(Another) DIY LED Controller - Simple Arduino Style

Thanks Liquidarts

I have just gone back over pages and pages and found it on page 13
But thanks for your help i am going to need some this will be my first build of some thing like this.
I Have just built a led fixture with 96 3w leds and 8 meanwell d drivers so hope i can come through and get my controller built right and working
 
Guys may be I ask too much, but can anybody help me to write portion of skech . I am far away from being able to do it by myself. May be somebody will find it usefull too.

1. I want to control fuge lights independently from ramp up-down. Like 21:00 on and 13:00 next day off. ( I need it to use with algae scrubber overnight ).
2. If tanktemp > 27 degree C - fans on (else of)
3. If ledtemp > 45 degree C - fans on (else of)
 
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TRN,Katch,Fishman......am looking at an SSR and was wondering if it'll be able to handle the powerheads,heater,fugelight even just non-dimming lighting.Each would be handled by 1 ssr.
 
I think that would work, but you may get feed back when it turns on and off. There maybe a spike the causes trouble with the Arduino. I am by far an expert on SSR so someone may correct me. I think you want one that is optically isolated. Also for that price you might consider the prebuilt boards from Futurlec and I think someone found a similar board. I believe it is the Hydra thread that mentions them.
 
muda said:
Sorry for stupid question , but how do you recognize those boards are opto isolated ? I only see Futurlec boards opto.
Click to expand...

If you look inside the red box you will see the PNP transistors that drive Relays.On the 8_channel board you can only connect the +5V and your pinouts from your board and connect a separate 5v powersupply for complete isolation.
 

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Best thing to do is solder some leads off the RTC and solder them to the shield unless Katchupoy did it another way.
 
i was trying to figure out to use the breadboard and connect that to the rtc i think i got it but im not to sure any way to test it out... man i hate being a newb at stuff ha ha ha
 
Hmmmm.....not sure if that LCD Shield will fit on a regular breadboard.....am sure it would on one of the larger ones with power post.
 
Well how about a teaser picture of my LCD.....lol

Top line has the time and LED Intensity,2nd has both tank and lighting temps,3rd line is ORP and pH readings and 4th line i'm still playing with....these actually show when each one is on but am playing with the ideas of more Icons for each function.
 

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Martin ,

This is exactly what I was wishing to do. Do you have any place where we can access your fresh skeches to follow your ideas ?


Another question. Is it possible to adjust LCD backlighting intensity. I found it weird to have it on full power during night time. Tank is in my sons room and LCD blinds in total darkness. Or may be its possible to turn it of at certain time ?
 
I don't have a place yet but was thinking of using google to keep new sketches....When I took the pic yesterday afternoon I was in the debugging stages of this version and the coding "locked up" to a degree because I have the powerheads shutting off at night since i'll be running a sump with the return flow being low enough for a calm night.And when they turn back on they don't alternate but run simultaneously.

By tuesday night i'll post my sketches as well as the katchupoy's and thereefninja's as those are the building blocks from which I started from.

I know there is a way to dim the backlight using one of the PWM outputs.And was thinking of doing the same as I'd like it to be dimmed at night also after a certian time.

Right now i'm working with a Mega that has more outputs than the uno n duo until I get it sometime soon I hope then I can begin doing a sketch specifically for those models as well as a 16x2 LCD with a "scrolling" display.
 
liquidarts said:
If you look inside the red box you will see the PNP transistors that drive Relays.On the 8_channel board you can only connect the +5V and your pinouts from your board and connect a separate 5v powersupply for complete isolation.
Click to expand...

Below is the 8 channel relay board I was going to try to use with my mega, will I have any problems using this one, anything I should keep an eye out for or beware of when using it?

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=290565909429&ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT
 
katchupoy said:
BigCity, that is a nice find
Click to expand...

There are a few different versions on ebay all for around the same price. Just search for "arduino relay 8" for the 8 channel. Going to be playing around with the reef stuff shortly.

I have 2 mega controllers, a demulinov (err whatever) a 2x16 screen, a 4x20 screen and a LCD screen. Right now me and a buddy at work are working on an automatic scorer for a fooseball table we have at work. Complete with laser trip wires to detect scores and speed, RFID reader to choose teams randomly, etc. Using it as a stepping stone to get into the reef tank stuff, I just setup a tank so it's currently cycling.
 
Yeah I don't know about those.....not really much info on them let alone a schematic or if a separate PS can be used.The one i'm getting is this 8-Channel one along with the 2 and 4.

The google page for sketches are HERE.
 
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