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

[Ranjib]

One thing happened today Ranjib, I heard my skimmer cup top knocking, opened the cabinet and the cup is full of tank water and half a cup of dark green sludge that was there yesterday is gone. [emoji24]this was dinner time about 2pm, I'd been out so no ideas why, well not till my lights were about to go off.
So I'm expecting the lights to go off, nothing happened, the lights are timed by reef-pi[emoji3]
So I go to my dedicated tablet [emoji9] and see 10 hours the reef-pi has been running, so now I know I had a short power cut that filled my sump and then once power on my skimmer was about 5 inch too deep, problem solved.

But, is there a reason the lights wouldn't follow the turn off time, is it something to do with loosing power, I have no idea if it was for an hour or more without power, would that delay the timer?

Dang! This light was controlled by a timer ? Can you share some details on how you configured reef-pi to control the light.

 

[LionHeart2017]

Dang! This light was controlled by a timer ? Can you share some details on how you configured reef-pi to control the light.

Sure thing[emoji4]

 

[LionHeart2017]

Two more

 

[Ranjib]

Sure thing[emoji4]

Ok, I understand what happened. Let me think whats the best course of action.
The timer will tell reef-pi to start the light at given time and then wait for the specified duration and turn it back off. After the power outage, reef-pi did not start the light on (since the time was after the turn on time) and hence did not turn it back off as well.
I cant think of an easy fix, other than declaring two timers, one to turn on and one to turn off.

 

[LionHeart2017]

Ok, I understand what happened. Let me think whats the best course of action.
The timer will tell reef-pi to start the light at given time and then wait for the specified duration and turn it back off. After the power outage, reef-pi did not start the light on (since the time was after the turn on time) and hence did not turn it back off as well.
I cant think of an easy fix, other than declaring two timers, one to turn on and one to turn off.

Thank you, I will try that out, shame cannot specify a time to turn off in the one timer set

 

[pickupman66]

Here is my very basic jebao board. I robbed the parts from the factory controller. Super easy. Just heated and pulled. Anyways this is a 24v rail at the bottom on the jebao, red+ and blue-. Yellow is signal wire. I ran ground and pwm from pca board. Once I checked the pca9685 in config and moved power back to 5v gpio pin, we rocked this. The pca9685 drove the test pump I had. This is good news. It is an old wp40 with no cover so I only tested it down to 15%. I don't believe they will go lower than 10%.

I have a larger power supply from an older DC return pump so I can power multiple off this board.

 

[Ranjib]

Here is my very basic jebao board. I robbed the parts from the factory controller. Super easy. Just heated and pulled. Anyways this is a 24v rail at the bottom on the jebao, red+ and blue-. Yellow is signal wire. I ran ground and pwm from pca board. Once I checked the pca9685 in config and moved power back to 5v gpio pin, we rocked this. The pca9685 drove the test pump I had. This is good news. It is an old wp40 with no cover so I only tested it down to 15%. I don't believe they will go lower than 10%.

I have a larger power supply from an older DC return pump so I can power multiple off this board.

Thats awesome.
You can use lm2596 modules to convert higher DC voltages to 24V as well.

 

[Marine Tank Journey]

Following along

 

[pickupman66]

Thats awesome.
You can use lm2596 modules to convert higher DC voltages to 24V as well.

Yes. I could even use this 24v with a pair to power my pi and other accessories. But will probably keep this separated

 

[LionHeart2017]

I just been reading the guides some more to try and soak up the phases I will be going through and I gotta say WOW Ranjib, your work in the (new)(updated)guides is really nothing short of excellent.

So we power the pi now through the LM2596, have I got that right?

 

[Ranjib]

I just been reading the guides some more to try and soak up the phases I will be going through and I gotta say WOW Ranjib, your work in the (new)(updated)guides is really nothing short of excellent.

So we power the pi now through the LM2596, have I got that right?

Yeah. I power them via gpio,. you can also connect the power via micro usb if you want . That adds some extra safety.

In one of my new build I’m trying to pass 5v generated by lm2593 via micro usb .

Adafruit guides are in general awesome , they do very good job of editing to keep thing simple , consistent and of quality

 

[b4tn]

In one of my new build I’m trying to pass 5v generated by lm2593 via micro usb .

This is how I have mine. I just wired a micro USB cable to the output of the LM2956. This keeps the Raspberry protected via internal fuse and and also has the benefit of power filters.

@Ranjib Was LM2593 a typo or are you experimenting with a new voltage regulator?

 

[Ranjib]

I just been reading the guides some more to try and soak up the phases I will be going through and I gotta say WOW Ranjib, your work in the (new)(updated)guides is really nothing short of excellent.

So we power the pi now through the LM2596, have I got that right?

Yeah. I power them via gpio,. you can also connect the power via micro usb if you want . That adds some extra safety.

