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@Vbsaltydog have u try to build a controller before?
Yes, I run my own custom controller, not based on Arduino.
Here is a fully assignable 8 solid state relay board for $23
SainSmart 8-Channel 5V Solid State Relay Module Board for Arduino Uno Duemilanove MEGA2560 MEGA1280 ARM DSP PIC:Amazon:Computers & Accessories
If the link doesn't work it is an 8 solid state relay by sainsmart for sale on amazon. It is easy to program, and is plug and play with almost all common DIY controllers such as the arduino. On the apex there is a combination of mechanical and solid state relays. This board can easily be installed inside of an 8 outlet powerstrip for the "polished" professional look.
All current reef controllers leave a lot to be desired, which is why I am developing a controller that takes care of those issues and many more things I wish I could do with my apex. When I unveil this thing people's minds will be blown and they ll want one. Gonna be cheaper then the apex and reefkeeper but with more features and capabilities...I prototype my circuits using arduino boards put print my own final circuit boards. Sounds like you may be doing the same thing...
Yes, mine is light years ahead of the leading commercial units. I have nested conditions, configuration wizards, true randomization of lighting/flow to name a few features from a long list. I have many months of heavy development and unit testing done. I have had the units running on established tanks for several months under the most demanding conditions that a reef controller could be asked to handle. I am less concerned with the market than I am with inspiring reef controller manufacturers to raise the bar. If I happen to dominate the market, thats a pleasant biproduct.
I look forward to seeing what you release and a little healthy competition.
my design is complete opposite. just the basics, bare minimum. no bells and whistles. keep it as simple as possible. I do all my outlet control using timer interrupts and input trigger using pin change interrupt. This makes the program run with no lag at all vs programming on the main loop.
go 49ers!
Thats cool. Everybody has their own methods. My lag time is measured in nanoseconds and I am OK with that.
what microcontroller/cpu are you using? as that's a really fast cpu to execute all the features you described in one main loop cycle in nanoseconds. I don't think a 100mhz arm cortex m3 can run that fast.
Nobody said I was running at 100mhz. You dont really think I am going to describe my hardware on a commercial product before its release, do you? (rhetorical)
Got a question folks. Is there a specific rtc tht will work with atmega2560?
I use this kind
New Arduino I2C RTC DS1307 AT24C32 Real Time Clock Module for AVR Arm Pic | eBay
most you will find is this type. It works fine, except it uses a resistor voltage divider to detect if external supply is present, and may affect your circuit if you use a resistor voltage divider in your circuit. This is supported by standard arduino time library. If you have network connection, you can set it up to sync the time to an ntp server.