MySensors PCB

Plugins & Plugin Development Arduino Sensor
#1

Hey guys - When Hek came up with this stuff it fulfilled a long dream of mine to integrate arduinos with Vera - even better with them being wireless!!!
I guess i consider myself a hacker… Ive loads of ideas on how i could measure,automate and analyse data in our physical world but never enough time!

Unfortunately i’m rubbish at programming but can “hack” enough together to do what i need to do…reasonably easily since its cut n’ paste, test,fix,test again and so on!

But to me the hardest thing to do with these projects is implement the circuit from breadboard into a device in a safe, nice looking and robust manner!

Putting designs together on veroboard sux! I can solder a pcb with 100 component in minutes ( neatly and without dry joints…ive been soldering for over 35 years, im only 41yrs young now ) but it kills me building on veroboard!

Anyway, i thought its about time i learned how to make PCB’s!!

So in the last few days ive learnt how to use some online design, “circuits.io” ( recently bought by Autodesk )

With this software i have created a design that should make putting together Hek’s and your own circuits quickly and easily. Basically the PCB hosts a Nano, radio, capacitor and a bunch of headers.

Here is the link:

You should be able to create a login ( google/fb/ email etc ) and see the design.

My idea is to build the pcb using headers allowing nanos, and radios we have bought from ebay etc to plug in.
You would likely just solder the capacitor direct onto the pcb.
Also the Jumper headers are there to allow for pullup/pulldown resistors or resistor for Dallas temp sensor needs. So dont just install pin headers there if your just going to use a resistor!

The website allows you to buy the pcb’s as is (they say about 10-12 days) or you can fork the design for your own specific designs!

It allows you do download a Gerber file/s of your designs…i guess this allows you to get the pcb’s made elsewhere cheaper/quicker?

Anyway …bed time for me. Hope this is of value to others and is a small contribution to Hek’s awesome work!!

Lastly…pls check the design for errors. The only one i think is wrong is the polarity of the capacitor…i think its a bug in the software, but i couldnt be bothered changing it to a different component…

Enjoy! :slight_smile:

#2

@gregl

you made a cool staff and opened a nice discussion)

i have a much longer experience making pcb and wondering to create the best of the best small design pcb for battery operated sensors with cool power management and arduino integrated
actually i’m already equipped for that but i’m not sure it make sens for community

#3

Very interesting.

But I cannot reach the circuits.io url… maybe a temporary glitch.

#4

I’ve actually been quite interested in tiny PCB’s for battery operated sensors. Here are a couple of inspirational reference designs but they use the 433MHz radios:

http://nathan.chantrell.net/tinytx-wireless-sensor/

#5

Hi Axill,
Would love if you can share your pcb designs even if they are specific to your projects… it may just give some of us new ideas! What software do you use?

Hi Blacey, those pcbs do look amazingly small. Before Hek came up with this plugin using the nrf24l01 radios i too was about to embark on mashing something together using 433 radios, but they dont seem nearly as capable as the nrf24 radios. I personally am not majorly bothered by battery powered sensors…most of what i want to do is automate an existing mains device, so power is already there. This does mean ive also been on the mission to try to find the smallest mains to 5v supplies i can - so far the best i can do is usb phone/camera chargers.

Hi Hek - hope you can get into the site soon.

Anyone know of any other places to get pcbs made? ( fast and cheap :wink:

#6

G’day All - today i received some PCB’s forked from my original design on 123d circuits. This is a pcb specific for my pool controller which is about to go into revision 4 hardware wise…other builds have all been vero board based…not anymore! yay!

Anyway, this custom pool controller PCB uses much of same pcb layout as my “mysensors” pcb design…

If it works, then i think ill be ordering a bunch for the various MySensor devices i want to build.

Here’s some pics:
http://imgur.com/RWhFhbd
http://imgur.com/ucIzunS

Lastly a pic showing the Nano, Radio and Capacitor in place ( not yet soldered )
http://imgur.com/JW4TbOa

I’ve also done the same board using Eagle…its pretty much done but ive a few outstanding questions for an Eagle expert…Anyone here a master?

#7

Wow… impressive!

#8

bugger…radio polarity is wrong!!

#9

Hi,
I’m new to this. How come the Arduino Nano’s are used instead of the v3 Uno for the sensor nodes? There’s a couple of versions of the Arduino Uno that comes with high ampacity 3.3V and 5V lines. They make it easier to the us power amplified nRF24L01 with the larger antennas. With one of these variants, the Arduino Buono, you don’t need any additional power circuitry to use higher power 2.4GHz transceivers.

#10

Love the PCBs!

#11

[quote=“coachclass, post:9, topic:179607”]Hi,
I’m new to this. How come the Arduino Nano’s are used instead of the v3 Uno for the sensor nodes? There’s a couple of versions of the Arduino Uno that comes with high ampacity 3.3V and 5V lines. They make it easier to the us power amplified nRF24L01 with the larger antennas. With one of these variants, the Arduino Buono, you don’t need any additional power circuitry to use higher power 2.4GHz transceivers.[/quote]
I think the main reason for not using an Uno or Buono is the power consumption. We want a lot of these sensors to be powered via batteries, and the bigger Arduino boards are too power hungry to make that possible. If you are developing a sensor that you can power via AC, then you should be able to use whatever board you like.

