What is it?

CANADUINO MEGA328 PLC-100 DIY Kit V2 is equipped with 4 digital inputs (3.3-24V), 6 relay outputs 250VAC/5A and 4 analog inputs and outputs (0-10V). It is the little brother of our loaded PLC MEGA2560 series kits. Its purpose is to control everything you would use a PLC or "Smart Relay" for, from lighting scenes over frequency motor drives to HVAC for a greenhouse.

What is it for?

I worked for years with Panasonic, Siemens, Automation Direct and other PLCs, also with different kinds of "smart relays" like Siemens Logo. The base models, sometimes quite affordable, usually only come with some digital GPIO ports. No analog ports, no communication capabilities, no programmable schedules. Whenever I needed 2 analog ports to read a sensor value or to control a frequency drive for a 3-phase motor with a 0-10V or RS232 control, I had to spend hundreds of Dollars in additional modules.

Today's microcontroller platforms are so versatile, cheap and easy to use, that it is quite obvious to use them as core for a simple but powerful PLC. The idea behind this product is, to offer an incredible cheap way to offer most of the functionality of much more expensive industrial devices, and to make it even more affordable by offering it as an easy DIY soldering kit.

This Kit offers a cheap but powerful solution to add programmable logic to many kinds of projects and machines like lighting, HVAC, greenhouses, water treatment or a smokehouse.

How does it work?

CANADUINO MEGA328 PLC-100 DIY Kit V2 comes with an Arduino Nano compatible module and can be programmed using Arduino IDE, Mitov’s “Visuino” visual programming tool, OpenPLC and many other environments. Even "ladder" is available.

CANADUINO MEGA328 PLC-100 DIY Kit V2 fits a very small budget but delivers power and versatility equal to easily 10-20x more expensive professional control devices.

MEGA328 100-12 PLC features:

• 4 analog 0-10V inputs (10-bit res.)
• 4 analog 0-10V outputs (8-bit res.)
• 4 digital 3.3-24V inputs (opto-insulated)
• 6 digital 250V/5A relay outputs
• 1 x I2C Bus
• Real-Time-Clock
• Power supply 12-24V DC (>12.1V recommended)

The Do-It-Yourself kit only uses through-hole parts and is easy to build using basic electronic tools like soldering station and shear flush cutter. The 3-channel DC-DC voltage controller module is SMD assembled and tested.

There are 4 opto-isolated digital inputs, working on any HIGH level voltage of 3.3V to 24V DC. 6 digital outputs are provided by fast acting OMRON G5NB-1A-E relays, providing a maximum switching capacity of 5A at 250VAC or 30VDC.

Analog inputs and outputs are 0-10V compatible, for example to use with light dimmers or some motor drivers.

An external I2C bus with "STEMMA" connector takes external devices like sensors, displays, or even our 4-channel or 8-channel I2C relay modules.

Included in the kit: - PCB and all parts in the pictures - RTC backup battery CR2032

Options: - Arduino (compatible) Nano V3