Basic home-use PLC?

I programmed a 90-30 PLC a couple years ago so I'm not a newbie when it comes to PLC's... it was just a gig during high school so it's not my life, but I remember how handy they were for certain things.

I noticed in my in-laws house a old setup they have for a heating damper control. It's a couple of relays that flicker on and off depending on the thermostats.

A tiny little PLC would replace them pretty nicely and make everything look a lot slicker, but looking around it doesn't seem there are very many cheap little packages to buy? I saw the Unitronics and then the other main one (something -05, can't remember the rest of it) - I'm looking for something that's even cheaper though.

I just didn't know if there are any cheap consumer level ones that are in the sub-$100 range for this or Christmas light customizing? They're so handy and the technology is so simple, I thought they would be a commodity by now.

eBay my best bet for a older 90-micro?

Never used one, but here's a LINK to a low cost PLC. Only 69.00 USD

Thanks for the link, those things should be a LOT cheaper but I guess there's not a market for this sort of stuff. Not too bad though.

Ah well, I remember having so much fun with ladder logic that I was kind of trying to look for an excuse to play around with one - LOL, I'm an engineer so perhaps I try to overcomplicate things.

Have you looked at the Allen-Bradley PICO controllers? You can download the programming software free, or just program it with the keypad LCD/display. You can even get some models that have expansion I/O and will display triggered messages on the LCD. I have one of the small ones: AC power, 8 AC in, 4-isolated relay out running my well pump/filtration system at home. Ask your AB rep if he can get you one to try out thru the "one-stop sample shop" and they will give it to you free!

These were around $80 with free software:
http://www.fujielectric.com/distr/elc.htm

You can also get an AB Micrologix 10 point for $99 with free software that can be downloaded online: http://www.ab.com/plclogic/micrologix/

Since you have done a GE Fanuc 90 series you may be able to obtain one off ebay, GE offers a free Dos version of LogicMaster90: http://elitenet.geindustrial.com/te...?E=0000000000005167055,K=5469,ST=36,Case=2406 Goto Downloads