Getting Started - Tips / Tricks

[barfsurfer]

The original post was definitely my inspiration to get into Home Automation.  I have zero experience with all this stuff, so it has been quite a journey for me (and still not complete).  I ran into many small hiccups along the way, so I figured I'd post my journey here to help others as they attempt to get this stuff working.

First off, here's what I initially bought:

Stuff I bought:
CanaKit Raspberry Pi B+ Ultimate Starter Kit
SainSmart 20 Sensor Module Starter Kit
Arduino Ethernet Shield Network Expansion Board
Arduino Prototype Shield w/ Mini Breadboard
Arduino Uno R3 Clone w/ 3.3V Selectable Power
RFM69HW 433Mhz +20dBm HopeRF Wireless Transceiver

I am using a Macbook Air with Yosemite as my only computer.


Raspberry Pi Setup -  Pretty straightforward to install Raspbian. Followed instructions to do SSH and VNC server too. Struggled a bit with VNC server, trick was that in addition to the IP address you want to connect to, you need to add the port. So it's xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx:5901 for example.

My initial attempt to install openHab and get it running on the Pi was unsucessful.  Couldn't launch the server.
Installed openHAB via github.com/openhab/openhab/wiki/Linux---OS-X, that was pretty easy. Struggled to find the configuration file, it's located in /etc/openhab/configurations

Started server, seems to be working, but browser doesn't connect. Using http://localhost:8080/openhab.app?sitemap=yourname but it doesn't work. Created post on google group to try and troubleshoot.
Guy suggested looking at log file. Located directory /var/log/openhab but contents are empty.

Success! Initial install instructions were crap. Instead I just downloaded the install files, created my own install directory and now it's running!

192.168.2.10:8080/openhab.app?sitemap=demo


Struggled a bit on getting the designer app up and running. Initially tried on the pi but learned this app is too fat for the pi. So I downloaded the mac installer, but it wouldn't run - just a splash screen. Found solution on the google group -

Add the following line
-Djava.awt.headless=true
to the file /Applications/openHAB Designer.app/Contents/MacOS/openHAB-Designer.ini
Which resolved.


In general, it seems most of the Arduino sketches require additional libraries to be able to compile.  For example, the ethernet gateway sketch -  Looking for library pubsub. Found something on Github - github.com/knolleary/pubsubclient and installed that into Arduino libraries, but still can't compile to the Arduino.

Wrote to the tutorial author about this, he suggested I rename library directory and remove the version number (this is what it named by default when I downloaded from github). This worked! Programmed Ethernet gateway.

Mosquitto - hello world example: michaelconnors.net/article/462/hello-mqtt This helped me confirm and test I had installed Mosquitto on the Pi

Wireless gateway - needed a library for the wireless transceiver. Downloaded that from Github, added the library, and was able to compile the sketch.

Wired up Wireless Gateway and RF modules per instructions.  Got the sketch onto the board, and it's properly listening!

Had trouble with basic sensor sketch for distance sensor / Garage door opener.  Although the author states it will work w/o the temp / humidity sensors and such, I kept getting compile errors which seemed to be related to these bits of the code.  I started commenting out anything that related to anything other than the distance sensor, and eventually got the sketch to compile and running on the board.  

Success!  For a little while at least.  The distance sensor was successfully broadcasting at 933MHz and showing distance measurements - at least for a few minutes.  While that was going on I was trying to set up the receiver to confirm it was indeed receiving the distance measurements.  At some point, things went badly though and the serial monitor just went blank on the distance sensor node.  Tried resetting, re-sending the sketch, etc., but it's just showing nothing.  So I guess something failed, but not sure what.  

That's my next step - trying to figure out what went wrong on the distance sensor node.  I'll keep updating this thread as I continue.  

[Admin]

Thanks for your feedback! As with anything this complex, there's a ton of little things that don't appear in any of the tutorials. Thanks for sharing what you ran into and how you solved it. Hope things go well.

[barfsurfer]

Well, not much progress. Still struggling to get the garage door sensor node working. I had a moment of success - re-uploaded the sketch, fired up the serial monitor, and it reported broadcasting at 915 MHz. Then a few lines of distance sensor came through, change detected, etc... like it was working. For just a few seconds, and then the monitor went blank. Can't get it back - have restarted everything, re-compiled sketch, etc. Sensor and Uno seem to be working - I uploaded a sample distance sensor sketch to confirm, and that program works - serial monitor displays distance. But then I re-send the GarageDoor sketch, and serial monitor is totally blank. It's so weird it was working for a few minutes before, and then a few seconds today. I have a spare radio, I guess I'll sub that in and see if it makes a difference since I have ruled out the sensor and arduino as being defective.

[camblonie]

I cant help but smile when I read this. Sometimes it feels like I'm the only one having issues. Feels good when you eventually get it though. A trick I use with Arduino is to add notes that print to the serial monitor in between steps, that way you know where its stuck. eg the first thing you do is report that the serial is connected:

Serial.println("serial connect");

If it was working before check your connections. Also make sure you have decent power supplies. I had trouble with a Pi this weekend and realized it was plugged into a 180mA piece of junk.
Good luck!

