redtop's Ferduino controller

got my new screen and a new shield for it in yesterday and got it all mounted in there and it looks the same, minus the crack in the screen LOL

got some diodes I had ordered and still waiting on a few other items for the LED fan control circuits, and still waiting on more connectors for the temp probes and float sensors, once I have all of that stuff, I'll tear it back apart and start snapping pics of everything and hopefully explain it all a little better as I build it back.....

while changing out the LCD screen, I noticed that I have wired my DB9 connectors to the wrong pins, luckily I hadn't connected anything to them and no harm came of anything LOL I redid all of that while I was in there too...

I built all that after staying up all night working with it, mistakes were bound to be made...while soldering my wires to the proto board, I was looking at it upside down and connecting to pins on the opposite side of the board not taken into consideration that the proto board would be flipped over once it was done LOL

few words of advice :)

don't ever assume you have anything wired correctly with this stuff, check, double check, and triple check everything, make absolutely positive you have everything correct before powering anything up, and it a great idea to check all your circuits for continuity and for shorts, it's easier to fix something while you're building than after it is completely assembled :)
 
I managed to get a few more assembly items finished the last few days, I got my 9 channel power center relays installed, and it wasn't as easy as I hoped it would be.....

instead of having wiring to and from each switch and outlet, they used circuit boards to clean up the design and simplify wiring, I had to remove both circuit boards so the relay pack would fit in there, it's a snug fit but it does fit, and it works great....

I wouldn't recommend this unit for this purpose, and actually wouldn't recommend it for it's intended purpose, it has a 15 amp rating but the few wires it had inside were no more than a 16 gauge, the wiring to power the switch lights was even smaller, it is wired with 14 gauge now and a couple wires are 12 gauge, I ran outta 14ga. and since it's power cord looks like a standard PC cord, I'll add a longer, heavier duty cord to that as well

on with a few pics :)

the finished project

IMG_3166_zps483d8bef.jpg


few of the guts

IMG_3165_zps8c076808.jpg


IMG_3164_zpsa0d9a16e.jpg
 
had to take a few pics of a few of the screens as well..

Fernando added graphs for each of the parameters, including water pH, reactor pH, water temperature, ORP, and density...very nice, all parameter readings are stored on the SD card

IMG_3163_zpsc6fed9de.jpg


IMG_3162_zps454c517a.jpg


couple shots of the wavemaker screen

IMG_3161_zps86c6d1fc.jpg


IMG_3160_zpse6a15cd3.jpg
 
this is my most favorite feature of this controller, you simply add the amount of each LED that you want and program a start time and end time, the controller keeps your mixture settings and automatically ramps up for sunrise and down for sunset, the ramp up/down times are also programmable, or you can just let the controller ramp up/down all colors equally and adjust the PWM to your desired intensity...very clever Fernando :)

IMG_3159_zps94a2b4f0.jpg


here's one of the menu screens

IMG_3158_zpsa7777040.jpg


and for security, Fernando added a password protection system, actually, it's a passnumber system LOL I used my birth date numbers bur then turned it off in the code, it was getting aggravating having to add the numbers every time I wanted to mess with it LOL once it is complete and running my tank, I'll add that feature back to it :)

IMG_3157_zps6178050d.jpg


and another shot of the home screen

IMG_3156_zps940287b6.jpg
 
here's a few of the stack dismantled so I could wire up the 3.5 jacks for the 6 float sensors...

the brains of this system....for the RTC, I connected it directly to the bottom side of the Arduino since both will always be in their mounted location from now on :)

IMG_3146_zps7b1496c8.jpg


the Ethernet shield...sorry for the blurry pic

IMG_3147_zps90412019.jpg


and the proto shield...notice the notch cut out to accommodate the Ehternet port

IMG_3149_zps10008a8c.jpg


IMG_3150_zps49e68054.jpg


and the stack reassembled :)

IMG_3154_zps9abbac74.jpg


and for the float sensors...

IMG_3151_zpsefa978b1.jpg


IMG_3148_zpsfb07710d.jpg


IMG_3153_zpsf6c4e856.jpg
 
Between the layout of the screen and that case, it looks like something from the '80's. Even though I wasn't a fan of the '80s when it was the '80s, I'm digging the look of that.

Programming can be a bit awkward when you are first getting a handle on it. Once you start learning the syntax, it gets a lot easier. Check community colleges in your area for some intro programming classes. Even if there are no classes specifically for the Arduino code, it will transfer over. There are a lot of similarities between programming languages.
If there are any maker spaces/hacker spaces in your area, they may offer workshops. It wouldn't be as in depth or as structured as a college course, but it would be less of a time commitment and it would be geared specifically towards the Arduino and the types of things you are doing with it.


It is looking pretty good so far.


You could also get some mounting posts and epoxy or super glue them in the middle of the enclosure so you can get the board away from the back of the enclosure if you are running out of room for connectors. It will save you from having to trim any boards.
 
Last edited:
skydvr said:
Between the layout of the screen and that case, it looks like something from the '80's. Even though I wasn't a fan of the '80s when it was the '80s, I'm digging the look of that.

Programming can be a bit awkward when you are first getting a handle on it. Once you start learning the syntax, it gets a lot easier. Check community colleges in your area for some intro programming classes. Even if there are no classes specifically for the Arduino code, it will transfer over. There are a lot of similarities between programming languages.
If there are any maker spaces/hacker spaces in your area, they may offer workshops. It wouldn't be as in depth or as structured as a college course, but it would be less of a time commitment and it would be geared specifically towards the Arduino and the types of things you are doing with it.


It is looking pretty good so far.


You could also get some mounting posts and epoxy or super glue them in the middle of the enclosure so you can get the board away from the back of the enclosure if you are running out of room for connectors. It will save you from having to trim any boards.
Click to expand...

thank you...

