Typhon-based LED controller on the cheap (seriously)

[ajmckay]

ajmckay great write up and parts list. I may tackle this same project one day.

 

Thank you

Wait, don't you already have a typhon controller? Although it is a fun project !

 

 

Besides writing the code, is there any reason with the right additional parts, (relays, ect), this could not be used to control pumps, power heads, heaters, Chillers.

 

Maybe display temperature? Ph?

Yes, most certainly you could do that very easily. There are plenty of threads of people doing just that. Of course if you wanted to do a full-blown reef controller including lights, pumps, dosing, heaters, pH probe, etc... then you would need to add more code and also I would change some hardware too. Some of the open source ones are Reef Angel, hydra, etc... They all have various entry costs with hardware and some are more flexible than others. They do offer the opportunity for custom coding though, allowing you to do whatever you want.

 

As it stands now the standard arduino boards support 20 (total) i/o pins. In the above project there are like 3 unused input/output pins that you could use for sensors, relays, etc and not change any of the base hardware. However if you wanted to add more then you have a few options.

 

1) You could change the way that your devices interface with the arduino. A popular solution is to use an i2C controller. So for example by using an i2c controller you could use just 1 pin to connect the LCD display vs. taking up 7 or 8 pins (can't see pictures at work so I don't recall exactly how many there are but it's like 7 or 8). This would allow you to add a lot more devices. I think some LCD displays have i2c controllers attached to them, so it might be cheap on eBay or something. You can also buy them separately.

2) The other option is to purchase one of the larger arduino boards with many more i/o pins such as the Mega 2560, which has like 70 total i/o pins. This board is kinda expensive if I recall though it has the expandability to really let you do anything you want.

 

Again though, this thread is essentially dedicated to using the arduino as an LED controller. There is the possibility of some expansion using the current hardware though.

[Chrisl1976]

You know that moment when you realize if you didn't read a thread you would have more money in your bank account ? Yeah, I just had it.

[ajmckay]

You know that moment when you realize if you didn't read a thread you would have more money in your bank account ? Yeah, I just had it.

 

Haha I've had many of those, perhaps too many! But it really is fun to do this stuff yourself. It gives a sense of accomplishment and aids in learning something new. How better to learn about microcontrollers than to build one yourself for something useful?

 

It's also fun to find out how cheap you can get some of this stuff. I'll bet someone has an old arduino they would sell for really cheap. If not get creative and find some of the arduino compatible boards (same electronics, just different name and manufacturer) that are pretty cheap!

 

I've edited the main post to include a link to the specific code I used.

[ajmckay]

New video added - link in first post.

[BigAl07]

Wait, don't you already have a typhon controller? Although it is a fun project !

 

 

Yes I do but it was "Factory" built LOL! I've always enjoyed "tinkering" and this would be a fun project when I have the time. Plus I'd like to learn the code and tinker even deeper

[ajmckay]

 

tinker even deeper

Haha that rhymes.

 

But yes I completely understand your rationale now. It's nice to be able to say you made something cool - that works. I myself am also interested in learning more about the code.

 

I actually bought a bunch of this stuff back in 2008/9 with the idea to build a reef controller but I think it was a bit much for a first project. It required custom coding and not a lot had been done at that time as far as examples of sketches and hooking up the various inputs/outputs. There were only a handful of projects but they all used different components so it was difficult to "follow" someone's project if you know what I mean.

 

So really I would consider something like this an ideal first project because it's relatively inexpensive, introduces you to several different aspects such as buttons, LCD, PWM, time keeping, breadboarding, etc... The amount of coding is almost 0 - but at least you can go in and learn from it, as well as make tweaks fairly easily as your coding abilities improve.

[BigAl07]

I hope you decide to tackle the "Controller" project again. That would be fun to get going. I'm kind of partial to my GHL ProfiLux but would love to try out something DIY one day.

[Veng]

You know that moment when you realize if you didn't read a thread you would have more money in your bank account ? Yeah, I just had it.

You mean like when you look back and realize how much this hobby costs us for a glass box with pretty colored rocks and some salt water?

[ajmckay]

I hope you decide to tackle the "Controller" project again. That would be fun to get going. I'm kind of partial to my GHL ProfiLux but would love to try out something DIY one day.

Oh I definitely will... topping off is the bane of my existence (40b + 30b = lots of surface area for evap.) and while I had a simple ATO circuit before I've always felt that it's not very reliable (no backup, direct AC connection, and the pump, while on a timer, has the ability to run for 30 minutes and overflow my tank should the float fail on).

