Domotiocz + Rain gauge

TheoL

@AWI last question for today. Do you send the rain rate to domoticz as well? Still figuring out how to do this.

sundberg84

@TheoL - No I dont, and if i remember right its because i sleep the node I cant do the calculations.

TheoL

@sundberg84 I've added it. But so far Domoticz doesn't return a value whenever I query a JSON for the sensor. Maybe it does when the clock switches to the next hour.

flopp

@TheoL said:

@AWI last question for today. Do you send the rain rate to domoticz as well? Still figuring out how to do this.

Domoticz have some sort of rain rate, not like mm/12h, mm/6h but it will give mm/h depending how you send data to Domoticz it will be more or less correct.

TheoL

@flopp Thank you. What do you mean by sending data correctly? Do you have an example sketch?

flopp

@TheoL said:

@flopp Thank you. What do you mean by sending data correctly? Do you have an example sketch?

Not correctly, I wrote depending.

If you send data every 2 hours and ot every time the buck has tiped the rate will not be correct. Lets say you send/report every 2 hour, you report 10 mm, that means you have "collect" 10 mm for 2 hours. Maybe the hour was not raining, then the rate will show you 10mm/h, sorry if I confusing you.

What I mean is that you should send/report directly when the buck has tiped then the rate in DZ will be correct rate/h.

my sketch

#include <SPI.h>
#include <MySensor.h> 

// Running this in Domoticz stable version 2.5 will not work - upgrade to beta.

#define DIGITAL_INPUT_SENSOR 3 // The reed switch you attached. (Only 2 and 3 generates interrupt!)
#define INTERRUPT DIGITAL_INPUT_SENSOR-2 // Usually the interrupt = pin -2 (on uno/nano anyway)

#define CHILD_ID 1 // Id of the sensor child
#define BATT_CHILD 2
#define NODE_ID AUTO // or AUTO to let controller assign
#define SKETCH_NAME "Rain Gauge" // Change to a fancy name you like
#define SKETCH_VERSION "1.8" // Your version

unsigned long SLEEP_TIME = 180*60000; // Sleep time (in milliseconds).
//unsigned long SLEEP_TIME = 20000; // use this instead for debug

float hwRainVolume = 0; // Current rainvolume calculated in hardware.
int hwPulseCounter = 0; // Pulsecount recieved from GW
float fullCounter = 0; // Counts when to send counter
float bucketSize = 0.5; // Bucketsize mm, needs to be 1, 0.5, 0.25, 0.2 or 0.1
boolean pcReceived = false; // If we have recieved the pulscount from GW or not 
boolean reedState; // Current state the reedswitch is in
boolean oldReedState; // Old state (last state) of the reedswitch
unsigned long lastSend =0; // Time we last tried to fetch counter.

MySensor gw;
MyMessage volumeMsg(CHILD_ID,V_RAIN);
MyMessage lastCounterMsg(CHILD_ID,V_VAR1);
MyMessage battMsg(BATT_CHILD, V_VOLTAGE);

//=========================
// BATTERY VOLTAGE DIVIDER SETUP
// 1M, 470K divider across battery and using internal ADC ref of 1.1V
// Sense point is bypassed with 0.1 uF cap to reduce noise at that point
// ((1e6+470e3)/470e3)*1.1 = Vmax = 3.44 Volts
// 3.44/1023 = Volts per bit = 0.003363075
/*
#define VBAT_PER_BITS 0.003363075 
#define VMIN 1.9 // Vmin (radio Min Volt)=1.9V (564v)
#define VMAX 3.0 // Vmax = (2xAA bat)=3.0V (892v)
int batteryPcnt = 0; // Calc value for battery %
int batLoop = 0; // Loop to help calc average
int batArray[3]; // Array to store value for average calc.
int BATTERY_SENSE_PIN = A0; // select the input pin for the battery sense point
//=========================
*/

long result;
float batteryPcnt;
float batteryVolt;

void setup() 
{ 
pinMode(6,OUTPUT);
digitalWrite(6,HIGH);
// use the 1.1 V internal reference
//analogReference(INTERNAL); // For battery sensing

pinMode(DIGITAL_INPUT_SENSOR, INPUT_PULLUP); // sets the reed sensor digital pin as input

reedState = digitalRead(DIGITAL_INPUT_SENSOR); // Read what state the reedswitch is in
oldReedState = reedState; // Set startup position for reedswitch

delay(500); // Allow time for radio if power used as reset

//Begin (Change if you dont want static node_id! (NODE_ID to AUTO)
gw.begin(incomingMessage, NODE_ID, false);

