mcinnes01's Content

#52619 A virtual hack night

Posted by mcinnes01 on 06 September 2013 - 10:37 PM in General Discussion

count me in!

#52368 High power multiplexing help

Posted by mcinnes01 on 26 August 2013 - 03:59 PM in General Discussion

Hi,

I am just in the process of rewiring my house using a radial system or in fact 2 seperate radial systems (one for the basement/ground floor and one for the first floor/loft). By radial system I mean each socket and light goes back to the distribution board.

The idea is that I can control each socket or light separately and so each of these will terminate on its own solid state 25 amp relay that will be din rail mounted in the distribution board. Each light switch will run on a low power system using cat5 cabling and so all the switching will be done using solid state relays. This not only allows me to manually control the lights using manual switches, a 24v din mounted power supply and CAT5 cable to the relays. But it also allows me to centralised control that I can interface with via the netduino. The reason for this is that you must ensure that there is a switchable light per room and it acts as a backup in case I have a software or electronics issues, most importantly this also avoids the Mrs getting annoyed if she can't switch the light on etc.

What I am trying to do is create some din rail mounted modules that will provide the switching control for the relays. Each module will use CAT5 connections to connect it back to a central module that will house the netduino and will split the SPI which will be used to multiplex the control logic and distribute the switching voltage from the 24v 3.2A 85W din mounted power supply.

Each module will switch 8x 25amp relays using 24v, will have 8 LEDs to indicate what is on, will contain a 74HC595 shift register, a 74HC245N CMOS and a ULN2803 transitor array, plus some resistors or resitor array.

The relays have approximately a 2.5v 30ma voltage and current drop respectively.

The 4 twisted pairs in the CAT5 will carry the 3 connections for the SPI, 1 connection to return QH from the 595s so they can be daisy chained, common Gnd, 3.3v and 24v.

What I need a little help with is as follows:

Am I missing any connections on the 74HC245Ns, there is a direction pin (pin 1) and a QE pin (pin 19). I am not sure what to do with these?
Can you see any errors in the circuit or see any problems that it might face, and can you offer any solutions if so?
As I will have a fair few of these boards and each will have 8 small 3mm leds 30ma 2.5v, would I be better moving the leds to the 24v side of the circuit and if so what will I have to change? Would I need any extra resistors, diodes, caps etc?
The resistors I haven't even calculated and this is something I am terrible at, if I leave the LEDs where they are now what resistors would I need? I was thinking of using a resisor array from my inspiration for the circuit (see below). However linked to the previous question what if I moved the LEDs up to the 24v circuit so they aren't running off the netduinos power?
Would the circuit benefit from any caps to level things out and if so what size and where?
Final question do I need any additional protection diodes for the netduino or chips?

Here is a fritzing (see Din Mount Relay_bb.jpg) of what I was thinking for the Din Modules and there is also the netduino shield which distributes the 24v and SPI (see Din Shield_bb), any help moving the LEDs to the 24v side would be much appreciated!

As a key:

Red = 24v

Black = 3.3v (from netduino)

Green = Common Gnd

Orange = Returned QH

White = MOSI

Purple = SCLK

Yellow = SS

Andy

Attached Thumbnails

#52383 Help bypass switch with reverse current protection

Posted by mcinnes01 on 27 August 2013 - 02:17 AM in General Discussion

Hi Chuck

Thanks for the reply, I should elaborate a little further, the switches are the standard wall plates you have in your house to switch the lights on/off. My lights are going to be physically switched with a relay, this will be done using the netduino and my own boards, but I want a manual overide using the standard wall switch. This will have the same 24v power supply that the neduino uses to switch the relay.

This will allow me to overide what ever the netduino is doing in terms of switching on the lights, so when the wall switch is in the off position, the netduino is in control, but when I switch the wall switch on this will overide the netduino and turn the lights on.

Do you have any thoughts and sorry for not being clearer

Thanks again,

Andy

#52381 Help bypass switch with reverse current protection

Posted by mcinnes01 on 26 August 2013 - 11:48 PM in General Discussion

Hi,

I am trying to find a way to manually override the control of some relays.

The netduino uses mux to control 24v which switches the coil voltage of some relays. I want to manually control the relays in case something goes wrong on my control board or with my software.

The manual switches will carry 24v from the same supply that switches the relays on my control boards. Things that I am unsure about include, if the switch is closed supplying 24v to the the relay coil, but the control board is not is closed, how can I ensure current from the switch doesn't travel backward in to the control board mux circuit?

