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

[dmolavi]

@Ranjib - I think that for my DLI smart power switch, I'm going to need to create a new driver, since I will still need the 'equipment' module for other stuff (ATO monitoring, specifically).

To do this, I'll have to clone/fork the main git repo for reef-pi and reef-pi/drivers/ correct? Then drop my stuff into a new subdirectory in there...

How will I ensure that my code is built into reef-pi?

Also, where do I put UI elements for it?

 

[Dave's Reef]

Nice, what size box is that? I see you have power, lights, doser, and temp/ATO. What are the relays for?

The box is a 9x6x3.5 ish. The relays run solenoids one is a spare one will run my RO/DI solenoid for my ATO

 

[b4tn]

I got to thinking with all this talk about heater switching and my heater switches on and off a lot even set to 1 minute check intervals. This cant be good on a mechanical relay. I started looking at some solid state relays that could be used just for the heater channel and they all have a max current draw of 2 amps. I have a 250 watt heater and was actually looking to get a 300 watt soon so 250/120=2.07 amps and 300/120=2.5 amps. Does anyone know of a source for 3-4 amp 12 volt solid state relays?

 

[Diamond1]

I got to thinking with all this talk about heater switching and my heater switches on and off a lot even set to 1 minute check intervals. This cant be good on a mechanical relay. I started looking at some solid state relays that could be used just for the heater channel and they all have a max current draw of 2 amps. I have a 250 watt heater and was actually looking to get a 300 watt soon so 250/120=2.07 amps and 300/120=2.5 amps. Does anyone know of a source for 3-4 amp 12 volt solid state relays?

Maybe something like this?
https://www.amazon.com/Solid-State-...54737&sr=8-16&keywords=12v+solid+state+relays

 

[stefanm]

I got to thinking with all this talk about heater switching and my heater switches on and off a lot even set to 1 minute check intervals. This cant be good on a mechanical relay. I started looking at some solid state relays that could be used just for the heater channel and they all have a max current draw of 2 amps. I have a 250 watt heater and was actually looking to get a 300 watt soon so 250/120=2.07 amps and 300/120=2.5 amps. Does anyone know of a source for 3-4 amp 12 volt solid state relays?

You'll need something like this, should be simple to hook up, the Jayfish controller (similar to reef pi) uses this for its dosing set up.

 

[Diamond1]

Maybe something like this?
https://www.amazon.com/Solid-State-...54737&sr=8-16&keywords=12v+solid+state+relays

Nevermind it's for 24v dc load switching.

 

[b4tn]

@Diamond1 , @stefanm , both are exactly what i was looking for. Thanks

 

[Ranjib]

@Ranjib I'm going to have a play with hooking up four dosing pump heads today via a PCA 9685, so do I need two inputs into the l293d from the pi's gpio per head? That's a total of 8 plus 2 more to the PCA SCA/SDL, so that's a total of 10, does it matter which gpio pins I can use?

Also I'll be running 8 relays, so that's 8 more pins gone, plus the data for the temperature probes, so I'll be up to 19, now if I also want to run lights later on with another PCA 9685 (version 3.0?) do I have enough useable pins?

We use the gpio pins in doser guide to control the direction of motors. If you don’t need it, you don’t really have to use it. You can just connect those pins to GND and 3.3v and they should be fine and working in a fixed direction (or use jumpers). As others have pointed out , you can use spi gpio pin as well

 

[Ranjib]

Finally finished up my second reef-pi build. Time to start the 3rd

Epic :-) . Thank you for sharing

 

[DirtDiggler2823]

Epic :-) . Thank you for sharing

What size is that doser box?

 

[stefanm]

We use the gpio pins in doser guide to control the direction of motors. If you don’t need it, you don’t really have to use it. You can just connect those pins to GND and 3.3v and they should be fine and working in a fixed direction (or use jumpers). As others have pointed out , you can use spi gpio pin as well

Sorry a touch confused, do you mean the pi's gpio or the control pins on the l239d (I'm using a breakout board)

I did hook it all up earlier and allocated the jack's and the gpio pins on the doser via the pca 9685, all recognised, however I didn't hook up any motors I just tested with my multimeter on the calibrate function, I didn't get any voltage reading at all, do I need to hook up a motor or should I be getting a reading without one? I did cross check I've wired up properly.

 

[b4tn]

PWM control will go to either PRI pins 18 and 19 or come from the PCA9685. If you are just wanting the motor to go in one direction run say the green control signal to ground and the blue to the GPIO output of your choosing. Dont forget to creat the virtual equipment in reefpi for those GPIO controls and turn them on.

 

[stefanm]

PWM control will go to either PRI pins 18 and 19 or come from the PCA9685. If you are just wanting the motor to go in one direction run say the green control signal to ground and the blue to the GPIO output of your choosing. Dont forget to creat the virtual equipment in reefpi for those GPIO controls and turn them on.

Thanks, got it, will give it a try.

 

[b4tn]

@Ranjib Is there a way to put multiple addressees in the alert to: box? I Like to have a txt alert so I have my txt email in there but I cant have cell phones at work so I would like to have my email address in there as well. I tried "," and ";" but doesnt seem to work.

 

[Ranjib]

@Ranjib Is there a way to put multiple addressees in the alert to: box? I Like to have a txt alert so I have my txt email in there but I cant have cell phones at work so I would like to have my email address in there as well. I tried "," and ";" but doesnt seem to work.

Not yet. Should be an easy feature to implement.
You can also do some other hacks, like create an alias or google group and add multiple email in it, and then send alert to that group

 

[b4tn]

Not yet. Should be an easy feature to implement.
You can also do some other hacks, like create an alias or google group and add multiple email in it, and then send alert to that group

That’s perfect. Thanks.

 

[Dave B]

I have this in my mind. If you check the old posts in this thread , there should be a few posts of me talking about reef-pi physical interface. A barebone lcd panel/mechanical button based interface to do basic configuration as well as display summary information. This does not need to be in reef-pi , that was my learning. I was able to run a dedicated program that uses reef-pi api to get the data and show in a lcd panel .. etc

Does the API allow external calls to Reef-Pi? I have a Windows sql based full house automation system with customizable GUI's and would love to integrate Reef Pi into that system.

 

[Dave B]

Finally finished up my second reef-pi build. Time to start the 3rd

Lots going on in that little box! Nice space management!

 

[Dave B]

I have a few questions now that I am up and going. I have searched this thread and several others and sort of have some answers, but I figured that I would ask my questions in one place.
1. Is the Dashboard customizable? I would like to change the background to black and also add buttons for the equipment. I also would like to add a few quick buttons for scripts. Something like a Feeding Time script run button to the dash.
2. How do Macros actuate? Can a timer start a macro?
3. Is there a timer settings guideline someplace?
4. What does the "Enable Profiling" checkbox do?
5. In Timer setup - What is a subsystem?
6. Under camera setup, where do you define the setting for the upload to Gdrive option?

Thanks and sorry about all the questions.

 

[Ranjib]

Does the API allow external calls to Reef-Pi? I have a Windows sql based full house automation system with customizable GUI's and would love to integrate Reef Pi into that system.

yes. in fact entire UI is backed by reef-pi's HTTP/JSON based api. Anything you do by reef-pi UI can be done by API, and it can be any external program. the API was thoroughly documented for 1.0, for 2.0 i didnt get the time to work on API docs. If you want to do somethig specific, let us know, happy to chalk out the details (in case code is not helpful).
API is what gives us the foundation to do clustering