Irrigation Controller (up to 16 valves with Shift Registers)
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@tbowmo said in Irrigation Controller (up to 16 valves with Shift Registers):
It seems that you have not read up on how mysensors works.. The purpose of mysensors is to create wireless sensors. To do this, we normally have a gateway connected to a computer running some kind of controller software.
Then we have sensor nodes that transmit (wireless) sensor data to the gateway which sends this to the controller software.
Again, please read up on how mysensors are designed, find more here https://www.mysensors.org/about
Hi Thomas,
You have hit on a point that I see over and over here, and that I shared with @tombstone for a long time before I was able to get a successful MySensors node working. (And I've worked with electronics and tech much of my life.)
Understanding the key components and how they fit together is essential for newcomers to MySensors, and is not very complex, but the information is widely scattered and completely missing from the the top level of the website. This discourages newcomers and creates endless questions on the forums as it is quite difficult to get anything working without many hours of reading and experimenting.
There is no obvious place on the website that explains the big picture as well as your last message! Newcomers to MySensors do not benefit from a clear simple picture of sensor nodes, gateways, and controllers and how they fit together.
- The Getting Started page does not mention controllers at all. And it's NOT as easy as 1, 2, 3!
- The Controller page does not describe the basic purpose of a controller, or how it connects to gateways and nodes. It's a useful advanced comparison of controller details, not beginner content.
- The Build page mentions some of the key components but again not how they fit together. (Nor is it about 'building'.)
- The Hardware doesn't really talk about the hardware.
(I'm sure there is much of this elsewhere on the website, but its not easy to find from the obvious links.)
It would be hugely helpful if Getting Started was an actual detailed overview of MySensors diagramming examples of complete end-to-end systems.
- sensor->arduino+radio node---->arduino+radio gateway->controller (Domoticz etc).
- sensor->gateware/node software->ESP8266 wifi->controller (no 'radio')
- etc.
Gateways are difficult to understand at the beginning as there are so many different ones and the Gateway names don't help...some are named by a single transport protocol (i.e. MQTT) some for an interface (Serial) some for a hardware platform (ESP8266), etc. I'm sure this seems obvious to lifelong engineers/developers but not so much for regular hobby geeks like many hobbyists.
I'm impressed with the work that has gone into MySensors and am grateful for all the hard work by the many developers and users who have contributed to it. I don't mean my comments to be a complaint. Presenting technical systems to often less technical newcomer/users is a challenging area. Improving the first impression of the big picture to newcomers would be a huge move forward.
Tim
@Grubstake I think you missed the page https://www.mysensors.org/about/network
IMHO mysensors made it "easy" to create a sensors network but it can't teach you the basics of arduino programming, I have already told many newbies that first they need to learn with the tutorials and simple exercises otherwise they would have no idea where to look for problems that they will face. Learning how to debug it's as hard as learning to program and in a complex environment like a sensors network it is very easy to get lost. -
@tbowmo said in Irrigation Controller (up to 16 valves with Shift Registers):
It seems that you have not read up on how mysensors works.. The purpose of mysensors is to create wireless sensors. To do this, we normally have a gateway connected to a computer running some kind of controller software.
Then we have sensor nodes that transmit (wireless) sensor data to the gateway which sends this to the controller software.
Again, please read up on how mysensors are designed, find more here https://www.mysensors.org/about
Hi Thomas,
You have hit on a point that I see over and over here, and that I shared with @tombstone for a long time before I was able to get a successful MySensors node working. (And I've worked with electronics and tech much of my life.)
Understanding the key components and how they fit together is essential for newcomers to MySensors, and is not very complex, but the information is widely scattered and completely missing from the the top level of the website. This discourages newcomers and creates endless questions on the forums as it is quite difficult to get anything working without many hours of reading and experimenting.
There is no obvious place on the website that explains the big picture as well as your last message! Newcomers to MySensors do not benefit from a clear simple picture of sensor nodes, gateways, and controllers and how they fit together.