I guess this would be an easy answer with something like diode right? Any help on which one and where would be much appreciated?

Finally, what would happen in the switch was close supplying 24v and the control board was supplying 24v to the relay? Would this be fine as it is the same source or could this create some form of over voltage/over current?

Could this be resolved with a transistor and if so how would I wire it in.

Basically the ciruit has a common ground and the 24v is common to both the ULN2802 which will be used to switch the relay coil and to the switch which will directly supply the same 24v?

There is one final consideration, the relays have a 2.5v voltage drop and a 30ma current drop. How would I handle this in terms of resistors and the 2 possible sources of current (ULN2803 or Switch)?

I would also like a status LED to show which relays are on again 2.5v voltage drop, 30ma current drop.

Many thanks,

Andy

#58370 I Think I Found a bug in SPI

Posted by mcinnes01 on 23 May 2014 - 09:15 PM in Netduino 2 (and Netduino 1)

Hi Chris,

Is this a hint towards a beta 4.3 for netduino 1?

Cheers,

Andy

#56177 Out of pins. Need advice on how to expand

Posted by mcinnes01 on 18 February 2014 - 09:05 PM in Netduino 2 (and Netduino 1)

Hi,

I have a 32 port expander using 2 MCP23S17, I wonder if anyone has any examples of how to work with these chips and if anyone could confirm which netduino pins are associated with the following?

MOSI

MISO

SCK

CS

Many thanks,

Andy

#56185 Out of pins. Need advice on how to expand

Posted by mcinnes01 on 18 February 2014 - 11:38 PM in Netduino 2 (and Netduino 1)

Thanks that's great, would you power off the 5v or 3.3v rail? I am creating another stage after this of UL2803 to control some relays.

Out of interest, like the 595s are the MCPs prone to errors? For example with the help of Mario I used a stage to buffer the output of the 595s for long enough to reload the chip in case of errors, without affecting the output.

Many thanks

Andy

#52130 N+2 communication with WebApi

Posted by mcinnes01 on 13 August 2013 - 07:21 PM in Project Showcase

I would love to see your code including the web api? Are you using signalR to update your page?

#53190 N+2 communication with WebApi

Posted by mcinnes01 on 14 October 2013 - 12:47 PM in Project Showcase

Hi the link to the netduino code is broken?

#56407 OutputExpander - How to Make a Netduino GO! Module

Posted by mcinnes01 on 25 February 2014 - 08:46 PM in Netduino Go

Hi Mark,

Just a thought, you may have seen the recent library hanzibal made for the MCP23S17. I was wondering if you have looked at the STM8L range?

These chips have 2 SPI buses.

This is a little beyond me, but I would love a dual MCP23S17 GO bus module.

What are your thoughts on the STM8L and is it possible to use both SPI buses, one for GO bus and the other for the MCP23S17s?

Many thanks

andy

#52620 Complete Home Automation from Multiple Devices

Posted by mcinnes01 on 06 September 2013 - 10:45 PM in Netduino Plus 2 (and Netduino Plus 1)

I am having 2 central locations, 1 in the loft and 1 in the cellar to avoid having to create a riser and to reduce cable runs. I will have a gigabit link between the 2 and am installing a 96 port patch panel in each to allow me to route things ad-hoc.

Each light will go back to these 2 points where I will have a distribution board. Relays will perform the switching all located centrally on the 2 distribution boards. This makes maintenance easy and reduces the number of points of failure. In house having a single or couple of points of failure is desirable as it means you don't have to start ripping up walls and floor boards.

Although CAT5 is going in, I may in most cases just use it for the the shielded twisted pairs. As there are 4 pairs you can send data and power down the same cable without creating too much noise. Also if you change your mind you can convert them to standard cat5 cables.

Check out some of my active threads for ideas.

Andy

#52601 Complete Home Automation from Multiple Devices

Posted by mcinnes01 on 05 September 2013 - 10:07 PM in Netduino Plus 2 (and Netduino Plus 1)

I am on the same quest as yourself currently....

Although I am running about 140 separate runs of cat5e.

Some will have wall plates (phone, ethernet) some go to devices, sensors, valves, switches, etc.

This all goes back to a patch panel so I can route and change the use as and when I want.

Also worth thinking about POE.

