wirelessly monitor relay status

lesmar96

Lifetime Supporting Member
Join Date
May 2017
Location
PA
Posts
520
Hello,
We have an application with a customer where they would like to monitor how many times a day several pieces of machinery start. We need to do this wirelessly (due to the location of the machinery) and all the data will need to be pulled back to one hub where all the data will be compiled and published on a report.

What industrial wireless hardware would you recommend? We will have a NO relay contact on each machine that will close when the machine has started.
 
What are you trying to get the data back to? I have used the WISE-4060 in a WiFi application, mobile outdoors. Using a Ubiquiti Access Point, interpreting the data via Modbus TCP on a PLC. They have several versions with varying arrangements of inputs and outputs, including analog. Here's a LINK to the product family.
 
When you say location do you mean remote? If so look at StrideLinx vpn for AD. They have cloud logging for a monthly fee.
 
What are you trying to get the data back to? I have used the WISE-4060 in a WiFi application, mobile outdoors. Using a Ubiquiti Access Point, interpreting the data via Modbus TCP on a PLC. They have several versions with varying arrangements of inputs and outputs, including analog. Here's a LINK to the product family.

So we will either be pulling the data to a plc or to an edge device and shove it to the cloud. Those products look nice but I only need (1) DI per machine so it seems like a little overkill, but, then again, will leave room for expansion.

When you say location do you mean remote? If so look at StrideLinx vpn for AD. They have cloud logging for a monthly fee.

Sorry, my bad. I wasn't clear. These machine are not remote. They are in a plant, but it is not practical to run wires from each machine back to our PLC.
 
My experience is once the ball is rolling, you/they will quickly find other uses for the remaining I/O, and soon the device will still be too small!
Yes, if you are doing it for 1 DI, it's a little much, but I don't think you'll find anything at a much lower price point. In my application I have the WISE in a polycarbonate enclosure with the original antenna. It works for hundreds of feet, outdoors. Over 1000 feet it becomes intermittent.
 
Yes, if you are doing it for 1 DI, it's a little much, but I don't think you'll find anything at a much lower price point.

100% agreed!! I was shocked when I saw the price. I assumed it would be a bunch more expensive for everything that it supports.

Thanks for the info!
 
If you have good WiFi connectivity to the machine areas, this low-speed data gathering could be done with very inexpensive hardware and some Linux gadgetry, rather than traditional PLC or industrial I/O.

When management is ready to expand the I/O and improve the reliability, that's when you break out a purchase order for some Red Lion DataStations or FlexEdge units.

Are you familiar with MQTT (or do you want to be) ?

Or even easier, do you have a computer or PLC in the system that can receive Modbus/TCP messages and log them ?


How many machines do you want to monitor in the first deployment ?

If somebody told me "go monitor one dry contact and get the timestamps and events into an SQL database, and do it cheap and fast" I would go hit the buy-it-now button on a batch of ten BeagleBone Black boards I was watching on eBay, then drop some money on NewEgg for some WiFi USB dongles with high-gain antennas, and some 5V DIN rail mount power supplies, and download yesterday's new release of Node-Red 1.1.

And then my boss would say "go buy the Advantech modules with better enclosures for just a couple hundred bucks".
 
If you have good WiFi connectivity to the machine areas, this low-speed data gathering could be done with very inexpensive hardware and some Linux gadgetry, rather than traditional PLC or industrial I/O.

When management is ready to expand the I/O and improve the reliability, that's when you break out a purchase order for some Red Lion DataStations or FlexEdge units.

Are you familiar with MQTT (or do you want to be) ?

Or even easier, do you have a computer or PLC in the system that can receive Modbus/TCP messages and log them ?


How many machines do you want to monitor in the first deployment ?

If somebody told me "go monitor one dry contact and get the timestamps and events into an SQL database, and do it cheap and fast" I would go hit the buy-it-now button on a batch of ten BeagleBone Black boards I was watching on eBay, then drop some money on NewEgg for some WiFi USB dongles with high-gain antennas, and some 5V DIN rail mount power supplies, and download yesterday's new release of Node-Red 1.1.

And then my boss would say "go buy the Advantech modules with better enclosures for just a couple hundred bucks".

Thanks Ken.

So first, we are working for an OEM that sells these machines. Every package includes several machines to make up the whole line. They They are planning to start a lease program for these machines and bill the customer for usage. So we need to track usage and provide a report for them.

since we don't know the wifi connectivity conditions of each installation site, they are asking us to go cellular on each one for internet access.

Your idea is good and if it were for myself, i think it would be the best one yet. But since it is an OEM that wants reliable hardware i would prefer to stay in the industrial field.

I am considering using the Advantech hardware and using a PLC as the Modbus client. or using the Groov RIO edge device as the Modbus client and use its Node-Red to publish the data.

I am not very familiar with MQTT, but it is definitely on my list. Just too busy to have time to fool around with it.
 

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