Analog Input For Car Wash Project?

[Anonymous user]

So, I've got this school project where I need to design a car wash system and one of the requirements is to have 1 analog input. I'm really a noob when it comes to this stuff so don't come at me if this is obvious or whatever but I really can't think of a way to include that. Could someone please help me by offering a suggestion?

[Joel_Weder]

Our most basic SCADAPack RTU, the SCADAPack 100, includes four analog inputs Three are configurable for 0-5 v or 0-20 mA, and one is dedicated to monitoring the power supply so is 0-32 v. This model also includes six configurable digital I/O points. It's got two serial ports which can be used for programming the unit or for communication with other devices. (or left unused)

Knowing this is a school project, I'm not sure how you intend to acquire the hardware (a SCADAPack in this case). You might find one used on eBay or elsewhere. Or if budget allows you could contact the sales company in your region and buy a new one. If you let us know where you are we can direct you to the appropriate sales representative.

The SCADAPack 100 is typically programmed with our Telepace Studio software, and a TBUM297217 serial programming cable. There are some programming examples and some Youtube videos available if this is the route you'd like to go.

[BevanWeiss]

@Anonymous user 

I expect given your budget, you probably don't want to be looking at industrial solutions like SCADAPack RTUs (or even worse M340/M580 PLCs).

I would recommend you look at an ESP32.  It can do the analog input that you require, and is likely much more within your budget.

[Anonymous user]

Hello,

How do I design a car-wash project with a system that could provide a custom car wash to every customer? I'm a student at HSLU and it's my final summer project. SCADAPack 300E perhaps?

Stefan Albrecht

SCADA & Telemetry Solutions and FAQ: https://community.se.com/t5/SCADA-Telemetry-Solutions-and-FAQ https://essaydune.com term papers

[BevanWeiss]

Are you currently holding a SCADAPack 300E in your hands?

If not, then you'll be looking at spending around AUD$2000 to get one.

I would recommend for a student to investigate other options.  I would expect that the project would have a budget, and you would divide that budget up between all the different things necessary to achieve the project outcome.  Spending that much on a controller is unlikely to be the 'right' engineering decision for the constraints that you have.

If you are designing a critical infrastructure project which needs to last 15-25years.... then I'd say you probably want to look into the upcoming SCADAPack 47x series, or a SCADAPack 57x.

But for a project which needs to last a few months, and likely needs to be cheap, you probably want to start with one of two things:

1. Something you already have in your hands (if you have a SCADAPack great, or a Siemens S7-1200, or a Rockwell MicroLogix... etc)
2. Something that is CHEAP.. like an Arduino, or a Twido, or a Raspberry PI, and then some relays

In regards to your actual design... what do your requirement specifications say?  What does a 'custom car wash' actually mean?

Do you mean that you need to design a system that manufacturers car washes (i.e. assembles the panels, creates the brushes, the high pressure pumps etc etc...)?  Because that sounds INTENSE..

The other option is that you could mean you need to design something that will wash someones car... in which case I'd recommend a pressurised water supply (like from your home tap), and a button connected to a valve that opens to spray water onto the car... 'car wash' complete... the user can 'customise' their carwash by holding the button for a different length of time to give the appropriate degree of 'wash' (NOTE: I wouldn't expect much repeat business from such a car wash).