redtop's Ferduino controller

[redtop03]

had to take a few pics of a few of the screens as well..

Fernando added graphs for each of the parameters, including water pH, reactor pH, water temperature, ORP, and density...very nice, all parameter readings are stored on the SD card





couple shots of the wavemaker screen

[redtop03]

this is my most favorite feature of this controller, you simply add the amount of each LED that you want and program a start time and end time, the controller keeps your mixture settings and automatically ramps up for sunrise and down for sunset, the ramp up/down times are also programmable, or you can just let the controller ramp up/down all colors equally and adjust the PWM to your desired intensity...very clever Fernando



here's one of the menu screens



and for security, Fernando added a password protection system, actually, it's a passnumber system LOL I used my birth date numbers bur then turned it off in the code, it was getting aggravating having to add the numbers every time I wanted to mess with it LOL once it is complete and running my tank, I'll add that feature back to it



and another shot of the home screen

[redtop03]

here's a few of the stack dismantled so I could wire up the 3.5 jacks for the 6 float sensors...

the brains of this system....for the RTC, I connected it directly to the bottom side of the Arduino since both will always be in their mounted location from now on



the Ethernet shield...sorry for the blurry pic



and the proto shield...notice the notch cut out to accommodate the Ehternet port





and the stack reassembled



and for the float sensors...

[skydvr]

Between the layout of the screen and that case, it looks like something from the '80's. Even though I wasn't a fan of the '80s when it was the '80s, I'm digging the look of that.

Programming can be a bit awkward when you are first getting a handle on it. Once you start learning the syntax, it gets a lot easier. Check community colleges in your area for some intro programming classes. Even if there are no classes specifically for the Arduino code, it will transfer over. There are a lot of similarities between programming languages.
If there are any maker spaces/hacker spaces in your area, they may offer workshops. It wouldn't be as in depth or as structured as a college course, but it would be less of a time commitment and it would be geared specifically towards the Arduino and the types of things you are doing with it.


It is looking pretty good so far.


You could also get some mounting posts and epoxy or super glue them in the middle of the enclosure so you can get the board away from the back of the enclosure if you are running out of room for connectors. It will save you from having to trim any boards.

[redtop03]

Originally Posted by skydvr

Between the layout of the screen and that case, it looks like something from the '80's. Even though I wasn't a fan of the '80s when it was the '80s, I'm digging the look of that.

Programming can be a bit awkward when you are first getting a handle on it. Once you start learning the syntax, it gets a lot easier. Check community colleges in your area for some intro programming classes. Even if there are no classes specifically for the Arduino code, it will transfer over. There are a lot of similarities between programming languages.
If there are any maker spaces/hacker spaces in your area, they may offer workshops. It wouldn't be as in depth or as structured as a college course, but it would be less of a time commitment and it would be geared specifically towards the Arduino and the types of things you are doing with it.


It is looking pretty good so far.


You could also get some mounting posts and epoxy or super glue them in the middle of the enclosure so you can get the board away from the back of the enclosure if you are running out of room for connectors. It will save you from having to trim any boards.

thank you...

I'm not particularly fond of the case color myself LOL but I wanted something to house it in until I figure out all the details....

I will likely add the controller to my canopy once it is done but I'm not sure if I'll keep it in the project box or build it into my light system...

my main concern is getting it to function right now and try to keep it somewhat organized

I built my Jarduino on a piece of acrylic and it stayed that way until I started my canopy, it is now just scattered out on top of the canopy with wires and crap everywhere LOL

[fefegarcia1]

Hi!

Congrats Willie!

Great work!

Best regards.

[redtop03]

Originally Posted by fefegarcia1

Hi!

Congrats Willie!

Great work!

Best regards.

thank you Fernando, it's been fun so far

I have another question for you or anybody who may know

actually, it's two more questions LOL

I've been looking at the float sensors and trying to figure out how they are supposed to be wired, I have the stereo connectors which have 3 connection terminals, the float sensors are just 2 wires, and I did not know that until this morning...I learn something new every day it seems with the Arduino

from looking at the schematics you emailed to me,



I'm assuming that one lead from the float connects to 5v and the other lead connects to the signal wire from the Arduino and the ground is not connected to the float switch in any way.....

is that correct and does it matter which lead on the float switch is connected to each wire from the Arduino ?

if that is the case and since I connected all three pins on the 3.5mm jacks, I'll probable have to redo the ground and remove it from the jacks, that'll be easy to do though, with a little help from the Dremel

[fefegarcia1]

Hi!

You will use only two wires.

A mono phone plug is enough for you.

As this:



GND goes to the resistor only.

