|
05/12/2010, 12:46 PM | #1 |
Team RC Member
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: NY
Posts: 17,749
|
Who wants a cheap, simple, Arduino-based LED controller?
Since the Hydra project is essentially a do-it-all reef controller with lots of functionality onboard AND lots of expandability, it seems like there's a gap in the DIY LED/controller communities. Many people want to JUST control LEDs. Maybe one or two other simple processes, but mostly control LEDs. Currently it seems that there's no simple way to do this for people who aren't super-experienced in the electronics hobby. IMHO there shouldn't be this type of knowledge requirement to do this sort of thing.
Right now, these people have the following choices: 1) Build totally from scratch. Seems overwhelming for most people. 2) Follow the Hydra or another purpose-designed reef controller. This is usually overkill if you just want LED control, AND too complicated. 3) Get an off the shelf Arduino (Duemilanove or compatible), add some minimal other functions (LCD, RTC, etc.). This is more expensive than it should be and a bit of a waste of capacity. I've walked a few people through this and it makes me cringe that they're spending $20 on an RTC from sparkfun, and $30 on a Duemilanove, and $20 on an LCD, etc. You should be able to build the entire thing (parts cost) for the price of a Duemilanove! So, I set out to design a purpose-built LED controller, based on the Arduino platform. It's an all-in-one package. You won't need anything else, in most cases. It will control most (all?) popular LED drivers, including buckpucks and Meanwell ELNs (both types.) Right now, the design is finished and PCBs and parts are ordered for the prototypes. The PCBs are on the slow boat from China so it'll be a month or more before I have a working prototype, but once I do, my intent is to use a very small subset of the software we put together for the Hydra, such that people can just upload it and go - no need to even LOOK at the code. Basic LED functions (when they come on, go off, fading, etc) will be controllable through a few buttons and a small LCD. The hardware includes: 1) An ATMega processor (you could use the 168 or 328, the requirements are minimal). 2) basic "Arduino" hardware (crystal, caps, etc.) 3) Onboard 16x2 LCD 4) 4 buttons for input/configuration 5) an RTC so it keeps the time 6) onboard 5v and 10v sources 7) convenient pin headers for connecting different types of drivers (5v or 10v) 8) FTDI header for reprogramming (which shouldn't be required for regular use) 9) an I2C header, because it's a convenient way to expand functionality if people want to go crazy Other people have done similar projects, and I say this with complete respect for those efforts, but they all strike me as too complicated, too expensive, etc. From the perspective of just controlling LEDs, I'd even make that judgement of our own efforts here on the Hydra project. Meanwhile, this device is JUST meant to be a simple, easy to assemble and easy to use PWM controller for LED drivers. Stay tuned!
__________________
Inconveniencing marine life since 1992 "It is my personal belief that reef aquaria should be thriving communities of biodiversity, representative of their wild counterparts, and not merely collections of pretty specimens growing on tidy clean rock shelves covered in purple coralline algae." (Eric Borneman) |
05/12/2010, 01:12 PM | #2 |
Registered Member
Join Date: Dec 2009
Posts: 146
|
I would love to see just a simple controller for main LEDs, moonlights, and hood fans. Couple simulations would be cool also. Maybe cloudy day, lightning, bright sunny day, reduce lighting to cut back on algae mode, etc...
Are you going to use PWM and 0-10v for dimming? I going to do my best to follow and build along with this one ... Jeff |
05/12/2010, 01:56 PM | #3 |
Registered Member
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: mission viejo
Posts: 524
|
This sounds pretty interesting...
So, you are saying that it should be at about a $30.00 price point? |
05/12/2010, 02:02 PM | #4 |
Registered Member
Join Date: May 2008
Location: Doc Brown's Mansion
Posts: 704
|
I'm pretty excited to see this come together. Definately tagging along!
