DIY Control Projects/Ideas (Simple designs, or more complex... Aurdino, Raspberry PI) Projects

[WallyB]

Thought I start a thread since I didn't find one about people making DIY Controllers (Simple or complex).

I have an apex and love it. However I like building projects, since when you build something yourself you can do things exactly the way you want. Also there is the sense of achievement. Using your hands and head to stay mentally active/creative.

Maybe simple: Like a Really Fucntional button and few wire into the Apex Breakout input.

or something a bit more complicated, using your computer, a Raspberry PI, or an ARDIUNO developer board.

Hoping others can share their designs, Coding/logic/ ideas to inspire others, and share tips, tricks, designs.


Here is one of my projects... An Arduino Based Auto Top up I just finished today.
Designed to run my Frag Tank. Separate from DT that run on Apex a distance away.

It's just relays controlled by the ARDUINO, as sensors that sense the Tank Full (so fill up), or RO bucket empty (Alarm that it's time to fill). Few LEDs and a Buzzer. Enhanced a bit with LES and LCD display for status. Also a temp probe to display Tank temp. There is an RTC module to also show time, so it's also clock with date and time in my Sump room area.

The best feature I coded into the logic is a Snooze button. I often disconnect my Tunze Osmilator top up during maintenance. Forget to plug it back in, and days later I notice bubbles in tank since Top up wasn't running. Hate that!!

Parts are as below.

- Case made from packaging for CAR Headlight bulbs and a Case from a IPOD Touch.
- Arduino Uno
- CronDot RTC module with Coin Battery backup
- 5 volt Dual relay module
- A cheap dosing pump
- AC Adapater for pump
- LCD display IC2 controlled
- Buttons, Temp sensor, LED, connectors, and some resistors for the button/sensor pull ups.
- Wires and airline tubing to hook things up.

 

[mstockmaster]

That's pretty slick. If my ato ever dies I'd like to try this out. It would also be fun to integrate an automatic water change as well.

Here's what I did. Fun with Arduino.



https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/a...&share_tid=354844&share_fid=1020&share_type=t

 

[sjeff35]

That's a cool project!

Check this thread out for a DIY controller. I'm building one now and it rocks!!!


https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/r...tank-controller-based-on-raspberry-pi.289256/

 

[WallyB]

That's pretty slick. If my ato ever dies I'd like to try this out. It would also be fun to integrate an automatic water change as well.

Here's what I did. Fun with Arduino.



https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/a...&share_tid=354844&share_fid=1020&share_type=t

Cool. I'd like to look at more of your details, but the link to your thread doesn't work. Please repost.

 

[WallyB]

That's a cool project!

Check this thread out for a DIY controller. I'm building one now and it rocks!!!


https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/r...tank-controller-based-on-raspberry-pi.289256/

Super. I did look into the open source controller at one point. Will have to look again.
I pretty well have all the partf you used in my part bin.

 

[WallyB]

Since this thread is getting some great idea sharing.....

Before I built this Simple ATO, I actually built a more Complex Doser/Water Changer.
Started on the UNO but I ran out of memory, so went with a MEGA.

This project took a year, and that's why the ATO was easier. I reused piece of the code for thing like menus, timing, etc

THIS IS THE DOSER



And this is the WATER CHANGER Feature of that Controller.



I still use that Controller to run my tank.

One thing unique I did, was I Integrated it to talk to my Apex. Using some simple Serial Communcation from an EB8 Port to flip-flop a relay.

There is a thread on the whole controller here...

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2636837http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2636837

 

[mstockmaster]

Cool. I'd like to look at more of your details, but the link to your thread doesn't work. Please repost.

Sorry, here's a working link.

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/arduino-powered-diy-sea-sweep-oscillating-wavemaker-diy.354844/

 

[doughboy]

I made one over 5 years ago. I'm sure most have seen it.

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2332822

I know I posted the exact same thread here on r2r but it seems to have been deleted.
complete with web interface for smartphone. all running on arduino mega.

I started working on a newer version with wifi interface but stopped due to lack of time. I may resume again if I find time and see more interests. Not too many people want to DIY.

 

[sjeff35]

Sorry, here's a working link.

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/arduino-powered-diy-sea-sweep-oscillating-wavemaker-diy.354844/

Thanks for posting that.

Very strange that the link works for me.

 

[sjeff35]

I made one over 5 years ago. I'm sure most have seen it.

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2332822

I know I posted the exact same thread here on r2r but it seems to have been deleted.
complete with web interface for smartphone. all running on arduino mega.

I started working on a newer version with wifi interface but stopped due to lack of time. I may resume again if I find time and see more interests. Not too many people want to DIY.

I need to check this out... VERY COOL.

Love the interface!!!

 

[WallyB]

I need to check this out... VERY COOL.

Love the interface!!!

Yes the web interface is really slick.
I really need to check out Ardiuno Networking, web hosting, which will make control access way better.

However that is why I put Raspberry PI in the subject of this thread. I did fool around with PI a bit, and it's so easy to do what's complex on a Arduino.
One reason for choosing Arduino for all my control project so far is boot up time, speed, and cost.

