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Talk about fun sensor hardware, MCUs, PCBs and how to power your sensors here.

  • Pro Micro?

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    It is possible to connect the radio, you can find instructions for example here. CE/CSN to any unised digital pin, IRQ not needed. However there are 2 pitfalls: voltage: You need to have 3.3v to power the radio. Pro Micro module is sold in 5V version or 3.3V version. 5V version don't have 3.3V pin output, so you have to arrange that by an external regulator. If you have 3.3V version, then it's fine for the radio, but such board is working on 8MHz, so it's not compatible with Leonardo target in Arduino IDE, you need to have hack that there. MCU there is different than Arduino Uno/Pro Mini, sleep modes are different; someone here reported that sleep is not working with MySensors, you can search here for experience with that. I made some helper PCBs for pro micro, you can check here. [image: upload-57ad0499-3d7e-4dfd-bfe1-b666f9b05fb8.jpg]
  • ATMEGA48V-10PI

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    @Mickey What would be the use case? One can't do much with 4kB flash on the controller there.
  • Design a pcb that has 6 layers

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    @Ozal I had similar board which **pcbbasket made it for me, the cost was a bit higher, but they made exactly as I wanted. So I recommend them www.pcbbasket.com **
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    I finally made them work :) I was not using the right clock for programming, 16MHz instead of 8MHz... Thanks @AWI ;)
  • Arduino NRF24L01 simple universal board

    arduino pro min arduino nrf24l01
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    @AWI said: Can you share what is in the box? I am getting curious.. [image: upload-b4b8c6d2-ace5-400e-90c9-4c4dcfd4d4aa.jpg] arduino_nrf24l01.rar
  • Aluminium Case for MySensors

    wireless case sensor
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    If you look at the Netatmo devices you can see that they have plastic caps and a long plastic notch. I'd bet that the antenna can be found in such an area... I dont think that a small thickness will help to let the radio signal pass. Think of that very thin µ-metal sheet covers on high frequency circuits e.g. in TV or Radio inputs (where you want to stop a radio transmission). They are built to not let radio waves pass and they are thin - so I dont think the thickness plays a major role. As Bulldog wrote paramagnetic blocks radio waves. And aluminum stays paramagnetic even if you reduce the thickness. But I made the experience that relatively small areas, where the radio waves will not get blocked (e.g. plastic caps) can make the difference between no signal and "its working". Also keep in mind that nearly all antennas have a direction. So changing the orienation of the antenna might dramatically change the transmitting capabilties.
  • Approved in-wall switches and dimmers

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    @Session Yes, there are plenty of "certified" dimmers that are controlled by PWM or 0-10V input. However, there are also plenty of "certified" LED drivers that you can also use by connecting the (-) negative side of the DC output to the Arduino ground, and the (-) negative side of your LED to the mosfet output. Certification is for the AC part of the Driver. The great thing about the new LEDS is that you can control the DC side and not worry about controlling the AC. You don't need a triac, you don't need a zero crossing detector, simply switch on and off (PWM) the negative side of the DC part of the light.
  • Electric Gates Sensor

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    @tbowmo The last time I needed a non-standard thread (for a camera tripod-like mount) I had to go to Würth. They charge about an arm and a leg for a few screws, but on the other hand the metal is probably very high-grade and resistant to corrosion.
  • RF433MHZ sensor

