Maintenance Mike (Customer) asked a question.
I would like to use a Click or Click Plus, (leaning towards the plus), and possibly a C2-DCM card. The data would come from a indoor air quality monitor, example: Adafruit SCD-41 - True CO2 Temperature and Humidity Sensor, https://www.adafruit.com/product/5190. And A PM2.5 Air Quality Sensor with I2C Interface, https://www.adafruit.com/product/4505. Maybe eventually turn on some stack lights to indicate some of the levels visibly at the unit and display the data on a Node Red Dashboard. All this is just general information and nothing is being used for safety monitoring. I would prefer the CLICK platform over the ProductivityOpen.
Just wondering if the more experienced users think this is possibly.
Thanks!
Hi @Maintenance Mike (Customer)
No, the CLICK PLC does not inherently support the I2C protocol, as I2C is a hardware-level communication bus designed for short-distance, on-board device communication, not a protocol used by PLCs for connecting to external devices like HMIs or other PLCs.
I would use a raspberry pie to communicate IC2. It can also be used to run Node-RED, which can speak to the Click PLUS for control.
https://accautomation.ca/series/node-red-iot-enabling-software/
Regards,
Garry
ACC Automation
Gary,
Greatly appreciate the reply! The Raspberry pie or possibly a Arduino is certainly an option and thank you for the link to the tutorial. Your tutorials are always most helpful. I will weigh those options against a sensor like this for particle count:
https://iotnvr.com/products/rs485-modbus-air-quality-sensor?srsltid=AfmBOooFJJWZup9hnG_9ytsZOIdIBJG0uBbxAIlST-whUgL2rG8hkDDt
Co2:
https://www.seeedstudio.com/SOLO-CO2-5000-A1-p-4757.html
Compare the increase cost of the sensors to the cost of the additional controller and it's kind of close to a toss-up. But, it is a chance to sharpen my pencil when it comes to dealing with Modbus.
Thank you for your time and input, it is greatly appreciated,
Mike
Check out the P1AM line. they are rugged Arduino like microcontrollers purpose built for the factory floor. i generally preferer the P1AM-200 because i preferer python over a C and the P1AM-200 allows for both.
https://www.automationdirect.com/adc/shopping/catalog/programmable_controllers/productivity_open_(arduino-compatible)
That's cool, "P1AM-GPIO, ProductivityOpen MKR-pins extension shield
Communication Port and Connection Type(s)Up to (1) UART (2-pin terminal) and up to (1) I2C (2-pin terminal) port(s)" for use with the ProductivityOpen P1AM-100 CPU.
Certainly another option. The learning curve would be something. I haven't really worked with a microcontroller since the BasicStamp and PBASIC, (let alone Python or C). I have worked with the Productivity 1000 and find it OK, And the IO is compatible between the two. It looks like a PLC, and that is actually a plus. But I kind of prefer the CLICK for some reason. And I really should become more Modbus savy. But at some point I might take the Arduino plunge.
Thank you z28z34man for pointing this option out, it is appreciated 😊
If you prefer a more graphical programing environment automation direct has a software called productivity blocks that you drag and drop building blocks to generate the program and there is also OpenPLC that i believe will run on a P1AM
OpenPLC
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SMlhRSOTAsg
I came across this, working on something else and thought it was cool and it would go in the I2C column of options:
https://store-usa.arduino.cc/products/nicla-sense-me#product-tech