[Admin]

Jan 4, 2015 22:48:01 GMT barfsurfer said:

Well, not much progress. Still struggling to get the garage door sensor node working. I had a moment of success... I have a spare radio, I guess I'll sub that in and see if it makes a difference since I have ruled out the sensor and arduino as being defective.

Are you using a 3.3V Arduino? Just trying to think of obvious things.

[barfsurfer]

Yep, I actually have the Arduino with 3.3V switchable power. I have the switch at 5V though as the distance sensor didn't appear to work at the 3.3V setting. The wireless module is connected to the 3.3V port and I did confirm voltage on that pin at 3.3V with a voltmeter (even with the switch at 5V), so I don't think I've cooked it. But good suggestion - that was my initial thought as well.

[demondreamer]

I'm not 100% on this, but setting the switch at 5V may also make the Arduino IO pins all communicate using 5V. On the Buono R3 Arduino clones I use there's a 3V pin header and a 5V pin header that output that regardless of the switch setting. I always have the switch set at 3V and if a sensor requires 5 (like the ultrasonic range sensor), I'll tap off the 5V header to power it only.

Try testing the IO lines with a volt meter.


-Demondreamer

[John-o]

I'm in the middle of a build as well, but it's my understanding that if you have the 3.3v/5V switch at 5V then the Arduino will not be able to communicate successfully with the wireless transceiver as the '1's and 0's' will be at a lower voltage range and not interpreted correctly. It sounds like using these wireless transceivers need to have the board set at 3.3V or you will need to use a line level shifter.

[Admin]

Yes, I think that's the case. I use the 5V for sensors/outputs that need 5V for power, but leave the switch at 3V so I don't break the RFM69HW.

Jan 11, 2015 9:33:16 GMT demondreamer said:

I'm not 100% on this, but setting the switch at 5V may also make the Arduino IO pins all communicate using 5V. On the Buono R3 Arduino clones I use there's a 3V pin header and a 5V pin header that output that regardless of the switch setting. I always have the switch set at 3V and if a sensor requires 5 (like the ultrasonic range sensor), I'll tap off the 5V header to power it only.

Try testing the IO lines with a volt meter.


-Demondreamer

[barfsurfer]

MAJOR PROGRESS!! Seems kinda dumb in retrospect, but my issue was the 3.3V / 5V switch setting. Put it back at 3.3V and things are looking good. Confirmed distance sensor node is broadcasting, and the wireless gateway is receiving the data! I was just amazed and so stoked last night when I saw that gateway reporting data from a sensor node. Whohoo!! Thanks to everyone who chimed in with tips on this thread, I really appreciate it. For some reason I was thinking the 3.3/5V switch had to do with the power on the entire board, and not just the digital I/O, but it makes perfect sense now. The good news is that the RFM69HW still works (I didn't cook it by setting the switch to 5V).

Of course, as has been the case with this project, it's 1 step forward and 1 step back. My initial setup on the Pi was looking fine way back before I started the Arduino portion - Mosquitto confirmed up and running, openHAB server installed and running. I left the Pi running and haven't touched it in a couple of months. So last night I try to VNC into it, and no connection. Hooked up directly to HDMI and keyboard/mouse, and no signs of life. So I unplugged it and re-started it. I get a Pi splash screen, and then... nothing. Seems like the Pi isn't booting up for some unknown reason. I went into safe mode per the splash screen, and it is really only prompting to re-install Raspbian from the SD card or something. Arrgh! So that's my next issue to get sorted - getting the Pi back to a usable state. I have no idea what happened to it, but it seems like I may have to reinstall the OS (and therefore openHAB and all that stuff) all over again. Sigh.

But hey - it's been a great learning experience so far, and I feel like the end is somewhat in sight!

[barfsurfer]

And... SUCCESS!! Pi just needed a reboot. Once I got that up and running and added the openHAB configuration stuff for the garage door sensor, OMG IT'S ALL ACTUALLY WORKING!!! I can't believe it. This has been quite a fun experiment. The wife thinks I'm totally nuts, the kids don't give a rat's ass, but I am feeling quite a bit of geek pride in my little setup.

Next Steps:

- Figure out how to get openHAB to alert me when the garage door is open after 9PM. Definitely up for suggestions on easiest way to get this done - ideally via SMS. I'll look into IFTT + Gmail I guess.

- Get some sort of lighting control wired in. I know there are like a zillion choices here, need to research. Mostly interested in toggling outdoor lights on based on sunset time in my location. Input greatly appreciated on your favorite (and cheapest) lighting control solutions that play nicely with openHAB

- Wire up a water sensor node to detect if water heater leaks, and send alert if so. Got burned by this a few years ago.

Thanks again to everyone for their input, it definitely helped me get through the wireless setup.