Easy/Newbie PCB for MySensors

[gohan]

Was the pro mini defective or just the pin you were using?

[sincze]

@gohan Don't know. Pin3 could be used to drive the led tx without problems. It only did not work with the temp sensors. I moved the temp sensor to d2.... modified the sketch and it did not work as well. and d2 was driveing rx led. So well root cause unknown... solution: solder a new pro mini and keep the other one for different purpose.

[zboblamont]

@sincze Did you use D2+D3 on all the same devices?

[gohan]

I'd try the other digital pins too

[sincze]

@zboblamont @gohan The Sensor with the replaced Pro Mini is in production now ;-). I'll start soldering a new Easy/Newbie PCB, because once you know how to do it... it is Easy and test the individual pins with a door/window sensor.

[Barna]

Hi Sundberg84,
What could you advise for battery powering (remove led and regulator too) if I would like to use Mini 5V and measure the battery level too ?
thx

Barna

[sundberg84]

@Barna the 5v pro mini are running a 16mhz crystal as default and this needs higher voltage to be stable compred to 8mhz (3.3v pro mini).

I have never tried this so can't give much advice but I would probably take the effort of reprogramming the fuses and bootloader to a internal 1mhz and run the hardware as that (the hardware is the same on 5v except the regulator and crystal )

[gohan]

@Barna why do you want to use a 5v arduino?

[Barna]

Hi Sundberg84,
I have used this step up booster
https://www.ebay.com/itm/181612513907?rmvSB=true

but found this (2nd),
https://www.ebay.com/itm/10Pcs-Mini-2-in-1-1-8V-5V-to-3-3V-DC-Step-Down-Step-Up-Converter-Power-For-Ardu/182793323053?hash=item2a8f54c22d:g:PJMAAOSwYL9ZzAXC
It has lower noise, so I could connect the radio to the Mini. What do you think ?

[sundberg84]

@barna lower noice is better but I can not confirm this module is better. You have to try. Yes you can connect this to EasyPCB just like the first one.

[Tommas]

Hi All!

Could someone suggest me an elegant way to extend the mysx connector? SO i would like to multiple the A4 A5 pins onto another prototype board to use more I2C devices....

[sundberg84]

@tommas just add a wire on the back side to the prototyping area ? You could design a MysX daughter board as well 😉

[Tommas]

@sundberg84

Unofrtunately i havent got the skills and free time for a daughter board.:(. But doesnt have someone else a daughterboard?:)

[Tommas]

@sundberg84

Or have you got any suggestion expansion board for arduino mini pro ? Something like this: arduino-pro-mini-undershield (but it can not buy on ebay)

[sundberg84]

@tommas how about a wire to the prototyping area ?

[dbemowsk]

@tommas you could easily take a piece of prototyping PCB like this and create your own daughter/prototyping board if you need more space than the prototyping area has.

Use a set of connectors like this to connect to the MysX connector on the easy newbie board.

[Nca78]

I have plans for MYSX connector daughter boards, maybe if you tell me more about what you are planning to use I can adapt.

[helvetian]

Hi community!
i just got to fiddle around with my new newbie pcb and i ran into some problems.
I am already quite familiar with mysensors as i have built quite a couple of different nodes which are working very well (all on bread boards or selfmade pcb boards)
No i wanted to step up a bit and bought the newbie pcb boards.
I want to have a battery powered setup. So i did solder all the parts on the board. checked my wiring many times and also checked all components. I even did check the whole pcb board if every line is ok with a multimeter.

So my problem is:
all the time i debug my node (mockup sketch) with the Arduino IDE powered by battery, stable power source etc i end up having the error TSP failed.

when i leave my set up as is (i solders headers to the board to conveniently change the components ) and only power the NRF24 seperatly i get no errors. So it must be something with my power ?
but i don't get it where exactly my problem lies.
Could somebody help me?

[sundberg84]

@helvetian - hi, sure we can help!
But it would be much easier if you described your hardware setup (picture?) and logs.
The EasyPCB is versatile so you can use it in many ways, but a wrong combination can make it not work.
Do you use a DC-DC booster? Batteries? Which jumpters did you solder? And so on...

Did you by any chance connect both batteries and ftdi Vcc at the same time?

[helvetian]

thx for your fast reply. i'm in the train right now. so i can't provide you now with any pics. as soon as possible i will do that!

I am using a battery booster (as it seems the same as you use), i have the battery jumpers connected, all the resistors and caps for the battery measurement.
It is just wired that it functions while the nrf24 is powered separately. maybe i got some bad radios?
One more question: the cap just below the booster. is this necessary to reduce the noice for the radio? might that help and if yes what size do you recommend? i didn't solder any cap yet there.

"Did you by any chance connect both batteries and ftdi Vcc at the same time?"
Yes! I did try this as well. Same results...
I should also mention i got my Arduino Pro mini battery powered hacked. So no more LED and Voltage regulator. But then again i also tried it with a untouched one.