Must-haves for EASY DIY controller?

[der_wille_zur_macht]

Buttons or IR is more or less personal preference. If I were starting from scratch right now I would probably do IR, since then you can just use terahz's code with less modification.

Shipments from itead tend to vary. I've had one or two in under two weeks. Most seem to take 2 - 3 weeks. I've had at least one that took a month.

 

[discussmith]

You have my appreciation for the time you've spent on these questions. It seems that the others must be busy enjoying what they've gotten working. I'm struggling trying to envision how the IR works. Where is the receiver? And doesn't it just read the output frequency of the transmitter to determine what button was pushed and then act like a push button control? Or is it because all the transmitters buttons can be processed ahead and then less pins and wiring are required for the actual input to the main processor? I must be missing the advantage as I am envisioning my lcd with my interface on the wall above the tank for easy viewing and access. I am not inclined to a timer schedule accept for lighting and perhaps a feeding cycle, but using auto inputs like float switches for ato and a button to start a water change. I have had way too many accidents to not be around when water is being removed and replaced to trust any automated system no matter how many redundancies are in place.

 

[jc286006]

does any one have any relay boards available i am in need of 2 of them!
thanks james

 

[Hamato]

You have my appreciation for the time you've spent on these questions. It seems that the others must be busy enjoying what they've gotten working. I'm struggling trying to envision how the IR works. Where is the receiver? And doesn't it just read the output frequency of the transmitter to determine what button was pushed and then act like a push button control? Or is it because all the transmitters buttons can be processed ahead and then less pins and wiring are required for the actual input to the main processor? I must be missing the advantage as I am envisioning my lcd with my interface on the wall above the tank for easy viewing and access. I am not inclined to a timer schedule accept for lighting and perhaps a feeding cycle, but using auto inputs like float switches for ato and a button to start a water change. I have had way too many accidents to not be around when water is being removed and replaced to trust any automated system no matter how many redundancies are in place.

I like using IR as an input as it gives me basically unlimited buttons and for the ability to control the lighting from across the room with my Harmony remote.

Here is the part I used for the IR Receiving circuit:

http://ca.mouser.com/Search/ProductDetail.aspx?R=TSOP1138.virtualkey61370000virtualkey782-TSOP1138

I also used an 100R resistor and a 4.7 uF cap as described in the datasheet for the tsop1138.

 

[terahz]

I'm struggling trying to envision how the IR works. Where is the receiver? And doesn't it just read the output frequency of the transmitter to determine what button was pushed and then act like a push button control?

The default hydra build doesn't have an IR sensor. You must add one. It takes 1 pin. I use a Vishay TSOP34838 on pretty much all my projects.

It works like any remote enabled device. You press a button, an IR led starts flashing to transmit the code to that btn, the rcvr gets it and tells your code what button was pressed. From there your code handles it like any key event. In my firmware, the controller will start in learning mode and will ask you to press a few buttons on any remote available so that it can map them to actions. Then you use these buttons to navigate the menu.

Benefits? I'd say it is a personal preference, but you can do funky stuff with a remote. For example, if your tank is in your living room, and you have a smart remote with actions (like "Watch TV") where you program what is on and what is off, you can also add a step to turn off/dim the lights on the tank while you watch a movie . Also when all you're friends gather around the tank, you can dim it from across the room .

Anyway, since the Hydra is more of a platform than a product, people go different ways. My firmware should actually be pretty easy to change to a keypad. All you have to do is to enable a define "KEYPAD_INPUT", disable define "IR_INPUT" and then just implement the get_KP_key() method to do your key returning based on the ir_keypress_mapping structure (which defines which key is what).

Either way, do share what you make so that others can benefit from it.

 

[NarumiHayaashi]

Confused

Confused

No, the 12v signal to the relayboard IS your 12v source, you don't need a separate 12v source.

Basically the relayboard allows you to provide a control signal (from the mcp23008 via I2C) and a voltage that you want the control signal to switch.

