I recommend a single or double USB 18650 battery bank. You can get a solar panel and attach the leads to a 5v USB regulator. You can use a USB cable to connect the solar panel w/ 5v regulator to the input on the 18650 battery bank.
The output of the battery bank can be connected to the micro controller.
Here's a better sketch that uses Software Serial.
https://codebender.cc/sketch:61723
Pyramid Apex 5000 Bill Acceptor + Arduino Uno – 01:35
— KINDanon
@Zeph I found the problem by connecting the Serial output line to analog pin 0. Low was about 320/1023, floating was about 330/1023, and high was about 340/1023. I used the internal pull-up on Serial1. Then it became possible to read the Serial data.
The embedded code in the first post was updated automatically as work progressed.
I'm going to try using Software Serial on an Uno instead of Serial(1 to 3) on the Mega
@daulagari The Arduino can be used like it was a serial to USB adapter. Just plug the wire(s) in to RX0 (Pin 0) and TX0 (Pin 1) and load up a terminal host (ex: RealTerm). The output serial line is connected to the Arduino TX0, The data passes through without the Arduino being programmed to do anything.
It works similar to one of these devices which can be used to program the Arduino Pro mini or as a general TTL serial port: http://www.ebay.com/itm/360916810060. An example use case is reading GPS data though a serial to USB adapter.
@daulagari 115200 is for the regular interface to read the serial output. Serial1 is at 600 baud and is connected to the bill acceptor.
I'm trying to get a Apex Series 5000 Bill Acceptor to communicate with an Arduino Mega 2560. When I plug the Bill Acceptor's output Serial TTL line into the raw Serial input port (TX0->1) of the Arduino and run the Windows program RealTerm, the data can be seen in the Terminal.
Screenshot: http://i.imgur.com/Nt0LyVs.png
81 (hex) means 1 dollar was inserted in the bill acceptor.
When I try to use the Arduino Mega's Serial1 input port, it doesn't recognize and display the input from the bill acceptor.
Source code: http://codebender.cc/sketch:58090
Is the config in the screenshot different from the config in the source code?
I recommend a single or double USB 18650 battery bank. You can get a solar panel and attach the leads to a 5v USB regulator. You can use a USB cable to connect the solar panel w/ 5v regulator to the input on the 18650 battery bank.
The output of the battery bank can be connected to the micro controller.
Autodesk is offering a tool similar to Fritzing: http://www.123dapp.com/circuits
They are tools to design a diagram of a circuit.
@epierre The SI1145 can measure IR, visible, and UV light: https://learn.adafruit.com/adafruit-si1145-breakout-board-uv-ir-visible-sensor/overview
This project uses an Arduino pro mini 3.3v 8mhz. The power and pin 13 LEDs have been desoldered to save battery life. The battery used is a 18650 lithium and a single 18650 battery bank.
XAMPP server: http://www.jbcse.com/weather-graph.php
All sensors and the transceiver powered through an IRL520 mosfet. The Jeelib power library is used to make the arduino sleep for about 10 seconds which uses about 1 mA. Measuring takes about 2 seconds and uses 5 mA.
Sensors used: DHT22, BMP185, SI1145
Transceiver used: NRF24L01+
