Clean looking sensor node
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@NeverDie said:
By the way, what is an "EasyPCB"?
https://www.openhardware.io/view/4/EasyNewbie-PCB-for-MySensors
@mfalkvidd
Thanks for the link. I had thought it might be a new easy way to create PCB's at home from scratch, but it's totally different from that. It looks good for its own merits though. -
Inspired by the OP's original post, I notice that if I do a search on "power bank case" (e.g. https://www.aliexpress.com/af/power%252Bbank%252Bcase/6.html?site=glo&g=y&SortType=price_asc&SearchText=power+bank+case&isAffiliate=y&initiative_id=SB_20161013135103&needQuery=n&isFreeShip=y), it turns up a lot of possible low cost cases (which may or not be to your taste, but as you go up in price, the fit and finish also improves). Example links for a couple inexpensive ones are:
Of interest to me are ones like the second link that are already designed to hold two cells, because I envision that is what I would probably use for most nodes that run on battery. For a node that's meant to run from a usb charger, the first one (or similar) might be fine and could probably be adapted for that purpose.
Last December I got a very nice power bank, which was on-sale at Amazon for just $6.50, including Prime Shipping:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00NUS0BQW/ref=od_aui_detailpages00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
It even came with rechargeable lithium batteries already installed, and for what it does it works quite well. If I could find just a case like that but priced even lower, I'd probably get it.Here's one that's not as attractive, but it is lower priced, and it clearly has space for both batteries and for a wireless sensor module:
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/Consumer-Electronics-Shop-Free-shipping-For-iPhone-LED-5x-18650-Dual-USB-Power-Bank-Battery-Charger/32600920016.html?spm=2114.30010308.3.179.KlmmHY&ws_ab_test=searchweb0_0,searchweb201602_5_10065_10068_10067_10069_10017_10080_10082_10081_10060_10061_10062_10056_10055_10054_10059_10078_10079_10073_10070_421_420_10052_10053_10050_10051,searchweb201603_4&btsid=532dcd62-0435-446f-a697-950ed308b3ab -
@NeverDie yes you are right the SMD version of NRF24 is the way to go, there is not way to fit both a regular sized NRF24 and a non SMD atmega. SMD NRF24 is not too hard to solder so it's the better compromise. I can fit it with pro mini and CR2032 on the available space for the black charger.
For the other one outside thickness is 8.7mm only, and to that you have to remove the thickness of the plastic shell and also recessed rings for the "soft" rings on top and bottom. In the end the thickness available inside on all the surface is below 6mm. My SMD plastic holders for CR2032 are 5mm, with 0.6mm for a thin PCB that doesn't leave much for the solder at the bottom of the board, they have to be centered inside the ring of the bottom plate to fit. It will need some drilling in the bottom plate to allow some air flow. But it's looking good, better than the black one and a bit cheaper so it's probably worth a bit of optimization :)For powerbanks I have tried a few also, but as they are made for 18650 they are quite bulky. The cheap one as on your second link (and the one with square section too) have a good finish, I thought about using them as door/window sensors but the big "Power" text engraving and the holes for USB put me off :P
I'm thinking about using an aluminium xiaomi powerbank enclosure to use as a slick gateway though, with PA/LNA NRF24 and antenna outside. -
Found a few more things. If something a tad bigger than the OP's puck were needed, then there's this at almost the same price:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Q8-QI-Wireless-Charging-Pad-2-USB-Port-Splitter-HUB-Charger-Pad-For-Phone-F5/301913729117?_trksid=p2047675.c100623.m-1&_trkparms=aid%3D222007%26algo%3DSIC.MBE%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D39345%26meid%3Decb1959e8f164eb5ad0a17aeaa297f59%26pid%3D100623%26rk%3D3%26rkt%3D6%26sd%3D252485416371Also, as far as solar cells go, I agree that some of them can be ugly looking. Not all of them though. Here's a couple that seem like they wouldn't look too bad, but for most things solar the prices are much higher than for a non-solar version (as you'd expect);
http://www.ebay.com/itm/12000mAh-Portable-Waterproof-Solar-Charger-Dual-USB-External-Battery-Power-Bank-/112160398867?var=&hash=item1a1d47de13:m:mSNAshLEYCjRnRKBS7jvE7Ahttp://www.ebay.com/itm/272407702880?var=571371942032
I like the look of the last one better, but of course it costs more than the other solar cell charger, so that's the trade-off.
From what I've read, most of these portable solar chargers would take a very long time to convert enough solar into enough stored energy to charge a phone, and so people end up mostly charging them from a usb charger, defeating the main purpose purpose of it. However, for powering a wireless sensor node, I suspect they capture enough solar from ambient light that they could be retrofitted for that purpose., at least for nodes that can sleep and don't always need to be running.