Okay now I'm really confused.:worried: The board that I ordered has a VCC and Ground pin in addition to the 1-8 pins for switching the relays on or off. There is even a power LED on the board to tell me if the board has power or not. I guess I was thinking that on a relay board with proper electronics and separate power source could easily be used with something like a digital signal from the hydra without a significant power draw from the AVR itself.

Of course with the relay board that has been discussed, this would more or less answer all of the above statements.

 

[der_wille_zur_macht]

Anyway, since the Hydra is more of a platform than a product, people go different ways. My firmware should actually be pretty easy to change to a keypad. All you have to do is to enable a define "KEYPAD_INPUT", disable define "IR_INPUT" and then just implement the get_KP_key() method to do your key returning based on the ir_keypress_mapping structure (which defines which key is what).

And this is why I'm glad people like you are contributing. If the software was left up to me it would be a huge mess to do stuff like this...

Okay now I'm really confused.:worried: The board that I ordered has a VCC and Ground pin in addition to the 1-8 pins for switching the relays on or off. There is even a power LED on the board to tell me if the board has power or not. I guess I was thinking that on a relay board with proper electronics and separate power source could easily be used with something like a digital signal from the hydra without a significant power draw from the AVR itself.

Of course with the relay board that has been discussed, this would more or less answer all of the above statements.

For the sake of clarification, when I say RelayBoard I am talking about the HydraRelayBoard described on the hydra-reef wiki:

http://code.google.com/p/hydra-reef/source/browse/trunk/hardware/RelayBoard/

This is just a PCB with an MCP23008 and a transistor for each I/O port on it. There is a generic I2C header to connect 5v, SDA, SCL, and GND from your microcontroller. There's also a separate "Vin" header that lets you supply any (reasonable) voltage you want. The transistors on the I/O ports will then switch THAT voltage to the output pins on the DB9 port on the board.

The idea is that if you have a relay pack that needs 12v, you'd supply 12v to the Vin header. If you had relays that needed some other voltage, you'd supply that voltage. There's even a provision on the board for TWO voltage regulators so you get a ton of flexibility. You could supply a regulated 12v input, and put a 7v and a 5v voltage regulator onboard, then have three different output levels. With a 5v reg onboard, you'd be taking load off the Hydra's on regulator which would solve the problem I mentioned above about overloading it.

It's incredibly flexible so I can see how it might be confusing.

 

[discussmith]

I guess I'm not making myself very clear. I understand how a remote works and all. I just emvisioned most having this contoller and all the associated cabling not in direct sight. I can see how it might make a lot of sense if your aquarium is in a family or living room where you have a remote that you could select a component on the remote that you don't use and program your hydra to act say on the "aux" button on it then respond to all the signals under that component. I am currently looking at 4 remotes on my coffee table. Thank God my aquarium is in my office where I don't need a remote. This is the problem with the things that are not part of the main board itself. I did not know that an IR receivers output is connected with one pin. I guess that makes sense as the sending units electronics are not connected like buttons would be. That may be a concern as I have no idea what it would take to wire in a key pad type array. I am not opposed to a remote. It would just suck if I couldn't find it when I go to manually enter a feed mode or water change. If I could find a button pad that sent differing signals as easily read by a single digital pin and didn't require a lot of hardware to set up I guess I would choose that but it seems the IR route is a very simple (hardware wise) solution. I would just have to get a devoted transmitter. The problem with all the examples most providers of add ons use are built off an Arduino and are set up like thats the only thing on it. They have no concern using 8 pins or whatever to demonstrate it's use. Anyway I am trying to get ahead of the game by investigating all the add ons I would like as I don't know what services (pins etc.) are available after the on board services are implemented. Besides I'm still awaiting boards so what else is there to do. I'm going to get looking for a nice simple remote.

 

[der_wille_zur_macht]

discus, how about this - buy a generic remote, and mount it (semi-permanently) somewhere near the fish tank. Wire the IR receiver to the Hydra and mount it right next to the emitter on the remote. You've now got a "built in" keypad that you can use with terahz's code, without any modification to the code required.