- The Getting Started page does not mention controllers at all. And it's NOT as easy as 1, 2, 3!
- The Controller page does not describe the basic purpose of a controller, or how it connects to gateways and nodes. It's a useful advanced comparison of controller details, not beginner content.
- The Build page mentions some of the key components but again not how they fit together. (Nor is it about 'building'.)
- The Hardware doesn't really talk about the hardware.
(I'm sure there is much of this elsewhere on the website, but its not easy to find from the obvious links.)
It would be hugely helpful if Getting Started was an actual detailed overview of MySensors diagramming examples of complete end-to-end systems.
- sensor->arduino+radio node---->arduino+radio gateway->controller (Domoticz etc).
- sensor->gateware/node software->ESP8266 wifi->controller (no 'radio')
- etc.
Gateways are difficult to understand at the beginning as there are so many different ones and the Gateway names don't help...some are named by a single transport protocol (i.e. MQTT) some for an interface (Serial) some for a hardware platform (ESP8266), etc. I'm sure this seems obvious to lifelong engineers/developers but not so much for regular hobby geeks like many hobbyists.
I'm impressed with the work that has gone into MySensors and am grateful for all the hard work by the many developers and users who have contributed to it. I don't mean my comments to be a complaint. Presenting technical systems to often less technical newcomer/users is a challenging area. Improving the first impression of the big picture to newcomers would be a huge move forward.
Tim
@Grubstake still may have a pont if there's been overs. Not saying we right or your right. But learning is a difficult thing. So is teaching. That's good that we have lots of open source site and when we get stuck members step ins and give a hand.
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Thanks guys now I understand, felling stupid but it was like a mind blank as was thinking it worked another way.
Can some one point me to the a link (error sending switch command check device/hardware) this comes up when turning on lights on the irrigation controller.
I find this but it didn't makes sense. https://forum.mysensors.org/topic/2553/error-sending-switch-command-check-device-hardware
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@tbowmo If I can give an opinion, if we want to reach the newcomers, we must start to think on a integrated solution for burning mcus without programming knowledge. I'm also a software architect and my father caught me on electronics, but this is a public project and will also reach people without knowledge.
NodeManager is a great jump on that direction and now we miss a small utility for computers.
And signing+encryption is a problem here. -
@tbowmo If I can give an opinion, if we want to reach the newcomers, we must start to think on a integrated solution for burning mcus without programming knowledge. I'm also a software architect and my father caught me on electronics, but this is a public project and will also reach people without knowledge.
NodeManager is a great jump on that direction and now we miss a small utility for computers.
And signing+encryption is a problem here.@Sergio-Rius why is signing and encryption a problem? We have a simplified option that enables both using a single define. It can't be made simpler than that without making it enabled by default and then with a common PSK which is pointless. Although still only available in beta it will soon be released.
If you find that too complex, I am all ears for improvement suggestions.Do you feel secure today? No? Start requiring some signatures and feel better tomorrow ;)
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@Sergio-Rius why is signing and encryption a problem? We have a simplified option that enables both using a single define. It can't be made simpler than that without making it enabled by default and then with a common PSK which is pointless. Although still only available in beta it will soon be released.
If you find that too complex, I am all ears for improvement suggestions.@Anticimex Sorry, but I don't follow the development code on a day basis, I was not aware of this feature.
Anyways, a common psk will be like grease. Any psk would be better than no-one. :)Let me explain: I was thinking on a small Pc program that you can select options (NodeManager) and then burn the chip by a click of a button. But also crossed my mind the possibility that a user, with a running secure network, wanted to get a sensebender gateway already programmed. It would be no use.
I was thinking on a way of "programming the crypto chip" separately from the cpu program. I don't know if it clearer now or I made it worse.
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@Anticimex Sorry, but I don't follow the development code on a day basis, I was not aware of this feature.