 

[doughboy]

the webserver code is optimized for arduino. it can serve fairly large static pages gzipped so it is fast. The static pages essentially contain mostly javascript code, so the bulk of the work rendering the web page is done on the browser, and only makes REST calls to the arduino to get data to fill up the page. I had ported most of the code to Teensy board and esp8266 wifi for the new version of the controller but had to suspend the project. I even had pcb made already. The footprint of the pcb is same size as arduino mega board.

Bottom side of board

I hand soldered the SMD components.

 

[WallyB]

the webserver code is optimized for arduino. it can serve fairly large static pages gzipped so it is fast. The static pages essentially contain mostly javascript code, so the bulk of the work rendering the web page is done on the browser, and only makes REST calls to the arduino to get data to fill up the page. I had ported most of the code to Teensy board and esp8266 wifi for the new version of the controller but had to suspend the project. I even had pcb made already. The footprint of the pcb is same size as arduino mega board.

So are you saying the Static Web pages are Zipped (saving storage space). Therefore unzipped on the fly for presentation.
That's an interesting concept if the zip code overhead ratio outweight the page content.
I think that's a great concept.

I see the wifi module in the photo. Something I never played with but would like to try. However with the way my Wifi is working lately, I kind of rather say with Ethernet.

Having said that. I'm sure you know that the ramp up time to learn all these things is challenging.
Sometime easier to keep things simple with a few buttons. Pure standalone.

The OPENSOURCE code is certainly a time saver, and speeds up the whole process, so you can get into personal customization.

 

[WallyB]

Might as well share a bit more about my setup. I just completed my sump room rebuild (after a House flood in basement. Nothing to do with Tank which everyone thinks caused my flood. It was a copper pipe in wall)

This is the sump room build where my controllers will be properly installed.
I spend 6 months to upgrade the basement office with a New Larger 110G Tank.
Key focus was super tidy wiring with easy access for maintenance.


Tech Lighting is something I like thus why I included LEDS in my projects.

The thread on my SumpRoom/Tank upgrade is ongoing. Just got SPS frags in a few weeks ago.

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/★...t-genesis-total-automation-diy-more-★.395704/

 

[doughboy]

yes, gzip the page so it is really small, so takes a couple milliseconds to transmit to client browser, and the heavy lifting is done on the client browser, so the client browser will unzip and execute the javascript and build the web page on the client (smartphone). There is no overhead on the arduino side, as the static files are "pre-gzipped" before you save them to the sd card. The page is just a skeleton page, and the javascript will make small http calls back to arduino to get data like temp, ph values to fill in the final page.
yes. there are pros and cons for web based and standalone.

 

[WallyB]

Super. I did look into the open source controller at one point. Will have to look again.
I pretty well have all the partf you used in my part bin.

Ahh. So this is a PI not an Ardiuno.
I wonder what response time you get with OS running on PI.
For my dosing controller, I clock things in milliseconds so I can actually calibrate dosing pumps (dead on), and dose a drop at a time, but also can dose 100ml+++.

 

[WallyB]

yes, gzip the page so it is really small, so takes a couple milliseconds to transmit to client browser, and the heavy lifting is done on the client browser, so the client browser will unzip and execute the javascript and build the web page on the client (smartphone). There is no overhead on the arduino side, as the static files are "pre-gzipped" before you save them to the sd card. The page is just a skeleton page, and the javascript will make small http calls back to arduino to get data like temp, ph values to fill in the final page.
yes. there are pros and cons for web based and standalone.

Cool. I ordered a SD card module from China. Sitting in box.
Biggest problem with my ATO project, it I got into some custom character, and animations, and at the end ran out of space.
I had to limit things to fit, and I tuned varibles and stuff.

My ATO sketch compiles like below.

Just 10 bytes left. cutting it as close as you can get. MEGA board would solve this, but then it doesn't fit into that NICE ATO case.

Will the SD card give me storage space back? For program, or only data?

 

[WallyB]

oh.oh.

I think I am getting confused with PI vs Ardiuno projects.
My fault for doing both on one thread.
But I still like having both technologies to talk about and consider.

LET's all JUST BE CLEAR WHEN POSTING ( PI Project, or ARDIUNO Project)

All my controllers (Doser and ATO) are Ardiuno.

 

[doughboy]

sd card can possibly save both program and data, but the sd card and ethernet library will take up some space, so you will need to use a mega for the additional memory. there are arduino optimization techniques you can find using google search.

I never ventured into PI projects, as it is a lot easier to write really efficient bare metal assembly code on arduino and ARM cpu used by teensy.

 

[WallyB]

sd card can possibly save both program and data, but the sd card and ethernet library will take up some space, so you will need to use a mega for the additional memory. there are arduino optimization techniques you can find using google search.

I never ventured into PI projects, as it is a lot easier to write really efficient bare metal assembly code on arduino and ARM cpu used by teensy.

Sounds like the SD card won't help me. Thanks. At least I won't waste my time.

I did look into other Small ARDINO board like the ZERO which has 256 kB just like the Mega.
(Problem is Zero is 3.3Volt, vs 5Volt on Uno/Mega, and that makes interfacing a re-work).

https://www.arduino.cc/en/Products/Compare

However my case will actually fit a MEGA in there. Just barely.
I'll have to stack my relays on top.

And I totally agree with you on using Ardiuno over the PI for this kind of stuff.