I'm assuming that one lead from the float connects to 5v and the other lead connects to the signal wire from the Arduino and the ground is not connected to the float switch in any way.....

It's Ok.


Best regards.

[redtop03]

thanks for the conformation Fernando,

that's kinda what I figured,

I'll just cut the trace connecting the third terminal to ground and connect the 2 inner sections of the female stereo jacks and it will work the same as a mono jacks, then just use male mono jacks to connect to the float sensors...that little over site will be easy to fix

[fefegarcia1]

Hi!

Willie, if you want you can add a LED to show the status of each float switch.



Best regards.

Fernando Garcia

[redtop03]

Originally Posted by fefegarcia1

Hi!

Willie, if you want you can add a LED to show the status of each float switch.



Best regards.

Fernando Garcia

awesome and a great idea,

I may add those Fernando, I like the idea of having a visual confirmation of things in operation....

and after seeing this I double checked my power strip, I have the lighted switches in it on the wrong side of the relays too, they are lit when the switch is on and the status of the relay doesn't matter, I want them to only be lit when the outlet is powered, so I gotta redo that too LOL

if I keep having to redo everything, I'm never gonna get much done, but that is perfectly fine, I really enjoy taking challenges and I learn more from my mistakes than I do from getting things right on the first go around

thank you again Fernando, for keeping a helpful watch over me, and for sharing your wealth of valuable wisdom with me

[fefegarcia1]

Hi!

A beta version is available.

http://ferduino.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=8&t=34

Best regards

Fernando Garcia

[redtop03]

Originally Posted by fefegarcia1

Hi!

A beta version is available.

http://ferduino.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=8&t=34

Best regards

Fernando Garcia

I'm working on loading it right now,

I'm trying to work through a few errors and translating the side notes from Portuguese to English is taking google translator a while to do

once I finally give up, I'll be asking you how to get it to load LOL

[redtop03]

I'm not anywhere near done with this yet but it is running my lights and WP10s now

I can't get my old temp sensors from my Jarduino build to work with the Ferduino, but I wired them up using 2 wire peristaltic and the Ferduino doesn't seem to recognize them, not a big deal though, I ordered more DS18B20s, I'll make some 3 wire probes LOL

I have my fan circuits done so that they will turn on and off with the temp setting once the probes are in place

I'm still waiting on the mailman to deliver more goodies for this, including a new pair of WP25s these WP10s are awesome but I want more flow

got the new web based code compiled and loaded but I've still not figured out how to get my Motorola router to let me open my ports so that I can use the web interface but when I figure all that out, I'll be rocking

nice job trimming the code down too Fernando, I don't know how you did it without loosing features but you did it, you now have room for even more features, my wife wants it to load and unload the dishwasher, can you put that in there for her ? LOL

no new pics of the controller but I did take a few pics of my LEDs glowing brightly....this was the best way to show off my terrible wiring mess LOL







these are the moon LEDs



these are DIY too if you didn't already know that LOL

there's 84 total LEDs, 40 royal blue, 6 red, 8 green, 4 blue moon LEDs and all the rest are 6500k white and using the Meanwell LDD 700ma drivers on a 48v Meanwell PSU, the moon LEDs are running on a 12v Ebay PSU

besides the moon light channel, I have 4 daylight channels, blue, white, red, and green and will add the 5th channel as soon as I get the Violet LEDs....

I mixed my green LEDs with blue and the red LEDs with white to complete each of their strings, plus I have 1 string of white and 2 strings of blue, I will most likely add another string of blue as well but this is a work in progress that I've tinkered with for over a year now LOL

for a heatsink, I used 5 pieces of 1" aluminum C channel from Lowes but I may go ahead and order an actual heatsink later, this thing works but it looks terrible...which is why I will not post pics without the LEDs glowing brightly LOL

all of these LEDs are Ebay specials too, I didn't wanna screw up high dollar Crees just learning how to make them work LOL now that I have a good understanding of how to wire up LEDs, I may later add some better quality diodes, but honestly, I don't see anything wrong with these

[fefegarcia1]

nice job trimming the code down too Fernando, I don't know how you did it without loosing features but you did it, you now have room for even more features, my wife wants it to load and unload the dishwasher, can you put that in there for her ? LOL

Hi!

I'll not implement this function.

She'll be disappointed.

Prepare to buy gifts for his wife.

Anyway if you want try make, here have a project to start:

http://forum.arduino.cc/index.php?topic=62135.0

Best regards.

Fernando Garcia

[redtop03]

Originally Posted by fefegarcia1

Hi!

I'll not implement this function.

She'll be disappointed.

Prepare to buy gifts for his wife.

