reef-pi :: An opensource reef tank controller based on Raspberry Pi.

[wykat]

Hi,

I'm new to Reef and Reef-Pi but have an 1.x version running without any external peripherals yet. I've ordered the I2C board (PCA9685) and the relais board in order to install and test the installation. Now I'm a little puzzled about the power supply, 10V with step down (to Raspberry) or 5V with step up to 10V...?

I don't believe 2 complete power supplies will be needed, so what would be the most safe way? This is what concerns me the most, how to ensure to get it ultimate stable (SW bugs, Electricity interruption, etc.)

Wykat

 

[Erica-Renee]

Hi,

I'm new to Reef and Reef-Pi but have an 1.x version running without any external peripherals yet. I've ordered the I2C board (PCA9685) and the relais board in order to install and test the installation. Now I'm a little puzzled about the power supply, 10V with step down (to Raspberry) or 5V with step up to 10V...?

I don't believe 2 complete power supplies will be needed, so what would be the most safe way? This is what concerns me the most, how to ensure to get it ultimate stable (SW bugs, Electricity interruption, etc.)

Wykat

The pie runs on 5 .most use 2.5 to 3 amp... The reason you see people using (including myself) is to run your pca 9685 off a separate power supply then the pie ,As the pi is limited on current. Also of course you will need power supply at the voltage say of your led, (if you use lights) Dosing pumps , and so on.. A switching transister will also be needed to seperate low voltage (pi = signal pin)From higher voltage the uln or npn gated transistors....

Short answer . best practice is to have a higher voltage power supply and step it down . I think....You could use resistors and so on to step down to desired voltage in separate circuits

No electronics expert ... Still learning ..

 

[wykat]

Hmm,

I do have some electronics and software background (although >30 years old) but from my understanding the 10V PVM signal is a very low current signal whereas the 5V Raspberry requires a stable supply. That's why I'm confused.

rgrds,
Wykat

 

[MaccaPopEye]

@Ranjib,
I work a good bit in Inventor. I haven't been working on any case plans, but I can take any design concepts you have and work them out. If you are looking for something else to keep you from sleeping, Autodesk Fusion 360 is an awesome free software.

Can confirm Fusion 360 is great, I should be sleeping right now but I'm fixing up the design of my power board and main brain enclosure :p

 

[Ranjib]

Hello hive minds,
I have cut a new release build for reef-pi (2.0.0-beta-2),
https://github.com/reef-pi/reef-pi/releases/tag/2.0.0-beta-2

This is mostly a bug fix release and a beta release, intended for folks who wants to test out the 2.0 features . Following are the summary of changes

• Doser schedule , ui and several other bug fixes
• Spelling errors in chart is fixed
• Update button color changes across doser and dashboard configuration is fixed
• Equipment tab showing wrong outlet association after an equipment is deleted fixed
• Ph values are now rounded off to two decimal point

There are some other technical chores related changes that made through this release as well (reusing common jsx modules for confirm dialog, improved ui test for timer module )

Release builds can be found in usual location (link above )

 

[Ranjib]

Just a normal plunge router amazing bits of kit once you learn how to use them with some control. Took me months of practice but got it now. Thanks though the fact you thought they were cnc is a huge compliment

I have great deal of respect for folks who know wood working. My limited space does not allow me to do a lot of wood working (neither i am good at it), but I have always found wood working to be one of the st humbling , thorough and cherishable craft.

 

[Ranjib]

“The woods are lovely, dark and deep. But I have promises to keep. Miles to go before I sleep, and miles to go before I sleep”- Robert Frost

 

[Ranjib]

double post

 

[Ranjib]

Hi,

I'm new to Reef and Reef-Pi but have an 1.x version running without any external peripherals yet. I've ordered the I2C board (PCA9685) and the relais board in order to install and test the installation. Now I'm a little puzzled about the power supply, 10V with step down (to Raspberry) or 5V with step up to 10V...?

I don't believe 2 complete power supplies will be needed, so what would be the most safe way? This is what concerns me the most, how to ensure to get it ultimate stable (SW bugs, Electricity interruption, etc.)