As I have recently learnt from Mario, SPI is not good over long distances and I have had flakey experiences with it in the past. Noise is a real issue.

This is true with i2c but to less of an extent and there are ways of reducing noise and its effects.

Something to perhaps ponder, to reduce the effects of resistance you will probably want to step your signal up to say 24v. This in itself creates noise and other complications, but solves the issue of running over long distances.

I will share what I learn from Mario and perhaps you can share your ideas?

Andy

#56415 Gainspan WiFi module

Posted by mcinnes01 on 25 February 2014 - 11:49 PM in General Discussion

Hi,

I wonder if anyone can help, I am trying to get my gainspan WiFi module working with a netduino 1. I wonder if anyone has a library or can give me some help getting started in creating a library for it?

Many thanks

Andy

#56467 Gainspan WiFi module

Posted by mcinnes01 on 26 February 2014 - 09:54 PM in General Discussion

Yeah I use google search too the forum one isn't great, spent a few hours going through the old posts. There is a forum thread http://forums.netdui...fi/?hl=gainspan

This was started by nickduino now monewwq1 and there used to be an example youtube video or two and some sample code on there. A while back I did some work TTLing the gainspan, but never got round to wiring it up with the netduino. Sadly nicks sample code has gone now and I'm a little unsure of where to start in terms of communicating with it via the netduino, how to send and receive the commands required to setup the gainspan module and finally how this then works in terms of a network connection.

I guess I also wonder if mIp can work with this as well?

#56914 Gainspan WiFi module

Posted by mcinnes01 on 19 March 2014 - 02:11 PM in General Discussion

Hi Hanz,

I wonder if you have made any progress with your RAK410/411 wifi module class library?

The problem I have with writing drivers is I don't really know where to start, and although I have been through the datasheets and command guides a few times I'm a little unsure as to where to approach it from.

I wonder if you have perhaps started the lib for your module, if I could see the code so far I can try to follow your approach to and see if I can do the same for my module?

Thanks again for all your help,

Andy

#54270 Netduino Go! 4.3 firmware

Posted by mcinnes01 on 24 November 2013 - 02:50 PM in Beta Firmware and Drivers

Hi,

Is there any news on the Netduino Go! 4.3 firmware?

Many thanks,

Andy

#54278 Netduino Go! 4.3 firmware

Posted by mcinnes01 on 24 November 2013 - 09:17 PM in Beta Firmware and Drivers

Can we work with Netduino Go! in VS2012 or VS2013 currently?

Could you just go through what is required in terms of install, from the point of view of just having VS2012/13 installed and no NETMF or netduino sdk installed?

Can we still use 4.3 for standard netduino 1 with vs2012/13?

Many thanks,

Andy

#52328 New book: Netduino Home Automation Projects

Posted by mcinnes01 on 24 August 2013 - 08:21 PM in General Discussion

Ordered! Can't wait I am just starting a major home automation project so this could be useful, although my spark is quoting �11K for the infrastructure I want putting in place

#52600 Call for Secret Labs to Kick Start Go! Bus

Posted by mcinnes01 on 05 September 2013 - 09:43 PM in General Discussion

I would as ever still love to see 1-wire, maybe even a can-bus module? And perhaps a wifi module?

Although I feel a chicken and egg argument coming on....

Which **should** come first Go! Bus 1.5 or new modules?

If you develop a module you would have to write your own firmware which would be a port around Go! bus 1.0. Then what happens when the generic firmware comes out for the STMs with 1.5?

Chris if funding is not a route, but developing modules is, can users have an update on where Go Bus 1.5 is.

It would be helpful to see:

- An up to date feature set

- Current status of the features

- Current issues

- A detailed definition of the architecture and how the various functions that are complete work and how you expect or propose the outstanding features to fit in.

Are SL happy to share this level of detail and perhaps the code for users to contribute/test?

There are a fair few people with STM discovery boards, I guess testing can be done for Go! bus 1.5 with an N Go! + STM discovery right?

Thanks again and I hope we can spark some community interest back in to Go!

Andy

#52509 Call for Secret Labs to Kick Start Go! Bus

Posted by mcinnes01 on 02 September 2013 - 10:46 PM in General Discussion

Hi,

I have been a happy user of Secret Labs products for many years, I have enjoyed the fantastic, friendly and helpful community and Secret Labs energy and commitment to improve their products.

Now I feel it is the communities chance to help Secret Labs...

