How to start using a Pro Mini?

[Eddiever]

Ok, first of all I am new to the MySensors. I have read a lot and decided to order some components from Ali. Thanks to the info on this site I was able to make a Serial gateway, which is connected to Domoticz. And now I want to add sensors. I bought a Pro Mini atmega168 3.3V 8M Compatible Nano Replace Atmega328 For Arduino. But I failed to find any instructions on how to connect/use this board. Is it because I am not looking right? Who can enlighten me? I have also bought a MQ-2 MQ2 Smoke Gas LPG Butane Hydrogen Gas Sensor Detector Module For Arduino. So lets just say I want to connect this sensor. Who can help me?

[Yveaux]

@eddiever said in How to start using a Pro Mini?:

atmega168

Hi and welcome to the forum!
I guess you bought the wrong atmega in the first place... The atmega 168 has only half the flash memory of an atmega 328 and I'm afraid you'll have a hard time fitting mySensors and your sketch in there.

[mfalkvidd]

Welcome to the MySensors community @eddiever !

Connection instructions for MQ2 is available at https://www.mysensors.org/build/gas - see the comments in the example sketch.

However, MQ2 is a 5V device and the 8MHz Pro Mini is a 3.3V device so you'll need to supply different power and you might need a level shifter. Since you've got atmega168 I would suggest to buy an Arduino Nano instead. The Nano is a 5V device.

[Eddiever]

Thank both of you for the quick reply. I am going to order new components

[zboblamont]

@eddiever I mean no offence by this, but might it not be wiser to describe what you are trying to do so that you might be better informed what to get and why, rather than to make a wild guess ?
For every success on this forum there are a hundred who failed and could readily advise you not to do as they did...

[monte]

@eddiever said in How to start using a Pro Mini?:

Pro Mini atmega168 3.3V 8M Compatible Nano Replace Atmega328 For Arduino

You didn't provide links to what exactly you've bought, but as I understand your boards are some kind of ProMini clones. Note that they don't have serial converter on board for connection with PC. To upload sketches to these boards you will need USB to Serial (UART) converter or adapter. I would suggest adapters based on CP210x chip. They usually have both 3.3V and 5V and a Reset pin. Connection scheme you can find in google by searching for "arduino pro mini serial adapter connection" or something like that. Note that if you connected everything but still can't upload sketch to your board you might have to switch Rx and Tx pins as different manufacturers mark them differently.

[Yveaux]

@zboblamont said in How to start using a Pro Mini?:

For every success on this forum there are a hundred who failed

I may certainly hope not

[zboblamont]

@yveaux Perhaps an over-exaggeration

[Eddiever]

@zboblamont I want to use Mysensors to add more information to my domoticz. And I would like to start with a gas sensor.

[zboblamont]

@eddiever Plenty of gas sensors around and information on this forum and elsewhere, probably using the search function at the top of the page will reveal someone has already used one for the gas you are trying to sense.

It's not something I have found a need to investigate, my only interest in gas was measurement of consumption of gas supply.
All my other gas interests arose from drinking too much beer...