💬 Livolo 3 buttons US/AU switch adapter
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I just posted new design files and gerber files (but please don't order now, I will receive PCBs only on Friday and then I need a few days before I can test them...
I also put a bit of documentation but it still needs (a lot of) improvements :)
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@Nca78 - Thanks for the update! Looks like shipping takes a lot of time even with the DHL delivery. Will be waiting for you to test and give us green light to order the PCBs :)
@achurak1 said in 💬 Livolo 3 buttons US/AU switch adapter:
@Nca78 - Thanks for the update! Looks like shipping takes a lot of time even with the DHL delivery. Will be waiting for you to test and give us green light to order the PCBs :)
I took a lot of time to finish all my other PCBs before sending to Seeed.
Then they didn't like my panelized boards (they changed rules but didn't update their website) so I lost over a day to repost.
Then they packed the boards at the end of last week just in time to go on holidays and DHL picked them up only yesterday :( -
And now blocked at customs and I have to deal with the insane local DHL customer service again...
Last time I waste my money with DHL :angry: -
And now blocked at customs and I have to deal with the insane local DHL customer service again...
Last time I waste my money with DHL :angry: -
And now blocked at customs and I have to deal with the insane local DHL customer service again...
Last time I waste my money with DHL :angry:Oh man...I wanted things to come faster at my door like you did and in the end I had to pay 6 times!!! the price of the boards because of the customs, DHL fees and so on. But I learned from that and I'll NEVER EVER AGAIN go that way. That's just crazy.
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Oh man...I wanted things to come faster at my door like you did and in the end I had to pay 6 times!!! the price of the boards because of the customs, DHL fees and so on. But I learned from that and I'll NEVER EVER AGAIN go that way. That's just crazy.
@mtiutiu said in 💬 Livolo 3 buttons US/AU switch adapter:
Oh man...I wanted things to come faster at my door like you did and in the end I had to pay 6 times!!! the price of the boards because of the customs, DHL fees and so on. But I learned from that and I'll NEVER EVER AGAIN go that way. That's just crazy.
I had many PCBs to order so it didn't reach those proportions: 39$ for PCBs, 30$ for shipping.
Then 8$ of DHL fee and 8$ of VAT.
That's too much shipment and customs fees for the time it took to get my order (over 2 weeks)@achurak1 last time I ordered with HK Post and I had an endless wait without tracking, over 1 month, so I decided to never use it again.
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@achurak1 said in 💬 Livolo 3 buttons US/AU switch adapter:
@Nca78 - makes sense :) When are you going to upload the gerber files?
Soldered a few components today, I will try to finish and start testing before the end of the week.
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@achurak1 said in 💬 Livolo 3 buttons US/AU switch adapter:
@Nca78 - makes sense :) When are you going to upload the gerber files?
Soldered a few components today, I will try to finish and start testing before the end of the week.
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@Nca78 - great! By the way, will I be able to use it with my dimmable switches (even if I lose the dimming functionality) or do I need the non-dimmable version?
@achurak1 said in 💬 Livolo 3 buttons US/AU switch adapter:
switches
I'm not sure it will work with dimmers. I bought a dimmer version to have a look and there's another MCU on the "main" board. So I will need to see how the communicate to implement that on a new version.
I will make the test with the dimmer version anyway, and tell you. -
@achurak1 said in 💬 Livolo 3 buttons US/AU switch adapter:
switches
I'm not sure it will work with dimmers. I bought a dimmer version to have a look and there's another MCU on the "main" board. So I will need to see how the communicate to implement that on a new version.
I will make the test with the dimmer version anyway, and tell you.@Nca78 - thanks! I can order the non-dimmable versions, but would prefer to avoid this if possible.
Is it necessary to use EIA3216 package for the tantalum capacitors or is it just something you've had handy and can be replaced with any other package (e.g. 0805 or 1206)? -
I used this size to have some margin to put big tantalum capacitor if necessary. But you can use smaller size and ceramic capacitors.
The only two that are mandatory are the radio and the input caps, other are just reserve capacitors to help the power supply. Not sure they are really necessary with nrf24 buy it would be a bit stupid to save 0.x$ and risk having an unstable board. -
I used this size to have some margin to put big tantalum capacitor if necessary. But you can use smaller size and ceramic capacitors.
The only two that are mandatory are the radio and the input caps, other are just reserve capacitors to help the power supply. Not sure they are really necessary with nrf24 buy it would be a bit stupid to save 0.x$ and risk having an unstable board. -
@Nca78 - great, thanks! I don't mind soldering all of them, just wasn't sure if I needed to buy the specific type/package. Is the voltage regulator (SOT23-3) only necessary if I want to encrypt the messages?
