Troutt's Reef-Pi Build

[Ranjib]

I wish I knew how to program. Seems like you could run a small program that would reach out to whatsmyip.org and check the IP it gives to a file that contains your IP. If it is different it would notify you by email or SMS and then update the file. Could have it check every hour or so.

You can run things like dynamic dns, or configure Comcast router to retain your ip

 

[Jonathan Troutt]

You can run things like dynamic dns, or configure Comcast router to retain your ip

So the way I understand Dynamic DNS is doing what I described above. I would rather not have to go through a third party to connect. I am gonna do some more digging and see if I can find anything.

 

[Jonathan Troutt]

Taaaduuummm.

Alrighty so power and temp are completed. I an gonna let it run for a couple days outside my tank to make sure things are gonna run ok. Then I will give it a run in my tank. Then on to the other stuff.

 

[Ranjib]

One key milestone achieved

 

[Jonathan Troutt]

One key milestone achieved

Yes sir!! Quicker than I expected honestly. You have developed a very nice piece of hardware. Very intuitive so far. Oh and I should of went ahead and did 16 outlets

I think I have going to do lighting control next. So I ordered parts for that I want to use one raspberry pi for everything. I am planning on stuffing everything into this one box.

 

[Diamond1]

Taaaduuummm.

Alrighty so power and temp are completed. I an gonna let it run for a couple days outside my tank to make sure things are gonna run ok. Then I will give it a run in my tank. Then on to the other stuff.

Very nice!

 

[Jonathan Troutt]

I posted this in the main Reef-Pi thread but wanted to include it here since they are going to be part of my build.

So I have read that some people are not liking the 3.5mm stereo plugs. I have always used switch craft plugs and they are fantastic. I actually have some on the way to replaced the temporary ones i have on my probes currently. I know they a bit expensive but you cannot go wrong with a quality plug.

https://www.mouser.com/ProductDetail/502-35HDNN

 

[ScottBrew]

I posted this in the main Reef-Pi thread but wanted to include it here since they are going to be part of my build.

So I have read that some people are not liking the 3.5mm stereo plugs. I have always used switch craft plugs and they are fantastic. I actually have some on the way to replaced the temporary ones i have on my probes currently. I know they a bit expensive but you cannot go wrong with a quality plug.

https://www.mouser.com/ProductDetail/502-35HDNN

I used these https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B016W9P4N0/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 and these https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B077XPSKQD/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o07_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1 because I have had problems with some types of plugs and too much heat from soldering.

 

[Jonathan Troutt]

I used these https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B016W9P4N0/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 and these https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B077XPSKQD/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o07_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1 because I have had problems with some types of plugs and too much heat from soldering.

I have not seen those before. Adjustable temp soldering stations like the Hakko FX-888D are a must in my mind. I usually solder at high temps but with these connectors I turn my iron down. Gives a nice clean look which is why I use the switchcraft ones.

I can see the ones you posted making a difficult job very easy, which is always a good thing. Using a quality female jack is just as important. To an extent......

I was gonna get amphenol BNC connectors for the future Ph and ORP probes but decided that it was a bit overkill...

 

[ScottBrew]

I have not seen those before. Adjustable temp soldering stations like the Hakko FX-888D are a must in my mind. I usually solder at high temps but with these connectors I turn my iron down. Gives a nice clean look which is why I use the switchcraft ones.

I can see the ones you posted making a difficult job very easy, which is always a good thing. Using a quality female jack is just as important. To an extent......

I was gonna get amphenol BNC connectors for the future Ph and ORP probes but decided that it was a bit overkill...

That's the exact soldering station I just got, still trying to get used to it though. What recommendation do you have for heat setting? I have a roll of Kester 63-37 I've been using that I got at the same time but doesn't seem to want to flow like I'm used to. Set at 650*.

 

[Jonathan Troutt]

That's the exact soldering station I just got, still trying to get used to it though. What recommendation do you have for heat setting? I have a roll of Kester 63-37 I've been using that I got at the same time but doesn't seem to want to flow like I'm used to. Set at 650*.

