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

[Bliff]

I have the exact same issue going on too.

 

[Ranjib]

My blue channel is on Interval, no chart for it...

Yup .. this is expected as i have mentioned. Its not a bug .. a new thing that we introduced in reef-pi recently which requires UI support (should be in by 4.0)

 

[AbjectMaelstroM]

Those of you with electrical knowledge, is there an issue to using stranded (flexible) 14awg wire to wire the power bar outlets?

In my original power bar I used standard household 2-1 14awg, but it's a real pia to work with in a small box, was hoping to make it easier by using stranded/more flexible wire.

@Bigtrout

 

[thaistalyn]

There is no issue at all using stranded wire of the same gauge (14awg).
The overall diameter of a 14AWG stranded will be a little bigger than solid AWG (due to air gaps in stranded) so be sure to account for this when using ferrules. Also, when stripping the wire back, don't cut off some of the strands to get it to fit in connectors. This will reduce the "safe" current carrying capability since you're effectively reducing the wire diameter overall.

 

[Badfish2too]

Those of you with electrical knowledge, is there an issue to using stranded (flexible) 14awg wire to wire the power bar outlets?

In my original power bar I used standard household 2-1 14awg, but it's a real pia to work with in a small box, was hoping to make it easier by using stranded/more flexible wire.

@Bigtrout

Key is to use good stranded wire. Some of the stuff that is out there is very low grade aluminum wire.

 

[Jasper05]

Hi I am new here and there is A LOT going on in this thread. I'm looking to build a simple temperature monitor, nothing else, no controller power bar etc. Is there any guide/thread/link on this?

And excuse my naivete, can this be done a Windows box, or is it only programmed via Linux?

 

[Michael Lane]

Hi I am new here and there is A LOT going on in this thread. I'm looking to build a simple temperature monitor, nothing else, no controller power bar etc. Is there any guide/thread/link on this?

And excuse my naivete, can this be done a Windows box, or is it only programmed via Linux?

Temperature monitor can be done pretty simply. I would use a pi zero w and a DS18B20 sensor. Ranjib created a temperature guide. It assumes you have power control, but you can ignore that part.

You don't actually have to do any programming. reef-pi runs on raspberry pi, so it requires linux. It runs its own web server, so you can access it from windows, linux, mac, or anything with a browser.

 

[Jasper05]

Temperature monitor can be done pretty simply. I would use a pi zero w and a DS18B20 sensor. Ranjib created a temperature guide. It assumes you have power control, but you can ignore that part.

You don't actually have to do any programming. reef-pi runs on raspberry pi, so it requires linux. It runs its own web server, so you can access it from windows, linux, mac, or anything with a browser.

Thanks for this. I'll read through

 

[cnidus]

Has anyone setup wavemakers controller by the reef-pi? I’ve got a pair of old jebao wp10’s I was going to hook up to PWM, but not sure how to setup appropriate patterns.

 

[GaryE]

Has anyone setup wavemakers controller by the reef-pi? I’ve got a pair of old jebao wp10’s I was going to hook up to PWM, but not sure how to setup appropriate patterns.

I was curious about the same thing.

 

[bishoptf]

@Michael Lane @Bigtrout working on new build and putting the pieces together, I went the easy route this time and ordered a bunch of stiff from Mike. Looking at the diagrams I see the meanwell PS and was wanting to get more information about it. The part that I am scratching my head is if its a 5v PS how is it also providing 12v power, from the diagram it has something called a 12v boost. I am trying to understand when the 12v connection would be necessary, I know its to provide power for the uln2803, but wanting to understand the when and why and how the 12v boost works from the meanwell. Which meanawell PS are you guys using, do you enclose it in something etc....

Here are my initial plans right now for my build:
DJ strip
Mars Aqua Light
multiple Temp sensors
ATO ( not sure which sensors yet, still researching )

Long range, I will at some point add the dosing and PH modules (which I have right now but not the parts to complete). Right now my build is still dry and I am thinking that I will not need these initially but later on once I get more corals in place etc.