Anyways, a common psk will be like grease. Any psk would be better than no-one. :)Let me explain: I was thinking on a small Pc program that you can select options (NodeManager) and then burn the chip by a click of a button. But also crossed my mind the possibility that a user, with a running secure network, wanted to get a sensebender gateway already programmed. It would be no use.
I was thinking on a way of "programming the crypto chip" separately from the cpu program. I don't know if it clearer now or I made it worse.
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@Anticimex Sorry, but I don't follow the development code on a day basis, I was not aware of this feature.
Anyways, a common psk will be like grease. Any psk would be better than no-one. :)Let me explain: I was thinking on a small Pc program that you can select options (NodeManager) and then burn the chip by a click of a button. But also crossed my mind the possibility that a user, with a running secure network, wanted to get a sensebender gateway already programmed. It would be no use.
I was thinking on a way of "programming the crypto chip" separately from the cpu program. I don't know if it clearer now or I made it worse.
@Sergio-Rius I am still a bit confused.
A default PSK would be the same for everyone so how is that better than no one?
Also, nrf24 radios have problem with full size payloads so enabling signing by default would give some users radio problems by default as well. It is not a problem with signing, it is a problem with the radio. -
@Anticimex Sorry, but I don't follow the development code on a day basis, I was not aware of this feature.
Anyways, a common psk will be like grease. Any psk would be better than no-one. :)Let me explain: I was thinking on a small Pc program that you can select options (NodeManager) and then burn the chip by a click of a button. But also crossed my mind the possibility that a user, with a running secure network, wanted to get a sensebender gateway already programmed. It would be no use.
I was thinking on a way of "programming the crypto chip" separately from the cpu program. I don't know if it clearer now or I made it worse.
@Sergio-Rius the crypto chip (I prefer the term authentication chip as it does not do cryptography) is connected to the MCU so you need a program on the MCU to program the chip in one way or another. Lest you program the chip before soldering it to the board. And I think the personalization procedure (improved in beta) is documented and simplified enough so that having a separate pc program and do off board programming of the chip would be a far more complicated procedure for "non programmers".
Do you feel secure today? No? Start requiring some signatures and feel better tomorrow ;)
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@Sergio-Rius the crypto chip (I prefer the term authentication chip as it does not do cryptography) is connected to the MCU so you need a program on the MCU to program the chip in one way or another. Lest you program the chip before soldering it to the board. And I think the personalization procedure (improved in beta) is documented and simplified enough so that having a separate pc program and do off board programming of the chip would be a far more complicated procedure for "non programmers".
@Anticimex I'd add that encryption and signing are more advanced features and should be dealt once newbies get used to the mysensors framework and after they get used to how to debug, otherwise it would also add too much complexity
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@Anticimex I'd add that encryption and signing are more advanced features and should be dealt once newbies get used to the mysensors framework and after they get used to how to debug, otherwise it would also add too much complexity
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@Anticimex I'd add that encryption and signing are more advanced features and should be dealt once newbies get used to the mysensors framework and after they get used to how to debug, otherwise it would also add too much complexity
Guys if you look I been on here for about a year so yes I been reading alot before I started to build. An been look at YouTube video about code and all this.
I have given up on this one for now and I got an pre build one from a another site he have an set by set with networks and so on. I be back later. After I get openhab and MQTT worked out. As I going to be using esp8266 and the MQTT. -
Hi
Having some issues with the sketch compiling, I am using the 1.84 arduino and the latest libraries 2.1.1 mysensors. I have not made any changes to the sketch at all. Debug is remarked out.
Any help or guidance would be greatly appreciated .
Arduino: 1.8.4 (Windows 10), Board: "Arduino Pro or Pro Mini, ATmega328P (5V, 16 MHz)"
In file included from C:\Users\Audrey\AppData\Local\Temp\arduino_modified_sketch_110779\IrrigationController.ino:95:0:
C:\Users\Audrey\Documents\Arduino\libraries\MySensors/MySensors.h:328:2: error: #error No forward link or gateway feature activated. This means nowhere to send messages! Pretty pointless.
