Thread: PLC controlled?

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Brand new here...
I was wondering if anyone here has used an industrial PLC to control a haunted house or halloween party with effects?

I have one I am currently working with and would like ideas if anyone else has done this.

I have a PLC with 3 input cards (AC), 1 to 2 output cards that I can run either 8 AC and 8 DC outputs or 16 of AC or DC, a boatload of photoeyes, a ton of wiring, a couple limit switches, 3 air solenoid valves, 4 air cylinders and one small air cylinder available to use. I'm sure I've got more thins laying around but those are what i've found so far.
Anyway to keep this somewhat short I'll leave it at that and see if anyone has done this yet....

Thanks.... Hope to learn a lot here and get ideas.

I have designed a few PLC applications in the past for industrial controls, and have considered using a PLC instead of some of the dedicated controllers that we currently use.

There are a couple things that I am looking for. I want the ability to have a single button enable/run control, and a shutdown mode. That way I can disable the scene during off time, or maintenance. The way we currently disable the scene is to unplug power, disconnect air lines, etc. The PLC allows output by output control, and allows me to program time delays more precisely. Given multiple inputs and outputs, the PLC system becomes more affordable.

The downside to this type of control is that it takes a laptop to change the program, a central control means stringing wires to a central location, and the knowledge to program and adjust the scene becomes more specific to only people that understand the PLC system. Also, for simple systems, you probably don't need more than a simple timer.

This type of control can be implemented with DMX and other types of control. I understand PLCs, I don't understand the entire DMX/VSA system. VSA has the capability to handle the music and such, but requires a bunch more hardware and centralized wiring. I have a PLC I can put into play, if I buy more PLCs for other scenes, there is residual value beyond it being used as a Halloween scene controller. If I put a bunch of cash into a VSA/DMX system, or into dedicated prop controllers, it becomes a sunk cost that has minimal residual value.