Thanks in advance and thanks for the hardware! :)

 

[AbjectMaelstroM]

@Michael Lane @Bigtrout working on new build and putting the pieces together, I went the easy route this time and ordered a bunch of stiff from Mike. Looking at the diagrams I see the meanwell PS and was wanting to get more information about it. The part that I am scratching my head is if its a 5v PS how is it also providing 12v power, from the diagram it has something called a 12v boost. I am trying to understand when the 12v connection would be necessary, I know its to provide power for the uln2803, but wanting to understand the when and why and how the 12v boost works from the meanwell. Which meanawell PS are you guys using, do you enclose it in something etc....

Here are my initial plans right now for my build:
DJ strip
Mars Aqua Light
multiple Temp sensors
ATO ( not sure which sensors yet, still researching )

Long range, I will at some point add the dosing and PH modules (which I have right now but not the parts to complete). Right now my build is still dry and I am thinking that I will not need these initially but later on once I get more corals in place etc.

Thanks in advance and thanks for the hardware! :)

While you wait on Mike and Bigtrout to respond, I'll see if I can fill in the blanks.

So, there are two voltage inputs on the HAT: a 5v that powers the board and back powers the Pi itself; then there's the 12v, which powers the ULN chip and provides the 12v for things like a doser (if using Mike's Jebao adapter) or the DJ strip. The two inputs operate independently of each other.

To minimize the number of power supplies if you need both the 5v and the 12v, you can get a quality 12v psu like a meanwell, that will get you clean 12v input; then use a buck converter (I use a DROCK as it seems beefier than the cheap 5 packs) to step the 12v down to 5v. Or you could go the other way around and get a step up converter to boost 5v to 12v, but I believe the step down option is preferred (I'll let big boys confirm/deny this).

Hopefully that makes sense.

For example on my Pi, I have 12v coming in to a barrel plug, from the plug I have two sets of leads. One sends 12v to the 12v on the Hat, the other set of leads goes to a DROCK buck converter that brings the voltage down to 5v (actually 5.1v), then the buck converter feeds into the 5v on the Hat.

This is the PSU I'm using.
Mean Well LRS-100-12 Switching Power Supply, Single Output, 12V, 8.5A, 102W, 5.08" L x 3.82" W x 1.18" H Amazon product

 

[bishoptf]

While you wait on Mike and Bigtrout to respond, I'll see if I can fill in the blanks.

So, there are two voltage inputs on the HAT: a 5v that powers the board and back powers the Pi itself; then there's the 12v, which powers the ULN chip and provides the 12v for things like a doser (if using Mike's Jebao adapter) or the DJ strip. The two inputs operate independently of each other.

To minimize the number of power supplies if you need both the 5v and the 12v, you can get a quality 12v psu like a meanwell, that will get you clean 12v input; then use a buck converter (I use a DROCK as it seems beefier than the cheap 5 packs) to step the 12v down to 5v. Or you could go the other way around and get a step up converter to boost 5v to 12v, but I believe the step down option is preferred (I'll let big boys confirm/deny this).

Hopefully that makes sense.

For example on my Pi, I have 12v coming in to a barrel plug, from the plug I have two sets of leads. One sends 12v to the 12v on the Hat, the other set of leads goes to a DROCK buck converter that brings the voltage down to 5v (actually 5.1v), then the buck converter feeds into the 5v on the Hat.

Yup makes perfect sense, I will go the route of 12v and stepping down the voltage for the Pi and then feed 12v straight through. Been over a year since I built the first one and did not go back and look at the power controller diagram to see that 12v is being used by the DJ strip, I get it now so I will wire both up from the 12v supply. I have a bunch of good laptop supplies but will look into the meanwell (which part number if handy?)also, do most have it installed in a separate enclosure?

I still need to start my build thread but keep researching so many things always something else to learn about, thanks for the quick reply!

 

[Michael Lane]

Yup makes perfect sense, I will go the route of 12v and stepping down the voltage for the Pi and then feed 12v straight through. Been over a year since I built the first one and did not go back and look at the power controller diagram to see that 12v is being used by the DJ strip, I get it now so I will wire both up from the 12v supply. I have a bunch of good laptop supplies but will look into the meanwell (which part number if handy?)also, do most have it installed in a separate enclosure?

I still need to start my build thread but keep researching so many things always something else to learn about, thanks for the quick reply!

@AbjectMaelstroM described everything perfectly. I prefer to use a 5v supply and use a boost converter to get 12v, but you can use either voltage as long as you include the appropriate voltage converter.