#error No forward link or gateway feature activated. This means nowhere to send messages! Pretty pointless.
^
C:\Users\Audrey\AppData\Local\Temp\arduino_modified_sketch_110779\IrrigationController.ino:99:31: fatal error: LiquidCrystal_I2C.h: No such file or directory
#include <LiquidCrystal_I2C.h>
^compilation terminated.
exit status 1
Error compiling for board Arduino Pro or Pro Mini.This report would have more information with
"Show verbose output during compilation"
option enabled in File -> Preferences. -
Hi
Having some issues with the sketch compiling, I am using the 1.84 arduino and the latest libraries 2.1.1 mysensors. I have not made any changes to the sketch at all. Debug is remarked out.
Any help or guidance would be greatly appreciated .
Arduino: 1.8.4 (Windows 10), Board: "Arduino Pro or Pro Mini, ATmega328P (5V, 16 MHz)"
In file included from C:\Users\Audrey\AppData\Local\Temp\arduino_modified_sketch_110779\IrrigationController.ino:95:0:
C:\Users\Audrey\Documents\Arduino\libraries\MySensors/MySensors.h:328:2: error: #error No forward link or gateway feature activated. This means nowhere to send messages! Pretty pointless.
#error No forward link or gateway feature activated. This means nowhere to send messages! Pretty pointless.
^
C:\Users\Audrey\AppData\Local\Temp\arduino_modified_sketch_110779\IrrigationController.ino:99:31: fatal error: LiquidCrystal_I2C.h: No such file or directory
#include <LiquidCrystal_I2C.h>
^compilation terminated.
exit status 1
Error compiling for board Arduino Pro or Pro Mini.This report would have more information with
"Show verbose output during compilation"
option enabled in File -> Preferences.@Newzwaver
First, the "error No forward link or gateway feature activated. This means nowhere to send messages! Pretty pointless."
this means that you most likely don't have a radio or other gateway connection type defined. Basically you need to tell it how it is going to communicate to your controller and/or other devices. You need to remove the // from one of the options./ Enable and select radio type attached //#define MY_RADIO_NRF24 //#define MY_RADIO_RFM69 //#define MY_RS485Next, do you have the LiquidCrystal library installed? If so, is it the correct one? My guess is that it isn't since it cannot find the LiquidCrystal_I2C.h file. You should get the one from GitHub. Start there and let us know what happens.
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Hello,
Has anybody succeeded in adapting Irrigation Controller to OpenHAB2?
Although a long time experienced programmer, I am new to domotic and begining to explore the subject. OpenHAB seems to be a nicely architectured software, and well documented. The bindings for MySensors define a number of devices types. Which one would be the best choice in that case? How could the Irrigation Controller sketch be adaptated? Is it possible to add V_VAR1..3 to light thing type?
Thank you for your help.
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Hello,
Has anybody succeeded in adapting Irrigation Controller to OpenHAB2?
Although a long time experienced programmer, I am new to domotic and begining to explore the subject. OpenHAB seems to be a nicely architectured software, and well documented. The bindings for MySensors define a number of devices types. Which one would be the best choice in that case? How could the Irrigation Controller sketch be adaptated? Is it possible to add V_VAR1..3 to light thing type?
Thank you for your help.
I'm replying to myself. After reading OpenHAB doc, I managed to have all functionnalities working without changing the Irrigation Controller code.
