ESP8266 Community Forum

- Tue Nov 17, 2015 7:07 pm #34362

UPDATE: So this is where I am at with the project.
That's where I am at right now, I will keep all updated and I am fine sharing the code on any of this - especially after I "unslop" it Just ask.
DrG

Hi Dr. G.

I have a 1-wire based environmental monitoring system (web reporting) that I developed 8 years ago (http://www.welserver.com) and I have deployed it to nearly 1000 sites. Recently I'be been considering augmenting it with a ESP wireless solution.

I've been trying out some ideas, but your approach seems pretty applicable. Naturally I'm very interested in seeing the recent specifics of your solution, but I'm not looking to just grab it up. Is there any way I can help contribute to your own project with some time of my own? This could be design, fab, development or even testing.

Note: I'm an accomplished embedded software developer, with a lot of custom circuit design experience. I'm also very active mentoring youth robotics teams. Here's a fun kickstarter I just did with a couple of kids. https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/82 ... g-made-fun

Phil Malone.

Hi Phil,

Thanks much for the interest and offer to contribute.

First, an update....


Here is where the board stands now - almost a prototype (a word that sometimes ends up meaning that it is probably as close to being finished as it will get).

The ESP code is working, the power circuitry is working and the sensors seem to be working as they should. I am having an issue with the VB server to listen for the packets and keep them in a file. It is, on occasion (maybe once ever 100 packets) giving me an IOexception because of a forcible closure of the remote host. I'm sure I will work it out (there is only about 20 lines of code for this - how hard can it be? and I can post the code I am using - it's really not that complicated or clean.

I have been looking at https://oshpark.com/shared_projects - this place seems to make boards for you really cheaply. I have been browsing the shared projects for hours because there is a lot of cool stuff out there. Now, I don't know squat about using Eagle software and I don't know how hard it would be for me to learn. But, I am thinking about how hard it would be to draw up some circuit board for just the power switching part because they could potential have some uses beyond an RTC and the ESP. For example some very low power PIC chips can wake up on a pin change and the same principle might be applicable to other situations. I'm sure lots of people are doing this kind of thing and I am just not aware of it all. Also, I'm not trying to hook you into anything, but with your experience, I would be interested in your opinion.

DrG

- Thu Nov 19, 2015 1:35 am #34481 UPDATE : ONE MONTH Running !!

Date : 19 Nov 2015
Log : 4265 Entries
Link : https://thingspeak.com/channels/58350
Update interval : 10 min
Uptime : 15s

The configuration used in this test is the one from the picture below, PCF8563 RTC:

cbdb_v3_5.a_top_finished_1_2.jpg

As usual, finished Boards, bare PCB's, schematics, etc, will be made available when tests finished.
It can be used as an extension board for the ESP8266 CBDB nEXT Evo Board, or with any other one you might like (Arduino, ARM, MSP430,etc) as long as it has a compatile I2C interface.

Also having in tests another version, this time with ESP8266, RTC, charger, integrated onboard :

cbdb_v3_5.a_top_finished_esp8266_1.jpg

You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.

ESP8266 MPDMv4 AC MAINS Dimmer Home: http://esp8266-projects.com/2016/04/mpdmv4-mains-dimmerswitch-html/
Available on Tindie: https://www.tindie.com/products/nEXT_EVO1/universal-ac-mains-dimmer-mpdmv41/

- Wed Dec 09, 2015 4:29 pm #36092 It's an interesting problem using the esp8266 in a low power application. I like the low power modes in the Arduino and found myself with a bunch of esp-01 with only 2 gpio pins. So, what I worked up is an arrangement of using the esp01 as the master I2C device (only works as the master) and the Arduino pro-mini as the I2C slave. The Arduino controls the pwrdn pin on the esp01 keeping it off until needed. When the Arduino has some status to update on the server, it raises powerdn pin and waits for the I2C master to request data. The Ardiuno feeds the sensor data to the esp and waits for the all clear to power it down again. With the 2 wire interface (plus pwrdn) we put the control back on the Arduino. I've done several of these configurations now.

- Sat Mar 19, 2016 3:25 pm #43583

I've tried that on several ESPs and they all seem to run a bit slow so it loses about 7 minutes per day, which probably wouldn't happen with an external RTC.

I was interested in your comments about ESP's losing 7 minutes per day. Maybe I am misinterpreting your term 'losing' as our tests with WeMos D1 Mini's suggest gaining 56 minutes per day. That is, with deep sleep set at 1 hour it wakes up in less than 58 minutes.