reef-pi :: An opensource reef tank controller based on Raspberry Pi.

[philshel]

Thanks @Ranjib

The resistors are 1k and 10k , I just followed the guide here.

I took a better pic from directly above the board. I have 12 volts coming into the rail. When I measure the voltage where the resistors meet the PCA board, I get nothing.

It looks like one of the pwm coming from the pca9685 is on one side of the breadboard center channel and the resistor is in the wrong track. Or am I seeing it wrong?

 

[Ranjib]

Hi Erica if you have some Circuit from dosing please show that.Used your circuit for the relay board and working perfect.

The dosing circuit that I am using uses similar wiring as mentioned here: https://learn.adafruit.com/adafruit-raspberry-pi-lesson-9-controlling-a-dc-motor?view=all
, except I wire GPIO18 and 19 to EN1,EN2 , since my doser is powered by pi's pwm, i connect other GPIOs to IN1/IN2/IN3/IN4 and have declared them as virtual outlet/equipment. This allows me to control the direction of the dosing pump along side its speed. I think i shared a photo of my circuit couple of posts earlier

 

[Ranjib]

It looks like one of the pwm coming from the pca9685 is on one side of the breadboard center channel and the resistor is in the wrong track. Or am I seeing it wrong?

I am seeing the same as well, but in that case the other transistor should still give expected output (12v pwm)

 

[Erica-Renee]

The dosing circuit that I am using uses similar wiring as mentioned here: https://learn.adafruit.com/adafruit-raspberry-pi-lesson-9-controlling-a-dc-motor?view=all
, except I wire GPIO18 and 19 to EN1,EN2 , since my doser is powered by pi's pwm, i connect other GPIOs to IN1/IN2/IN3/IN4 and have declared them as virtual outlet/equipment. This allows me to control the direction of the dosing pump along side its speed. I think i shared a photo of my circuit couple of posts earlier

The dosing circuit i had working in the past i used a uln between the Gpio and the dosing pumps , Very similar to the Relay Board setup. I think i copied yours almost exactly, But i have also read the tutorials on adafruit... I like checking out more then one source and leaning why A Circuit wired as it is.. NOT Just follow a diagram.

My Contractors Licenses Continuing education Credits need to be Full-filled for this year , I am going to find a approved Electronics course, Since they added Home Automation as acceptable Courses.. Thou i am only required 6 hours a Year.I can still write it off as business expense.To stop learning is to stop Living .

 

[sjeff35]

It looks like one of the pwm coming from the pca9685 is on one side of the breadboard center channel and the resistor is in the wrong track. Or am I seeing it wrong?

I am seeing the same as well, but in that case the other transistor should still give expected output (12v pwm)

I got sidetracked this morning, let me dig back in to it. I stared at it for quite a while this morning. Maybe I crossed them over...


Anyway, added what I think is a much needed option to my AOI box. A red LED to let me know PI is running...

 

[Erica-Renee]

I got sidetracked this morning, let me dig back in to it. I stared at it for quite a while this morning. Maybe I crossed them over...


Anyway, added what I think is a much needed option to my AOI box. A red LED to let me know PI is running...

Looks great.. I seen a pi build (not aquarium related) Where they included colored led lights to indicate outlets in use as well as other indicators.. I think for a aio box as you are building it would be great additional circuitry .It only requires a few resisters and low power leds .

I also think reboot and shut down i-buttons .. CAN BE Easily added to the 1-wire reef-pi software .. I have not talked to @Ranjib about this yet.... oOOPS Maybe i just did...

 

[sjeff35]

Reef-Pi is up an running on my fairly new 40 Cube.

Jury-rigged a fan on the side. I need a 3-D printer. I really do... must convince wife next...

 

[Erica-Renee]

Reef-Pi is up an running on my fairly new 40 Cube.

Jury-rigged a fan on the side. I need a 3-D printer. I really do... must convince wife next...

Awesome .

