Arduino based room controller

[editon69]

did you guys try this software with the arduino?
HydroHomeSoft- DIY Automated Hydroponics Software

They provide their software for free and the sketch for arduino uno and mega. I'm not a programmer and i don't know how this work hopefully one of you guys can teach us about this software with arduino. here is a link for the arduino uno and mega sketch. HHS to Arduino Interface | Peterphrastus
here is how the software looks like HHS Download and Help | Peterphrastus

 

[Skutch]

I'm not exactly sure what is possible with HHS, hadn't heard of it and just had my first look. Apparently it has quite some potential. It's a system, controlled by PC, using Phidgets or... all kinds of specialized USB-slaves/ building blocks.

By looking at the arduino code The arduino is used as a phidget too, it acts on commands sent by the HHS-software on PC and if necessary relays info back. (reads a switch, turns device on, reads an analog value of a sensor)

Without pc or with PC off, the arduino is silent. The code isn't big though, it should be possible to add some user defined functions.

I must say the phidgets look quite nice, lot's of 'm are available. (Though a bit expensive).

It's a pity the Phigets can't really be controlled effectively with an arduino without a lot of work. They're all USB-slaves and you need an USB-host to control 'm. Most Arduino's with USB-capabiltities are... USB-slaves. Controlling other phidgets with the arduino is like trying to connect an WIFI-dongle to an external USB-HD without the PC to have'm talk together.


It is possible to add an USB-host shield to an arduino or buy the Arduino ADK which has one integrated and do some work with USB-slaves, problem is that you'll need to write an USB-host driver to talk with the Phidgets which... probably is quite difficult.

But if you would like to use your PC as 24/7 controller, you probably could add several arduinos and use those to control relays and read sensors.

Since it uses windows, I'd be cautious though, windows is not always as reliable and may... freeze while running.

But once again, I've just been reading half an hour and have hardly seen what's possible with the HHS-system.

 

[Propa Gator]

I'm an old Mac Gator, who can grok new ideas only slowly, but...
Doesn't the space probe Voyager use an early Intel chip? Still working?
A dedicated old/simpler/cheap PC should be reliable to read an input, then flip a switch?
A set of boolean inputs 'n actuators may amount to more good than hassel, but...
A program that can change set points to maximise realtime growth would be cool.
Useful artificial intellegence could react to changes brought on by unforseen conditions. Or learn in one grow, what various light strengths & durations do exactly to growth rate. A set camera, and a comparator sub-program? Better light control than a six-dollar timer? This all can be done manually, at huge time cost. With an AI-CCM, fine tuning conditions could be done to a gnat's ass, any strain every time.

Great program/hardware interface is a field of dreams for many
Build it well and we will come and bring with us mo' money

 

[Xlr8]

I'm an old Mac Gator, who can grok new ideas only slowly, but...
Doesn't the space probe Voyager use an early Intel chip? Still working?
A dedicated old/simpler/cheap PC should be reliable to read an input, then flip a switch?
A set of boolean inputs 'n actuators may amount to more good than hassel, but...
A program that can change set points to maximise realtime growth would be cool.
Useful artificial intellegence could react to changes brought on by unforseen conditions. Or learn in one grow, what various light strengths & durations do exactly to growth rate. A set camera, and a comparator sub-program? Better light control than a six-dollar timer? This all can be done manually, at huge time cost. With an AI-CCM, fine tuning conditions could be done to a gnat's ass, any strain every time.

Great program/hardware interface is a field of dreams for many
Build it well and we will come and bring with us mo' money

I just love that you used "grok" in a sentence... It comes from one of my favorite books. I own every Heinlein book 'cept "Grumbles from the Grave" or whatever the posthumous one was called.

Agree with your points as well, Propa. Can't build it myself, but I'll be first in line to test something like that!

 

[kjz71521]

Ok guys,
Now I have the 2.2 version of arduino and I still can not talk to my controller. I have done everything possible when it comes to the code but still no temp reading. Will it make a difference in the sketch if I only have one ds18 temp sensor or do I need both. I'm following your code OG13..

Or does it matter if I have arduino 022 & 1.0 programs on my computer ?

 

[PrairiePoet]

Ok guys,
Now I have the 2.2 version of arduino and I still can not talk to my controller. I have done everything possible when it comes to the code but still no temp reading. Will it make a difference in the sketch if I only have one ds18 temp sensor or do I need both. I'm following your code OG13..

Or does it matter if I have arduino 022 & 1.0 programs on my computer ?

Hey kjz,

Can you run the basic Blink example? When you connect do you get any error messages in the Serial monitor? If so, what are they?