// Send the Sketch Version Information to the Gateway
gw.sendSketchInfo(SKETCH_NAME, SKETCH_VERSION);

// Register this device as Rain sensor (will not show in Domoticz until first value arrives)
gw.present(CHILD_ID, S_RAIN); 
gw.present(BATT_CHILD, S_MULTIMETER);

Serial.println("Startup completed");
}

void loop() 
{ 

digitalWrite(6,HIGH);
delay(100);

gw.process();
//gw.begin(incomingMessage, NODE_ID, false);
unsigned long currentTime = millis();

//See if we have the counter/pulse from Domoticz - and ask for it if we dont.
if (!pcReceived && (currentTime - lastSend > 5000)) { 
gw.begin(incomingMessage, NODE_ID, false);
gw.request(CHILD_ID, V_VAR1);
Serial.println("Request pulsecount");
lastSend=currentTime;
gw.process();
return;
}
if (!pcReceived) {
return;
}

//Read if the bucket tipped over
reedState = digitalRead(DIGITAL_INPUT_SENSOR);
boolean tipped = oldReedState != reedState; 

//BUCKET TIPS!
if (tipped==true) {
gw.begin(incomingMessage, NODE_ID, false);
Serial.println("The bucket has tipped over...");
oldReedState = reedState;
hwRainVolume = hwRainVolume + bucketSize;
gw.send(volumeMsg.set((float)hwRainVolume,1));
gw.wait(1000);
fullCounter = fullCounter + bucketSize;

//Count so we send the counter for every 1mm
if(fullCounter >= 1){
hwPulseCounter++;
gw.send(lastCounterMsg.set(hwPulseCounter));
gw.wait(1000);
fullCounter = 0;
}
readVcc(); 
}

if (tipped==false) {

//No bucket tipped over last sleep-period, check battery then...
readVcc(); 
}

lastSend=currentTime;
Serial.println("sleep");
digitalWrite(6,LOW);
delay(1000);
gw.sleep(INTERRUPT, CHANGE, SLEEP_TIME); 
//The interupt can be CHANGE or FALLING depending on how you wired the hardware.
}

//Read if we have a incoming message.
void incomingMessage(const MyMessage &message) {
if (message.type==V_VAR1) {
hwPulseCounter = message.getULong();
hwRainVolume = hwPulseCounter;
pcReceived = true;
Serial.print("Received last pulse count from gw: ");
Serial.println(hwPulseCounter); 
}
}
/*
void batM() //The battery calculations
{
delay(500);
// Battery monitoring reading
int sensorValue = analogRead(BATTERY_SENSE_PIN); 
delay(500);

// Calculate the battery in %
float Vbat = sensorValue * VBAT_PER_BITS;
int batteryPcnt = static_cast<int>(((Vbat-VMIN)/(VMAX-VMIN))*100.);
Serial.print("Battery percent: "); Serial.print(batteryPcnt); Serial.println(" %"); 

// Add it to array so we get an average of 3 (3x20min)
batArray[batLoop] = batteryPcnt;

if (batLoop > 1) { 
batteryPcnt = (batArray[0] + batArray[1] + batArray[2]);
batteryPcnt = batteryPcnt / 3;

if (batteryPcnt > 100) {
batteryPcnt=100;
}

Serial.print("Battery Average (Send): "); Serial.print(batteryPcnt); Serial.println(" %");
gw.sendBatteryLevel(batteryPcnt);
batLoop = 0;