We tried to think carefully about expansion when we designed the hardware. Basically, we tried to center around a few very common protocols. Namely, I2C, which is a given in the firmware since several of the onboard circuits use it (RTC, LCD). One Wire is easy to add to any pin. The serial port on the AVRs are both broken out to pin headers (the FTDI headers). And so on. We've implemented SPI on the slave, to talk to the Ethernet circuit, but it's not my favorite since it relies on consuming a pin per slave device for CS.

At any rate, we tried to implement protocols that allow multiple devices to "play nice" without consuming additional pins. I2C and One Wire are really the best in this sense. So if you're trying to look for expansion devices, I'd try to focus on those protocols.

For instance, if you wanted to connect a big button pad and don't like the IR remote solution, you could use an MCP23008 as an I/O breakout. You'd basically be consuming zero pins on the AVR since it works on I2C and that bus is already active. You'd get 8 I/O pins so you could have 8 buttons on your button pad. You could even use the HydraRelayBoard mentioned above and wire the buttons to that.

If you google, there are even a handful of pre-packaged I2C solutions for keypads.

 

[der_wille_zur_macht]

discus, how about this - buy a generic remote, and mount it (semi-permanently) somewhere near the fish tank. Wire the IR receiver to the Hydra and mount it right next to the emitter on the remote. You've now got a "built in" keypad that you can use with terahz's code, without any modification to the code required.

We tried to think carefully about expansion when we designed the hardware. Basically, we tried to center around a few very common protocols. Namely, I2C, which is a given in the firmware since several of the onboard circuits use it (RTC, LCD). One Wire is easy to add to any pin. The serial port on the AVRs are both broken out to pin headers (the FTDI headers). And so on. We've implemented SPI on the slave, to talk to the Ethernet circuit, but it's not my favorite since it relies on consuming a pin per slave device for CS.

At any rate, we tried to implement protocols that allow multiple devices to "play nice" without consuming additional pins. I2C and One Wire are really the best in this sense. So if you're trying to look for expansion devices, I'd try to focus on those protocols.

For instance, if you wanted to connect a big button pad and don't like the IR remote solution, you could use an MCP23008 as an I/O breakout. You'd basically be consuming zero pins on the AVR since it works on I2C and that bus is already active. You'd get 8 I/O pins so you could have 8 buttons on your button pad. You could even use the HydraRelayBoard mentioned above and wire the buttons to that.

If you google, there are even a handful of pre-packaged I2C solutions for keypads.

 

[discussmith]

Dwzm I think you're on to something. I like that idea of mounting the remote right at the receiver. I could as you say use it like a button pad or still have it movable. I did a search and found some unlabled remotes. Just a set of buttons in a holder to be marked anyway needed.

 

[waverz]

does any one have any relay boards available i am in need of 2 of them!
thanks james

I'm needing one as well but am probably just gonna build the circuit myself, its pretty simple.

 

[rye_84]

part replacement needed

part replacement needed

can someone help me find a replacement for mouser part # 579-ENC28J60/SP

 

[discussmith]

I am still awaiting my order from itead that I placed on Feb. 20. It looks like I'm going to have to order relay boards but I was wanting to wait until the hydra boards came in. I decided not to wait as it appears I may have to wait another month to complete the project so when I went to the relay board part of the wiki, the relay board gerber files are not there with the board, schematics, and materials files like I thought they would be. Where are they?

 

[shirley386]

Hydra Stopping

Hydra Stopping

I have a problem where my hydra stops when the MHs come on. It is always at the exact time the MHs fire; I can wait and watch for it sometimes. It sits on top of my canopy which houses the lights. The ballast is about 3 feet away but one light fixture is offset about 8 inches from the hydra separated only by the 1 inch wood board that the canopy is built from. This does not happen every time but about once every week or so. I tried putting a metal cookie sheet under the hydra to shield it but that didn't help.

