Communication between a PC and possibly up to 5 arduinos

Projects General Guidance
1

Hi, I'm working on a project where I will require 5 different arduinos each hooked up to several solenoid valves

I will need to be able to individually (possibly simultaneously) activate the solenoid valves wirelessly. I have looked at several options, including Bluetooth and RF. But I just need to ask someone who has experience in doing this before to give me some guidance on the equipments that I need. The arduino that i will be using is arduino uno.

I could also instead of using the pc, replace it with another arduino and from that control the other 5.

Any help would be much appreciated

2

What range do you need?

3

Wireless?

I immediately think - forget the Arduinos, get some ESP8266s.

4

One option is to have one Arduino directly connected to the PC by USB and use that Arduino as master to communicate by wireless (nRF24L01+ modules are cheap and very effective) with the other "slave" Arduinos. I have used this system to control model trains.

I don't have any experience of using an ESP2866 without an Arduino so I can't say whether that would be easier.

...R

5

Hi Robin

Thank you for the guidance, have u ever tried controlling the salves simultaneously?? and whether that is possible??

FOr example, I want to control slave arduino 1,2,3 a tthe same time to perform the same function, is that possible?

6

tony888vo:
Thank you for the guidance, have u ever tried controlling the salves simultaneously??

My system sends a message to every slave 10 times per second - is that simultaneous enough?

...R