Arduino for a small washer pump?

Hello everyone,

I'm looking to finish this project off.

Would like to use the Arduino board, as now I would prefer to be able to go "into" the Arduino, and turn on the washer system whenever I want.

Which Arduino board should I buy?
I see there are various models.

And one that has DC output?
I would use an automotive-type relay in order to power up the washer pump system.

Any thoughts?

Thanks!

Looking at the Arduino modules... I would reckon the Arduino with Ethernet would be ideal (and even better the one with PoE).

I'm still researching this.

If you leave the 12V supply permanently connected to the mains, you can control the 12V pump from the Arduino using a logic-level mosfet, a gate resistor and a flyback diode. See http://bildr.org/2012/03/rfp30n06le-arduino/ for the connections, however it's recommended to connect a resistor of 100 to 220 ohms in series with the mosfet gate terminal. You can power the Arduino from the same 12V supply.

If you want the timing to be accurate then you will also need either a real-time-clock module, or a 60KHz time signal receiver module, or an Ethernet connection so that you can access an NTP server. Alternatively, instead of using fixed times, why not add a light sensor to your project? Then you can turn the washer on at dawn and and then at (say) 5 hour intervals until dark, and the system doesn't need to know the time.

To turn on the system whenever you want, why not just add a push button?

Thanks for the reply!

I'm looking at your provided link right now.
I can't press the button, because the camera(s) are off-site.
They're all spread out geographically.

So my idea is to do it remotely.

I also changed the idea of having the cycle start automatically, because there are days when the camera doesn't need the wash.
And I would be "wasting" that water inside the reservoir.

So that's why I think it would be better to remotely connect to the Arduino, and turn on the wash system cycle when desired.

Which Arduino board would you suggest I buy?
I see that there are like... 24 in SparkFun.com
Any thoughts?

Thank you! :grin:

How do you intend to connect to the Arduino to control it - is the camera connected by Ethernet, or wireless, or something else?

Yes, ethernet.

The camera is Ethernet (and PoE), and the Arduino, I believe there are Ethernet enabled, and PoE enabled boards?

Thanks! =D

I suggest this http://arduino.cc/en/Main/ArduinoBoardEthernet then. You will also need a 2-port Ethernet switch that supports POE both for the switch and for the attached devices (if such a thing exists), unless you double up the Ethernet cable.

[EDIT: yes they do exist and are called PoE repeaters, e.g. http://uk.level1.com/Repeaters/POR-1102/p-738.htm]

Perfect!

I do have an extra Ethernet port over on-site... yet I use PoE Injectors for the cameras.
So I'll just buy another one of those for the Arduino.

Question: Preference between the Arduino Uno and the Arduino Duo?
Any... difference for this project?

Thanks!

Since you want to connect it to Ethernet, why not get the Arduino Ethernet, with the optional PoE module?

dc42:
Since you want to connect it to Ethernet, why not get the Arduino Ethernet, with the optional PoE module?

THAT was a doubt I had!

I thought I had to get 1st the Arduino, then add-on the ethernet (with PoE).

So can I get, for example: Arduino Ethernet with PoE - DEV-11361 - SparkFun Electronics ?
Arduino Ethernet with PoE
DEV-11361

Yes, that is an Arduino Ethernet. Btw there is also an Ethernet Shield which is for adding Ethernet to a regular Arduino - perhaps that is why you were confused.

Hello again everyone,

I just bought my first Arduino Uno board.
(no shields yet. Also, it's the one with the Atmel chip in the "cradle" (name??). Not the new one that has the Atmel chip soldered on (SMB?))

Anyway, I got a couple of other items, yet I'm at a loss as to how to connect all this.
I think I'm missing various components before making this work.

There are three main reference links I'm using:
High-Power Control: Arduino + N-Channel MOSFET
Using a transistor to control high current loads with an Arduino
How do I connect a relay?

As a review:
I don't need to control the speed of the DC motor... just give it 12v power.

Parts I have:

  • Arduino Uno board
  • TIP120 Darlington Transistor
  • SPDT PC Relay (12VDC coil, Rated 10A at 120VAC/24VDC)
  • Random assortment of 1/2 Watt resistors

My main questions are:
What diagram should I follow?
and
Power supply to the washer pump motor.

I can nail down the power supply to the Uno fine.
Yet, for the washer pump... ??

Today in Radio Shack (yes, I know) I saw a transformer.
I believe it was 120VAC --> 12VDC 3A.
Will this work?

I need to check the washer pump to see how much will the little motor draw (I'm not sure how many Amps).

Can I make it work with what I've got?

Thank you very much to everyone!!

I just built this with a breadboard

(source reference link)

Yet I'm using the TIP120 I have, instead of the RFP30N06LE MOSFET the guy is using.

Will... this work?

Using the mosfet as shjown in that diagram, you should connect a 100 or 220 ohm resistor between the Arduino output pin and the mosfet gate. If you substitute a TIP120 for the mosfet then you MUST connect a resistor between the output pin and the TIP120 base terminal. 1K will do. The disadvantage of using a TIP120 is that it has a voltage drop of around 2 volts, which means it will get hot and need a heatsink unless the motor current is small.

Thanks a LOT for the feedback and help dc42!
Greatly appreciated!

I just went to Radio Shack and bought a IRF510 Power MOSFET N-channel 60 volt.

Will this work if I follow the guy's directions (as per the image in the post above)?

Thank you very much... this electronics area is amazingly interesting to me.

I love mechanical stuff, and now this... there are analogies all around.
Looking forward to building more interesting things!
=)

Unfortunately, the IRF510 is not a logic level mosfet, it's designed to be driven from 10V on the gate instead of the 5V that the Arduino provides. With 5V on the gate, I wouldn't ask it to pass more than 500mA. Look for a logic-level mosfet instead.

Unfortunately, Radio Shack appears not to stock any logic level mosfets in its stores. You're not alone, here in the UK, Maplin is equally useless.

Ok.
I just ordered 5 RFP30N06LE from SparkFun.com

As soon as they arrive, I'll give it a go.

I will update this thread ASAP.
Thanks!! =D

The RFP30N06LE finally arrived!!
w00t w00t!

Will start working on this right now, and update in a little bit =)

It works!!!!!!
w00t w00t!!!