When it stops it leaves everything on that was on and off that was off. The clock stops, the button I have to reset the high and low temps does not work and the lights will stay on. I first noticed this when the lights were still on long after they should have been turned off. I can cycle the power and it goes back to normal (might be a Microsoft product? :mixed

I though about running a wire from the hydra ground to the ballast frame but I haven't tried that yet.

Any ideas?

 

[discussmith]

sparkfun order

sparkfun order

As I have decided to continue on with the project and get started on the relay controls I ordered a couple 12v wall warts from sparkfun. Very quick response. The order I placed on Wed. night Mar. the 21st arrived today on Sat. the 24th. The problem however is the supplies were rated at 600mA output on their website and on the invoice. I wanted 1A but they didn't carry them.
The label on the components says the output is 500mA. I wanted to use them to power the relay board and use the aux. 7v to power the hydra board but I'm questioning whether it will be able to do that.

What do you think?

 

[jgwinner]

I have a problem where my hydra stops when the MHs come on.

Is the Hydra power supply plugged into an outlet on the same extension cord as the MH's?

Can you relocate it?

What kind of box is the hydra in, a metal or plastic box? A cookie sheet won't totally shield it, a metal box will (i.e. aluminum).

Just as a test, you could try wrapping tin foil around the Hydra. I think that would work. It wouldn't need to be grounded. If it's interference, that may help.

If it's a power supply drop out problem, the extension cord or different outlet would help.

Hope that helps,

== John ==​

 

[saf1]

Woot! Just finished re-reading all 60 some odd pages of the thread to catch back up and get educated again. I've been looking at the various commercial controllers and keep coming back to this one mainly because of the "I Built That" feel. After going back through all the pages I have a couple questions though which I think I already found the answers.

1. Would the current build/release be able to control and/or dim Mean Well ELN-60-48 drivers that are dimmable. One of our tanks use Rapid's retro kits and the other uses Steve's which uses another driver which I'm not sure its type, I'm sorry. I know it has the PMW feature though so assuming it works the same as the Mean Well's.

2. Is it dimming control only or off/on as well - or do you need to use a timer if I don't use the relay box?

3. I see a few using / adding temp monitors - is it included in the current build list with the exception of the sensor? I'd like to order all the parts at the same time if possible.

I see most of the code in the project home is around late November to early December - still accurate as far as build list goes? I'll pretty much need everything including boards it would appear. Since I'll probably have to order the boards I'm guessing I use the iTead-Seeed-DRC.dru and iTead-Seed.cam files to send off? I've not placed a order before so not sure.

Not sure if there is anything else required? I'm looking to actually build two of these to mainly control LED lighting, temp and PH monitors, and the fun factor. I don't have a lot of other things to control since both tanks are Bio-Cubes and all inclusive.

Thanks.

 

[shirley386]

Is the Hydra power supply plugged into an outlet on the same extension cord as the MH's?

Can you relocate it?

What kind of box is the hydra in, a metal or plastic box? A cookie sheet won't totally shield it, a metal box will (i.e. aluminum).

Just as a test, you could try wrapping tin foil around the Hydra. I think that would work. It wouldn't need to be grounded. If it's interference, that may help.

If it's a power supply drop out problem, the extension cord or different outlet would help.

Hope that helps,

== John ==​

John;

It was on the same extension cord as all the other lights. I just moved it to a different wall outlet (but on the same breaker from the electrical panel). Hope that works.

It is mounted in a plastic leftover container. I could easily wrap that in foil if the other doesn't work.

Thanks for the advise.

Shirley

 

[jgwinner]

Thanks for the advise.

Sure, keep us posted. It's a weird problem.

I say that because I wouldn't think that a power supply dip would make that much difference, unless it was borderline to start with, and any RF interference I would guess would be just as bad during operation, but I don't know how your specific ballast works. So it's all a guess, but at least we're trying something

It'll be hard to know if it actually works too, as you have to wait for a glitch.

== John ==​