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    I am not sure, I bought some relays from Ebay. If I use the MySensors 433RF Sketch, the receiver recognises the remotes. /* * This sketch demonstrates how to use InterruptChain to receive and * decode remote switches (old and new) and remote sensors. * * Basically, this sketch combines the features of the ShowReceivedCode * and ShowReceivedCodeNewKaku examples of RemoteSwitch and the * ThermoHygroReceiver of RemoteSensor all at the same time! * * After uploading, enable the serial monitor at 115200 baud. * When you press buttons on a 433MHz remote control, as supported by * RemoteSwitch or NewRemoteSwitch, the code will be echoed. * At the same time, if data of a remote thermo/hygro-sensor is * received, as supported by RemoteSensor, it will be echoed as well. * * Setup: * - connect a 433MHz receiver on digital pin 2. * * * MySensor note: This example has not yet been adopted but can be used as an example * of receiving 433Mhz stuff. * * One idea could be to echo received 433 codes back to gateway to be able to pick up and * handle data over there. * */ #include <RemoteReceiver.h> #include <NewRemoteReceiver.h> #include <SensorReceiver.h> #include <InterruptChain.h> void setup() { Serial.begin(115200); // Interrupt -1 to indicate you will call the interrupt handler with InterruptChain RemoteReceiver::init(-1, 2, showOldCode); // Again, interrupt -1 to indicate you will call the interrupt handler with InterruptChain NewRemoteReceiver::init(-1, 2, showNewCode); // And once more, interrupt -1 to indicate you will call the interrupt handler with InterruptChain SensorReceiver::init(-1, showTempHumi); // On interrupt, call the interrupt handlers of remote and sensor receivers InterruptChain::addInterruptCallback(0, RemoteReceiver::interruptHandler); InterruptChain::addInterruptCallback(0, NewRemoteReceiver::interruptHandler); InterruptChain::addInterruptCallback(0, SensorReceiver::interruptHandler); } void loop() { // You can do other stuff here! } // shows the received code sent from an old-style remote switch void showOldCode(unsigned long receivedCode, unsigned int period) { // Print the received code. Serial.print("Code: "); Serial.print(receivedCode); Serial.print(", period: "); Serial.print(period); Serial.println("us."); } // Shows the received code sent from an new-style remote switch void showNewCode(NewRemoteCode receivedCode) { // Print the received code. Serial.print("Addr "); Serial.print(receivedCode.address); if (receivedCode.groupBit) { Serial.print(" group"); } else { Serial.print(" unit "); Serial.print(receivedCode.unit); } switch (receivedCode.switchType) { case NewRemoteCode::off: Serial.print(" off"); break; case NewRemoteCode::on: Serial.print(" on"); break; case NewRemoteCode::dim: Serial.print(" dim level "); Serial.print(receivedCode.dimLevel); break; case NewRemoteCode::on_with_dim: Serial.print(" on with dim level "); Serial.print(receivedCode.dimLevel); break; } Serial.print(", period: "); Serial.print(receivedCode.period); Serial.println("us."); } // Shows the received sensor data void showTempHumi(byte *data) { // is data a ThermoHygro-device? if ((data[3] & 0x1f) == 0x1e) { // Yes! byte channel, randomId; int temp; byte humidity; // Decode the data SensorReceiver::decodeThermoHygro(data, channel, randomId, temp, humidity); // Print temperature. Note: temp is 10x the actual temperature! Serial.print("Temperature: "); Serial.print(temp / 10); // units Serial.print('.'); Serial.println(temp % 10); // decimal } }
  • nRF24LE1 full controller to control devices and sensors reading!!

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    They also make a slightly fatter module with USB: http://www.nordicsemi.com/eng/Products/2.4GHz-RF/nRF24LU1P This puppy does come in 32Kb flash variant.
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    @PotatoBattery You have probably already found the solution for your issue, but for the sake of variety, here is my take on the matter. [image: upload-41343723-da07-492a-ad92-a2c3f45a7bfa.jpg] The battery is a generic lithium phone battery, 2300mAh in this case. The solar cell is a 5,5V, 30mAh one. It is enclosed in resin. The battery charger is a 1A lithium charger with battery protection. I've replaced the programming resistor with a 10k, to better suit the solar cell output current capabilities. The battery gets 15mA, on a sunny day. All the components are from eBay. And you can buy the Arudino board here, on mysensors.org. [image: upload-0709f7e6-73c0-4276-bde9-64bc76a97947.jpg] Everything fit perfectly. [image: upload-87599f77-07ab-4173-9a25-8463fd73875a.jpg]
  • Video - "Getting Started with the nRF24L01 Transceiver"

    nrf24l01
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  • TX RX ERR - LED for Sensors

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    I use something similar mainly to show if messages are received. For this purpose I created a small class/ library to blink and time LED's. The class uses a similar syntax as Bounce2 for assigning and handling LED's attached to output pins. LedFlash. A code example: https://codebender.cc/sketch:85200
  • Small Mosfet transistor to high power Mosfet driver

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  • Amazon place to buy parts

    store
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    @Trixcomp said: 10-Best-Electronics-Suppliers What's best... for who? US residents? ;) Naa. we've cannot just focus on US when it comes to parts. And I'm from Sweden actually. Last month visits: [image: upload-e3df2c90-e430-4c86-897b-4daa18971642.png] [image: upload-81fb3c4e-030c-4857-a573-55ff4bc0711a.png]
  • External power supply to radio

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    @ServiceXp said: I just can't believe that the display, rfm12b and NRF24 on the same 3.3v rail is under 50ma,... not too mention the other stuff on it.. You could try disconnecting everything except the NRF24 and see what happens? I can't even get my NRF24's to work with the shop's listed boost with the Pro Mini attached without a 'massive' capacitor. I tried to put a separate power supply. General supply 5V 2 Amps. I do not have the controller and I put two arduino nano for 3.3 volts [image: upload-b4d19d21-af78-4ed4-b9fd-952020dc766d.jpg] after 2 hours the system crashes. if I put only one of the two radio system is fine. I tried it with a standalone with two radio but without a monitor and the system works perfectly!!! I have to put other capacitors? Thank
  • PCB Prototype Machine

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    greglG
    @blacey said: So many toys, so little time ;) ...and money....
  • Leapmotion

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    @Johnny-B-Good We have to wait for the standalone version. :)
  • Hardware debugging

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  • MQTT Gateway and Relay Status

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    @hek It works to have a feedback from the sensor, but this doesn't give a status if someone acts on the relay manually. BTW I've tested a similar approach. I send from the sensor a custom variable with the status of the relay. @gadu This is the best approach. This could handle the status of the relay even if manual activated. The return of the signal always give us the relay position. But it needs a different dual stepper relay. I'll try this as well soon. Thanks a lot to all! Simon

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