First build: remote heater control

Projects General Guidance
1

Hi all,

Planning my first build - I've got 10 years experience with Campbell Scientific programmable dataloggers, instrumentation, and controls, so now I'm excited for my first Anduino project! Seems like there are a ton of different options... I feel swamped. So, for this first one, I would love to get some guidance on the equipment I will need.

My project: Read a thermocouple, control a heater based on the output, and have a dashboard on a remote device (Android or iOS) to see the variables. Would be awesome to have controls on the dashboard, (i.e., toggle switches or set values).

I've got a PID loop programmed in a Campbell device that I can translate code from. I can spec a relay. What I am asking guidance on is the model of Arduino board, wifi shield, TC shield/amp, and an App that can be set up to talk through the internet (not bluetooth) to the board. I've got a dyndns account and can forward ports on my router (need this to be visible from outside my home network).

Can anyone recommend an Arduino board, a wifi shield, a TC shield, and an App? Thanks in advance!!

Ariklee

2

Welcome....

I can't help except to point you at these two well-known suppliers of bits and pieces for our world, pre-searched "thermocouple" for your convenience:

Sparkfun

Adafruit.

Both of those sites often have sample sketches and libraries for using their goodies on Arduino.

3

The ESP8266 is a low cost WiFi module that can work with an Arduino. In fact it can also operate as a complete microprocessor without any Arduino.

The Arduino Yun has a Linux PC and an Arduino on the same board and includes WiFi and Ethernet. You could easily write the webserver on the Linux side using Python and Bottle

...R

4

Google the terms Arduino and Android then do a little bit of research there are quite a few options that are free and super simple

5

Thanks for the suggestions. I did a ton of google searches before I wrote, lots of ways to go. Also, the ESP8266 looks interesting...

Is there "best app" for remote connecting to your Arduino after giving it an IP address (or hostname in my case)?? Looking for something made for both Android and iOS.

Also, all I've seen for TC amps/shields are for Type K. Anyone know of Type J or other TC shields? Thanks in advance!