My Reef pi build - Well, my Viparspectra PWM light controller :D

ph123uk · Jan 25, 2019

And so it begins.

I must say, im not overly enamoured by an "all in one box" that controls everything - if that breaks - it means bad things.

So, im going to start out with a simple (lol) light controller for my viparspectra - I can always add more bits to it later (was thinking dosing pump / temp monitoring)

Installed reef-pi the usual way, very easy

I then bugged, annoyed, ask questions, lost my mind, cried, threw myself to the floor bashing my fists trying to understand the electronics needed to make my "simple" 2 channel light ramp up and down.

I THINK I have it figured now thanks to numerous peoples help - especially @Diamond1 and his "baby steps" photos, explanations and diagrams.

I will make a full step by step as I am going alone.

First bits have arrived:

Im going to be using a laptop powersupply, which output is converted using a little DC-DC voltage convertor (LM2596 - 2 of them in the picture above, in case I decide to add anything else that needs 12v) to 5v for the Pi to function.

More to follow.

Diamond1 · Jan 25, 2019

Following along.
Feel free to reach out in between crying and fist bashing if you have any more questions.

Lots of reef-pi folks here to help overcome any problems you come across.

ph123uk · Jan 25, 2019

Seems strange, but the pins looked bigger in the pictures haha - hope my eyes can cope with the soldering of the I/O pin that came with the pi hat

ph123uk · Jan 25, 2019

Here's the poor laptop PSU which will give its life for my benefit.

crusso1993 · Jan 25, 2019

ph123uk said:
Here's the poor laptop PSU which will give its life for my benefit.

Is that red on your coffee mug, from the self-punishment, blood?

You'll do fine! However, please feel free to take video should you actually blow yourself up!

Also, some people have more than one reef pi running to control their systems.

ph123uk · Jan 25, 2019

crusso1993 said:
Is that red on your coffee mug, from the self-punishment, blood?

You'll do fine! However, please feel free to take video should you actually blow yourself up!

Also, some people have more than one reef pi running to control their systems.

Haha! Nearly the same after the last game, but its my Football (Soccer grrrrrr) teams Manager - Jurgen Klopp - Liverpool FC

And might grab a PiZero for the dosing station if I make one

ph123uk · Jan 25, 2019

Ok, here is the fritzing diagram which I THINK is correct!

The Driver wire colours are correct to the viparspectra so I understand from a lovely post from @Diamond1

crusso1993 · Jan 25, 2019

The black is positive and the red is negative coming from your Viparspectra?

ph123uk · Jan 25, 2019

Nope! - Wish it was as that's the colours we use in the UK! - This is what @Diamond1 has shown me : RED=GND / BLACK=PWM / GREEN=12v / YELLOW=Off/On - I thought this was strange also.

crusso1993 · Jan 25, 2019

ph123uk said:
Nope! - Wish it was as that's the colours we use in the UK! - This is what @Diamond1 has shown me : RED=GND / BLACK=PWM / GREEN=12v / YELLOW=Off/On - I thought this was strange also.

Ahhh... I see.

b4tn · Jan 25, 2019

Glad you started a build thread. I just looked over your diagram and I think you have the concept! Dont forget to adjust your buck converter first before plugging everything in. It will seem like you spin the little adjustment screw 100 times before the voltage starts changing. Just be aware that if you keep going it will eventually start changing the voltage. That power supply has more than enough power than you will ever need, I use a laptop power supply as well.

ph123uk · Jan 25, 2019

Aye, thankyou, I will get the PSU wired to the Puck and pop the multimeter on it, hoping it's relatively straight forward from there

Diamond1 · Jan 25, 2019

ph123uk said:
Ok, here is the fritzing diagram which I THINK is correct!

The Driver wire colours are correct to the viparspectra so I understand from a lovely post from @Diamond1

That looks like good.

ph123uk · Jan 26, 2019

No going back!

Erica-Renee · Jan 26, 2019

I have a Bunch of these lights and would Like to do this once Clustering comes to reef-pi.... Can do this with a pi zero inside the Light housing to connect to the Master Reef-pi i am assuming as a tab.