My Neptune Apex web interface compatible DIY reef controller

I am receiving the 5 temp sensors today. The cond kit comes tomorrow (sparkfun economy shipping is really slow)

I will start wiring my test setup today so I can test the 5 temp sensors and 3 fans with the full program. And also for testing the cond stamp when it arrives tomorrow.

As to the netload bootloader, it is not an ethernet shield problem, as I am unable to upload even using the standard ethernet shield. It almost seems like something is blocking udp traffic in my local network. I am using my work laptop, and I know recently they really tightened the security policy, to the point that I cannot print to my networked inkjet printer at home. So I would not be surprised if it disabled udp traffic. I'll have to try another machine. At least the USB upload still works. I noticed when usb upload is occurring, the LED stops blinking. I'm going to make it blink, maybe at a different rate. I like to know that the controller is not hung during program upload.

regarding tftp, I can see the simplicity in the protocol, and can be implemented in very small compact code, but it is still subject to limitation of udp. I'll check the feasibility of usng http put upload. The nice thing with http is, it can be configured with http proxy to pass through firewall.
 
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Ok, got my head round how the bootloader needs installing and configuring on a mac, and that an AVR mk II is requried, I'm getting programmer time out errors with the USBasp.

As you rightly pointed out could use another Arduino as bootloader but will wait for avr to arrive.

Glad I did this on a spare Mega.
 
I just tried on 1.0.6 and it also works fine.

I spent the past few days trying to get the netload ethernet upload to work without success. I really cannot figure out why all of a sudden it stopped working. The shield is not sending out any data. I know the shield is working since udp test sketch works and I know the bootloader is burned properly.

maybe someone else can try to see if it will work on their setup. I'll probably put this project on hold so I can resume working on the controller.
 
d0ughb0y said:
I just tried on 1.0.6 and it also works fine.

I spent the past few days trying to get the netload ethernet upload to work without success. I really cannot figure out why all of a sudden it stopped working. The shield is not sending out any data. I know the shield is working since udp test sketch works and I know the bootloader is burned properly.

maybe someone else can try to see if it will work on their setup. I'll probably put this project on hold so I can resume working on the controller.
Click to expand...

Ok, well I got the botloader uploaded to both my mega's seems the issue was impatience, and nothing more.

I can upload serial, but same as you NETLOAD is not working. I disabled firewall on mac, and have no local port blocking on my router, so UDP blocking cant be an issue.

I have tried using TFTP rather than Curl. I'll try it again later with verbose enabled and see if acks are being sent received.

I checked the stored data with the NETEEProm Write and read utility, the only odity is I cant change the tftp port away from 46969

M
 
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I think I mentioned in a previous post the mega upload of bootloader takes 3 minutes. And if verify is enabled, that is another 3 minutes, hence I turned off verify.

you need to use netloadinit.ino to set the network settings.
once you set that correctly, then try again.
you may need to change the if condition to force an eeprom update.

I will put this on hold while I continue working on the controller. Sometimes just I need to take a break when nothing is working. I know I checked and compared the code with the w5100 datasheet and it is correct. it is actually quite straightforward. I loaded ariadne bootloader which I know works, just slow, and even that does not work anymore. So I don't think it is the software, and I can't say it is the hardware since udp test program works. The only difference with the test program is it uses w5100 interrupts, while the bootloader code polls the registers. I might just implement http put to upload the file if I can't get tftp to work again. It's probably something simple I am overlooking.
 
d0ughb0y said:
I will put this on hold while I continue working on the controller. Sometimes just I need to take a break when nothing is working.


It's probably something simple I am overlooking.
Click to expand...

Yes sometimes we work so hardly on one problem so we don't see where we create an error.
Still after few days we again check same code and we ask ourself:
"How as I didn't check this and find this error..."

So better to take few days off this problem try to solve other things and then return back. :)
 
Moomin1967 said:
Could fans be driven from the PCA9685 board and a driver cct?