I just glanced at the code, and it shouldn't matter if you only have one sensor. You should just see the error messages in Serial Monitor.

 

[kjz71521]

I will try the blink program... I just dove into starting to write my controller program so I could catch up with the post bro...
I really apreciate your speedy get back prairie. I will get back by tomorrow. I can hook up the board with no errors. The only time error comes up is when I try to compose a sketch

 

[kjz71521]

Yup,
I uploaded & ran the blink program in the 1.0 but in the 022 which is the interface OG had coded for us, it would not load the program, error poped up...

 

[PrairiePoet]

Yup,
I uploaded & ran the blink program in the 1.0 but in the 022 which is the interface OG had coded for us, it would not load the program, error poped up...

I got Lesson 2 to compile under 1.0, but that is as far as I got it.

In you Documuments\Arduino\Libraries\DallasTemperature folder is a file called DallasTemperature.cpp. Open it in Notepad. Change the line that reads:

extern "C" {
#include "WConstants.h"
}

To this:
#if defined(ARDUINO) && ARDUINO >= 100
#include "Arduino.h"
#else
#include "WProgram.h"
#endif
Save and close.

It should now compile. Also, what were the first few lines of the error?

 

[kjz71521]

hey prairie,
whats up..
My sketch is saying for the error, there is no such one wire file or directory, also there is no dallas tempature file or directory.

I have my hardware set up like OG'z Diagram 2 w/ the remote sensor with cat 5 wire.

Do I need to upload these other files before I install ds18b20 into my sketch ?

 

[PrairiePoet]

hey prairie,
whats up..
My sketch is saying for the error, there is no such one wire file or directory, also there is no dallas tempature file or directory.

I have my hardware set up like OG'z Diagram 2 w/ the remote sensor with cat 5 wire.

Do I need to upload these other files before I install ds18b20 into my sketch ?

Yes, you need those libraries.

I mentioned before where to place them on your computer.

Do all that and it should compile then.

 

[kjz71521]

Thankxz P,

your tha online Tech Support to help get a fresh ones feet wet at this.. You & OG, along with the community can have us mini teckies that like to listen to this knowledge you are sharing to get us way ahead of the crowd with control & dial....Thankxz..
This is the way Im going to dial in my up & commer strains for my location and hopefully wifi control... A hint of 1 of my crosses is (LaCon(F)XsnowCap(m)...Anticipating..!! !!SnoCon!!!!

I tell you what, im all eyes & willing to read.. I will rewind back and check what you said earlier..

I know im way ahead of myself with this question, but can I control my arduino via wifi if im out of town to tend ? Xbee, wifi shield, Zigee ??

Bless,
Keep it GreenThumb..

 

[kjz71521]

ok,

Went back and you said earlier you also have the how to if im on Win 7... Thats me !! I need the windows directions on where to place the dallas & OneWire libraries..
I have both of them downloaded to arduino & I also changed the commands on that other page also.

 

[Skutch]

I'm not using win7, but guess it shouldn't be different.

I don't know where you placed the Arduino-IDE, you can place it anywhere, in my case it's on D:\Arduino.
D:\Arduino\libraries would be the map to add new libraries.

Each new library needs it's own map, in the map D:\arduino\libraries\OneWire\ the actual library-files Onewire.cpp, Onewire.H and Keywords.txt should be placed.

Quite often a developer has also written examples.
D:\arduino\libraries\OneWire\examples\ is the map where you should place those.

In the map D:\arduino\libraries\OneWire\examples\DS18x20_Temperature\ for example
one should store the actual DS18x20_Temperature.ino or .pde - sketch.

If you placed the files right, it should be possible to fire up Arduino, click file -> examples and see the onewire examples in the lower part of the screen.

Duino did complain when i just installed the "dallas-temperature-controller" library, since mapname and library-file name aren't the same. After changing the map-name to dallastemperature, just as the actual file, it worked perfectly over here.

 

[kjz71521]

Skutch,

Thanks bro. I hear ya & I'm eager to learn this thing... I will try what you said and see if it works...
I was excited to get my package with components that was suggested earlier by OG from Ladyada & I can't get nothing installed to the UNO, so I have not tryed others sensors or LCD I havent because I'm not sure if there's a sequence with the code.

Is it possible to add the LCD or the photosensor Before I add the temp sensor or possibly my ps3 webcam to UNO R3.

P.s.
My IDE is placed in its own folder for arduino on my desktop..

 

[OG13]

I know im way ahead of myself with this question, but can I control my arduino via wifi if im out of town to tend ? Xbee, wifi shield, Zigee ??

