Serial Gateway using cloned Nano

[Burtonian]

Hi guys,

I am very new to mysensors and I have just built my first double relay sensor and my serial gateway. I used the Arduino nano''s that I brought from Aliexpress. I just clicked on the links on the bits to buy section on mysensors and after about a month most of the bits arrived.

I soon discovered that the Nano''s had the CH340G chipset / driver that would not work with the Veralite as the serial gateway.

So I went onto ebay and asked several suppliers if they had any nano''s with the FTDI chipset. I came accross a very genuine ebayer who explained why most clones have the CH340G chipset and he came up with the idea of using an FTDI unit that he used to sell.

I said that I was very sceptical about it working. He went onto the mysensors website and read about the set up required. He said to me that he was so sure that his idea would work that he sent me one of these units for free and he even told me how to wire it to the nano, just four wires. TX, RX, GND & 5v. I did not need to change the serial gateway sketch at all.

You just need to use the Nano's onboard USB to upload the sketch. Then use the FTDI units USB to plug into the Veralite.

I connected it up and it worked first time. So I have now brought two of these units for £3 each to keep for a rainy day just in case I manage to mess up the unit that I am using on my serial gateway.

I hope this might save someone else having to buy an expensive genuine nano. If anyone wants one of these units please feel free to message me and I will put you in touch with him.

One other problem I am having with the veralite is that the nodes for my relays seem to always have the ON box in dark blue. If I click on OFF that box goes dark blue but only whilst I have my mouse over it. But the units turn on and off brilliantly.

Please can someone tell me how to fix it.

Regards

Burtonian

[tkt1033]

Hi Burtonian, thanks for your helpful information, I'm new also and have the same problems with the clone nano Arduino for serial gateway. Could you please share more info about how you connect 4 wires from FTDI unit to serial gateway with CH340G chipset, thanks a lot.

[sundberg84]

Hi!

I have a uno with CH340 chip and it works fine with the arduino IDE if you install the right drivers for this chip. I have not run any gateway with this uno but serveral nodes/sketches has been tested with this uno before the final sketch is sent to a pro mini.

[tkt1033]

@sundberg84 yes, you are right, CH340 chip works fine with arduino IDE but will not work with Vera Edge controller if you use it as serial gateway sketches, the reason is Vera Edge controller's build in USB driver not compatible with CH340 chipset.

For those newbies like me, don't waste your time to check anything if you able to see your serial gateway in IDE serial monitor " Gateway started " . Adopted from the original poster Burtonian, I am able to make it work last night follow the information in there and use additional USB to TTL converter device with FTDI chipset something like this one
http://www.aliexpress.com/item/1pcs-FT232RL-FTDI-USB-3-3V-5-5V-to-TTL-Serial-Adapter-Module-forArduino-Mini-Port/32256920717.html , attach 4 wires from this add on USB converter to your Arduino Nano as follow:
FTDI - USB Arduino Nano
VCC ------------------------------------------ 5V
GND ----------------------------------------- GND
RXD ------------------------------------------- RXD
TXD ------------------------------------------- TXD
Connect USB cable from Vera Edge controller to USB port on FTDI - USB (not Nano). Check back on Vera plug-ins you will see you gateway is there. I'm able to connect from the first try. Hope is help for somebody still frustrated like me couple days ago . Thanks again Burtonian, I'm very appreciated.