Aqualund's New 120 with Allen Bradley PLC Controller

[Aqualund]

Okay so I am moving into a new home, and it happens to line up with the completion of a new tank stand and controller programming I was doing. So I decided to make an entirely new standalone system to put in the new home, and set it up, so that the transition for my existing 120's inhabitants is much easier.

The tank will continue to be an SPS dominant tank with T5/LED lighting.

This post will show the Micro 820 controller installation with the touchscreen HMI. It's all currently set up in my basement to work out the bugs before moving.

I'm excited about this build because everything in it is built by me, except the tank itself.

Okay so this is the main navigation screen. The reactor, skimmer, dc and return buttons are directly controlled on this screen. The other buttons above that are just status buttons. I navigate to control those functions with the navigation bar across the bottom.

Here I can set how long after the switch closes to turn on the top off, and then how long I want it to stay on.

I have 2 doser set ups, but this just shows the possible programming functionality of a doser in this program.

Here I can set the time schedule for the UV to be on, and of course like everything else, manually keep it on or off.

Im still debating if I want the heater to be PID loop, or allow some variability. anyways, here's that config page. At the time of this picture, the thermocouple wasnt installed.

The PLC while still finalizing the wiring before I make it pretty

The solid state relays and the outlets. All of these go into a 10 AWG 3 wire common bus and then into a 30 amp plug and outlet. So just one plug goes into the wall from here.

Just a quickie view of the backside before it gets put where pictures will be hard to take in the future!

Ill have more pictures to follow! Thanks for checking it out!

 

[Devaji108]

DAMN....wait what. that controller is sick! um tell us more about it..

 

[Aqualund]

Thanks man.

So this is the micro 820 from the Allen Bradley Micro offering. There are a few variations on this PLC, but I chose this one because of the Ethernet capability. It has 12 24VDC inputs, 7 Relay outputs, 4 analog in and 1 analog out. I have an additional relay output card installed to give a total of 11 relay outputs.

The touch screen is a 6 inch color TFT screen connected by Ethernet, so that will get installed flush in the wall next to my tank. This too is also completely programmable. I will probably make a video to show what its like to navigate it.

You can program this controller with free software called connected components workbench. So this is great, because I can program this controller to do virtually anything I want. In the future I will incorporate drive/motor control to get variable flow within the tank.

I am also making one of these for my home security/climate control system as well.

Inside, the controller is conformally coated, so it's well suited for saltwater "areas." I went this way because I've been using neptune apex for about 4 years now, and I've replaced or gotten the controllers repaired 4 times now. I needed something more robust and rugged, so I went with an industrial controller.

 

[reefwiser]

I have work with Allen Bradley controllers for for 35 years now. I would have put the unit a a NEMA 4 box on the wall away from under that tank. I work in a wash down factory so I kind of know how these boxes do with water around and I would put that wiring in a cabinet if it was mine.

 

[Aqualund]

I have work with Allen Bradley controllers for for 35 years now. I would have put the unit a a NEMA 4 box on the wall away from under that tank. I work in a wash down factory so I kind of know how these boxes do with water around and I would put that wiring in a cabinet if it was mine.

Thanks for your feedback. Someday I will do this, when I enclose the tank in a wall, but I rationalize it by the fact that everything (from AB) is conformally coated these days which is still better than APEX, and Everyone had those above their sumps under their tanks.

When Im done with this, I am putting an L-shaped acrylic shield to protect the PLC from drips and drops. This will hold me over until I decide to make a fish room and get a nice enclosure

 

[reefwiser]

Water will get in it. Those solid state relays are not water proof and I never have found Allen Bradley water proof in anyway. I work with AB PLC's in an equipment wash down plant.

 

[Aqualund]

Water will get in it. Those solid state relays are not water proof and I never have found Allen Bradley water proof in anyway. I work with AB PLC's in an equipment wash down plant.

Well, conformal coating is not available on all older products from AB, so I'm sure whatever you work with is probably not conformally coated. I also never said I was going for, or wanted to achieve a water-proof rating. That's what you prefer.

Do you work on AB PLC's in an equipment washdown plant? Im still not sure...:deadhorse:

 

[reefwiser]

Yes I work in a food manufacturing plant an do automation work with robots and packing equipment. All our AB equipment is conform ally coated always are. It jus doesn't to anything if you have a water leak thou. Being working in automaton since the early days.

 

[Aqualund]

So do you have your aquarium controller installed in a remote Nema 4/4X watertight enclosure?

 

[sixpackgarage]

DAMN....wait what. that controller is sick! um tell us more about it..

It's not Sick, it's Allen Bradley....




sorry a little controls engineering joke :rollface:

 

[JamesHolt]

Does that use the same software as the MicroLogix bricks??

NVM, I just reread and saw the software...lol