__________________
1.21 Gigawatts?! 1.21 Gigawatts!?! Current Tank Info: 135 reef tank, 50 gallon turtle aquarium, 1.21 Gigawatts?! |
05/12/2010, 02:12 PM | #5 |
Registered Member
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: Northern VA
Posts: 4,618
|
Joining in. I was already thinking along this lines since the lights are above the tank (pendant) and I saw Hydra as below the tank. I don't want anymore wires than are really needed to be visible.
|
05/12/2010, 02:16 PM | #6 |
Registered Member
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: Northern VA
Posts: 4,618
|
Is this where you need a name? Might I suggest 'bunyip" and Australian Rainbow Serpent.
WIKI reading [EDIT] I read a little further in WIKI "The Rainbow Serpent is known as Ngalyod by the Gunwinggu and Borlung by the Miali", I kind of like Gunwinggu too. Last edited by TheFishMan65; 05/12/2010 at 02:31 PM. |
05/12/2010, 03:09 PM | #7 |
Registered Member
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: Chicago
Posts: 1,247
|
I was thinking about an Arduino-based moonlight control, that would simulate the lunar cycle.
__________________
-Jim Current Tank Info: 70 gal custom room divider |
05/12/2010, 04:57 PM | #8 |
Registered Member
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: Columbus, IN
Posts: 532
|
People get real !
The practicality and versatility of an Arduino build is what attracts most people to this kind of projects. How many fish or corals of more than $20 you bought and they died ? The biggest investment is time ! To build one of these controllers you need less than $100., but ... more than two or three weeks of work if you know what you are doing. If not, go buy a commercial one. To build this one you need hardware & software knowledge as well and regardless how much I wouldn't like to say it, it is not a DIY project for everyone. So, if you are to invest the time do it the way you take advantage of the full potential of such kind of project. You will alway need more digital pins, you will always think about more complex scenarios and the more you do it the easier this hobby will be. I built one of the first controllers (reefprojects.com) a year or so ago and it has been working flawlessly since. I have expanded two weeks ago using a Mega, 16 controlled outlets, pH, ORP, temp, two float switches, etc. and I could not be more satisfied. It was more than $100 though, but way less than a commercial version. Always remember that what satisfies you today will not tomorrow (Kano model). hope it helps, Marian PS. No intention to argue with anyone, just a point of view.
__________________
Enjoy your time reefing ! Current Tank Info: 90G Perfecto Mfg. Cube, 20G sump, DIY 24 LED light fixture + 250 MH, DIY Arduino controller, Reef Octopus 1000 LSS skimmer |
05/12/2010, 05:52 PM | #9 |
Registered Member
Join Date: Jan 2009
Posts: 151
|
very cool. I was thinking of coming up with something like this with a touch screen though.
|
05/12/2010, 06:13 PM | #10 | |
Registered Member
Join Date: May 2007
Location: California
Posts: 3,031
|
Quote:
__________________
-Eric Sutter Current Tank Info: 14g Biocube |
|
05/12/2010, 06:33 PM | #11 | |
Registered Member
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: Columbus, IN
Posts: 532
|
Quote:
My two cents: Ideally we should start building a modular one for all budgets and needs. The base: Arduino, RTC (for time) and power pack. Rest is part of the imagination !
__________________
Enjoy your time reefing ! Current Tank Info: 90G Perfecto Mfg. Cube, 20G sump, DIY 24 LED light fixture + 250 MH, DIY Arduino controller, Reef Octopus 1000 LSS skimmer |
|
05/12/2010, 06:59 PM | #12 |
Sialkot
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: Manchester England UK
Posts: 684
|
Tagging along... Food for thoughts for my touch screen controller
__________________
Tahir Iqbal Manchester UK Current Tank Info: 56cm x 56cm x 56cm |
05/12/2010, 07:08 PM | #13 |
Registered Member
Join Date: Dec 2009
Posts: 146
|
I'm still geeked about it! I already have a RKE that will do all the other stuff but my ALC that is hooked up to it to control my LED's is falling short of my expectations. I kick myself for buying the ALC and not the Arduino.
|
05/12/2010, 07:08 PM | #14 |
Registered Member
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Findlay, OH
Posts: 851
|
I'm in. I've got a Audrino here already...and a LCD to go with it, but haven't gathered the rest of my components. I was looking at following the build on Ultimate Reef, but will most likely follow this one instead.