I would like to propose that Secret Labs start a Kick Starter campaign to help fund the development of the Go! Bus protocol which is holding back many avid netduino users and the exciting new products Secret Labs have on backlog. The community have all been waiting patiently for ethernet, SD and the Gadgeteer hub for sometime and it seems focus has shifted and the forums have gone a little quiet.

I would like to know the viability to allow the community to "give a little to get a little", by funding Secret Labs so they can employ some additional resources to either work on the Go! Bus protocol, or work on the AGENT smart watch, freeing up other resource to work on Go! Bus.

I would love to start getting some use out of my N Go! and would love to see the netduino forums that bustling hive of community interest they were previously.

What are your thoughts on this?

Many thanks,

Andy

#52554 Call for Secret Labs to Kick Start Go! Bus

Posted by mcinnes01 on 04 September 2013 - 09:11 PM in General Discussion

Hi Chris,

I completely understand the economics behind open source aren't quite as straight forward as standard commercial products and this is why I believe the community could dig in and help out...

Whilst Go! Bus may equally benefit from community input from some of the more advanced users I thought there may be a way some of us other users could help out. Whilst throwing money at a problem doesn't always fix it, I was interested in both the community's and Secret Labs opinion on how we could inject some help in to realising the Go! Bus dream. As Go! Bus is Secret Labs brain child its very difficult for people to necessarily contribute on a community platform and this is where my thought of the community and possibly potential hardware vendors helping fund this endeavour.

Hardware vendors can benefit from using Go! Bus once it is available to facilitate their own commercial products and ultimately this drives interest back in to the Netduino community. I completely understand that you can't invest more than the returns from sales of the Go! line in to developing it further, but without the new toys like ethernet etc I'm sure you would agree that Go! sales have slumped from the initial level of interest and this catch 22 situation of needing interested to drive sales, to fund development, to create interest, to drive sales.

This is where a possible funding scheme like kick starter could help Go!, Netduino and Open source hardware in general...

Kick Starter could be used to break the the vicious cycle and could enable Secret Labs to get an extra person working on the Go! line.

I guess if you could think in terms of what resources could benefit Go! and what would be required financially or otherwise, the community could work something out?

I would be happy to donate in this way, and you can either take the approach you did with AGENT, offering ethernet modules etc, or simply allow people to donate for Go! Bus 1.5 to become a reality sooner

Andy

#52555 Call for Secret Labs to Kick Start Go! Bus

Posted by mcinnes01 on 04 September 2013 - 09:20 PM in General Discussion

@Juzzer you seem a pretty smart guy looking at your own STM board and your port of NETMF, I would love to see what you could develop for the Go! Maybe a Wifi Module or 1-Wire module or something all together previously unimagined?

@Chris if people like Juzzer were able to spend a little time how could they get involved with physically developing the Go! bus protocol?

Andy

#54136 Shield Base Firmware (beta 7)

Posted by mcinnes01 on 17 November 2013 - 10:27 PM in Netduino Go

^{Wow I can't believe I've only just found this thread and I'm surprised its so quiet on here}

^{Good work Chris! Its nice to see work is happening on Go! Bus still}

^{I have been mad busy rewiring my house for hopefully what will be a netduino controlled system eventually (lots of work to go with what will be about 80 relays to control)}

^{I will definitely have a play when I get a chance.}

^{Can I ask for a little (or fairly detailed if you can) update on Go! Bus 2.0?}

^{In notice there are some alpha features on there now, perhaps you could tell us where things like:}

^{Where the SPI transport is up to}

^{Support for multiple SBs}

^{The generic firmware for STMs and the ability to flash from the N Go!}

^{When the next release is due}

^{Many thanks and keep up the great work}

^Andy

#54127 Raspberry Pi and dot Net MicroFramework

Posted by mcinnes01 on 17 November 2013 - 02:58 PM in General Discussion

I use VS2012 with no issue, you can get the 4.3 SDK from the downloads area.

Multiple versions of VS, .NET and the SDK should run happily together on the same PC. Just remember to target the correct version in your project.

hth

Andy

#52372 Netduino Go Future

Posted by mcinnes01 on 26 August 2013 - 05:22 PM in Netduino Go

Hi Chris,

Thanks for the reply, does that mean we are likely to see perhaps an ethernet module this side of christmas which if I remeber correctly uses the STM32? Is there any update on how your testing is going in terms GoBus 1.5 running happily on the STM32?

Cheers,

Andy