 

I also would like to use one for temperature control redundancy and other stuff. I'm unsure about wave making functions though that would be awesome to be able to have vortech-like performace with some koralias.

 

When I do build one though, you can be assured that it will be cheap.

 

My conditions for DIY is that it must be cheaper than a commercial offering, or provide significantly more/better functoionality for the same price. That's going to be tough with the RKL light at $120; granted you have to buy expanders to make it useful so really the start up cost is more like $180-$200 w/out probes. I'm confident that a significantly more functional controller can be assembled DIY style for significantly less - even with sensors! I would be most concerned with pH and salinity/S.G..

[Chrisl1976]

I'm confident that a significantly more functional controller can be assembled DIY style for significantly less - even with sensors! I would be most concerned with pH and salinity/S.G..

 

Well since you have sucked me into this idea of a cheap controller, I also have little doubt it cant be put together at a cost to make it appealing to the more budget friendly reefers vs buying off the shelf units. Looking at temp and PH probes, there pretty reasonable. A good salinity probe might be the hardest one to get.

 

I am sure the cost per controlled outlet, (heater, pumps, fans, powerheads) will be much cheaper then the $80 per 4 we pay now.

 

I am also looking into the real possiblity of being able to make custom color stunner stips using individual RGB modules.

[Chrisl1976]

These are 6803 RGB modules. 4" spacing between each 3" module. Around 1w per module. They would be similar to a stunner strip, but being each module is controllable, I can make one blue, one magenta, one red, cyan,...ect, ect. Looks like they just plug straight into the Arduino Something else to play with.

 

[ajmckay]

Those look pretty cool. How much are they approximately? Seems like unless they're like $1 or less each the cost for effective lighting could be pretty high with those. Well, unless you're just using them as supplementary light, then you would need significantly fewer.

[Chrisl1976]

Yes, they would be for color enhancing mainly. Less than a watt each. $1.03 each plus shipping. There are some others available also with 6 leds in them pushing around 1.4 watts.

 

I'll play with them and see what they do. They are about the same size as the panorama LED's they use in their stunner strips.

 

Biggest thing is you could pattern your color. You could do blue, red and magenta in line or cluster the modules together. Some chip sets run 5v, some 12v.

 

Here is the 6 led ones.

http://www.aliexpress.com/item-img/Promotion-30mm-diameter-WS2801-pixel-module-1-44W-6pcs-5050-SMD-RGB-LED-DC12V-input/718943748.html

[uwe763]

Hello here from Germany. I found this fantastic thread. Plesse friends, which Kind of LED drivers I have to buy? I will control 4 chains of LEDs with 1 Watt Power. In every row roundabout 12 LEDs. One row with only 4 LEDs with 1 Watt per Led.

Plesse send me a link for the exact drivers. Thank you all

Uwe

[wowcalibur]

Hi ajmckay,

 

First of all thanks for shared this priceless xp's and lovely Project.

 

But I have some problems on Project I need some help.

 

1) I couldnt download the code from your links and I found somewhere the code and download it

2) I have some compile error and I use "johnwasser"s steps for solving this errors from this link http://forum.arduino.cc/index.php?topic=297335.0 than I can upload the codes

3) Now I can see "Typhon Reef" label on first row at LCD than dissapper after 1-2 min. but my buttons are not working I couldnt understand. I have Checked connection diagram, cables, compoments etc. maybe 5-6 times but I Couldnt solve the problems

 

Thanks

[Preefrontal]

Sincerely than you for this excellent post!

I came across it and set me on the path to built my first ever arduino controlled led light set for my first coral reef nano-tank.

However, i am tuck at finding a code that works.

I know it's been aaaages since this post was first initiated, but is it possible to get the code you've used to run the arduino controller?

the links provided are all dead by now

 

in any case, thank again for this awesome post!

[DWIZ]

The google repository functionality was shut down a few years ago but the source is all still there, you can navigate to it using the links in the original post.

 

That said, the entire project including hardware and software can be downloaded directly at this link:

 

https://storage.googleapis.com/google-code-archive-source/v2/code.google.com/typhon-reef/source-archive.zip

 

This is a cool thread and I'm glad to see people still interested in the project. If you are just starting out, you may want to do something really simple before trying even this "easy" version of the controller - follow some of the tutorials from the Arduino project, like the classic "blink" sketch. This will help ensure you know your board is working and you are able to upload sketches.