Scott |
05/12/2010, 07:18 PM | #15 |
Getting there
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Friendswood, Tx
Posts: 884
|
DWIZUM!
Sign me up as a beta tester my man!
__________________
The only thing I know for sure is nothing! Carrie, why do you want someone in need to die? -iCam Current Tank Info: 29G BioCube with LED lighting, media basket, fuge (chamber 2), MJ1200 return pump, K nano & K 1 power heads, 32# LR, ~2" SB |
05/12/2010, 08:17 PM | #16 |
Registered Member.
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: Naples, FL
Posts: 218
|
A. I couldn't be happier someone is going to create a modest controller that will appeal to the wallet
B. I'll take two when they're ready! |
05/13/2010, 05:14 AM | #17 |
Premium Member
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Duluth, Mn
Posts: 1,508
|
Subscribing!
|
05/13/2010, 06:10 AM | #18 | |
Team RC Member
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: NY
Posts: 17,749
|
Quote:
To reiterate, this project is *NOT* intended to be a full blown reef controller. It IS intended to control a few channels of LED drivers, and maybe some other stuff if you get creative (hence why I brought out an I2C header.) This definitely won't be all things to all people, and it probably won't be a very satisfying project for people who are well versed in this sort of thing and can do it themselves, because it'll seem overly simplistic. It's mainly intended for the people who have some basic tinkering/soldering experience but don't have a clue how to design and build a microcontroller - i.e. it's intended to make the entry point into the "microcontrollers for reef use" hobby a little more attainable. Someone above picked up that I hinted at a $30 price point - to be clear, that's a very rough estimate based on parts cost. It'll be nice if it ends up being a cheap thing for people to build, but as someone else pointed out above, this isn't a cheap hobby, and price isn't the main driver here. The design is made to plug in to the back of this display: http://www.moderndevice.com/products/16x2-blue-lcd There are tons of other 16x2 displays that are pin compatible, but I'm linking this one to help people visualize. The LCD will plug in to a pin header on the board, and the board has holes for standoffs that line up with the LCD's holes, so they can be screwed together. Basically, the bottom edge of the controller PCB will stick out below the LCD, and will have a row of buttons on it. The power jack and headers for programming (FTDI), I2C, and LED driver(s) will stick out the "sides" underneath the LCD. I thought about modeling it in one of those 3d circuit rendering tools (i.e. fritzing) but I might as well just wait until the prototypes get here and I can build it for real.
__________________
Inconveniencing marine life since 1992 "It is my personal belief that reef aquaria should be thriving communities of biodiversity, representative of their wild counterparts, and not merely collections of pretty specimens growing on tidy clean rock shelves covered in purple coralline algae." (Eric Borneman) |
|
05/13/2010, 07:16 AM | #19 |
Registered Member
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Findlay, OH
Posts: 851
|
Der,
You hit the nail on the head here....and I thank you for starting this thread. I'm in the boat you described, I'm a tinkerer, I can solder, but I have no idea how to design a electrical circuit. I'm not looking for a full blown controller yet, just something to run my lights. I'm going to throw this out for you to look at. Yes it would raise the price a little and add to the complexity, but it is already designed for the Arduino and gives you more lines to use, plus a joystick. Just another thought. http://www.nuelectronics.com/estore/...products_id=12 Again thanks, and I'll be following closely. Scott |
05/13/2010, 07:29 AM | #20 |
Registered Member
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: Northern VA
Posts: 4,618
|
Neogenocide,
I like it. I am not sure how much more it is since the price was 10 pounds. DWZM was 9 dollars. However we still need to add the price of buttons and logic to support them. So they may be equal. A few points against it. It is out of stock so is there a second source? With out multiple sources I am not sure it is the best thing to design in. Off in search of more sources |
05/13/2010, 07:50 AM | #21 |
Registered Member
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Findlay, OH
Posts: 851
|
It looks like it was around $23 when I ordered mine. The joystick and button are built in. I had to wait a bit to get mine.... they sell out fast as I think it's pretty popular for projects being built in Europe. Hence my Ultimate Reef build reference earlier in the thread. I just can't make heads or tails of the mod needed to make it work with the Meanwell drivers, as that design was initially built for buckpucks. It's my lack of circuit design that is hindering me. i honestly haven't spent much time on it yet as I'm still finishing up my fixture to put my LED's in. They are still propped on 2x4's above the tank.