Hey man just got situated at home and wanted to reply to you. I have been using a hakko fx888d for years now. Cant say enough good things about them. Its hard to recommend a heat setting because it is going to depend on what you are soldering. 300-400°c will usually do you ok.

Now if you are soldering on a thick board or similar you will need to go higher to compensate for the board pulling the heat out of your iron.

Now me personally as long as I am not soldering super heat sensitive components I set my iron at 450°c. It allows me to work quick. Word of caution you can hurt things by getting them to hot. If you try and solder a wire on a breadboard and you melt the insulation on it IMMO you got your iron to hot or you are not moving fast enough.

As for your solder did you make sure it is rosin cored? If not that will definitely mess with the solders ability to flow. Its a silly question but I had to ask. Kester makes good solder.

The other question is you made sure to tin your tip correctly right?

 

[ScottBrew]

Hey man just got situated at home and wanted to reply to you. I have been using a hakko fx888d for years now. Cant say enough good things about them. Its hard to recommend a heat setting because it is going to depend on what you are soldering. 300-400°c will usually do you ok.

Now if you are soldering on a thick board or similar you will need to go higher to compensate for the board pulling the heat out of your iron.

Now me personally as long as I am not soldering super heat sensitive components I set my iron at 450°c. It allows me to work quick. Word of caution you can hurt things by getting them to hot. If you try and solder a wire on a breadboard and you melt the insulation on it IMMO you got your iron to hot or you are not moving fast enough.

As for your solder did you make sure it is rosin cored? If not that will definitely mess with the solders ability to flow. Its a silly question but I had to ask. Kester makes good solder.

The other question is you made sure to tin your tip correctly right?

Thanks for the feedback! I should have specified 650*F, converted is 343*C so in the ballpark of your recommendations. The solder is rosin cored, here's the products I ordered in addition to the 888
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00068IJWC/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B008ZIV85A/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00NS4J6BY/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o04_s03?ie=UTF8&psc=1
All have great reviews and lots of them. I tinned the tip with the tip tinner and have cleaned it and re-tinned quite a few times. I'm just wondering if the solder formulation is just different than what I've always used? I'm not sure what that was as I would just go to the rework desks and pull a few feet from the spool to put in my toolbag. Seems like the solder doesn't want to flow onto the iron's tip but instead just blobs and wants to fall off, if that makes sense?

 

[tankaholic]

My boyfriend said the same thing to me after my mixing station build....heheheh

Yeah I got a plan lol but that don’t mean anything. Lol. So many times by the time I’m done projects look nothing like the original plan. Lol

 

[Jonathan Troutt]

..... Seems like the solder doesn't want to flow onto the iron's tip but instead just blobs and wants to fall off, if that makes sense?

what you describe is what I have experience as having an oxidized or dirty tip. I currently am using MGChemicals 63/37 22gauge and it flows onto the tip just fine. Just outta curiosity I also have some lead free solder...I wanted to see if I experience anything different. That solder flowed just fine as well.

I personally have never used tip tinner. I tin mine by flowing alot of solder onto my tip. Similar to this video.


I also do not use a sponge for tip cleaning I use the brass brillo works great. The spot that is supposed to hold the sponge on the fx888 has turned into a junk tray for other tips, small jumper wires, etc.

My personal favorite fluxes are

https://www.ebay.com/itm/100g-Japan...epid=1976377220&hash=item3cf9010615:rk:1:pf:0

and

https://www.ebay.com/itm/MG-Chemica...h=item58f4c3101c:g:fGkAAOSwfCZZwlff:rk:1:pf:0

I always clean my boards after soldering even if it says no clean. Bad habit to leave residue on them.

One last thing, if you ever need additional tips or have to replace a tip do yourself a favor and buy genuine Hakko tips. I have not found any that compare in quality.

 

[theatrus]

All have great reviews and lots of them. I tinned the tip with the tip tinner and have cleaned it and re-tinned quite a few times. I'm just wondering if the solder formulation is just different than what I've always used? I'm not sure what that was as I would just go to the rework desks and pull a few feet from the spool to put in my toolbag. Seems like the solder doesn't want to flow onto the iron's tip but instead just blobs and wants to fall off, if that makes sense?