//Sends 1 per hour as a heartbeat.
gw.send(volumeMsg.set((float)hwRainVolume,1));
gw.send(lastCounterMsg.set(hwPulseCounter));
}
else 
{
batLoop++;
}
}
*/
long readVcc() {
Serial.println("readVcc");
// Read 1.1V reference against AVcc
ADMUX = _BV(REFS0) | _BV(MUX3) | _BV(MUX2) | _BV(MUX1);
delay(2); // Wait for Vref to settle
ADCSRA |= _BV(ADSC); // Convert
while (bit_is_set(ADCSRA,ADSC));
result = ADCL;
result |= ADCH<<8;
result = 1126400L / result; // Back-calculate AVcc in mV
//return result;
gw.begin(incomingMessage, NODE_ID, false);
batteryPcnt = (result - 3300) * 0.111111;
batteryVolt = result/1000.000;
gw.sendBatteryLevel(batteryPcnt);
gw.send(battMsg.set(batteryVolt, 3));
/*Serial.print("battery volt:");
Serial.println(batteryVolt, 3);
Serial.print("battery percent:");
Serial.println(batteryPcnt);
*/
}

TheoL

@flopp Thank you for the explanation. I think I've got it.

I've added a RAINRATE msg like this
MyMessage rainRateMsg( CHILD_ID_RAIN_LOG, V_RAINRATE );

But I don't think domoticz uses it.

TheoL

@sundberg84 Using a real pulse counter instead of a 1mm pulse counter seems to work perfectly. Luckily it makes the sketch a bunch easier to implement and read. And there will also be no loss of 0.2 or 0.5 mm rain fall whenever you reset the node while it didn't have a .0 value.

flopp

@TheoL RAINRATE is implemented according to this page https://github.com/domoticz/domoticz/blob/master/hardware/MySensorsBase.cpp but I don't know how to use it. I know that DZ doesn't work with this example https://www.mysensors.org/build/rain

flopp

I have adjust my bucked to tip every ~0.25mm and calibrated it ofcourse

AWI

Domoticz just recently changed the method of rain rate calculation. It does not interpret rainrate values sent by sensors but calculates this by the total value coming in.

TheoL

@AWI Thank you again. I already had a gut feeling this would be the case. I'll strip out the rain rate code from the sketch.

BulldogLowell

@TheoL

Great to see this project continuing to grow legs!

Hilltan

This post is deleted!

flopp

@sundberg84 said:

I just wanted to celebrate 1 year for my Rainsensor on batteries, reporting every hour (or less when it rains). Still going strong and 81% battery left! Except for some range issues in the beginning you can see its working as it should:

WOW, nice. Would it be possible to see your Battery graph, if you have one?
I am send data every 2h or often when it rains but my battery is draining much quicker than yours. Maybe I will get 1 year out of it, so I am happy anyway.
But I am interested in your graph if the voltage is going down quicker in the beginning.

Hilltan

Maybe a stupid question, but it is possible to replace the SI7021 sensor with a DHT-22 sensor (the code has to be changed offsourse)? And get everything to work with ThresholdUtil? I have all parts, but not the SI7021 sensor to build the rain gauge.

TheoL

@Hilltan That should really be easy. I've created the threshold util especially for this. You only have to replace the si7021 init part with the DHT22 init part and replace the reading part of the si7021 in the threshold util callback with reading the DHT22 part. Then you're done.

Just give it a try yourself. It's really not that hard.

There's however a reason why I use the si7021 instead of the DHT's. I've had serious troubles with the DHT sensors. Some of them wouldn't report the values to the gateway for a week. After the that the node spontaneously started reporting again. I have a sense bender running for more than a half year flawlessly. So in my opinion the si7021 is superior to the DHT.

AWI

@Hilltan Like @TheoL mentioned, try to avoid the DHT22, especially for battery powered operation. The DHT-22 is (apart from other disadvantages) specified for a working voltage from 3.3-6V. And tend to get unstable at low voltages.

hek

Hmm.. @AWI, @TheoL maybe we should replace DHT example on the main site for something more modern?

TheoL

@hek That sounds like a good idea. Should we also indicate that the SI7021 is a sensor for more experienced users? Because you need to solder wires or headers to it.

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