Reef Controllers - Should we start a group project?

[Corndork2]

Hey Im kind of new here and just stumbled onto this thread. I have a rich background in prototyping, debugging, and troubleshooting. I also have done some electronic design, and some automation. I used to work with amateur robotics as a hobby as well. I have some programming experience, and have pretty decent fabrication skills. Can I help or be of any assistance?

 

[Firewolf4]

to revitalize the thread, I've been working on a Pic based controller that will take into account multiple sensors/probes and will controll various outputs (120V via relays). The basic theory of operation is written, the controller is block diagrammed and I'm working with the EE portion as time allows.
Current "bells and whistles" will include a 128X64 backlit display, PC interface, integrated webserver with plans for wireless via 802.11 or Bluetooth. The design is still at least a year out of prototype.

 

[BeanAnimal]

The problem is that each of us has different ideas about how the ideal controller would function and be built. These "group" projects never really take off. They take too long to develop and too much effort to keep on track. There is very little interest and even less overall skill.

Look at sourceforge or some of the other SOFTWARE prototype sites. There is magnitudes more interest and exponentially more skilled poeple that are able to contribute and MOST of them end up with little or no development past the initial "hey cool idea" phase.

In the end, most of us do our own thing and post our progress from time to time. Folks start asking questions that are time consuming to answer, so the natural thing to do is to NOT post the details anymore.

Good luck with the project! My atmega128 based touchscreen project is collecting dust in the corner... one day I will take it up again.

 

[ronc98]

I think most people think hey lets do a group project and it will be cheaper. You will spend double building your own then buying a top of the line controller. If you are looking at this to save money dont bother.

 

[stugray]

Check this one out:

http://www.linuxreefcontroller.com/forums/

It is just getting going, but if it attracts enough attention, could really take off.

Stu

 

[BeanAnimal]

Some of us just cant stand linux...

*GASP*

 

[ronc98]

I love the whole open source thing. When I built mine, I opened sourced the firmware and PC code. I got many many requests for the code which I honored, then zero feedback or input for that matter.

 

[dixonjk]

Controller

Controller

Why waste time on a DIY controller? Would it not be best to use off the self componets? Industrial type electronics. And spend the time and effort into a HMI program that could be shared and used buy everyone?

 

[BeanAnimal]

Re: Controller

Re: Controller

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12988633#post12988633 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by dixonjk
Why waste time on a DIY controller? Would it not be best to use off the self componets? Industrial type electronics. And spend the time and effort into a HMI program that could be shared and used buy everyone?

Because everyone has a different idea of what a controller should be and everyone has a differnet reason for DIYing something like this.

Some folks like to play with industrial automation stuff like PLCs. Other people like the challenge of working mostly with familiar code platforms, be it assembly, C, .NET, VB or whatever. Yet other people like the challenge of doing actual board level hardware design.

Look at sourceforge, it is built in the idea of "shared and used by everyone". 99% of the projects are DOA for the reasons I listed above, and that is a "hobby" with a HUGE demographic. Programmers are a dime a dozen. Narrow that down to reefers who know programming or electronics and you get a scant few people who all have different ideas and goals.

One person ends up doing most of the work and answering most of the questions. It just gets to be too much for a "free" design. Take it a step further and trying to "sell" your product is almost pointless. How many reef controllers can a guy sell before the market is saturated? It is a very small niche market with a fairly large set of players already.

 

[dixonjk]

Good point

Good point

Good point (as always) Bean. I would think that board level DIY is busy work and reinventing the wheel. But I guess some people like that. I feel that off the shelf componets are way more advanced that most people can build. I have years worth of ebay toys to make work before I learn to construct my own! But I do think that the software is the key to an automated system.

 

[BeanAnimal]

My first attempt at "controller" was using software. I wrote a HUGE application in VB (and later ported it to VB.NET). I/O was via a 128bit PCI card (NUDAQ) and a few DIY ADC boards. I never put the project into a production system. It did everything from sunrise and sunset to DTMF decoding for phone based reporting when I was out of town. It did SMS messaging, email, text to voice and was designed to do PH, ORP, Salinity, assorted temperature and water level reporting for different sub systems... alarms etc. Thousands of lines of code.... too complex to trust and too much work to really finish.

I then started playing around with PHIDGETS usb sensors and devices (well not really I never purchased any, but wrote a ton of code to use them with a similar setup as the NUDAQ based system. I lost interest fairly quickly.

I am now kind of hooked on ATMEGAs. I am building a touchscreen lighting controller that does sunrise/sunset and moon phases based on any location (and time, or realtime) on the planet. I get to play with BASIC code and do hardware design. I will finish the project, even though it will cost me a small fortune when by the time it is done. I have opted NOT to CONTROL anyting but the lighting. Everything else is just data monitoring. I am about 1/2 done with the hardware design and testing (on a breadboard now) and will soon have THE PC boards made.

Why go through the trouble? Simple becuse I enjoy working with DIY electronics. In this case I will end up with something that I can not buy. A PLC could be leveraged to do the work, but at a great cost and without the small features I wish to implement to make it "personal".

I too have a shelf full of eBay toys.... anybody need a huge Ghast vacuum pump (www.joewoodworker.com).... One day I will move forward with the CNC router setup as well... more porjects than there is time in life.

 

[Firewolf4]

well, let me spell out why I'm doing it. I'm doing it because I'm an EE and electronic's hobbyist and a reefer. It's the perfect marriage of 2 hobbies that when I finish I can say "Yea, I built everything associated with the tank except the pumps and the tanks." The merits and rewards of my efforts will be a system that I can show pictures to people and show off my handywork. If others get inventive seeing what I've done, Awesome, if not it keeps me busy. I dont want to be the know it all expert on SPS', LPS', softies, inverts or even curing live rock. I do however want a simpler more cost effective means of controlling my tanks that the average hobbyist can afford. $500 for a controller doesn't fit that criteria. One you can buy the parts for piece by piece however; is.

 

[dixonjk]

Anyone ever used the software they sell on Automatedaquairiums?