2009)

It is 8 yrs old but has an oversized dedicated glycol boiler.


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## garfield (Jul 30, 2009)

mcclary's electrical said:


> The software to program an Allen Bradley PLC is about 6 grand.


Well, I didn't know that. That's not going to fly.


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## Frank Mc (Nov 7, 2010)

mcclary's electrical said:


> The software to program an Allen Bradley PLC is about 6 grand.


The new low end AB PLC software is free here in Oz anyway...???

Frank


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## ilikepez (Mar 24, 2011)

Check out automation directs plcs. They have some decent stuff, its not as high of quality as Siemens or AB. But a hell of a lot cheaper, the software for some of it is free. 

My father used a DirectLogic unit to do the cell access control in the county jail, its had no problems whatsoever in twelve years of use.

I used the Koyo Click PLC to replace an old Eagle Signal plc in a plastic pipe welder.

They have lots of support on the automation direct website, and the software is easy enough to use.


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## McClary’s Electrical (Feb 21, 2009)

Frank Mc said:


> The new low end AB PLC software is free here in Oz anyway...???
> 
> Frank


Well you're not gonna do all that with a micrologix 1000.


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## JRaef (Mar 23, 2009)

You could easily do that project with an A-B Micro 800 or worst case 850, and the programming could be done with Connected Components Workbench, which is free for downloading.

PS: you would need the 850 to get an Ethernet IP port and web server functionality. Also, CCW can also be used to program simple HMIs and PowerFlex drives.


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## I_get_shocked (Apr 6, 2009)

If you are trying to do this on the cheap, you could get yourself a JACE 201 and a Johnson Controls universal controller such as a DX9100, FX15, or PCV. The jace has built in web functionality and you can incorporate graphics, trends, email alarms, etc


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## garfield (Jul 30, 2009)

JRaef said:


> You could easily do that project with an A-B Micro 800 or worst case 850, and the programming could be done with Connected Components Workbench, which is free for downloading.
> 
> PS: you would need the 850 to get an Ethernet IP port and web server functionality. Also, CCW can also be used to program simple HMIs and PowerFlex drives.


I visited with some folks who were aware of the 800 series but steered me toward the Micrologix. They said it was easier to program and more common so I'd be better able to use the knowledge for other customers. Also there were more premade programs to plug in to common situations. Thoughts?


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## garfield (Jul 30, 2009)

I_get_shocked said:


> If you are trying to do this on the cheap, you could get yourself a JACE 201 and a Johnson Controls universal controller such as a DX9100, FX15, or PCV. The jace has built in web functionality and you can incorporate graphics, trends, email alarms, etc


I like cheap but on this one I'm wanting to learn for future troubleshooting etc.


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## dthurmond (Feb 7, 2011)

If price is a concern it is hard to beat automation directs products. They have a free software for programming if its 100 lines or less and I think the full version was less than 500 .00 . They also have pretty good tech support .


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## Electrical Student (Jun 6, 2011)

I think your a brave man. I also think you better have someone with you that has a little more experience then none. Could go south quick. :blink::blink::blink:


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## garfield (Jul 30, 2009)

Electrical Student said:


> I think your a brave man. I also think you better have someone with you that has a little more experience then none. Could go south quick. :blink::blink::blink:


South is good because they won't need this melt system anyway!


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## KevinKM (Oct 8, 2012)

Go with Automation direct, I am an AB fan and believe in the ControlLogix it works great, but we have processes that run 20 programs and thousands of routines, with huge remote I/O. You should only need a a basic set up. Worked with automation direct a few times seems to be a robust product, never worked with one that had an Ethernet card, I would imagine that they do though. Thats the way to go now. Modbus and Data Highway are becoming a thing of the past.


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