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Post by computourist on Sept 19, 2015 19:32:27 GMT
I understand some builders would like to have an idea on how to build the gateway and nodes. Below some pictures of my builds, I invite others to share theirs. My gateway is built on perfboard, based on Pro mini. My first nodes were also perfboard based:
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Post by computourist on Sept 19, 2015 19:36:13 GMT
Wiring is a bit complex when using perfboard, so I decided to design a PCB. The traces did not come out very well, but it works ! The RFM module is soldered on on one side, the Arduino on the other side, resulting in a compact PCB-board:
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Post by papa on Sept 19, 2015 20:09:40 GMT
CompuTourist, neat to see how you've implemented this & hope to see others' versions. As much as possible, I've tried to plug together different components for the Gateway & end nodes. Easier, I believe, to correct mistakes & replace defective parts. So far it's worked well. For the Gateway below, I plugged the Ethernet shield on top of a Buono Uno Arduino compatible & then plugged other components into the Ethernet shield sockets. For the end node start below, I plugged the RFM69 wires into the Buono. Quoted mostly from my post at homeautomation.proboards.com/thread/63/newbie-after-advice-initial-build ... Here's a pic of the Gateway before I shortened the wires. The only soldering was wires to the RFM69 wireless transceiver & attaching resistors to the LEDs. Everything else is a wire inserted in a socket. To thicken some thinner leads like those on resistors & LEDs so they inserted more securely in sockets, I spread a little solder on them. Here's a pic of the start of an end node (not the gateway & not my garage door opener node) showing short wires soldered to the RFM69 wireless transceiver & inserted into Buono Uno (arduino) sockets. The antenna is curled coiled here (wrapped around like a pencil & the pencil removed), not straight, which seems to work fine. According to my research, a good antenna for 915mHZ RFM69 is about 3 inches, which works throughout my 3 level home & into the yard. With the RFM69 wires just long enough to reach & plug in Arduino sockets and with curled antenna, my node is also pretty compact. (The RFM69 is level with the top of Arduino female headers.) I hope to fit it, a compact usb power adapter, a small strip board with a push button circuit, & a solid state relay chip into wall light switch box to replace a light switch. One can see my progressing detailed posts at homeautomation.proboards.com/thread/62/success-home-automation-arduinos-rfm69s.
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Post by lhw455 on Sept 19, 2015 21:04:49 GMT
Thanks both, for newbs like myself this helps immensely.
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Post by camblonie on Sept 22, 2015 16:03:56 GMT
Do either of you have a schematic file by chance? I really need to get some PCB's made. My wife gets annoyed when I leave Uno's with a breadboard and sensors hanging off it all over the house. PS Computourist, do you have the specs for a 915 MHz antenna?
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Post by papa on Sept 22, 2015 21:04:00 GMT
I'll let CompuTourist handle providing a file to make a printed circuit board (PCB). I have not made any of those. So far my wife has tolerated Unos topped with one shield each & some with a Solid State Relay box attached. Maybe we can hide them in cute, suitably-painted yellow containers. Everybody loves a Minion, right? ;-)
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Post by computourist on Sept 23, 2015 6:37:06 GMT
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Post by papa on Sept 23, 2015 15:48:37 GMT
As far as the antenna goes, as I posted above: [My] antenna [the green-insulated wire to the left of the RFM69 mini board] is coiled (wrapped around like a pencil & the pencil removed), not straight, which seems to work fine [as did a straight antenna, except for getting bumped]. According to my research, a good antenna for 915mHZ RFM69 is about 3 inches, which [coiled or straight] works throughout my 3 level home & into the yard."
If the copper spring antenna was made a straight wire, I wonder how long it would be. I did not see that dimension in the AliExpress listing. For me, an antenna of about 3 inches of 24 gauge wire, coiled or straight has worked.
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Post by camblonie on Sept 23, 2015 22:39:22 GMT
Thanks guys!
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Post by computourist on Oct 31, 2015 19:25:29 GMT
A picture of my DIG end node: Is has a mains socket and a pushbutton. The button toggles the output and informs Openhab of a state change. The inside looks like this: Always include a fuse when working with mains voltage....
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Post by sam4205 on Dec 6, 2015 2:18:12 GMT
Thank you computourist, papa and other members for providing this forum and support to build out an community. I am a newbie with background in software and little bit in hardware and have been reading for last couple of days all over the net to build an home automation. I am remodeling my entire home and would love to add these into all the switch boards instead of the standard switches. Appreciate all your support. computourist, if you don't mind, could you please point me to the diagram for the relay based DIG end node. I couldn't find that layout. Currently I am in the processing of ordering all the parts and was looking for the relay details. I am deciding between a solid state relay vs mechanical relay module. Thanks, Sam A picture of my DIG end node: Is has a mains socket and a pushbutton. The button toggles the output and informs Openhab of a state change. The inside looks like this: Always include a fuse when working with mains voltage....
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Post by computourist on Dec 6, 2015 13:54:45 GMT
I made a schematic for the DIG-node, based on Arduino Pro Mini. If you use another Arduino variant you have to change Arduino pin numbers accordingly. Power supply is a standard 5 Volts USB PS or one of these. The Solid State Relay I used is rated for 4-6 Volts DC input, but works nicely at 3.3 Volts. The SSR is rated for 2 Amps; I use a 1 Amp fuse, for a max power of 230 Watts.
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Post by papa on Dec 6, 2015 21:28:56 GMT
Yes, Computourist, thanks for what might make the DIG node build-able for more areas. In my case, thanks for reference to a Solid State Relay (SSR) on a chip which looks interesting. I've had some luck with Sharp s202s02 SSR. These types take less DC input to switch them on than the SSR in a box that I've also used. From my experience / concerns, I raise some cautions with using the Sharp SSRs, & probably your Omron:
1) Be careful connecting to all 4 input pins. If you solder too hot & long, you can fry the insides & the SSR stops working. Whatever you connect to the pins gives more leverage to breaking off those pins. 2) Be VERY careful with the AC output pins which will carry dangerous mains voltage. What I've done to deal with the above: 1) I cut a piece of thin, but fairly strong wood (from a paint stirring stick in my case) so all the SSR including the pins was over the wood & I mounted the SSR to the wood (the Sharp SSR has a screw mounting hole). 2) After I fried an SSR, I avoided soldering to the pins. I used 14 gauge wire with fairly stiff, thick insulation & I inserted the SSR pins into the end of the insulation & next to the connecting wires. This seems to give reliable connection without soldering. 3) Where the SSR pins, connecting wires/insulation & wood overlap, I wrapped them with something to stabilize & insulate them. Other than the pin area & the Sharp mounting hole, I avoided wrapping any other part of the SSR since I wondered if that might cause damaging heat build up.
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