In my first build, I included the 5v supply in the enclosure. My second reef-pi has an external power supply since it is powering other devices as well. It's mostly personal preference as long as you keep the power supply cool enough.

I'm using a 5 volt 5 amp power supply.

 

[GaryE]

@AbjectMaelstroM described everything perfectly. I prefer to use a 5v supply and use a boost converter to get 12v, but you can use either voltage as long as you include the appropriate voltage converter.

In my first build, I included the 5v supply in the enclosure. My second reef-pi has an external power supply since it is powering other devices as well. It's mostly personal preference as long as you keep the power supply cool enough.

I'm using a 5 volt 5 amp power supply.

I'm using a 24v supply with two adjustable buck converters. One for 12 and one for 5. This way I can power everything in the box plus my three lightbars on one power supply.

I'm afraid though, that if I add too much more crap to it, I'm going to have to get a beefier brick.

Current one is 100 watts, two of the light bars are rated for 30w each.

Right now the power supply runs fairly cool even at peak usage. But I certainly don't want to push my luck.

 

[Bigtrout]

Those of you with electrical knowledge, is there an issue to using stranded (flexible) 14awg wire to wire the power bar outlets?

In my original power bar I used standard household 2-1 14awg, but it's a real pia to work with in a small box, was hoping to make it easier by using stranded/more flexible wire.

@Bigtrout

#14 stranded is perfect, rated for 15 amps so more than adequate.
If you want an added measure of safety, install a fuse on the incoming 120v. for #14 the fuse should be rated 15amps and 120v.

 

[Freccialata]

Hi all.

Waiting for RoboTank controller, I'm playing with my Raspberry and Reef-pi.

I'm not able to setup email alerts.

Every time I try to configure it (from hotmail to hotmail or gmail email address; from gmail to gmail or hotmail email address), I click on the "update" and then to the "Send a message" bottons. Often nothing happens or.... sometimes I receive an error message.

For hotmail I wrote smtp.live.com and port 25 or 465;
For gmail I wrote smtp.gmail.com and port 587, 25 or 465

Of course I have checked in the spam folder.... nothing!!!

If I go to the admin tag and I restart the service and/or reboot the system, when I come back in the telemetry tag... there is no password!!!

Any helps?

 

[AbjectMaelstroM]

Hi all.

Waiting for RoboTank controller, I'm playing with my Raspberry and Reef-pi.

I'm not able to setup email alerts.

Every time I try to configure it (from hotmail to hotmail or gmail email address; from gmail to gmail or hotmail email address), I click on the "update" and then to the "Send a message" bottons. Often nothing happens or.... sometimes I receive an error message.

For hotmail I wrote smtp.live.com and port 25 or 465;
For gmail I wrote smtp.gmail.com and port 587, 25 or 465

Of course I have checked in the spam folder.... nothing!!!

If I go to the admin tag and I restart the service and/or reboot the system, when I come back in the telemetry tag... there is no password!!!

Any helps?

Once password is entered, if you exit, reboot, reload etc and come back the password field will be blank. The password is still there it just doesn't show it.

As for your other problem, what error message do you get? One thing I had to do on Gmail was go into account settings and allow 3rd party (unsecured) access... Don't recall where it settings it is but it's there.

 

[arnmei]

Hello everyone,

new here :)

I have a question: I have installed reef-pi on a Raspberry Pi Zero W. Alerts are working, whenever the temperature is too low or high I have an alert immediately.
However, when the ATO alert(s) don't seem to work correctly. Alert time is set to 60 seconds, after the water level is too low (input of the sensor is working, it shows in the dashboard that the ATO pump outputs turn on) i don't get an alert after 60 seconds… Is this an issue in reef-pi? Or am I missing something?

Thanks in advance everyone!

Arnold

 

[Freccialata]

Once password is entered, if you exit, reboot, reload etc and come back the password field will be blank. The password is still there it just doesn't show it.

Ok. Thank you for the explanation.

As for your other problem, what error message do you get? One thing I had to do on Gmail was go into account settings and allow 3rd party (unsecured) access... Don't recall where it settings it is but it's there.

I usually have no message error... but the test email doesn' arrive in my mailbox.
I just allow 3rd part app in my gmail account settings.

For hotmail no error messages (the same as gmail) or some authentication error (at the moment I don't remember the exact message).