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CANADUINO® PLC 500-24 and 500-AC V1.0

CANADUINO® PLC 500 is fully supported

by the programming software “Visuino”
from Mitov Software which offers a
graphical interface without the need of
writing any code. A limited license is
included with every PLC 500. *

CANADUINO® PLC 500 features: **

 8 digital inputs 3.5-30V AC or DC
 8 digital inputs 3.5-30V DC only
 8 analog 0-10V inputs (10 bit)
 4 current loop inputs 4-20mA
 4 GPIO 0-5V analog or 5V digital
CANADUINO® PLC 500 is a loaded, industrial  8 relay outputs up to 10A
grade, programmable logic controller module.  4 digital open-collector outputs
 8 analog 0-10V outputs (8 bit)
CANADUINO® PLC 500 is available in versions for  2 current loop outputs 4-20mA
11-35V DC and 100-240V AC supply.  I2C bus (5V) for sensors etc.
 Real-Time-Clock with battery backup
CANADUINO® PLC 500 features analog and  Micro-SD card slot max. 32GB
digital inputs and outputs, 0-10V analog  ESP-8266 Wi-Fi module (2.4GHz)
capabilities, 4-20mA current loop capabilities, a  2 RS232 interfaces for HMI etc.
memory card slot, battery backed real-time-clock,  Optional 35mm DIN-Rail mount
RS232 and Wi-Fi connection.
* Will become available for download later.
CANADUINO® PLC 500 includes a Wi-Fi module
** Applies to the MEGA2560 MCU module.
ESP-01S from AI-Thinker and a fully Arduino Alternative modules can have different
compatible MCU module with Atmega2560. It can specifications.
be programmed with the same tools as an Arduino
MEGA2560.

Order information: CANADUINO® PLC 500-AC EAN 4260474038800 SKU 26880

CANADUINO® PLC 500-24 EAN 4260474037827 SKU 26782
DIN Rail Mount for PLC 500 EAN 4260474037889 SKU 26788
AI-Thinker ESP-01S module EAN 4260474035809 SKU 26580
MEGA2560 Pro Mini module EAN 4260474034208 SKU 26420

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OVERVIEW

CANADUINO® PLC 500 is an All-In-One Programmable Logic Controller (PLC) module for home,
hobby and light industrial applications. The module with dimensions of 107 x 200 mm is 2-sided
SMD assembled and can be attached to a surface using M3 hardware (3.2mm mounting holes).

A mounting tray kit for 35mm standard DIN rail is available as option. It supports the installation
in electrical cabinets, provides additional protection against accidental contact and electrical
shock and helps avoiding damage to the PCB by improper use of fastener hardware. We highly
recommend the tray for installations where a voltage of 40V or higher is present.

General Overview
This product was designed to offer a maximum on features in just one device and for the best
possible value-for-money ratio. Therefore, it uses an Arduino IDE programmable, Arduino
MEGA2560 compatible controller module in its standard configuration. The design of the
circuitry allows for future upgrades of the processing module and the Wi-Fi module with custom
designs or STM32 and ESP32 based modules that are currently in development.

Everyone who knows how to program an Arduino for reading and writing of ports, using libraries
for RTC, memory card and ESP8266 module, and sending and receiving data with a serial
connection, will be able to program the CANADUINO® PLC 500!

And for everyone who doesn’t know how to program an Arduino, Visuino from Mitov Software
provides an easy start to program the included MEGA2560 controller module using function
blocks and connect them with a mouse click. But for more advanced programming, it is highly
recommended to learn the Arduino programming language.

The Power Supply

We offer CANADUINO® PLC 500 with two different power supply versions. The model 500-24
is designed to work on any 10W (or bigger) DC power supply between 11 and 35 Volt.
Therefore, it can be used in 12V and 24V environments. The model 500-AC comes with an
enclosed, 10W AC/DC power supply on board that complies with UL1012, EN60950 and
UL60950 safety standards. It will operate on 50/60Hz AC within 100 and 240V.

The Input Section

The module comes with 16 opto-isolated digital inputs, recognizing any AC or DC level of 3.5V
or higher as HIGH signal, with a maximum input voltage of 30V AC or DC. Inputs 1 to 8 are
equipped with low-pass filters and optimized for DC and 50/60Hz AC input voltage. Inputs 9 to
16 are AC and DC capable as well, but without low-pass filters. It is recommended to ad a
software de-bounce to the latter if used with AC input signals. Otherwise, these inputs are the
better choice for fast changing DC input signals.

