This should be a simple one! Water level test (not on constantly)

[punter9]

Ok I am working away steadily at my automatic garden. I could use some help figuring out how to power up, read, and then power down my water level sensors.

Currently I have 4 bolts in a 5 gallon bucket for water (and a pump). The bottom bolt is ground and the top 3 are for various water level indications. Currently I have it set up to read from digital pins but these are on all the time and this will cause significant amounts of electrolysis. What I would like to do is utilize millis and pin settings to turn the pins on, take a reading, and turn them off. Due to the nature of my operation I only need to do this about 4 times a day.

If anyone could help me out with my code I would really appreciate it!

#include <MySensor.h>
#include <SPI.h>
#include <Bounce2.h>

#define CHILD_ID3 3
#define BUTTON_PIN1  3  // Arduino Digital I/O pin for button/reed switch
#define CHILD_ID4 4
#define BUTTON_PIN2  4  // Arduino Digital I/O pin for button/reed switch
#define CHILD_ID5 5
#define BUTTON_PIN3  5  // Arduino Digital I/O pin for button/reed switch

long previousMillis = 0;
long interval = (10000); //delay betweein readings - 1000 is 1 second

MySensor gw;
Bounce debouncer = Bounce(); 
int oldValue1=-1;
int oldValue2=-1;
int oldValue3=-1;

MyMessage msg1(CHILD_ID3,V_TRIPPED), msg2(CHILD_ID4,V_TRIPPED),msg3(CHILD_ID5,V_TRIPPED); // Change to V_LIGHT if you use S_LIGHT in presentation below

void setup()  
{  
  gw.begin();

 gw.sendSketchInfo("3 Binary Switches", "1.0");
  pinMode(BUTTON_PIN1,INPUT);
  pinMode(BUTTON_PIN2,INPUT);
  pinMode(BUTTON_PIN3,INPUT);
  
  // Activate internal pull-up
  digitalWrite(BUTTON_PIN1,HIGH);
  digitalWrite(BUTTON_PIN2,HIGH);
  digitalWrite(BUTTON_PIN3,HIGH);

  gw.present(CHILD_ID3, S_DOOR);// Register binary input sensor to gw (they will be created as child devices)
  gw.present(CHILD_ID4, S_DOOR); // You can use S_DOOR, S_MOTION or S_LIGHT here depending on your usage.
  gw.present(CHILD_ID5, S_DOOR);  // If S_LIGHT is used, remember to update variable type you send in. See "msg" above.  
}

void loop() 
{
  unsigned long currentMillis = millis();     

  if (currentMillis - previousMillis > interval) {
  debouncer.update();
  int value1 = debouncer.read();
  int value2 = debouncer.read();
  int value3 = debouncer.read();
  value1 = digitalRead(BUTTON_PIN1);
  value2 = digitalRead(BUTTON_PIN2);
  value3 = digitalRead(BUTTON_PIN3);
  gw.send(msg1.set(value1==HIGH ? 1 : 0));// Send in the new value
  oldValue1 = value1;
  gw.send(msg2.set(value2==HIGH ? 1 : 0));// Send in the new value
  oldValue2 = value2;
  gw.send(msg3.set(value3==HIGH ? 1 : 0));// Send in the new value
  oldValue3 = value3; 
} 
}

[sundberg84]

Hi!

It might be possible to use gw.sleep(SLEEP_TIME); to power your node down when its not used?
I dont know if you have to set the pins low before this but better safe... ?

There are many examples, temp sketch, that uses this.

I use sleep all the time to save battery on my nodes and that works great.

[punter9]

Thanks for the help!

I may be wrong but I believe that only sleeps the radio but wouldn't shut down the digital pins in the water (the electrolysis). I'm also a noob so that may be way off lol.

I have a relay attached to it as well so I really need it to be running. With the help from this forum I am using digital pins to power my moisture sensors and turning them on and off to prevent electrolysis (take a reading on analog pin). Works great, I'd like a similar setup here if possible

[mfalkvidd]

Move

  // Activate internal pull-up
  digitalWrite(BUTTON_PIN1,HIGH);
  digitalWrite(BUTTON_PIN2,HIGH);
  digitalWrite(BUTTON_PIN3,HIGH);

out from setup(), place them just after

debouncer.update();

instead, and add

  // Deactivate internal pull-up
  digitalWrite(BUTTON_PIN1,LOW);
  digitalWrite(BUTTON_PIN2,LOW);
  digitalWrite(BUTTON_PIN3,LOW);

after

oldValue3 = value3; 

and you should be OK.

[punter9]

@mfalkvidd said:

thanks! That makes a ton of sense. These forums are awesome, I really appreciate everybody