Reef-Pi build... total newb

Tommy_G · Aug 9, 2019

Hi all,

Got a 9g nano reef and looking to run reef-pi as more of a learning exercise than anything, but eventually will be quite helpful.

Learning as i go, I have got the pi3, got reef-pi loaded and the first LED test is complete, going to try the others, but wanted to start my thread build.

I have ordered some headphone jacks and a project box as well as some thermostat probes...

Tommy_G · Aug 9, 2019

Well after a day of messing with it, I feel like I accomplished quite a bit

Via the breadboard, I wired up a temp sensor (havent done the headphone jack thing yet). I even got the ReefPi software to find my gauge and have configured my dashboard to view it!

However, it keeps spiking out to the 185f. then will go back to normal for a few, then spike.

I wired the probe up as:
ground to black
3v3 to red
yellow to GPI04.

For now I have the temp sensor wire-nutted to the probes going into breadboard. I checked the text file that the probe writes to, and it seems to be getting 85000 at times which equates to the 185f.

Could this be a wiring issue, or perhaps the sensor is bad?? Any ideas?

Lastly, in the config screen, under address I have 0.0.0.0:80 ... should that be my PI IP address??

Thanks for any help, thanks to ReefPi contributors as well, I am way outside my wheel house, and have some great functionality already working. Kudos !

Michael Lane · Aug 9, 2019

I'm glad you are able to get things going with reef-pi. I think it's a very fulfilling project.

It's possible the sensor is bad, but it really sounds like an issue with wiring quality. I prefer to use mini-xlr connectors instead of a headphone jack, but it is more expensive.

The IP address of 0.0.0.0 is the default address and shouldn't need to be changed. It will bind to whatever IP address reef-pi is assigned.

Ranjib · Aug 10, 2019

Tommy_G said:
Hi all,

Got a 9g nano reef and looking to run reef-pi as more of a learning exercise than anything, but eventually will be quite helpful.

Learning as i go, I have got the pi3, got reef-pi loaded and the first LED test is complete, going to try the others, but wanted to start my thread build.

I have ordered some headphone jacks and a project box as well as some thermostat probes...

Welcome to reef2reef . Thank you for giving reef-pi a try, if you treat it as a learning experience, I'm sure you'll enjoy the journey, like most DIY projects

. I learned electronics (still learning) through it.

Ranjib · Aug 10, 2019

Tommy_G said:
Well after a day of messing with it, I feel like I accomplished quite a bit

Via the breadboard, I wired up a temp sensor (havent done the headphone jack thing yet). I even got the ReefPi software to find my gauge and have configured my dashboard to view it!

However, it keeps spiking out to the 185f. then will go back to normal for a few, then spike.

I wired the probe up as:
ground to black
3v3 to red
yellow to GPI04.

For now I have the temp sensor wire-nutted to the probes going into breadboard. I checked the text file that the probe writes to, and it seems to be getting 85000 at times which equates to the 185f.

Could this be a wiring issue, or perhaps the sensor is bad?? Any ideas?

Lastly, in the config screen, under address I have 0.0.0.0:80 ... should that be my PI IP address??

Thanks for any help, thanks to ReefPi contributors as well, I am way outside my wheel house, and have some great functionality already working. Kudos !

Has to be wiring issue or bad probe, the temperature should always be in Centigrade . Which file you are looking at exactly? What temperature value reef-pi shows?

Bigtrout · Aug 10, 2019

Tommy_G said:
Well after a day of messing with it, I feel like I accomplished quite a bit

Via the breadboard, I wired up a temp sensor (havent done the headphone jack thing yet). I even got the ReefPi software to find my gauge and have configured my dashboard to view it!

However, it keeps spiking out to the 185f. then will go back to normal for a few, then spike.

I wired the probe up as:
ground to black
3v3 to red
yellow to GPI04.