 

[sjeff35]

Well, still stuck on the lighting circuit. I doubled checked my breadboard, it's correct(At least I think), the pic above wasn't showing it clearly, but the pins are lined up...

So I'm guessing it might be the PCA board like you said @Ranjib . So I just threw two more in my Amazon cart. I'm going to go see if I can find some troubleshooting info on the PCA9685 board. I'm not sure what to check. Dumb question, but which way are those transistors supposed to face? I tried to read up on them, but the whole BCE, ABC, DEF, XYZ thing threw me off my game!!!

Oh look, that dang 3-D printer just jumped in my cart right as I clicked "ORDER"... wonder how that happened....;Yuck

 

[philshel]

Well, still stuck on the lighting circuit. I doubled checked my breadboard, it's correct(At least I think), the pic above wasn't showing it clearly, but the pins are lined up...

So I'm guessing it might be the PCA board like you said @Ranjib . So I just threw two more in my Amazon cart. I'm going to go see if I can find some troubleshooting info on the PCA9685 board. I'm not sure what to check. Dumb question, but which way are those transistors supposed to face? I tried to read up on them, but the whole BCE, ABC, DEF, XYZ thing threw me off my game!!!

Oh look, that dang 3-D printer just jumped in my cart right as I clicked "ORDER"... wonder how that happened....;Yuck

Since you talking 3D printers, I thought I would throw my opinion at you. I have a CR10s and love it. Easy to use, large build area, easy to mod, and fairly cheap.

 

[sjeff35]

Since you talking 3D printers, I thought I would throw my opinion at you. I have a CR10s and love it. Easy to use, large build area, easy to mod, and fairly cheap.

This will be my first foray into 3-D printing. I did some searching around and had the CR10 in my cart, but something I read or watched(Can't remember now) sent me looking at this one:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B074NZPHJ5/ref=od_aui_detailpages00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I guess we'll see what happens.

 

[Ranjib]

Well, still stuck on the lighting circuit. I doubled checked my breadboard, it's correct(At least I think), the pic above wasn't showing it clearly, but the pins are lined up...

So I'm guessing it might be the PCA board like you said @Ranjib . So I just threw two more in my Amazon cart. I'm going to go see if I can find some troubleshooting info on the PCA9685 board. I'm not sure what to check. Dumb question, but which way are those transistors supposed to face? I tried to read up on them, but the whole BCE, ABC, DEF, XYZ thing threw me off my game!!!

Oh look, that dang 3-D printer just jumped in my cart right as I clicked "ORDER"... wonder how that happened....;Yuck

You know this is very common , getting stuck , particularly when we are learning all the things . I get stuck all the time, what helped me is to take a break and come back to the problem, and systematically troubleshoot it.
I’ll advice disconnecting the transistor circuit and just test pca9685 output without connecting the transistor circuit in it. If that works we should next look at the transistor circuit. Otherwise we know for sure it’s the pcs9686 . And the. Run specific diagnosis (like check if devmode is enabled etc)

Now that you are running latest release you should be able to check the transistor circuit even without pca9685, using pi pwm directly.
So I’ll say , if pca9585 is not working (we t steps for sure) , then setup pi pwm (enable pwm module in /boot/config.txt and reboot ) then check if pi is (0-3.3v) output with pin 18 when you chang it via reef-pi. Then next move on to the transistor circuit. Let’s make small step , and validate it in each step

 

[philshel]

This will be my first foray into 3-D printing. I did some searching around and had the CR10 in my cart, but something I read or watched(Can't remember now) sent me looking at this one:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B074NZPHJ5/ref=od_aui_detailpages00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I guess we'll see what happens.

I've seen some reviews on the Anycubics, they seem to be well reviewed just a bit smaller build area.

 

[njtiger aquariums]

You know this is very common , getting stuck , particularly when we are learning all the things . I get stuck all the time, what helped me is to take a break and come back to the problem, and systematically troubleshoot it.

