Electronic DEVELOPMENT thread for sensors, monitors, controls

 
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CoalisCoolxWarm
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Post by CoalisCoolxWarm » Sun. Jan. 09, 2022 1:36 pm

I found a new online simulator for Arduino and ESP32 that greatly aids development and testing before building at https://wokwi.com/ It also makes it extremely simple to share projects, view the workings of a project, and create duplicate or derivative works.

Using the platform, I have moved forward on several projects for my coal boiler and wanted to open up the development, operations, and participation to the group. I have some questions and I have some answers. I plan to share them openly with the group in a way that is simple to reproduce, modify, expand, and may lead to wider adoption of inexpensive monitoring and analysis (and possibly control on a case-by-case basis at user's discretion)

So please feel free to jump in and comment, share, criticize, request, etc. I hope this will be an active thread.

I'll start.

Project: Coal hopper or bin level meter
Status: In development, working on reporting/viewing methods
URL: https://wokwi.com/arduino/projects/320026758577390163
Instructions: Run (green arrow) and then click on the ultrasonic sensor, slider to vary distance input. Lines 18 & 19 define distance from sensor to bottom of hopper, and hopper depth. Intended to be mounted some distance above the hopper.


Project: Stoker Flame sensor
Status: In development, working on reporting/viewing methods, and mounting/shielding options to protect sensor
URL: https://wokwi.com/arduino/projects/319436738002944596
Instructions: Run (green arrow) and then click on the light sensor, slider to vary lux. Lines 21-25 define flame thresholds for various states. Currently test levels, must be determined empirically after mounting/shielding worked out.


Project: LED Bar to display Level, minimizing pins used
Status: In development, working on various display options/alternatives
URL: https://wokwi.com/arduino/projects/320192195028058706
Instructions: Run (green arrow), watch display step through 7 steps.
Can be mounted locally and eventually remotely after communications method designed

Project: Communications and remote display and charting method
Status: Evaluation and selection process, testing various methods
Example URL: https://randomnerdtutorials.com/esp32-esp8266-plo ... eb-server/
Database Option1: https://randomnerdtutorials.com/esp32-esp8266-mys ... abase-php/
Database Option 2: https://www.theengineeringprojects.com/2021/12/es ... erver.html
Notes: Setting up ESP32 local webserver to duplicate the example project. CANNOT run on simulator, requires buildout and testing. Alternatives welcome. Will likely use SSL version, if selected

Thoughts, input, suggestions, alternatives, share yours?


 
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Post by Notashotashell » Sun. Jan. 09, 2022 11:39 pm

Awesome to see this - Arduino has great flexibility to monitor and communicate - I have a son who is interested in starting with Arduino I’ll ask him to check it out

 
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CoalisCoolxWarm
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Post by CoalisCoolxWarm » Mon. Jan. 10, 2022 12:15 am

It's an excellent simulator and expected to open the Arduino world up to a lot more people through online project collaboration and troubleshooting.

 
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Lightning
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Post by Lightning » Mon. Jan. 10, 2022 3:49 pm

Wow this is pretty intriguing.. I'll have to look into it, thank you for posting!

 
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CoalisCoolxWarm
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Post by CoalisCoolxWarm » Mon. Jan. 10, 2022 7:03 pm

Lightning wrote:
Mon. Jan. 10, 2022 3:49 pm
Wow this is pretty intriguing.. I'll have to look into it, thank you for posting!
I hope so. ;)

 
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CoalisCoolxWarm
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Post by CoalisCoolxWarm » Wed. Jan. 12, 2022 3:49 pm

I have a different project provided to me as an example, and it USES ENVIRACOM!!

It's an older version, but if the standard is true, I am thinking hard about using that standard for communications between devices, with one broker device.

This will allow me to make my own outdoor reset, thermostats, adjust and read the triple aquastat, etc.

I have to order some more parts ;)

 
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Post by Jkohanski » Thu. Jan. 13, 2022 10:41 pm

Just got done testing my thermocouple interface. Looks good. I will have 16 thermocouple inputs and 8 digital thermometer inputs. I'm using the pi-plate corp thermoplates. Hope to start logging data this weekend.
IMG_20220113_223617451.jpg
.JPG | 263.8KB | IMG_20220113_223617451.jpg


 
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CoalisCoolxWarm
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Post by CoalisCoolxWarm » Thu. Jan. 13, 2022 10:50 pm

Jkohanski wrote:
Thu. Jan. 13, 2022 10:41 pm
Just got done testing my thermocouple interface.
Nice! Is that a ready-made board? Care to share the details/model?

What are you using to communicate and to where? MQTT?

Inquiring minds want to know ;)

 
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Post by Jkohanski » Fri. Jan. 14, 2022 12:04 am

CoalisCoolxWarm wrote:
Thu. Jan. 13, 2022 10:50 pm
Nice! Is that a ready-made board? Care to share the details/model?

What are you using to communicate and to where? MQTT?