For now I have the temp sensor wire-nutted to the probes going into breadboard. I checked the text file that the probe writes to, and it seems to be getting 85000 at times which equates to the 185f.

Could this be a wiring issue, or perhaps the sensor is bad?? Any ideas?

Lastly, in the config screen, under address I have 0.0.0.0:80 ... should that be my PI IP address??

Thanks for any help, thanks to ReefPi contributors as well, I am way outside my wheel house, and have some great functionality already working. Kudos !

On the ds18b20 probes a reading of 185f or 85c is the default power up reset reading. That means the measurement sequence where the 1 wire bus was polled and answered has failed. Common reasons for this are insufficient 3.3v power to the probe, noise cause by routing the temp probe near a ac power cord, or bad wiring connections. Very rarely it can be a bad probe.
Check, double check and triple check the wiringmaking sure there isnt a short or bad connectiom, use ethernet or the mini xlr for the probe jacks. Solder the connections good and get rid of the wire nuts and check your temp probe cable routing.

Tommy_G · Aug 10, 2019

Bigtrout said:
On the ds18b20 probes a reading of 185f or 85c is the default power up reset reading. That means the measurement sequence where the 1 wire bus was polled and answered has failed. Common reasons for this are insufficient 5v power to the probe, noise cause by routing the temp probe near a ac power cord, or bad wiring connections. Very rarely it can be a bad probe.
Check, double check and triple check the wiringmaking sure there isnt a short or bad connectiom, use ethernet or the mini xlr for the probe jacks. Solder the connections good and get rid of the wire nuts and check your temp probe cable routing.

5v? I thought it’s was supposed to go to 3v3.....

Could be any of those honestly, I just grabbed some usb plug I had around, no idea how strong it is.

Knowing that’s the default is great info as well.

Ranjib said:
Has to be wiring issue or bad probe, the temperature should always be in Centigrade . Which file you are looking at exactly? What temperature value reef-pi shows?

The video I was watching says you can visit sys/usb/wan1/28-xxxxxx (or something like that) as it writes out the value to that file.

Looks like reefpi is reading that value properly, Also in that file is a YES value, which according to the video says it has connected ok. Even on spike value it says yes.

I will tinker more with it today.

Thanks for help

Bigtrout · Aug 10, 2019

Yes in reef pi its taken to 3.3v just to clarify...but it is a 5v part, the main idea is it needs clean stable voltage with no noise.

You are using a 4.7k ohm resistor as a pull-up correct? That value isnt set in stone and can be as high as 10k and as low as 2k. Some people have had better luck with other values, depending on capacitance of their cables etc.

Tommy_G · Aug 10, 2019

Bigtrout said:
Yes in reef pi its taken to 3.3v just to clarify...but it is a 5v part, the main idea is it needs clean stable voltage with no noise.

You are using a 4.7k ohm resistor as a pull-up correct? That value isnt set in stone and can be as high as 10k and as low as 2k. Some people have had better luck with other values, depending on capacitance of their cables etc.

So I googled that I could serial them together, so did 4x1000 and 2x330... 10k would have been much easier lol...

I read tutorial and was going t do the headphone jacks, wish I had read about the mic jacks before I ordered them...

So I can try 10k easy enough, then I can redo wiring for tighter fit.
I guess learning to solder is in my future... what is the “hat” everyone seems to be using? Does it just plug on top of pi?

Need to research that more...

Tommy_G · Aug 10, 2019

So on enclosure, do I extend all the USB ports to the case?? That feels crazy, but I guess that’s what folks do. Same with powerplug for pi, hdmi? Like all these flush mounts.?

Bigtrout · Aug 10, 2019

Tommy_G said:
So I googled that I could serial them together, so did 4x1000 and 2x330... 10k would have been much easier lol...

I read tutorial and was going t do the headphone jacks, wish I had read about the mic jacks before I ordered them...

So I can try 10k easy enough, then I can redo wiring for tighter fit.
I guess learning to solder is in my future... what is the “hat” everyone seems to be using? Does it just plug on top of pi?

