Best posts made by rchamp

Hey there, I've successfully converted just about everything in my house to with zwave sensors or homebrewed mysensors modules for lighting / temp hum, motions, etc.

The trouble I've been having is sourcing /building a multi button remote.

It's either go with a very expensive and at times not the most functional /attractive zwave device or build a clunky diy multi button MyS module that is just to large to be practical.

Has anyone taken the plunge to build a small battery powered multi button sensor? Seems the challenge is using a button array to wake the module with the single interrupt. I've been starting to dig into potentially using an i2c module but then size starts becoming an issue. I've been keeping my eye on a few projects in the open hardware group, but are still a little too hacked together. Smd soldering is easy but unfortunately I don't have the time to learn how to build a pcb from scratch.

How difficult is it to build an i2c io multiplexer? Ideally we have someone with better eagle skills than mine (close to none) that can combine emccubes mysgrowled sensor and a i2c multiplexer onto a single board

I feel this is one area we need to focus on more to make this project whole.

Anyone have projects or ideas they can throw my way. I'm going to be doing some serious digging later this year to try and make something useful to the community

@sundberg84

I agree with sundberg84 here. Would it be nice to have those other features? Sure, but then you're limited to what else you can do. This is a GREAT board for many/most sensors around the house. And in regards to light or temp/hum, in my experience it's better to have these detached and in better location for detection while keeping "main" board. more out of sight.

I'll post up some pics of my builds for ideas, but I've built sensors with temp/hum, temp/hum/motion (both battery powered running for over 7 months) and my latest a Neopixel multi strip driver for kitchen cabinets using 5v regulated power. And I haven't had any issues with the cheap through hole ceramic caps for .10uf or the electrolytic caps for 4.7 or 10uf sizes on this board

I'm in the 2.0 code. I'll have to play around some more and do some tests over the next few weeks. I like using the intermediary modules to generate a binary alert vs doing the analog reads. Seems faster to calibrate based on the moisture levels I need for different plants. However, the battery drain of those modules is crazy.

I'll do some current measements aND report back. If the consumption is too high for the pro mini digital out, I reckon I can use a mosfet to control power to the modules and power it on and wait a little before getting my reads. I think that will be the fastest solution and least path of resistance (no pun intended)

I wanted to clarify that i got it working.

I was browsing through the MySensors API and came across the Processing incomming messages section.

What I interpreted out of the explanation there is that a node acting as a relay actuator NEEDS to be configured as a repeater node in order to run the code needed to interpret incoming messages.

I kept removing the parameters in gw.begin() to make the node a non repeater because i have such a short range between my gateway and the node. Once i updated my sketch to configure the node as a repeater... BOOM! we're up and running!

I did notice when configuring this node in Vera, that i needed to cycle the sensor 3 times to be fully operational. My steps were as follows:

1. Delete node and light objects from vera. then Reload Vera.
2. Run inclusion on gateway
3. turn on node
4. power cycle node to auto configure light object in vera to display on/off buttons and get sketch name and node details.
5. power cycle node one more time. this seemed to get the sensor and Vera to sync up and report state properly back to UI5. after this everything was working wicked smooth.

Now i need to work on adding in my DIY soil sensor in.

I hope my resolution may help any other newbies in the world of this wonderful MySensors journey!

Cheers

@rchamp

Only issue I've have was with resistor to D3 which I don't use. My first board I put a resistor there and when doing a trace noticed I was constantly getting regulated 3.3v and it fried my dht11. Might Have been I interpreed the purpose of it wrong as I am new to electrical engineering, but I digress. I just power the dht of of vcc and gnd in prototype area and wire sensor outpUT directly to D3 breakout. No resistor.

My biggest challenge is finding/building quality quick connects for quick changes and mods /addons. I've reverted to Barrel connectors as they're easily available and can get pigtail versions and panel mount Versons easily

scratch that. i'm a ditz, apparently. i had the LEDs wired up the wrong way. i had the positive wire of the LED wired to the LED port on the board. i switched the negative was wired to the LED port on the pcb and voila! LED's work.

now i'll need to tinker more and play with fan PWM and other outputs on it.

Thanks for being a sounding board!