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Ah yes the "Q8" square charger looks great, I'm waiting for my new credit card to arrive to be able to order one :D It's a bit bigger but it looks slick and it would allow to combine a few sensors inside. It could also contain a charging circuit and lipo to have rechargeable sensor.
For the others, well I believe I would get high WRF (with R like rejection) instead of WAF :D
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Ah yes the "Q8" square charger looks great, I'm waiting for my new credit card to arrive to be able to order one :D It's a bit bigger but it looks slick and it would allow to combine a few sensors inside. It could also contain a charging circuit and lipo to have rechargeable sensor.
For the others, well I believe I would get high WRF (with R like rejection) instead of WAF :D
@Nca78
I'm not really offended by the QB logo, but I'm guessing you would prefer one without the QB logo:or
Mainly because of the lengthy shipping delay, I think I'll get one of each and then decide which I prefer. Things don't always look the same on a website as they do in real life.
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Looking at the containers in our pantry here, I notice a lot of them have lids that, though they lack "bottoms", in many respects look a lot like the generic "puck" shape of the OP. For something that sits on a table top, you'd never know it doesn't have a bottom. These would be entirely free, because as my family here uses up a container, we invariably just throw it out. :-)
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Looking at the containers in our pantry here, I notice a lot of them have lids that, though they lack "bottoms", in many respects look a lot like the generic "puck" shape of the OP. For something that sits on a table top, you'd never know it doesn't have a bottom. These would be entirely free, because as my family here uses up a container, we invariably just throw it out. :-)
@Nca78 said:
I just today received an all white version of this (purchased it from ebay), but I wouldn't recommend it (well, at least not this color). The case itself is all white, which is what I wanted, but the silicon ring embedded in it is more of a cream color, and so it ruins the look by making it look old and/or dirty. It doesn't look like the photo on the web page. Also, as perhaps the OP pointed out, there are no vent holes, though they could be drilled.
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Here's another one, but this one I like. For a sense of scale, I photographed it with my large TH sensor sitting on top:
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You're receiving thing pretty quickly (as you received the PCB in less than 2 weeks, too), you're lucky !
I have no problem with the white ring on mine, it's not the same color than the plastic but it's not looking bad to me. Maybe different model, maybe a question of taste ;)
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You're receiving thing pretty quickly (as you received the PCB in less than 2 weeks, too), you're lucky !
I have no problem with the white ring on mine, it's not the same color than the plastic but it's not looking bad to me. Maybe different model, maybe a question of taste ;)
@Nca78
What do you think of the black one above? Thumbs up or thumbs down? I was surprised at the way it photographed. On the sides it's actually the same glossy black color as it is on top, but its so glossy that when I photographed it (with a flash) you're actually seeing a reflection of the white tabletop that it's sitting on. Similarly, you can also see a reflection of the white antenna on the glossy black portion on the top (though not in the matted black top area).The things I received yesterday were shipped domestically. It still takes a long time to get things if they're shipped from China.
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In the spirit of KISS, I think in most instances the following might work well for me:
My smallest wireless node can fit inside the case along with 2x AAA batteries positioned to produce 3V, and the case already has an exposed switch to turn it on/off. Total case size is relatively small, around: 6.2 x 4.8 x 1.5cm / 2.4" x 1.9" x 0.6"(LWH)
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I'll definitely order this and the AA version too, to check.
In the worse case it can be used for hidden node. It should fit a dedicated PCB even with pro mini as long as the radio is SMD to be flat enough. -
Newbie here.
I have used battery casing for sensebender & DC DC step up converter (2.5v to 5v).
Have to do a bit of filing & swapping of battery contacts and drill hole for sensebender.
Attach photos.
Yup, your photo captures the notion of what I'm planning to do:
My original inspiration for it came from this:
http://johan.kanflo.com/the-aaduino/
which I might have done, except that I prefer the RFM69HW, which I don't think would fit in just one battery slot very easily. -
Yup, your photo captures the notion of what I'm planning to do:
My original inspiration for it came from this:
http://johan.kanflo.com/the-aaduino/
which I might have done, except that I prefer the RFM69HW, which I don't think would fit in just one battery slot very easily.@NeverDie
Here I just received the black "pucK' sensor case that was shown in the OP. Pretty fast considering it was free delivery using China Post. So far I like it the best because it has the air vents already a part of it. :smiley: -
That's why I selected it, best suited for temp sensor.
Just received the first version of the PCB but it will need some improvements.
But looks like it will work, not too bad for my first PCB ever :)
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@NeverDie
Here I just received the black "pucK' sensor case that was shown in the OP. Pretty fast considering it was free delivery using China Post. So far I like it the best because it has the air vents already a part of it. :smiley: -
I really like the pcb´s you are using @NeverDie, is it possible to buy them anywhere?
@Cliff-Karlsson said:
I really like the pcb´s you are using @NeverDie, is it possible to buy them anywhere?
I'm just doing this for fun. If you want to buy something pre-made, I'd suggest buying a Moteino.
