 Notice. New forum software under development. It's going to miss a few functions and look a bit ugly for a while, but I'm working on it full time now as the old forum was too unstable. Couple days, all good. If you notice any issues, please contact me. |
Forum Index : Electronics : On line project
  Page 2 of 2 |
|||||
| Author | Message | ||||
Downwind Guru  Joined: 09/09/2009 Location: AustraliaPosts: 2333 |
The anemometer i am doing at present is using a optical sensor out of the gutted video but im not sure on the expected life of a optical sensor out in the elements of nature. The circuit will work for either a optical or hall sensor. The intension is for it to be wireless data but can be used via wire connection from anemometer. I have just finished doing the revised pcb artwork for it so the electronics can be mounted with the anemometer so just power wires need to be run up the pole to it. I will take some photos on the weekend and post of hdd part. As for getting the data into a computer etc. Well lets hope there is some clever folks out there that can help in this area as it is not my field. Basically it would be a case of plugging the sd card into a card reader and downloading the data to a file but where we go from there is beyond me. Heres a shot of the video head one on its first test flight to see how it spun and data rate etc. It has barely stopped sinse its been up and always moving even is ever so slow. Great bearings in video heads. Anyways scrapped this idea now. 
Pete. Sometimes it just works |
||||
| VK4AYQ Guru Joined: 02/12/2009 Location: AustraliaPosts: 2539 |
Hi Pete That looks the part to me better than those fragile plastic ones marketed on ebay and jaycar. It looks like if it had a skirt with holes drilled around it with the sensor underneath it would last a long time, I used one of these sensors in a ignition system and it never gave any trouble even it adverse conditions under the bonnet. When the thing is spinning it would keep water out by centrifical force. Led could be powered by battery with solar garden light innards, plenty of those around cheap or give away when the origional battery dies. All the best Bob Foolin Around |
||||
| Downwind Guru Joined: 09/09/2009 Location: AustraliaPosts: 2333 |
Powerednut, Thanks for the SD card link. I had a look and good food for thought. Pics are no a strong area of mine and i have passed the link on to a friend who is fluent with pic's. It would be nice to build our own sd card, I2C module. This is dependent on if someone else is prepared to write the software for the pic to interface with the sd card and be set up for I2C slave capabilities. Then any further programming will just need to be done in picaxe. We have done this several times already for , lcd display, 12 key keypad, Computer keyboard, Printer, Data expander and more. All these can be controlled via a picaxe. Each item basically requires a driver of some form, and rather than use a higher priced picaxe with its limited speed we choose to dedicate a pic for each driver making it a pcb module for each item, any or all of these modules can be plugged into the 4 wire I2C bus for picaxe control. It would be nice to do the same with the SD card and can see many uses for it. I think the odds are hopeful for my friend to be involved with the software. The thing i liked about the pre-made boards is one has a usb socket and also pinouts for a SD card on the same board, for around the $50.00 mark i thought this was not to bad for a plug n play board. Then i guess thats the benefit of working with a protocol that allows for any I2C item to be connected. We can choose. Pete. Sometimes it just works |
||||
| VK4AYQ Guru Joined: 02/12/2009 Location: AustraliaPosts: 2539 |
Hi Pete Would this be useful Bob PIC40 Prototype Kit for 40 Pin Microcontroller 16F877 This PIC40 prototyping kit for 40 pin microchip PIC controllers is a top quality, double sided PTH 1.6mm fiberglass board which combines a large prototyping area with pads on both sides. 40 Pin Microcontrollers Include: 16F877 18F452 18F4520 18F4550 (the kit also allows for easy prototyping of the USB part) Benefits: Large prototyping area with pads on both sides of the board 5V power supply is selectable from the on-board 5V regulator, the microchip ICD2 or USB +5V and 0V power rails are extended along top and bottom edges for easy access On-board RS232 level converter buffers the PIC UART to/from the 9 pin D connector 9 pin D connector is tracked for connection to a PC serial port RTS and CTS lines are buffered and brought to CN9 RS232 interface is disconnectable from the PIC using jumper links in CN6 USB socket is disconnectable from the PIC using jumper links in CN6 5 pin programming header is provided to allow for in-circuit programming from other programmers such as the MELABS serial or USB programmers 470nf USB capacitor is disconnectable from the PIC using CN7 The PIC40 prototyping kit for 40 pin microchip PIC controllers is brand new and boxed and comes with connection diagram and link to the manufacturer's website for further instruction and information Foolin Around |
||||
| Downwind Guru Joined: 09/09/2009 Location: AustraliaPosts: 2333 |