@achurak1 said in 💬 Livolo 3 buttons US/AU switch adapter:
@Nca78 - great, thanks! I don't mind soldering all of them, just wasn't sure if I needed to buy the specific type/package. Is the voltage regulator (SOT23-3) only necessary if I want to encrypt the messages?
It's the ATSHA204A chip, used to sign the messages (not encrypt them). So yes if you're not planning to sign the messages you don't need to solder it. You could also use software signing but at 1MHz it could be slow, I have never tested.
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Found a bug :(
Small one, one connection was not good in the schema so the resistor of the "extra" led 3 has no ground connection and the led cannot be used.Everything runs on the bench (touch buttons, other leds, output pins for relays),
I need to test in the wall switch now, but I'm afraid the sensitivity for the button below the radio (1) is still not good enough. -
Not too bad ! I will still improve a bit the button at the bottom (behind the radio) because it's not perfect, but it's still usable as you can see in the video :)
https://youtu.be/1LaFgjvSPj4 -
Not too bad ! I will still improve a bit the button at the bottom (behind the radio) because it's not perfect, but it's still usable as you can see in the video :)
https://youtu.be/1LaFgjvSPj4 -
@Nca78 - great news indeed! So you think it's OK to order the PCBs? Did you fix the bug with the resistor or I should add the ground connection myself before ordering the PCBs?
Did you test it with the dimmable switch by the way?@achurak1 said in 💬 Livolo 3 buttons US/AU switch adapter:
@Nca78 - great news indeed! So you think it's OK to order the PCBs? Did you fix the bug with the resistor or I should add the ground connection myself before ordering the PCBs?
Did you test it with the dimmable switch by the way?I fixed but didn't publish. I'll reduce size of traces and pads of nrf24 to improve touch performance on the button below the radio. Sometimes (after long period without use) it doesn't react well and I have to use thumb to trigger it, I think because of the auto calibration of the TTP223, so I also have to test that with different caps to adjust sensitivity and see if it improves.
I didn't test with dimmable switch yet, I'll try to do it on Monday.
So my advice : do not order yet ;) -
@Nca78 - great news indeed! So you think it's OK to order the PCBs? Did you fix the bug with the resistor or I should add the ground connection myself before ordering the PCBs?
Did you test it with the dimmable switch by the way?@achurak1 I have some good news and some bad news.
The bad news first :
- I decided to redo all the layout of the PCB, this is the only way to be sure to solve completely the touch problem
- Related to this I have changed LED size to 0603, hope it's not a problem for you and you didn't order too many 0805 leds ? Not sure about the size of resistors and capacitors yet.
- the main PCB of the dimmer switch cannot be triggered using the "relay" pins of the touch PCB. The layout and connections on the touch PCB are exactly the same for dimmer and relay switches to save money in production, but programming of the PIC is different and "relay" pins are not connected to the dimmer main PCB.
The good news :
- Layout will be much more clean with components properly aligned and oriented
- I'm using 0603 LEDs so I can put them at the same position than original Livolo board and try to reuse the plastic diffusers
- from what I see, the 2 PICs are using UART to communicate (RX->TX and TX->RX connections), but there's also a digital pin connected so I have to check how it is used. Maybe to wake up the PWM PIC on main PCB before passing it some commands. Anyway I have TX/RX pins around this side of the connector so I can connect them and manage the dimmers when I have figured out the protocol.
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@achurak1 I have some good news and some bad news.
The bad news first :
- I decided to redo all the layout of the PCB, this is the only way to be sure to solve completely the touch problem
- Related to this I have changed LED size to 0603, hope it's not a problem for you and you didn't order too many 0805 leds ? Not sure about the size of resistors and capacitors yet.
- the main PCB of the dimmer switch cannot be triggered using the "relay" pins of the touch PCB. The layout and connections on the touch PCB are exactly the same for dimmer and relay switches to save money in production, but programming of the PIC is different and "relay" pins are not connected to the dimmer main PCB.
The good news :
- Layout will be much more clean with components properly aligned and oriented
- I'm using 0603 LEDs so I can put them at the same position than original Livolo board and try to reuse the plastic diffusers
- from what I see, the 2 PICs are using UART to communicate (RX->TX and TX->RX connections), but there's also a digital pin connected so I have to check how it is used. Maybe to wake up the PWM PIC on main PCB before passing it some commands. Anyway I have TX/RX pins around this side of the connector so I can connect them and manage the dimmers when I have figured out the protocol.
@Nca78 - only 500 pieces :) That's OK though, they're cheap, I already ordered the 0603 ones, just hoping my soldering skills are going to be enough for that size. Let me know as soon as you decide on the res/cap packages. I have only 0805, but can order something else if needed.
Thanks for keeping me in the loop and hope you will be able to crack that protocol!