M
Click to expand...

not quite.

the pca9685 can do 1khz pwm, the pwm computer fan requires 25khz pwm.

so the answer is you can if you can tolerate a sound coming out of the fan.

watch this video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IUKnb1bAsqA

around time 2:48

I'm surprised he produced and sells a product he knows operates out of spec.

I've tried running the pwm below 25khz and can hear the sound.
 
Of course but you hear sound out of the motor coil ? Like in laudspeaker ..

But if you put small capacitor and resistor between pwmoutput from pca and driver then to driver will come analog voltage and in this case motor should't produce any sound.

Or I am wrong?
 
Got my conductivity probe and sensor, hook it up and no problems with it. Also I unhook the 5 volt power supply from my sensors and temp probe and so far the reading are not going to zero and to the temp. I measure the voltage from the supply and it was 5.12volt don't see why that would affect my readings
 
Ive been thinking about how to do an all in one system.
Basically I was reading about the KM ECO Variable series of jebao pumps.
You can see them here http://www.fish-street.com/jebao_km_eco_variable_pump

This is what I'm going in "The New technology of Jebao now release a Adaptive variable -frequency pump. Same as Jebao wp-40 ECO-Tech!"

There isn't much room in the tank I'm planning so instead of having a wavemaker Im thinking I could kill two birds with one stone and just PWM the return, one design I was considering has two return pumps in the far left and far right rear sump, so I could even have 2 eco-tech return pumps for some crazy flow!

What about the DC2000 etc pumps? do you think they would be PWM controllable? specifically to very alot over time? Because the KM mite be extinct :/
 
wgraham said:
Got my conductivity probe and sensor, hook it up and no problems with it. Also I unhook the 5 volt power supply from my sensors and temp probe and so far the reading are not going to zero and to the temp. I measure the voltage from the supply and it was 5.12volt don't see why that would affect my readings
Click to expand...

I know certain 5v switching power supply wallwart can have some line noise from the switching. You can add maybe a 100uf capacitor across the 5v supply line. If it works now, best to leave it alone.

Did you mean the cond probe worked on the atlas test sketch or the chauvet code?

I've been busy lately repairing my old van. needs water pump and timing belt replacement. Should be done by next weekend. I DIY pretty much everything I can.
 
formula409 said:
Ive been thinking about how to do an all in one system.
Basically I was reading about the KM ECO Variable series of jebao pumps.
You can see them here http://www.fish-street.com/jebao_km_eco_variable_pump

This is what I'm going in "The New technology of Jebao now release a Adaptive variable -frequency pump. Same as Jebao wp-40 ECO-Tech!"

There isn't much room in the tank I'm planning so instead of having a wavemaker Im thinking I could kill two birds with one stone and just PWM the return, one design I was considering has two return pumps in the far left and far right rear sump, so I could even have 2 eco-tech return pumps for some crazy flow!

What about the DC2000 etc pumps? do you think they would be PWM controllable? specifically to very alot over time? Because the KM mite be extinct :/
Click to expand...


I cannot find any writeup or description of the adaptive variable frequency to see what it really is.

FWIW, the wp-25 I got close to end of last year, one of them stopped working. The shaft became too tight to spin on one of the ceramic rings. Either the ring shrank or the shaft expanded. I cleaned it and passed the shaft through the ring several times and spin it until it can freely spin again. I have to do this like 3 time already. So far after the last time, the pump has not stopped working yet. I'm pretty sure those not working jebao pumps we read here on RC has this problem (besides obvious power supply or controller issue), and can be easily fixed.

I like the original wp pumps as they are simple and straight forward. I think same with the DC pumps though I have not used one.
 
d0ughb0y said:
I know certain 5v switching power supply wallwart can have some line noise from the switching. You can add maybe a 100uf capacitor across the 5v supply line. If it works now, best to leave it alone.

Did you mean the cond probe worked on the atlas test sketch or the chauvet code?
Click to expand...

I used termite to cal. the probe and yes it works with the chauvet code. But if you reset the controller you lose the calibration
 
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