Wykat

Do you know what all you want to control? I if it’s only pi, ph, temperature and ato , then a 5v 3amp power supply will be enough. If you want to control kessil or some other equipment that require higher voltage (say 10v) , then go with 12v 2 amp supply and use lm2596 to step down each different low voltage requirement

 

[Greg456]

Hello hive minds,
I have cut a new release build for reef-pi (2.0.0-beta-2),
https://github.com/reef-pi/reef-pi/releases/tag/2.0.0-beta-2

This is mostly a bug fix release and a beta release, intended for folks who wants to test out the 2.0 features . Following are the summary of changes

• Doser schedule , ui and several other bug fixes
• Spelling errors in chart is fixed
• Update button color changes across doser and dashboard configuration is fixed
• Equipment tab showing wrong outlet association after an equipment is deleted fixed
• Ph values are now rounded off to two decimal point

There are some other technical chores related changes that made through this release as well (reusing common jsx modules for confirm dialog, improved ui test for timer module )

Release builds can be found in usual location (link above )

Testing on Rasberry pi zero W - Doser scheduling is working!
only problem I'm seeing at this time is when going to configuration tab I have 404 page not found on the top

 

[Ranjib]

Testing on Rasberry pi zero W - Doser scheduling is working!
only problem I'm seeing at this time is when going to configuration tab I have 404 page not found on the top

Thats a benign error. Ignore it for the time being, i'll clean it up before the final 2.0 release. Its resulting from disabled modules.

 

[philshel]

We need folks with cad (sketchup or solidworks) knowledge .that will solve all our housing /fixture issues. This along side a pcb that simplified the circuit will bring down the learning curve / build time .i would still prefer through hole components though, since they are easy to solder and I like the diy aspect ...just thinking out loud about a build kit

This is where I fall short. I'm an ex machinist, have a full wood shop, and a 3D printer but I'm a novice at CAD and not a very good designer. I'm waiting for some talented person to design an enclosure/s. I can build anything along as I have the plans.

 

[Erica-Renee]

Will update it later tonight or tomorrow morning.. Finally our new Heating and Air system will be delivered by noon tomorrow.. Wee NO MORE WINDOW AC Units .


Carpentry is what i do for a living .
ericaremodel.trade This is me...

 

[justin1698]

Testing on Rasberry pi zero W - Doser scheduling is working!
only problem I'm seeing at this time is when going to configuration tab I have 404 page not found on the top

For the doser part do you just use a 12v relay to the pumps and tell them to run for so many seconds based on the amount you wish to dose?

 

[Ranjib]

For the doser part do you just use a 12v relay to the pumps and tell them to run for so many seconds based on the amount you wish to dose?

You can also control their speed with pwm generated by pi or pca9685 and then amplify it using l293d

 

[justin1698]

You can also control their speed with pwm generated by pi or pca9685 and then amplify it using l293d

Is that essential or will it work with just the relay?

 

[Ranjib]

Is that essential or will it work with just the relay?

If you just want relay then use the timer module for dosing (for something like brs doser) , the doser module is for pwm based speed controlled dosing.

 

[sector9]

I experienced a failure to my raspberry pi board this weekend. I got my replacement yesterday and got it set up today with the new reef pi 2.0 beta 2 above. Thanks for all the active progress Ranjib!

I wanted to ask regarding ATO setup. I have the optical water sensors that operate reverse to the native logic of reef-pi (i.e. when ATO sensor is in water, it gives value of 0 and vice versa). [BTW, I prefer these sensors anyway because if the sensor accidentally comes unplugged, the ATO pump will give value of 0 and will not turn on the pump.] I tried adding the ATO sensor as an input with both the reverse option checked and unchecked and it didn't seem to make a difference? Reefpi still turned on and off the pump opposite the way I need it to run.

 

[Ranjib]

I experienced a failure to my raspberry pi board this weekend. I got my replacement yesterday and got it set up today with the new reef pi 2.0 beta 2 above. Thanks for all the active progress Ranjib!

I wanted to ask regarding ATO setup. I have the optical water sensors that operate reverse to the native logic of reef-pi (i.e. when ATO sensor is in water, it gives value of 0 and vice versa). [BTW, I prefer these sensors anyway because if the sensor accidentally comes unplugged, the ATO pump will give value of 0 and will not turn on the pump.] I tried adding the ATO sensor as an input with both the reverse option checked and unchecked and it didn't seem to make a difference? Reefpi still turned on and off the pump opposite the way I need it to run.

This is a bug then. Let me take a look.

 

[Ranjib]

I experienced a failure to my raspberry pi board this weekend. I got my replacement yesterday and got it set up today with the new reef pi 2.0 beta 2 above. Thanks for all the active progress Ranjib!

I wanted to ask regarding ATO setup. I have the optical water sensors that operate reverse to the native logic of reef-pi (i.e. when ATO sensor is in water, it gives value of 0 and vice versa). [BTW, I prefer these sensors anyway because if the sensor accidentally comes unplugged, the ATO pump will give value of 0 and will not turn on the pump.] I tried adding the ATO sensor as an input with both the reverse option checked and unchecked and it didn't seem to make a difference? Reefpi still turned on and off the pump opposite the way I need it to run.

I found this bug, sorry about this, bad mistake from my side. Fixed right now, https://github.com/reef-pi/reef-pi/pull/379

How urgently you need this? I was planning to fix couple of more things before making another release, but if you need this to get your ato going, I'll cut a release now. ATOs cant be offline for a day.