Hardware

Hmm.. it's microchip processors.. Almost a naughty word in my surroundings (I'm a member of a small group of atmel geeks :))

I have some 50pcs sample 1206 10uF ceramic caps that I got from AliExpress the other day. Purported to be X7R. I measured them (7 of them at least, it's tiresome to pick them up with pincers from the reel and put them back) with my DMM and they all checked in at between 9.5 and 10.1 uF or so. After having soldered two of them for prototyping, and heated them somewhat obviously, they measured at about 10.5 uF so not much of a change either. Is this information enough to say that the rating for these caps is good enough? Can't prove that is is X7R or whatever I mean, but that they at least can't be bottom of the barrel so to speak ...

Unfortunately I think that the memory is to small on that device. It only has 8Kb of flash, whereas the 328 has 32Kb. Actually the 328 is (more or less) a atmega8 with 32Kb flash instead of 8 (same pinout, if my memory is correct) / Thomas

@gregl said: i think on mine the solder pads are bridged... but i will check. I am pretty sure it's the same (5V as default) for me but will double check.

The Radiohead Library should have support for multiple types of RF modules BTW- http://www.airspayce.com/mikem/arduino/RadioHead/index.html

@soward said: these were covered to some extent in another topic FYI: http://forum.mysensors.org/topic/479/the-new-esp8266-wifi-models

I saw an example sketch on how to control the module the linked page. You can use the LED dimmer example on mysesnors to set/receive dim-level from controller. Yes, you could use your regular wall-switched as input to an arduino (disconnected from AC), but you would probably not be able to fit the electronics behind the switch. Working with AC is dangerous. You need to know what you are doing!

@marceltrapman said: @royaraya16 said: In my opinion there's no need to use the crystal, you can use de 8MHz internal clock. I have not yet read the article by why is it then that all Arduino boards (that I know of) make use of a crystal? Becauses it is easier, gives a more reliable oscilator (over a wide temperature, and voltage range), and the first arduino was designed with 16Mhz crystal (if I remember correctly). the maximum internal rc osc. is 8Mhz / Thomas

RFduino uses BLE (Bluetooth Low Energy). While this is also 2.4GHz it's not compatible with nRF24L01 in terms of protocol.

@Rek said: Does anyone have the spec sheet for the Chinese step up regulator? I bought a few of these to test http://www.pololu.com/product/2561 My guess is that it is or is similar to the 2108A in SOT89-3 described here: http://fullmany.com/Upload/file/ME2108%20series-E8_0.pdf

@Zeph Thanks that is what I thought but I wanted to make sure :)

Here's another project which passes a fire detection to a Home Automation System, much as I'm suggesting: http://harizanov.com/2014/07/diy-internet-of-things-fire-alarm/ The idea I was exploring is including our other sensors in the same housing if possible, and also making the piezo speaker a controllable actuator within our network. I don't have a 120V interconnected system (sound nice tho), but that's a good option for detection for those who do. Another option for interfacing a Home Automation system with multiple networked alarms - like the battery powered First Alert OneLink system - would be decoding the 433 MHz signals passed between these alarms. That of course does not take advantage of "hiding" a MySensors multi-sensor node inside the housing of a smoke alarm, tho. I kind of like the option of not needing to explain what these new boxes are in every room - if the sensor nodes look like smoke alarms, nobody will even notice them. And if that's done by making them hidden additions inside real and still-functioning real smoke alarms, even better!

@meanpenugin Thanks. Definitely stranded, but even the options that's I've put my hands on aren't as flexible as a standard USB cable. I think the difference is in the jacket material. I've order, what I hope will work from MCM, so I shall see. I would have never guessed that finding nice flexible 4 conductor ~22 gauge wire would be such an issue. ;-)

I have some FirstAlert OneLink smoke detectors; they network together at 433 MHz. Each gets a room type (selected from a fixed menu of a dozen: Kitchen, Utility Room, Master Bedroom...); the audio for speaking the names is in the ROM. If one goes off, they all go off and announce loudly - "Alert Alert Evacuate Immediately - Smoke in the Utility Room" (along with beeps). Runs on 2xAA. It's a good idea but... Something more customizable would be good. Last week it woke us at 3am to let us know that the battery in one of the remote rooms needed replacing - same loud alarm and voice as a fire being announced throughout the house and waking everybody up. Also the selection of room names doesn't always fit - we have to remember that we called the office a "utillity room" during setup because they don't have all the room names to match our house. (I did at least write the names on the outside of the units so I can sort it out by getting close to each unit in turn, without going into config mode to have it repeat its own name). It would be nice if the "outdoor voice" was reserved for real alarms, and battery warnings arrived by email, or in a softer voice and during the daytime only, or whatever. So a customizable and interfaceable [not real words but they should be] version of this system would be good. I do not know how hard it would be to hack a conventional smoke alarm. For safety I would probably want to keep the direct alarm connected (no un-alarmed fires due to software bugs). But one could perhaps add the ability to also trigger the buzzer in firmware as suggested above (eg: for intrusion alarms, or to relay a smoke alarm as the OneLink does), and to pass on a locally detected alarm to the system (for relaying or for announcing in other ways). Duplicating the OneLink functionality would also require a loud but tiny speaker in each unit, with locally stored voice announcements.

Opps, I meant to say @Bandra 's board is a great small footprint board, If you're looking for small form factor, I highly recommend his.

I haven't been running that one at 3.3v, but there are a number of designs with 16MHz ATMegas at 3.3v that seem to do fine. It's outside of spec, but I've read that even Atmel engineers have indicated to some designers that the specs are very conservative, and some vendors report having shipped thousands of units (of 16MHz@3.3v) without problems with that. Perhaps it would sometimes be a problem at extremes of their temperature range? By the way, there are also Arduino Pro Mini's on eBay which can be converted between 3.3V and 5V (at 16 MHz), albeit usually with a solder bridge rather than a switch. Search Arduino Pro Mini adjustable.

For refill prediction you might wanna add a distance sensor in the tank (if possible) measuring the oil level. There is a variant that can handle rough conditions in the "shop".

Hey all, I"ve got a question about wire wrap, I bought some from a local electronics store but it seems that there isn't traditional insulation on the wire, it seems more like a paint. Is this typical? Or did I buy the wrong thing.... It's 26AWG

Here is in effect the same sketch for 1.4. Im using @Yveaux 's vcc library this time.vcc library https://codebender.cc/sketch:54782 Im no longer using the changed boards.txt. - it doesnt seem to do anything ( other than stuffing the serial output)