Anyway if you want try make, here have a project to start:

http://forum.arduino.cc/index.php?topic=62135.0

Best regards.

Fernando Garcia

LOL someone is already using an Arduino to run their dishwasher, I knew it was just a matter of time, that is a Maytag dishwasher too, they ain't supposed to mess up....we had one just like it that didn't last much over a year, and it was the same issue that guy had, a bad control panel....I replaced the panel for just over 100 bucks and the new panel didn't last a full year, we now have a GE dishwasher LOL

[redtop03]

thanks entirely to Fernando spending several hours via Skype and Team Viewer, working around with several things on my PC (that was way cool watching him work on my PC, me in Ky., him in Brazil...awesome )

but I now have a web based controller with touch screen technology and full of reefing features that is just freaking awesome

I'll try to do a video of this thing working later but I'm still playing with it myself LOL

[redtop03]

Fernando, I have one other issue now LOL I changed the blue LED to green in the ferduino code but it is still displayed as blue on JoyReef...

how do I change blue to green for JoyReef ?

[fefegarcia1]

On moment it's impossible.

But you change a color shown on TFT.

In tab "ferduino" find:

byte cor_canal2[] = {9, 184, 255};    // Azul

Replace this numbers to another combination RGB.

{ red, gree, blue}

No forget to talk that you had problem of hardware not software.

[redtop03]

Originally Posted by fefegarcia1

On moment it's impossible.

But you change a color shown on TFT.

In tab "ferduino" find:

byte cor_canal2[] = {9, 184, 255};    // Azul

Replace this numbers to another combination RGB.

{ red, gree, blue}

No forget to talk that you had problem of hardware not software.

after figuring out that that is where the color set was located, I changed the TFT display from blue to green

and went from,

byte cor_canal2[] = {9, 184, 255}; // Blue

to this,

byte cor_canal2[] = {0, 255, 0}; // Green

as well as change the name display from blue to green, I left all the code the same because I didn't want to screw something up LOL

there's never been any problem with the software, every issue I've had so far has been of my own creation LOL

my wiring up the temp sensors backwards made them inoperable, and my forgetting to remove the 4 pins that control the LCD's built-in SD card reader from the new LCD shield, which made the ethernet shield not want to connect to Joyreef...

and it is plainly stated everywhere this code download is located that not removing those pins will cause problems LOL I just forgot, I do that a lot lately, I must be getting old

every issue is and will likely continue to be of my own doing...thankfully, Fernando is a lot smarter than me and was able to troubleshoot my issues from hundreds of miles away LOL

I'm not too much concerned with the LED stuff Fernando, my touch screen shows it as a green channel and I can live with the blue display on Joyreef, I'm using it to control green LEDs, it works great so that's not really a problem

so far this has been a complete joy to build, even with all my screw ups LOL

I'm extremely happy with how this is turning out, I decided to take a few screen shots of all this and post them too











this is just a few screen shots, there's plenty more, but thought I'd share a little of what I see here on my desk top

[fefegarcia1]

Willie i'm talking about this color.

Not appears be green.

see this: http://www.rapidtables.com/web/color/RGB_Color.htm

[redtop03]

and just for anybody here who tries to duplicate this build, note the 4 pins removed from the TFT shield in these pics of Fernando's...these 4 pins must be removed, they will cause conflicts if not LOL





the Ethernet shield has it's own SD card reader built in and the software uses it instead of the one located on the LCD board, so these 4 pins that control it must be removed

[redtop03]

Originally Posted by fefegarcia1

Willie i'm talking about this color.

There appears be green.

see this: http://www.rapidtables.com/web/color/RGB_Color.htm

yes, it was still blue in that photo, it is green now, I hadn't located the place in the code to change it before I snapped that pic

my lights are off now but I will post an updated pic of it tomorrow

and just for those who may not know, changing those 3 sets of numbers changed every bar graph in the software, every screen that displays any of the LED bar graphs will change when those setting are altered, Fernando did an amazing job simplifying this extremely advanced software, adding the text tab/folder so that changing the names of different function is incredibly easy, changing it in one location instead of hundreds

I started studying this code trying to figure out how to use the wavemaker in my Jarduino controller, but after months of messing with it, I have been nothing but amazed at all the time and effort that has gone into creating this code.......translating all the side notes in the code from Portuguese to English was a bit challenging but hey, I love a good challenge, and now I love google translator too LOL

[redtop03]

alright, I couldn't wait til tomorrow, I ran the LEDs up and snapped a few pics LOL





as you can see, the green is now green, and it's the same on every LED screen with the bar graphs

[redtop03]

I also added a hint of blue to the white for a cool white look but it's not really noticeable in these pics