Scott |
05/13/2010, 07:56 AM | #22 |
Team RC Member
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: NY
Posts: 17,749
|
Neo, There's at least one (maybe more?) design similar to what I'm doing that uses a screen like that, if folks are interested in going that route. As with many DIY things, there are a billion "good" solutions, so it's more a matter of picking your taste rather than there being a single "best" for everyone.
Also, there are about eleventybillion sources for that Nokia screen, though of course not all of them have the interface hardware and joystick that nu's does. The bare screen usually doesn't have a backlight with it either but it can be had dirt dirt cheap (like $5). It's a little more of a pain to design around, and while it would be "nice" to have, I don't think it's the kind of effort I want to include in a low-end "easy" project. To be honest, half the reason I did this design was to give myself something to tinker with in between working on the Hydra, so even if no one else uses it, it'll fulfill that role nicely. The other half of the reason was that people without hobby electronics experience PM me all the time with questions like "how do I use the Arduino just to control LEDs?" and I wanted to have a default answer that didn't involve excess or spending more than you should have to.
__________________
Inconveniencing marine life since 1992 "It is my personal belief that reef aquaria should be thriving communities of biodiversity, representative of their wild counterparts, and not merely collections of pretty specimens growing on tidy clean rock shelves covered in purple coralline algae." (Eric Borneman) |
05/13/2010, 08:00 AM | #23 |
Registered Member
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Findlay, OH
Posts: 851
|
understandable Der.......I plan on following whatever you post here. I just threw it out there as a option.
Scott |
05/13/2010, 08:21 AM | #24 |
Team RC Member
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: NY
Posts: 17,749
|
It's a really tempting option. But at some point you have to move from considering options to actually building something, and I'm beyond that point since the hardware is already ordered.
__________________
Inconveniencing marine life since 1992 "It is my personal belief that reef aquaria should be thriving communities of biodiversity, representative of their wild counterparts, and not merely collections of pretty specimens growing on tidy clean rock shelves covered in purple coralline algae." (Eric Borneman) |
05/13/2010, 08:44 AM | #25 |
Premium Member
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Pcola FL
Posts: 2,504
|
We need to work on the sketches too. I know there are some out there, but I just cant get my head wrapped around the whole RTC thing. I wish it was like vBasic.
__________________
Have you ever tried to hold a monkey still if it is not drunk ~ insteng Current Tank Info: 45gal Rimless mixed reef--SWC 150BMK--2xMP10ESW--Giesemann 150W HQI |
Thread Tools | |
|
|
Similar Threads | ||||
Thread | Thread Starter | Forum | Replies | Last Post |
Cheap Moonlight | ticklesworth | New to the Hobby | 3 | 04/04/2010 04:09 PM |
Cheap Moonlight | ticklesworth | Do It Yourself | 0 | 04/03/2010 08:52 AM |
Arduino base controller - power pack ONLY TODAY | MaLi | Do It Yourself | 0 | 03/07/2010 05:56 AM |
Sumps 101: Cheap, simple and effective for small tanks | cody6766 | Central Oklahoma Marine Aquarium Society | 8 | 01/06/2009 10:57 AM |