Can you program a Pic?? The problem with using a pic is you will need a programmer board to write to the pic with and the language used is much more complicated to understand. The whole idea of using a picaxe is it is easy to program for anyone and it will plug directly into serial port of a pc to program. No extra fancy programmer board required. The whole idea behind the project is to make it simple enough that anyone can build it and control it with some limited knowledge. I know the picaxe is not the best chip on the market or the best chip for the job, but is far the easist to work with, even if it dont have a lot of brains and a bit slow. (sounds like me) I dont intend on writing the complete program for this and intend those who take part in the project to learn some basic programming skills and to be able to change and adapt the program to suit their applications. For this reason it needs to be based around a chip that other members to the 4m are fluent with so they too can offer some help to anyones questions as well. I know Gordon and Gizmo and others have a good handle on programming with a picaxe and should be able to offer some help with any questions. I am trying not to back this into a corner so only a elite few are capiable of constructing and programming the project. I think once a basic understanding is gained to the picaxe it will open a lot of doors to other projects that you and others have on the wish list and inturn generate more postings of circuits and ideas. Thanks for the thought on the pic's and i do like the input, but feel we need to stay with the KISS approach. Pete. Sometimes it just works |
||||
| VK4AYQ Guru Joined: 02/12/2009 Location: AustraliaPosts: 2539 |
Hi Pete It was just a suggestion. I will have to get a book or whatever on these as they are all new to me. so sorry Im no help at the moment.. All the best Bob Foolin Around |
||||
| Downwind Guru Joined: 09/09/2009 Location: AustraliaPosts: 2333 |
Bob, Download picaxe programming editor from HERE as it is what is used to program a picaxe with. It is Free to download. Once downloaded go to the help section up the top. You will find all the programming instructions and examples in the help section, there is also project examples and more. You will not find much more information in a book than is already listed in the help. The 2 main chips of interest in the picaxe range is the 08M and the 18X although they all program the same but some have different functions built in to others. What i would prefer to do is have yourself and any one else who would like to be involved to purchase a 08M picaxe and a few leds etc and set up a small test board on some bread board or pcb and have a play and learn how to turn a led on and off in program and then move to another step and so on just to get a feel for basic programming. I think it is fair to say we all started with leds etc and advanced from there. One is kidding themselves if they think they can jump straight into advanced programming. Learn a few basics and the rest gets easy quickly if you have someone to ask when you get stuck. I would be happy to guide you and others through getting started either via the 4m or direct email Would yourself or anyone else be interested in a GETTING STARTED with programming project. From small things big things grow. I designed a prototyping board for the 08m when i started to play with them so i could test a program and learn how these thing worked that i still use today when developing a idea. 
You dont need to go to the extent i did but with this board i can use all the functions the 08m has available. Pete. Sometimes it just works |
||||
| VK4AYQ Guru Joined: 02/12/2009 Location: AustraliaPosts: 2539 |
Hi Pete Will download tonight and try and get my head around it. I saw a pump controller elsewhere on the site which I could use, what do you think about having a go at that, I can justify the time if it a useable project. I am going to a 12 volt pump and overhead tank to supply the house to replace pressure pump that uses a lot of power {mains} All the best Bob Foolin Around |
||||
| Downwind Guru Joined: 09/09/2009 Location: AustraliaPosts: 2333 |
Hi Bob, The pump controller is one i think Gizmo done. Very easy project and a practical design. Do you have the ability and resources to make a circuit board? I can produce a board and post to you if required but would rather you develop your own if able. What the project is dont matter, is picking one and having a go and building from there. Every thing you learn in programming code opens another door to another project and another step in programming. With changes being made by typing a value on the screen and dumping the program back in the chip, it allows easy development and a lot of fun along the way. Dont expect to make a lot of sense out of the picaxe data from first read and the examples are very vauge to start with. It is a good idea to print off the Basic Commands all being a 120 odd pages of it,( print back to back ) as this becomes a bible to work from. When i first looked at it. It all read Chinese to me but with working through a few projects it soon becomes more understandable quickly. Then you get clever in the way you program and so on. Pete. Sometimes it just works |
||||
| Page 2 of 2 |
|||||
 Print this page |