I cannot put the whole howto here, but basically I created .things and .items files listed here. In addition, I installed the MySensor gateway on the same Raspberry Pi as OpenHAB, connected as an Ethernet gateway. I also installed MapDB persistence, as explained in the documentation./etc/openhab2/things/house.things
Bridge mysensors:bridge-eth:gateway [ ipAddress="127.0.0.1", tcpPort=5003, sendDelay=200 ] { light all_zones "Toutes zones" [ nodeId=1, childId=0 ] rgbLight zone1 "Zone 1" [ nodeId=1, childId=1 ] rgbLight zone2 "Zone 2" [ nodeId=1, childId=2 ] rgbLight zone3 "Zone 3" [ nodeId=1, childId=3 ] rgbLight zone4 "Zone 4" [ nodeId=1, childId=4 ] rgbLight zone5 "Zone 5" [ nodeId=1, childId=5 ] rgbLight zone6 "Zone 6" [ nodeId=1, childId=6 ] rgbLight zone7 "Zone 7" [ nodeId=1, childId=7 ] rgbLight zone8 "Zone 8" [ nodeId=1, childId=8 ] }/etc/openhab2/items/house.items
Group House Group Irrigation <water> (House) Group AllZones <water> (Irrigation) Group Zone1 <water> (Irrigation) Group Zone2 <water> (Irrigation) Group Zone3 <water> (Irrigation) Group Zone4 <water> (Irrigation) Group Zone5 <water> (Irrigation) Group Zone6 <water> (Irrigation) Group Zone7 <water> (Irrigation) Group Zone8 <water> (Irrigation) Switch zone0_s "On/Off" (AllZones) { channel="mysensors:light:gateway:all_zones:status" } Switch zone1_s "On/Off" (Zone1) { channel="mysensors:rgbLight:gateway:zone1:status" } Number zone1_1 "Temps toutes zones [%d mn]" (Zone1) { channel="mysensors:rgbLight:gateway:zone1:var1" } Number zone1_2 "Temps individuel [%d mn]" (Zone1) { channel="mysensors:rgbLight:gateway:zone1:var2" } String zone1_3 "Nom [%s]" (Zone1) { channel="mysensors:rgbLight:gateway:zone1:var3" } Switch zone2_s "On/Off" (Zone2) { channel="mysensors:rgbLight:gateway:zone2:status" } Number zone2_1 "Temps toutes zones [%d mn]" (Zone2) { channel="mysensors:rgbLight:gateway:zone2:var1" } Number zone2_2 "Temps individuel [%d mn]" (Zone2) { channel="mysensors:rgbLight:gateway:zone2:var2" } String zone2_3 "Nom [%s]" (Zone2) { channel="mysensors:rgbLight:gateway:zone2:var3" } Switch zone3_s "On/Off" (Zone3) { channel="mysensors:rgbLight:gateway:zone3:status" } Number zone3_1 "Temps toutes zones [%d mn]" (Zone3) { channel="mysensors:rgbLight:gateway:zone3:var1" } Number zone3_2 "Temps individuel [%d mn]" (Zone3) { channel="mysensors:rgbLight:gateway:zone3:var2" } String zone3_3 "Nom [%s]" (Zone3) { channel="mysensors:rgbLight:gateway:zone3:var3" } Switch zone4_s "On/Off" (Zone4) { channel="mysensors:rgbLight:gateway:zone4:status" } Number zone4_1 "Temps toutes zones [%d mn]" (Zone4) { channel="mysensors:rgbLight:gateway:zone4:var1" } Number zone4_2 "Temps individuel [%d mn]" (Zone4) { channel="mysensors:rgbLight:gateway:zone4:var2" } String zone4_3 "Nom [%s]" (Zone4) { channel="mysensors:rgbLight:gateway:zone4:var3" } Switch zone5_s "On/Off" (Zone5) { channel="mysensors:rgbLight:gateway:zone5:status" } Number zone5_1 "Temps toutes zones [%d mn]" (Zone5) { channel="mysensors:rgbLight:gateway:zone5:var1" } Number zone5_2 "Temps individuel [%d mn]" (Zone5) { channel="mysensors:rgbLight:gateway:zone5:var2" } String zone5_3 "Nom [%s]" (Zone5) { channel="mysensors:rgbLight:gateway:zone5:var3" } Switch zone6_s "On/Off" (Zone6) { channel="mysensors:rgbLight:gateway:zone6:status" } Number zone6_1 "Temps toutes zones [%d mn]" (Zone6) { channel="mysensors:rgbLight:gateway:zone6:var1" } Number zone6_2 "Temps individuel [%d mn]" (Zone6) { channel="mysensors:rgbLight:gateway:zone6:var2" } String zone6_3 "Nom [%s]" (Zone6) { channel="mysensors:rgbLight:gateway:zone6:var3" } Switch zone7_s "On/Off" (Zone7) { channel="mysensors:rgbLight:gateway:zone7:status" } Number zone7_1 "Temps toutes zones [%d mn]" (Zone7) { channel="mysensors:rgbLight:gateway:zone7:var1" } Number zone7_2 "Temps individuel [%d mn]" (Zone7) { channel="mysensors:rgbLight:gateway:zone7:var2" } String zone7_3 "Nom [%s]" (Zone7) { channel="mysensors:rgbLight:gateway:zone7:var3" } Switch zone8_s "On/Off" (Zone8) { channel="mysensors:rgbLight:gateway:zone8:status" } Number zone8_1 "Temps toutes zones [%d mn]" (Zone8) { channel="mysensors:rgbLight:gateway:zone8:var1" } Number zone8_2 "Temps individuel [%d mn]" (Zone8) { channel="mysensors:rgbLight:gateway:zone8:var2" } String zone8_3 "Nom [%s]"Note the "trick" is to use rgbLight item type instead of light item type, to have Var1..3 available. Look here: https://github.com/tobof/openhab2-addons/blob/MySensors_Binding/addons/binding/org.openhab.binding.mysensors/ESH-INF/thing/thing-types.xml
Now I have a fully fonctionnal Irrigation Controller, all integrated with OpenHAB :-)
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Hi All,
Does anyone have a schematic/wiring diagram for this (especially the shift register)?
I may be too old, but the Fritzing image on the build page isn't clear to me.
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@dbemowsk Thanks, that clears it up.
I ended up going with a Mega with LCD Shield and used additional digital pins for the relays. I wanted to enable the IRQ buffering for the NRF radio and some LCDText devices to report back to Vera some status information. Sadly I had to use Strings as I struggled to get char[] arrays to work. Got a bit hard to fit onto the memory of the Pro Mini.
I needed 2 controllers for front and back, one with Master Valve setup. The back reticulation is an extension of front zone - so Vera makes sure the front controller supplies water when the back controller is active.
If there's interest I'll post the code, maybe someone with better skills than me could rewrite the String section - I don't know if I'll have issues with memory fragmentation yet. Only installed them today.
A big thank you to @petewill and @BulldogLowell for sharing their code and design.
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@dbemowsk Thanks, that clears it up.
I ended up going with a Mega with LCD Shield and used additional digital pins for the relays. I wanted to enable the IRQ buffering for the NRF radio and some LCDText devices to report back to Vera some status information. Sadly I had to use Strings as I struggled to get char[] arrays to work. Got a bit hard to fit onto the memory of the Pro Mini.
I needed 2 controllers for front and back, one with Master Valve setup. The back reticulation is an extension of front zone - so Vera makes sure the front controller supplies water when the back controller is active.
If there's interest I'll post the code, maybe someone with better skills than me could rewrite the String section - I don't know if I'll have issues with memory fragmentation yet. Only installed them today.
A big thank you to @petewill and @BulldogLowell for sharing their code and design.
@Spanners So you are saying that you just used digital IO lines instead of using the shift register? BTW, I like the case, looks expensive. Do you use the 5 keys on the keypad shield for anything?
Vera Plus running UI7 with MySensors, Sonoffs and 1-Wire devices
Visit my website for more Bits, Bytes and Ramblings from me: http://dan.bemowski.info/
