I found a photo trigger on Michel Ross website and thought that I would have a go with no knowledge of electronics or the arduino! So far so good, bought a solder station and taught myself to use it with some help from utube, built the system but I think I have an under powered optocoupler but the data sheets might as well be in a foreign language.
My problem is that I have a 12v solenoid 200ma that I want to switch on one side of the optocoupler from a signal from the Mega on the other side. I have tlp621 which I don't think can handle 200ma, looking to buy a hcpl 2530 or maybe you have a better suggestion? Or should I get a relay shield.
You will not get any opto coupler to handle 200mA that is way too much. What you do is have the opto coupler switch a transistor and it is the transistor that drives the solenoide.
Thanks Mike, I have seen that suggested elsewhere on the web as well as a diode to protect it, can you suggest one to suit my project.
I did try it last week with a transistor I took out of an old car radio but had no joy, then fried my arduino when I was putting everything back the way it was - managed to connect 12v+ and 5v+ with a jumper wire I had left in the wrong place, guess I am learning the hard way.
Thanks again Mike, that is very informative to a newb like me, bookmarked for future reference. Had a look on bitsbox and I think I need a 2n2222 and a diode for each solenoid. Will get them ordered unless I am wrong again?
Hi bones615 (simon on the ross blog ?) i guess
im building the same box and am having all the same issues as u .. just about a week later
any chance on some advice on what i need to get the solenoids to work and how to ?
and how did u get on with the other detectors? sound, lightning, infrared etc?
Hi Chris
I have come to a standstill since cooking my arduino, waiting for another from china. Followed the advice from Grumpymike & his link using a transistor as a switch, put a jumper in from the signal out on the optocoupler to the base on transistor and a 12v feed through solenoid and other 2 transistor pins + the important diode. Only running one solenoid and not much room left on the breadboard to do anymore, I have only proved this with the drain switch so far.
Only got feedback on the light sensor so far but not triggering the flash, I suspect the resistor to ground on the signal in side of the flash.
Sound sensor giving some feedback by tapping or bending the peizo but not with sound, suspect the peizo is not sensitive enough so I have ordered a sound sensor module (£3) that should be way more sensitive?
The infrared sensor is making me scratch my head as the others have live feedback in the set up menu, don't know how I am going to set it up, I guess this will have to be quite accurate as the beam will 1st have to be made but with a thin enough beam to be broken by a water drop? 1 idea I have is to put part of a black drinking straw over each side to line them up and keep the beam thin but this will have to wait for new parts to arrive.
Should we start a new thread for this project? I am sure we are not the only ones and if we can help each other it will take the pressure off Michel.
I have been wondering
i had a 24v 0.5 amp power supply im using could this be a prob ... forums seem to say 2 amp min !!
but i guess like u trying to keep uk costs to a minimum
not surew what your experience is with thing that offer blue smoke but mine is minimal but still managed to build the box ... its just trying to make cheep versions og the expensive leads thats getting me ... like the lamp power supply .. i thought i could try a home made version like the 1 in this vid http://arduino.cc/forum/index.php/topic,101188.0.html but not sure if it will work
0.5 amp seems low, not everything will run at once but my solenoid needs 0.2amp on its own, I have an old laptop supply 19v 3.9amp. My electronics & programming knowledge are minimal but the learning is rewarding.
I am going to ignore the lamp supply, I am near enough to the light switch or could use remote control sockets off flea bay to control a lamp. 4 solenoids seems excessive so I just bought one for now. So far spent approx £100 + another Mega + a decent soldering station.
Have you had a look at bitsbox UK for components?
Made all sensor leads, butchered a flash & shutter release I already had, will have to get more flash leads or might try to rig up my remote flash trigger that will then fire as many flashes as I have receivers from one output?
Hi simon well my new power supply arrived but still no action from the solenoid apart from a lil flash from the led (
but been looking at the circuit again and was wondering when u added the transistor did u move the power wire on the dump valve ??
because it only seems to supply 5v and i thought the solenoids needed 12v !
also wondering if sum of the other bits that dont seem to work yet are because michael uses the high viz leads ...and they all seem to have extra parts added (like the mic the high viz mic has a 100x amp built in) any thoughts/progress ???
also i ordered 1 of these http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Panel-Mount-USB-B-female-to-angle-male-printer-Cable-/320957935966?pt=US_USB_Cables_Hubs_Adapters&hash=item4aba95715e#ht_2897wt_1165
thought it was a gud idea to move the usb to external.
cheers
chris
Hi Chris
I am up and running again. Got one of these mics as well http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/200812336751?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1497.l2649
but i am no better off, it works but sounds give either high, low or stay the same. Something to do with waves? and averaging out so i need to find a way to only register the high or convert the low to high so it will go above the threshhold. This one might be programming instead of electronics, look for a difference instead of a high?? - lots of googling ahead.