I'm not particularly fond of the case color myself LOL but I wanted something to house it in until I figure out all the details....

I will likely add the controller to my canopy once it is done but I'm not sure if I'll keep it in the project box or build it into my light system...

my main concern is getting it to function right now and try to keep it somewhat organized :)

I built my Jarduino on a piece of acrylic and it stayed that way until I started my canopy, it is now just scattered out on top of the canopy with wires and crap everywhere LOL
 
fefegarcia1 said:
Hi!

Congrats Willie!

Great work!

Best regards.
Click to expand...

thank you Fernando, it's been fun so far

I have another question for you or anybody who may know :)

actually, it's two more questions LOL

I've been looking at the float sensors and trying to figure out how they are supposed to be wired, I have the stereo connectors which have 3 connection terminals, the float sensors are just 2 wires, and I did not know that until this morning...I learn something new every day it seems with the Arduino :)

from looking at the schematics you emailed to me,

floatsensorcircuit_zpsf7c309b6.jpg


I'm assuming that one lead from the float connects to 5v and the other lead connects to the signal wire from the Arduino and the ground is not connected to the float switch in any way.....

is that correct and does it matter which lead on the float switch is connected to each wire from the Arduino ?

if that is the case and since I connected all three pins on the 3.5mm jacks, I'll probable have to redo the ground and remove it from the jacks, that'll be easy to do though, with a little help from the Dremel
 
Hi!

You will use only two wires.

A mono phone plug is enough for you.

As this:

026_solder_leads_to_ts_plug.jpg


GND goes to the resistor only.

I'm assuming that one lead from the float connects to 5v and the other lead connects to the signal wire from the Arduino and the ground is not connected to the float switch in any way.....
Click to expand...

It's Ok.


Best regards.
 
thanks for the conformation Fernando,

that's kinda what I figured,

I'll just cut the trace connecting the third terminal to ground and connect the 2 inner sections of the female stereo jacks and it will work the same as a mono jacks, then just use male mono jacks to connect to the float sensors...that little over site will be easy to fix :)
 
fefegarcia1 said:
Hi!

Willie, if you want you can add a LED to show the status of each float switch.

level.png


Best regards.

Fernando Garcia
Click to expand...

awesome and a great idea,

I may add those Fernando, I like the idea of having a visual confirmation of things in operation....

and after seeing this I double checked my power strip, I have the lighted switches in it on the wrong side of the relays too, they are lit when the switch is on and the status of the relay doesn't matter, I want them to only be lit when the outlet is powered, so I gotta redo that too LOL

if I keep having to redo everything, I'm never gonna get much done, but that is perfectly fine, I really enjoy taking challenges and I learn more from my mistakes than I do from getting things right on the first go around :)

thank you again Fernando, for keeping a helpful watch over me, and for sharing your wealth of valuable wisdom with me :)
 
I'm not anywhere near done with this yet but it is running my lights and WP10s now :)

I can't get my old temp sensors from my Jarduino build to work with the Ferduino, but I wired them up using 2 wire peristaltic and the Ferduino doesn't seem to recognize them, not a big deal though, I ordered more DS18B20s, I'll make some 3 wire probes LOL

I have my fan circuits done so that they will turn on and off with the temp setting once the probes are in place

I'm still waiting on the mailman to deliver more goodies for this, including a new pair of WP25s :) these WP10s are awesome but I want more flow

got the new web based code compiled and loaded but I've still not figured out how to get my Motorola router to let me open my ports so that I can use the web interface but when I figure all that out, I'll be rocking :)

nice job trimming the code down too Fernando, I don't know how you did it without loosing features but you did it, you now have room for even more features, my wife wants it to load and unload the dishwasher, can you put that in there for her ? LOL

no new pics of the controller but I did take a few pics of my LEDs glowing brightly....this was the best way to show off my terrible wiring mess LOL

IMG_3167_zps28fbe1ca.jpg


IMG_3168_zps9c527f49.jpg


IMG_3169_zps40c77fe3.jpg


these are the moon LEDs

IMG_3179_zps6936da27.jpg


these are DIY too if you didn't already know that LOL

there's 84 total LEDs, 40 royal blue, 6 red, 8 green, 4 blue moon LEDs and all the rest are 6500k white and using the Meanwell LDD 700ma drivers on a 48v Meanwell PSU, the moon LEDs are running on a 12v Ebay PSU

besides the moon light channel, I have 4 daylight channels, blue, white, red, and green and will add the 5th channel as soon as I get the Violet LEDs....

I mixed my green LEDs with blue and the red LEDs with white to complete each of their strings, plus I have 1 string of white and 2 strings of blue, I will most likely add another string of blue as well but this is a work in progress that I've tinkered with for over a year now LOL

for a heatsink, I used 5 pieces of 1" aluminum C channel from Lowes but I may go ahead and order an actual heatsink later, this thing works but it looks terrible...which is why I will not post pics without the LEDs glowing brightly LOL

all of these LEDs are Ebay specials too, I didn't wanna screw up high dollar Crees just learning how to make them work LOL now that I have a good understanding of how to wire up LEDs, I may later add some better quality diodes, but honestly, I don't see anything wrong with these :)
 
nice job trimming the code down too Fernando, I don't know how you did it without loosing features but you did it, you now have room for even more features, my wife wants it to load and unload the dishwasher, can you put that in there for her ? LOL
Click to expand...

Hi!

I'll not implement this function.

She'll be disappointed.

Prepare to buy gifts for his wife.

Anyway if you want try make, here have a project to start:

http://forum.arduino.cc/index.php?topic=62135.0

Best regards.

Fernando Garcia
 
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