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Four current-loop inputs 4-20mA are mapped to the MEGA2560 analog inputs A8 to A11 and
can operate on a maximum loop current of 22mA (equals about 6V across input terminals). The
eight 0-10V analog inputs have a 30V over-voltage protection and are mapped to the
MEGA2560 analog inputs A0 to A7. The remaining four analog input pins of the MCU are
directly accessible on a 5-pin header (A12 to A15). Caution: These pins have no protection!

The Output Section

Eight relay outputs with normally-open contacts can switch loads of up to 10A @ 125V AC or up
to 5A @ 250V AC or 28V DC. We selected relays with high current capability and short
switching times (10/5ms on/off) for precisely timing and therefore, a greater range of possible
applications.

To give you even more options, we added four open-collector digital outputs, capable of
switching up to 1A @ 30V DC per single output (limit 2A combined). These outputs are equipped
with suppression diodes on a common voltage input pin to drive inductive loads like solenoids or
bigger relays (DC contactors).

The eight analog outputs provide 0-10V level for example for lighting dimmers or motor drivers.

The Real-Time-Clock and micro-SD Card Section

A must-have for timer-controlled processing or data-logging is a precisely RTC. We are using a
DS3231 RTC chip with backup-battery to keep the time and to provide a calendar and alarm
feature. The DS3231 is supported by several available libraries and code examples.

The RTC, together with the memory card capability (micro-SD card up to 32GB), is the perfect
base for on-board event logging with time stamps.

The Wi-Fi module ESP-01S

It is probably the cheapest and most used Wi-Fi module in the world, featuring Espressif’s
ESP8266 SoC. The module is pre-programmed with a firmware that can receive and execute AT-
commands through a serial connection. The Wi-Fi module can send any kind of data like port
statuses or analog port readings to a client in a local network or over the internet.

Other Options
We integrated two COM ports for the communication with computers, printers, scales,
telephone modems, HMI displays or any other equipment with RS232 serial connection.

The internal I2C bus that connects the RTC chip to the MCU is accessible on a 4-pin connector
and can be used to connect other I2C hardware like, for example, an OLED or LCD. Four unused
analog input ports, directly connected to the MCU chip, can also be accessed (5-pin connector).
These analog inputs and the I2C bus have no protection at all!
Be extremely careful and make sure you know exactly what you are doing when using them.

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COMMISSIONING

The PLC mainboard is completely assembled and doesn’t need any further preparation. The
MEGA2560 MCU module comes with its pin headers not factory assembled and requires
soldering.

For safety reasons, the module should only be operated when mounted to the (optional) DIN rail
mounting tray. This applies especially to the AC version connected to line voltage and when
higher voltage is connected to the relay outputs. We highly recommend using the low-voltage
DC version together with the mounting tray as well. It helps avoiding accidental shorts or other
damages to the module.

Before mounting the PLC module to its desired location, remove the MCU module and the Wi-Fi
module, and make sure nothing is connected to input and output terminals. After mounting,
connect a matching power supply to the PLC module and check the output voltage on 9V and
10V screw terminals. If this test is successful, disconnect power and install the MCU module, the
Wi-Fi module, a memory card (if needed for your application) and the backup battery.

Power it on again and perform the same test as before, still with nothing connected to the
module. After the test, disconnect the power supply again.

Now it is time to connect inputs and outputs and load your program to the MCU module. The
MCU module can be programmed using the 5V USB power supply from the host computer even
when it is attached to the PLC module.

IMPORTANT: Make sure you have sufficient protection (e.g., fuse, current limiter) for the digital
outputs (relays and open-collector) in place. Missing or wrong protection can cause damage to
the PLC module in the event of an overload or short on one of the outputs.

DISCLAIMER: This product is a module to be integrated into electrical installations by

professionals with the necessary knowledge and experience about the safe installation of
electrical equipment. The one installing and operating this product must possess the necessary
understanding, training, and skills about electronics, schematics, soldering, programming and
troubleshooting. We can’t be held responsible if a project that incorporates our products does
not work as expected. We also can’t be held responsible for damages, malfunction, injuries, fire,
burns, or other results that may occur with the incorrect or correct use of our products.

Note:
This document covers basic aspects and only contains information available on the day of its first creation. Please check UNIVERSAL-SOLDER website
for updated and additional information or downloads. This document might not be updated with every new information.

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CANADUINO® PLC 500-AC Features and Connections

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CANADUINO® PLC 500-24 Features and Connections

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CANADUINO® PLC 500 Series Dimensions

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CANADUINO® PLC 500-24 Schematic