Great advice here. I do this all the time when I am trying to figure out a code issue in a project I am working on. I take many walks around the office and have small talk with co-workers and then bang the solution pops into my head. Also if you don't try listening to music when working on things like this. Research shows the listing to music helps us figure problems out

 

[Ryan115]

This will be my first foray into 3-D printing. I did some searching around and had the CR10 in my cart, but something I read or watched(Can't remember now) sent me looking at this one:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B074NZPHJ5/ref=od_aui_detailpages00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I guess we'll see what happens.

Here's an article for others that are in the market for a 3D printer, the Anycubic I3 made the list. Let us know how you like it.

https://all3dp.com/1/best-cheap-budget-3d-printer-affordable-under-500-1000/

I haven't been able to justify one at home yet, since a have a Lulzbot Taz 6 at work.

 

[sjeff35]

Here's an article for others that are in the market for a 3D printer, the Anycubic I3 made the list. Let us know how you like it.

https://all3dp.com/1/best-cheap-budget-3d-printer-affordable-under-500-1000/

I haven't been able to justify one at home yet, since a have a Lulzbot Taz 6 at work.

I guess if you don't have one at home you won't have any good suggestions on how to hide it from the wife???

 

[sjeff35]

You know this is very common , getting stuck , particularly when we are learning all the things . I get stuck all the time, what helped me is to take a break and come back to the problem, and systematically troubleshoot it.
I’ll advice disconnecting the transistor circuit and just test pca9685 output without connecting the transistor circuit in it. If that works we should next look at the transistor circuit. Otherwise we know for sure it’s the pcs9686 . And the. Run specific diagnosis (like check if devmode is enabled etc)

Now that you are running latest release you should be able to check the transistor circuit even without pca9685, using pi pwm directly.
So I’ll say , if pca9585 is not working (we t steps for sure) , then setup pi pwm (enable pwm module in /boot/config.txt and reboot ) then check if pi is (0-3.3v) output with pin 18 when you chang it via reef-pi. Then next move on to the transistor circuit. Let’s make small step , and validate it in each step

Great advice. Thanks!

Now, how to I go about testing the PCA9685 output???

 

[Ranjib]

Multimeter, put one probe pca9685 output (any of the pwm channel, control the same with reef-pi ui) and connect the other probe of the multimeter to ground. when in reef-pi you set 50% , then you should get 2.5v from pca9685.. and so on.,, it scales 0-100% between 0-5V

 

[LionHeart2017]

Great advice. Thanks!

Now, how to I go about testing the PCA9685 output???

Just also check your 12v connection, is it a 2.1x5.5mm as the socket I got had what I thought was 2 grounds, they kinda are but one disconnects once you push the plug in so I didn't get a ground, if that makes sense, does your socket have 3 connections or 2, I got the 3 and as above one ground disconnects when a plug is plugged in[emoji2]

 

[sjeff35]

You know this is very common , getting stuck , particularly when we are learning all the things . I get stuck all the time, what helped me is to take a break and come back to the problem, and systematically troubleshoot it.
I’ll advice disconnecting the transistor circuit and just test pca9685 output without connecting the transistor circuit in it. If that works we should next look at the transistor circuit. Otherwise we know for sure it’s the pcs9686 . And the. Run specific diagnosis (like check if devmode is enabled etc)

Now that you are running latest release you should be able to check the transistor circuit even without pca9685, using pi pwm directly.
So I’ll say , if pca9585 is not working (we t steps for sure) , then setup pi pwm (enable pwm module in /boot/config.txt and reboot ) then check if pi is (0-3.3v) output with pin 18 when you chang it via reef-pi. Then next move on to the transistor circuit. Let’s make small step , and validate it in each step

Ok, I get nothing with the PCA9685, so I'm thinking it's bad. Just ordered 2 more, different brands to try them next week.

I did verify the PI PWM does work, on pin 18 I get from 0 - 3.3 volts on Channel 1. Thanks for that tip!