Bruce

#12

Not sure if anyone is interested but I’ve constructed a PCB layout in Eagle for the Gateway device. Not sure how much it will cost or minimum quantity either…once I get reemployed and money isn’t as tight I’m going to look at getting at least the one made for my house. If it works and looks good, maybe others would be interested in it.

It’s 1.7" x 2.1" in dimensions…has an Include button, the RX/TX/ERR LEDs, socket for the Nano and an 8-pin socket for the nRF24L01 RF card.

Attaching a pic of the board layout…

Thoughts?

#13

Hi Ross,

looks good… a few comments:

  1. Not sure about yours but ALL my NANO’s have different Analog assignment than those referenced in ALL Eagle libraries i have found…
    Instead of the pins, starting from the USB connector, being:
    D13,3v3,AREF,A7,A6,A5,A4,A3,A2,A1,A0,+5V,RESET,GND,VIN ( this is as per Eagle layout )
    my actual Nano v3 boards are:
    D13,3v3,AREF,A0,A1,A2,A3,A4,A5,A6,A7,+5V,RESET,GND,VIN ( as shown herehttp://arduino.cc/en/uploads/Main/ArduinoNanoFront_3_lg.jpg)

This has bitten me on the boards i made based off the initial design in this thread!!

It seems to me that all the Eagle Nano footprints are wrong!!

2ndly… Id recommend adding the decoupling capacitor…I think its been needed on many of the Nano boards out there. Have you needed them for your radios?

#14

[quote=“gregl, post:13, topic:179607”]Hi Ross,

looks good… a few comments:

  1. Not sure about yours but ALL my NANO’s have different Analog assignment than those referenced in ALL Eagle libraries i have found…
    Instead of the pins, starting from the USB connector, being:
    D13,3v3,AREF,A7,A6,A5,A4,A3,A2,A1,A0,+5V,RESET,GND,VIN ( this is as per Eagle layout )
    my actual Nano v3 boards are:
    D13,3v3,AREF,A0,A1,A2,A3,A4,A5,A6,A7,+5V,RESET,GND,VIN ( as shown herehttp://arduino.cc/en/uploads/Main/ArduinoNanoFront_3_lg.jpg)

This has bitten me on the boards i made based off the initial design in this thread!!

It seems to me that all the Eagle Nano footprints are wrong!!

2ndly… Id recommend adding the decoupling capacitor…I think its been needed on many of the Nano boards out there. Have you needed them for your radios?[/quote]

I guess I didn’t pay attention to the Analog pins since they aren’t used on the gateway…for a sensor board like you drafted it would be important. On this one, if there is no history of deviation on the +V, GND and Dxx digital pins it should be good.

To be honest, I’ve only had the radio going since earlier today so not sure if the cap is or isn’t needed/helpful in personal experience yet. Can’t hurt to have it, so I’ll revise and add it.

I’m realizing how rusty I am at this and the years since I was a young kid tinkering with electronics kits. But the software is cool…I might at the least see about getting some copper PCB and etching my own prototypes from it and then seeing if it’s a viable construction.

I’ve drawn out an RGB LED strip module…takes a 12V input (which is required for the 5m LED strips) and passes the +12V to the strip connector and a 3-conductor plug from any Arduino would be able to feed the PWM grounds through 3 NPN MOSFETS. The 12V also gets sliced down to 5V and 3.3V so it can power an Arduino and Radio too.

Probably gonna draw out a 12V board for blacey’s single-color LED Strips too. This one would be smaller, with a single MOSFET for 1 channel control, yet still have the 5V and 3.3V feeds.

#15

Ross,

Looks great but here are a few suggestions.

  1. Add a coupling capacitor to smooth the current to the radio to ensure reliable communications.
  2. Layout the board so it fits nicely in a project box that supports a USB connector and an external antenna through the side. Checkout this layout as an example - http://forum.micasaverde.com/index.php/topic,16170.msg153470.html#msg153470

Good stuff.

Best,
Bruce

#16

[quote=“blacey, post:15, topic:179607”]Ross,

Looks great but here are a few suggestions.

  1. Add a coupling capacitor to smooth the current to the radio to ensure reliable communications.
  2. Layout the board so it fits nicely in a project box that supports a USB connector and an external antenna through the side. Checkout this layout as an example - http://forum.micasaverde.com/index.php/topic,16170.msg153470.html#msg153470

Good stuff.

Best,
Bruce[/quote]

I thought about the antenna, but was just working from the modules Hek has in his recommended parts list since the antenna is integrated. If the wireless cards use the same 8 pin connector and layout I can probably adapt so it fits near the edge.

I actually contemplated integrating a USB hub and ports in it…so the USB from the Vera hits a hub, then one of the hub ports is hardwired to the Nano and the others are placed for external use. This would make for a single box solution for anyone who has other devices. I’m contemplating a USB interface for my older ADT 3000 system so I can access the sensors in that too.

I’ve already put the capacitor into the schematic too…just didn’t think about it when I put it together before.