Most places would have converted to lead-free solder (RoHS and all), which will take higher temperatures to actually flow. But it doesn't sound like that is your problem.

Tip tinner is somewhat a medium of last resort if nothing else works as the flux can be very very aggressive. Also avoid the super-cheap-not-real Hakko tips you can find most places (if they're much cheaper than from a real distributor, they are faked), they're pretty much junk and will die on you in very little time.

 

[ScottBrew]

what you describe is what I have experience as having an oxidized or dirty tip. I currently am using MGChemicals 63/37 22gauge and it flows onto the tip just fine. Just outta curiosity I also have some lead free solder...I wanted to see if I experience anything different. That solder flowed just fine as well.

I personally have never used tip tinner. I tin mine by flowing alot of solder onto my tip. Similar to this video.


I also do not use a sponge for tip cleaning I use the brass brillo works great. The spot that is supposed to hold the sponge on the fx888 has turned into a junk tray for other tips, small jumper wires, etc.

My personal favorite fluxes are

https://www.ebay.com/itm/100g-Japan...epid=1976377220&hash=item3cf9010615:rk:1:pf:0

and

https://www.ebay.com/itm/MG-Chemica...h=item58f4c3101c:g:fGkAAOSwfCZZwlff:rk:1:pf:0

I always clean my boards after soldering even if it says no clean. Bad habit to leave residue on them.

One last thing, if you ever need additional tips or have to replace a tip do yourself a favor and buy genuine Hakko tips. I have not found any that compare in quality.

All good points, thank you! To be honest, this is the most soldering I have done in one sitting, building the reef-pi. Usually, the most I would ever need is to replace a failed component or replace a power supply. Plug in iron till hot enough to melt some solder! So, I may have allowed the tip to get oxidized when I first got it. Default setting is 750*F and took a few minutes when I first plugged it in to get the temp adjustment figured out and down to 650*, what I was aiming for. I think 650* is still too hot, I just dropped the temp to 600* and cleaned the tip with the brillo and tinned it a number of times. I am going to check the temp accuracy with a non-contact thermometer.

 

[Jonathan Troutt]

Hey guys so I wanted to run this idea past y’all before I started cutting.

So I want to add a small lcd to my reef pi box. I have one that should work nicely. Runs off of 7.2v. I will have to add another buck converter to my box for it. But I have the room. What do you guys think?

 

[ScottBrew]

Hey guys so I wanted to run this idea past y’all before I started cutting.

So I want to add a small lcd to my reef pi box. I have one that should work nicely. Runs off of 7.2v. I will have to add another buck converter to my box for it. But I have the room. What do you guys think?

I had the intention of doing the same thing with a small monitor in the control module, but have found it is so easy to use the browser on my primary computer instead, which is 10 feet away and always on. Also have the option of using my wife's monitor via HDMI but that requires finding the remote and changing the input so not as easy. If you want a standalone system or it's not convenient to use another computer then I say go for it!

 

[Jonathan Troutt]

I had the intention of doing the same thing with a small monitor in the control module, but have found it is so easy to use the browser on my primary computer instead, which is 10 feet away and always on. Also have the option of using my wife's monitor via HDMI but that requires finding the remote and changing the input so not as easy. If you want a standalone system or it's not convenient to use another computer then I say go for it!

I alsways have my phone on my but was thinking it would be nice to be able to walk by and see live stats.

On a different not I decided tonight was the night. I have reef pi actually on the tank. Only monitoring temp currently. All goes well I will be putting in the power outlets tomorrow. I am supposed to be getting stuff for lighting control as well tomorrow

 

[Ranjib]

Hey guys so I wanted to run this idea past y’all before I started cutting.

So I want to add a small lcd to my reef pi box. I have one that should work nicely. Runs off of 7.2v. I will have to add another buck converter to my box for it. But I have the room. What do you guys think?

Do you have any specific use of this in mind?