Inquiring minds want to know ;)
using pi-plate.com ready made board. check them out they make hq stuff. there boards are stackable to form a hat. using there plastic case which is just plastic sheet, seperated with standoffs. my hat will be 2 thermoplate boards, and one of their tinker boards for any possible things down the road. I have loaded apache web server on the pi, and will have a web page, display all the data, to any device. may add a camera, for live video feed.

 
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Post by Jkohanski » Sun. Jan. 16, 2022 11:21 pm

Ok , so testing almost done, hope to be collecting data off my pipes tomorrow. The attached pdf is a brief explanation of how i put it all together, and also the source code to make things go.
MonitorProject.pdf
.PDF | 651.3KB | MonitorProject.pdf

 
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Post by fig » Sun. Jan. 16, 2022 11:49 pm

I’m kind of surprised this hasn’t happened sooner especially with pellet stoves as they age and controls become obsolete.

 
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CoalisCoolxWarm
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Post by CoalisCoolxWarm » Mon. Jan. 17, 2022 9:51 am

Jkohanski wrote:
Sun. Jan. 16, 2022 11:21 pm
Ok , so testing almost done, hope to be collecting data off my pipes tomorrow. The attached pdf is a brief explanation of how i put it all together, and also the source code to make things go.
MonitorProject.pdf
Absolutely LOVE your project!

I appreciate the reasons you chose RPi, including the inbuilt ability to run MySQL.

Are you planning to have access from internet while outside your home? If so, are you planning port mapping, or replicating to an online db? That's a decision for me now. Instead of dedicating a computer on intranet for db, likely going to use RPi to run MySQL, GUI, and other things such as analysis, history, etc- for the same benefits as you mention.

Key point of local db, then upload from there on a schedule (or demand), is the ability to do rapid upload/updates of data from sensors, etc without killing internet connection or webserver.

The Pi Plates are a great idea!

My approach to sensors is likely to be driven by bus powered "remote" sensors. True, many will be in close proximity in the boiler room, but I want to establish a standard protocol, possible EnviraCOM, since it was the Honeywell standard for their triple aquastats, outdoor sensors, etc. I'll likely aggregate multiple sensors into multiple boards for simplicity and cost using shields on the arduino side, similar to your approach.

How are you planning to manage the rebooting of the RPi? It typically isn't a 24/7/365 device. It's fairly robust, but with an OS, they do hang at times. I am considering a layered approach that occasionally requests a "keep alive" response (simple query that must be processed and a response, not yet defined), which upon failure (say 3 fail to respond) will trigger a relay-based power cycle. This likely will be arduino query to RPi and also in reverse, so either side can be reset by the other.

Have you decided what charting software you are going to use?

Initially, I am going to model a basic "chart what you got" for the values, then decide how to combine them later as it makes sense.

It's a great writeup! Keep us updated, can't wait to see some pics and screenshots of your results!

This is exactly the type of innovation and tinkering I'm hoping we all encourage. Excellent work so far.

 
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Other Heating: Oil Boiler

Post by CoalisCoolxWarm » Mon. Jan. 17, 2022 9:59 am

fig wrote:
Sun. Jan. 16, 2022 11:49 pm
I’m kind of surprised this hasn’t happened sooner especially with pellet stoves as they age and controls become obsolete.
Yep! It does seem like a natural progression of using technologies like this for our heating and home monitoring and automation.

Given this tech can piggyback on existing controls, contacts, equipment, the ability to share and duplicate is within reach of *most * people. If you can setup and configure or manage your coal heating systems, the installation of these devices and sensors should be on the "can-do list" of most people.

I foresee a standard format being defined for a group-developed analysis and visualizer. Upload your data in the standard format, and let the magic of the number-crunching-analysis-gurus work ;)

Good times coming....

 
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Post by Jkohanski » Mon. Jan. 17, 2022 4:42 pm

Ok, so I'm logging data now. Not very pretty, but it works and I will improve as I have more time. I have 4 thermo couples logging the heat exchanger.
1 is from coal boiler, 2 is from coal boiler, 3 is return from all radiators, 4 is return to oil boiler.

Attachments

IMG_20220117_163530494.jpg
.JPG | 286.5KB | IMG_20220117_163530494.jpg

 
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CoalisCoolxWarm
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Coal Size/Type: Anthracite Buckwheat
Other Heating: Oil Boiler

Post by CoalisCoolxWarm » Mon. Jan. 17, 2022 5:09 pm

Jkohanski wrote:
Mon. Jan. 17, 2022 4:42 pm
Ok, so I'm logging data now. Not very pretty, but it works and I will improve as I have more time. I have 4 thermo couples logging the heat exchanger.
1 is from coal boiler, 2 is from coal boiler, 3 is return from all radiators, 4 is return to oil boiler.
IMG_20220117_163530494.jpg
Keep on rockin' it :yes:

You going to also log the status of the circulator next to the temp of the zone(s)? See how many BTUs are being delivered on that loop.


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