Hey KJ, I was out of town all last week, back now. The whole point of the microcontroller is to let it control. You shouldn't need to mess with it while you are gone. If all of your controls work properly, it should take care of itself.

As far as the problems you are having, All I can suggest is to start real simple and work your way along. That is how the journal is set up. I don't have the latest UNO or software, so I'm not much help there. I have a bunch of 13 dollar clones that I'm playing around with. Get blink working, then add one sensor/library at a time and debug, then move forward. Baby Steps....

 

[PrairiePoet]

I'm not using win7, but guess it shouldn't be different.

I don't know where you placed the Arduino-IDE, you can place it anywhere, in my case it's on D:\Arduino.
D:\Arduino\libraries would be the map to add new libraries.

Each new library needs it's own map, in the map D:\arduino\libraries\OneWire\ the actual library-files Onewire.cpp, Onewire.H and Keywords.txt should be placed.

Quite often a developer has also written examples.
D:\arduino\libraries\OneWire\examples\ is the map where you should place those.

In the map D:\arduino\libraries\OneWire\examples\DS18x20_Temperature\ for example
one should store the actual DS18x20_Temperature.ino or .pde - sketch.

If you placed the files right, it should be possible to fire up Arduino, click file -> examples and see the onewire examples in the lower part of the screen.

Duino did complain when i just installed the "dallas-temperature-controller" library, since mapname and library-file name aren't the same. After changing the map-name to dallastemperature, just as the actual file, it worked perfectly over here.

Actually, where you are pointing to is where the core libraries for Arduino are to go. The user (you and me) should not put library files there. That way if you update Arduino, you don't loose your added libraries.

When you start the Arduino IDE the very first time, it creates a folder in MyDocuments (where ever that is in your operating system). Under that folder is where you are to add other libraries that didn't come with the Arduino install.

It will work your way...... until you update.

The renaming makes me pause as to where you downloaded the library from. As I did not need to rename anything.

 

[Skutch]

@KJ
Webcam will probably be difficult.

You can do _a lot_ with an 8-bit Atmel micro controller-chip, but if you should compare it to a pc, think of an 25 year old one with close to no memory
Most 8-bit micro controllers nowadays end up in washing-machines, microwave ovens, thermostats, industrial controllers etc.
To handle video as well, you probably need a board with Arm-controller.

@OG
I do think the idea of being able to have some control while being far away isn't that strange, Wifi could be a possibility, just as connecting it by wire with an ethernetshield.

I agree the micro controller should do most of the control, but it could be very nice to check the garden while being away. Should one of the lights for example stop functioning, it would be extremely nice if you got an SMS/email telling you so. I don't travel much and see the girls every day, but suppose you went away for 5 days and detect there's no light when you come home, that could be quite stressful for the ladies.

Completely configuring every part of the garden from far away probably isn't needed, but being able to get the most crucial info while away could... be the difference between success and disaster while growing. Growing indoors we're already emulating nature/playing for god, a micro controller can help us with that, but a lot of things that really need human intervention to correct it could.... still go wrong.

@PP
I've been trying to place the libraries in the sketch-map, but for some reason I can't get any to function. I've been trying to get it to function several ways for 2 days now, but no success so far. To be honest, I never knew that was possible, always did it the way I described for a few updates and probably need to read more about the IDE.

You're indeed right that one needs to copy the added contents of the old arduino/libraries map to the new arduino/libraries map should you upgrade the IDE. Personally I've got no problems doing so, but it's indeed something someone should be aware of before upgrading.

The dallastemperature library I was talking about was one written by Miles Burton, mentioned in lesson 2.

This is the one that gave me some of the name-problems mentioned :
https://download.milesburton.com/Arduino/MaximTemperature/DallasTemperature_372Beta.zip
...



Small success today, I'd like to have a few humidity sensors for the different stages/rooms of growing. Have been writing/trying and checking for more as a month now and using the Ladyada DHT.library mentioned here I finally was able to check 5 DHT11s simultaneously !

 

[OG13]

You are getting there Skutch, remember, baby steps, test then add on. If I'm on vacation, I'm on vacation. The plants will be OK for a week or so, no problem. If a light goes out, I'm not going to fly back home to fix it.....they will get by using the light next to it. It's also why I don't do hydro, just soil.

 

[kjz71521]

I have a small medical grow box & I'm trying to automate it as much as I can to prevent me from having to check on a daily or bi-daily. I have a seedling in the house that's curious about everything & I felt that if I control the actions of my arduino threw my phone it would eliminate curious minds....
Yess I have a mancave but my seedling seems to make it in sometimes & nothing's visible, it's all locked away but curiousity comes around sometimes...