Mailbox/Postbox Alert
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Just finished my new project.
I have added two magnetic switches to the front and the back of my postbox. Now i get a Mail if the postman was here
You need:
1x Arduino Mini Pro 3,3
1x Battery Holder (2xaaa)
1x NRF
2x Reed switches (http://www.reichelt.de/KSK-1A663-2025/3/index.html?&ACTION=3&LA=446&ARTICLE=151700&artnr=KSK+1A663+2025&SEARCH=magnet+schlie๏ฟฝer)
2x magnets (http://www.reichelt.de/MAGNET-M4/3/index.html?&ACTION=3&LA=446&ARTICLE=12483&artnr=MAGNET+M4&SEARCH=magnet)And this or a similar sketch: https://github.com/n3roGit/MySensors_n3ro/tree/master/Mailbox_Alert
It works great
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@n3ro No pictures, it didn't happen..
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Okay But at the moment its fixed only freestyle
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@n3ro said:
2x Reedschalter (http://www.reichelt.de/KSK-1A663-2025/3/index.html?&ACTION=3&LA=446&ARTICLE=151700&artnr=KSK+1A663+2025&SEARCH=magnet+schlie๏ฟฝer)
Hast du gut gemacht mit dem Reedschalter.
I mean nice denglish
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@Didi und wie heiรt das verdammte teil auf englisch?
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@Didi fixed
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@n3ro I wish mine had a flap... still trying to figure out a way to do that
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hmm after some days testing it works very fine, but:
the battery drains very fast and in dont know why. The Arduino sleeps the whole time and wakes up when the postman is coming (maybe 2 times a week).
The battery drains 11% in 7 Days
Any Ideas?
The power LED and regulator is cutted and the fuses are modified.
Regards
n3ro
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@n3ro Are you using an interrupt to wake everything up?
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I'm guessing that your repeat() function is wearing out the battery.
By the way you can take advantage of the return of sleep( ) here:
gw.sleep(MAILBOX_FRONT_PIN - 2, CHANGE, MAILBOX_BACK_PIN - 2, CHANGE, 0);
like this (untested):
#include <MySensor.h> #include <SPI.h> #include <readVcc.h> #define NODE_ID 21 // ID of node #define CHILD_ID 1 // Id of the sensor child #define MAILBOX_FRONT_PIN 2 // Arduino Digital I/O pin for button/reed switch #define MAILBOX_BACK_PIN 3 // Arduino Digital I/O pin for button/reed switch #define MIN_V 1900 // empty voltage (0%) #define MAX_V 3200 // full voltage (100%) MySensor gw; MyMessage msg(CHILD_ID, V_TRIPPED); boolean post = false; boolean lastpost = false; int oldBatteryPcnt; int repeat = 20; int trigger = -1; unsigned long goToSleepTime; void setup() { gw.begin(NULL, NODE_ID, false); pinMode(MAILBOX_FRONT_PIN, INPUT); pinMode(MAILBOX_BACK_PIN, INPUT); digitalWrite(MAILBOX_FRONT_PIN, HIGH); digitalWrite(MAILBOX_BACK_PIN, HIGH); gw.sendSketchInfo("Mailbox Alert", "1.0"); gw.present(CHILD_ID, S_MOTION); Serial.println("---------- set Mailbox empty"); msg.set(0); } void loop() { if (millis() - goToSleepTime > 10UL) //debounce { switch (trigger) { case 0: post = true; Serial.println("---------- New Mail"); break; case 1: post = false; Serial.println("---------- Mailbox emptied"); break; default: Serial.println("---------- I just woke up"); } } trigger = -1; if (post != lastpost) { Serial.print("---------- Send Mailboxstate "); Serial.println(post ? "full" : "empty"); msg.set(post); lastpost = post; sendBattery(); } // Sleep until something happens with the sensor goToSleepTime = millis(); trigger = gw.sleep(MAILBOX_FRONT_PIN - 2, CHANGE, MAILBOX_BACK_PIN - 2, CHANGE, 0); } void sendBattery() // Measure battery { int batteryPcnt = min(map(readVcc(), MIN_V, MAX_V, 0, 100), 100); if (batteryPcnt != oldBatteryPcnt) { gw.sendBatteryLevel(batteryPcnt); // Send battery percentage oldBatteryPcnt = batteryPcnt; } Serial.print("---------- Battery: "); Serial.println(batteryPcnt); }
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Thx for the tips. I will try it.
I have just measured the current:
32uA in sleep and both opened
when one reen switch is closed: 171uA
when both closed: 309uAi use a internal pullup and dont know why the current is so high when switch is closed
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it is fixed changed internal pullup to an external with 680k. now its 32uA with both opened and 47uA with both closed
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@n3ro how do you do that?
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Hi!
I+m trying to do a similar mailbox sensor, but I get different power consumptions hen I ground (pulling down) input pin 2 and 3.Iยดm using a pro mini, 3.3v standard boot loader with removed LED and 470k resistors as external pull-ups.
In sleep mode with it draws about 65uA
Roughly the same with input pin 3 -grounded (state 0)
But when I ground pin 2 it draws 7mAAny ideas whats wrong?
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@Moshe-Livne just deactivate the this lines:
//digitalWrite(MAILBOX_FRONT_PIN, HIGH);
//digitalWrite(MAILBOX_BACK_PIN, HIGH);and solder two resistor from 3.3v to pin 2 and 3.
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Ok, so I found that it is the radio that draws about 7mA when I ground input pin 2, it is connected to IRQ-pin on the radio.
@n3ro Have you connected the radio as described on the build-page? [http://www.mysensors.org/build/connect_radio](link url)
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@f1dev yes. But you don't need irq on a node
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@BulldogLowell could you please explain your changes? I don't understand everything of this
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@n3ro Ok, thanks! Then I learned something new today.. IRQ is only needed for receiving nodes then, like repeaters and gateways, right?
Strange though that my circuit draws so much more current than yours. I have tested different setups, different arduinos and different radios from different suppliers with same result.
Well, at least my mailbox are mysensored now!
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I think you need the irq only for the gw. I have a receive node without irq.
Do you have changed fuses on your arduino?
And remember. All this stuff is cheap China electronic.The devices can vary consume a lot of electricity.
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Nope, havent done that yet. Itยดs a "stock" 3v3 pro mini. Still reading up on how to do that and how to change to MYS-bootloader, curious on how OTA-update works.
Big thanks for your respons!
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@f1dev sweebe wrote a very good howto:
http://forum.pimatic.org/topic/383/tips-battery-powered-sensors
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@n3ro - Thanks, that was really helpfull!
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@n3ro Brilliant! He recommends to take out the voltage regulator. it is easier (and works better) just to snip off one leg as described here http://www.mysensors.org/build/battery. I'll try his other mods.... hopefully now my nodes will last forever!!!!
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quality project, been having a tinker with mixed results. used sketch from original post, but would it be possible to get a circuit diagram showing pull up locations??? bit of a beginner, but have had a few success with rolling out some power operated sensors , this is my first battery operated sensor...
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No problem. I make one give me a day
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thanks for the diagram, much appreciated...
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Hello,
Does this code still work?
Thank you
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