Need to research that more...

Yes the hats sit on top of the pi and have easy to plug onto jacks, makes for alot less soldering. @Michael Lane @theatrus and @wykat all make and sell hats for the pi, they are all a little different focusing on different aspects of a build.

I personally use a hat from @Michael Lane and its been solid and easy to wire too. I have 3 temp probes, 4 channels of pwm for lighting and 8 relays for heaters and equipment. Would be easy to add a doser or ATO as well when I ditch my canisters and install my sump(im freshwater).
I easily added the reef pi ph board to monitor ph and a real time clock to keep raspian from corrupting file date and time issues when I lose the net and or power. I am good with electronics and soldering, but the time savings and ease of use made the hat a no brainer. When you add up all the boards and other small items to make a full build the hat actually may come out even or a bit cheaper as well.

I started building my pi in January 2019 with a pi zero w and the hat and it has been in full control of my lights, heaters and canister filters for my freshwater planted since February. I have had no issues except a bad light power supply causing big time interference, and messing with the ph probe, but thats not a fault of the hat, reef pi or the ph board. Reef pi has been rock solid for me!

Research the hats and see what may fit your needs. It makes a build much quicker and easier.

Tommy_G · Aug 11, 2019

Tracked down the hats, thanks for the info.

Just have to decide if i want to have a go at it, or just spend $30 and move on

On the reef-pi software, is there any capability to send an email to my gmail account, it read it and reply back with status report/picture ???

Just thinking this would be pretty cool. I saw how it texts out using wmail, makes me think i can text back and it respond accordingly...

Michael Lane · Aug 11, 2019

That's a cool idea. reef-pi can't do that, but there may be other software with a similar kind of functionality.
I had set up a rpi as a webcam and that worked OK, but the video quality was pretty low when it was streamed. Occasional still images might be better quality.

Tommy_G · Aug 11, 2019

Michael Lane said:
That's a cool idea. reef-pi can't do that, but there may be other software with a similar kind of functionality.
I had set up a rpi as a webcam and that worked OK, but the video quality was pretty low when it was streamed. Occasional still images might be better quality.

Just have a usb camera?

Michael Lane · Aug 11, 2019

I was using one of the cheap $20 usb webcams. I don't remember the software I was using, but I'll look around tomorrow to see if I can find it.

I just remembered that reef-pi did support image capture at one time. I didn't work on that feature, and I don't remember seeing it, but I found this link. It might be a deprecated feature due to performance impacts, but @Ranjib could say for sure. It uploads images to a google drive.

Tommy_G · Aug 11, 2019

Oh didn’t think of that... guess that could work too...

Just dont want that ribbon in my setup...

My tank is at work, and I envision a separate screen, running something that shows all the things in the tank, ,facts, names, etc.. and also some of the stats.

The pi enclosure will be 1.5 - 2 ft away, with the plugs, sensors etc.

Anyway, I thought camera would be on back of screen somehow,, able to take pics via email, so anyone on a predefined list can email asking for a picture lol

Anyway... one step at a time, I may need to work on my lights once I get temp sensor working. Keeps spiking to 185. Gonna need to solder I think. Or get the reef-pi hat.

AbjectMaelstroM · Aug 11, 2019

If you're wanting a camera to monitor your tank remotely, you can try something like the Nest cam. It's not the cheapest option, however the video quality is great, easy and intuitive to operate. Plus, it sends out push notifications if it's offline due to power outage; not a huge feature, but if you're close to home, gives you a heads up to check up on your tank if possible.

Ranjib · Aug 12, 2019

reef-pi still have support for pi cam (using motion) and ability to take photos periodically. But after using it for some time I realized its highly inefficient. Capturing and downloading image in such performance intensive way risks the controller behavior and commercial webcams are dirt cheap (i use wyze cam for 20$), so I didnt felt like investing in it.