In one of my new build I’m trying to pass 5v generated by lm2593 via micro usb .

Adafruit guides are in general awesome , they do very good job of editing to keep thing simple , consistent and of quality

This is how I have mine. I just wired a micro USB cable to the output of the LM2956. This keeps the Raspberry protected via internal fuse and and also has the benefit of power filters.

@Ranjib Was LM2593 a typo or are you experimenting with a new voltage regulator?

typo .
Can you share a pic of the setup , I just ordered bunch of male micro usb connectors for doing this.
I’m also getting a handful or mini din and mini xlr connectors. I want to test them across power, ato and temp sensors.

 

[Ryan115]

Yeah. I power them via gpio,. you can also connect the power via micro usb if you want . That adds some extra safety.

In one of my new build I’m trying to pass 5v generated by lm2593 via micro usb .

Adafruit guides are in general awesome , they do very good job of editing to keep thing simple , consistent and of quality

typo .
Can you share a pic of the setup , I just ordered bunch of male micro usb connectors for doing this.
I’m also getting a handful or mini din and mini xlr connectors. I want to test them across power, ato and temp sensors.

Where are you sourcing the mini-din and mini-xlr connectors?
I am still confused how people are getting shorts when plugging in a TRS connector.
If the tip is +VDC, the ring as GPIO/Data and the sleeve as GND, it should not be possible for +VDC to short to either other conductor.
Or is it possible that the jacks are being damaged during soldering and melting the plastic in-between?

 

[b4tn]

Yeah. I power them via gpio,. you can also connect the power via micro usb if you want . That adds some extra safety.

In one of my new build I’m trying to pass 5v generated by lm2593 via micro usb .

Adafruit guides are in general awesome , they do very good job of editing to keep thing simple , consistent and of quality

typo .
Can you share a pic of the setup , I just ordered bunch of male micro usb connectors for doing this.
I’m also getting a handful or mini din and mini xlr connectors. I want to test them across power, ato and temp sensors.

@Ranjib there is not a lot to show really. I have a ton of micro USB cables laying around the house. I just cut one and soldered the red and black wire (the other wires are not needed) to the 2596’s adjusted 5 volt output. Then just plugged it into the RPI.

 

[b4tn]

Where are you sourcing the mini-din and mini-xlr connectors?
I am still confused how people are getting shorts when plugging in a TRS connector.
If the tip is +VDC, the ring as GPIO/Data and the sleeve as GND, it should not be possible for +VDC to short to either other conductor.
Or is it possible that the jacks are being damaged during soldering and melting the plastic in-between?

I don’t even have an issue with shorts but have not removed it while running. My female ends either stop working all together or short permently internally. I am using a low wattage iron so not sure but it’s possible.

 

[Ranjib]

Where are you sourcing the mini-din and mini-xlr connectors?
I am still confused how people are getting shorts when plugging in a TRS connector.
If the tip is +VDC, the ring as GPIO/Data and the sleeve as GND, it should not be possible for +VDC to short to either other conductor.
Or is it possible that the jacks are being damaged during soldering and melting the plastic in-between?

amazon, mini din https://www.amazon.com/dp/B074H1LVDN/ mini xlr: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00W4MHZBY/ . I ordered micro usb connectors as well,

 

[Ranjib]

Where are you sourcing the mini-din and mini-xlr connectors?
I am still confused how people are getting shorts when plugging in a TRS connector.
If the tip is +VDC, the ring as GPIO/Data and the sleeve as GND, it should not be possible for +VDC to short to either other conductor.
Or is it possible that the jacks are being damaged during soldering and melting the plastic in-between?

When you insert or remove the jack from the housing the tip touches the sleeve. Its not a big deal unless you are not plugging/unplugging probe when pi is running. This is also the reason I have not changed the guides to use some other connectors (other than the fact other connectors are relatively hard to source and may require special crimping tools)

 

[Ranjib]

Too much tech stuff, time for some tank updates . Pico tanks are humming along . I want change a few things but holding them off for now, I’ll be changing my apartment next month, after the move I have big plans for one of the pico

And

My nano is now fairly grown out, for its rockscape. Sps are fighting each other for space and light. I feel strange to trim and prune them , there was a time when I struggled to even keep them alive

Red dragon is growing fastest now, I think because it has space

Bottom of the tank

And miscellaneous

 

[ScottBrew]

Too much tech stuff, time for some tank updates . Pico tanks are humming along . I want change a few things but holding them off for now, I’ll be changing my apartment next month, after the move I have big plans for one of the pico

And

My nano is now fairly grown out, for its rockscape. Sps are fighting each other for space and light. I feel strange to trim and prune them , there was a time when I struggled to even keep them alive

Red dragon is growing fastest now, I think because it has space

Bottom of the tank

And miscellaneous

Looks beautiful! Something for me to aspire for. Just got frags in my tank last night, it will be a long time til I get them grown out.