The transistor has the signal wire from the optocoupler to the middle pin (switch) and another 12v supply through the solenoid & in one side of the transistor and out the other to ground, no idea if its correct but its my understanding of the diagram and it works using the drain button. A not very good pic here Microsoft OneDrive - Access files anywhere. Create docs with free Office Online..
Getting good feedback from the light sensor 0 (covered) to 1000 (daylight) but cant get it to trigger the flash i have connected?
No need for external usb at the moment - the bloody lid is permanently off so no access probs!!!!!
Slightly frustrated & wondering if i have bit off more than i can chew.
hi
not sure about mic!! can that only be used with sensor shield ?? if u look at the high viz one that he uses HiViz.com - Tools - Triggers - Make Your Own its got the magic 2N2222 that seems to be need 4 quite a bit on this lil box ! lol no idea just guessing (just wondering ..when u say it is either high or low! u mean on or off ??? will it help if u up the sensitivity (trigger) level on the setup menu ??)
and with the drain valve i had it wired wrong ...ops .. but the way i see it the drain valve bypasses the optocouplers and will drain all 4 at once but it does open on the 5v (but opens quicker on 12v but makes everything dim ... so i put it back on the 5v
and same with the light sensor as with the sound is it the trigger level ?? not been able to try any of this yet cause im still waiting for my 20 transistors to arrive!
gotta get this sorted soon lol the mrs is wondering wot all the money was 4 ..and y i have built a stand and mini studio in the attic !
Hi simon
just been looking through the arduino mega info on this site and found the below info
"The board can operate on an external supply of 6 to 20 volts. If supplied with less than 7V, however, the 5V pin may supply less than five volts and the board may be unstable. If using more than 12V, the voltage regulator may overheat and damage the board. The recommended range is 7 to 12 volts.
The power pins are as follows:
VIN. The input voltage to the Arduino board when it's using an external power source (as opposed to 5 volts from the USB connection or other regulated power source). You can supply voltage through this pin, or, if supplying voltage via the power jack, access it through this pin.
5V. This pin outputs a regulated 5V from the regulator on the board. The board can be supplied with power either from the DC power jack (7 - 12V), the USB connector (5V), or the VIN pin of the board (7-12V). Supplying voltage via the 5V or 3.3V pins bypasses the regulator, and can damage your board. We don't advise it.
3V3. A 3.3 volt supply generated by the on-board regulator. Maximum current draw is 50 mA."
just wondering could this all be a power problem because when i put a meter on ground and pin 39 then start the ir sensor it only flashes up 0.50v
any idea ???
chris
when i put a meter on ground and pin 39 then start the ir sensor it only flashes up 0.50v
A meter will not show the voltage of a modulate signal, it changes too fast.
However it is not a problem with your pins not providing enough voltage, maybe you are drawing too much current from them. What is your resistor value in line with the LED?
oh wow i got it i got it i got it lol
first ive cut off the power to arduino from the grd and 5v pins and used the 2.1mm input on the mega board ..(with center pin +) and now connected it to the 12v bus
and got the optocoupler etc sorted
on the opto pins 1 and two at the bottom have not changed the pin above pin 1 is still connected to the 12v+(pin3 ?) but the pin next too that (4) is now connected to base on the transistor, then the emitter on transistor is connected to 12v -, and the collector is connected to the outer part of the jack socket (had to seperate them all as they were all wired together to ground), and the center pin on the jack socket is now direct to 12+
then the solenoid and lead is center pin to the pin 2 on the solenoid (the side with the led on) and the outer pin goes to pin1.. and the diode is between pin 1 and 2 on the solenoid just screwed into the same holes as the wires with the white line on the diode closest to pin 2 !
and it works yey from both the dump valve and from pressing fire on the box
lol this may be what u were telling me but i only just got it hehe
well more too do ! what too work on now hehe
chris
thank you ya reply mike but was typing my lil story as u posted lol but it was with the help of simons post and ur diagrams that helped me finally get my head around it lol
cheers
Not tried the ir sensor yet, been trying to fire the flash with lightning detector as it is giving reliable output. Starting to suspect the program? Press the launch button and goes back to ready to fire after 3 seconds, from what I can make out its supposed to say waiting if nothing happens.
Tried the power jack before but had it connected to the 5v supply, tried it tonight on the 12v and it does the job, it is quite warm on the board around the jack but I assume this is just the regulator dissipating heat.
I have yet to get anything to fire through the arduino, will have to get my solenoid and ir out of the garage tomorrow to see if they work.
