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Old 15-12-2019, 07:25 AM
garymck (Gary)
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Originally Posted by kamayok3 View Post
Hi all,

Looks like the Alnitak already changed their coding. After loading the firmware into my Leonardo board, Nina and SGpro cant connect to it. Sadly I am not a coding guy. Really need a savior now.

Regards,
Tom
Have you tried using an UNO board, the Leonardo board is not t the same, and the Uno code will not work n it.

Gary
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  #22  
Old 15-12-2019, 04:47 PM
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I put one of these together this afternoon. It turns out Jaycar has a 24V 5A MOS Driver Module (XC-4488) made to work with Arduino. This makes the wiring pretty simple. I've assembled everything temporarily and tested it with the SGP code posted on Cloudy Nights. It's all working fine with my LED light box so next step is to get a box for the electronics.
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  #23  
Old 15-12-2019, 06:39 PM
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B'ah - you can't put it together in an afternoon and make it look professional! What about wires hanging out of bread boards and your son hold a couple of wires together to test the circuit dammit!
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  #24  
Old 15-12-2019, 06:57 PM
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Awesome thread, I am planning on building this also, once I get my new observatory sorted, it will be remotely operated from about 120km away, so I was after a DIY solution for flats. I had seen the CN thread before and bought the TIP 3055's incase. I have the UNO here also, well a clone, which works the same. I plan on using Voyager for the control of it.
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  #25  
Old 15-12-2019, 07:00 PM
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Originally Posted by RobF View Post
B'ah - you can't put it together in an afternoon and make it look professional! What about wires hanging out of bread boards and your son hold a couple of wires together to test the circuit dammit!
You should have seen the other end of the black wire...that had all sorts of dodgy things going on to make the light box connection. I hate soldering wires on 2.3mm jack plugs.
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  #26  
Old 26-12-2019, 10:39 AM
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I take it from what others seem to be using there is no issue in using the "Uno Compatible" knock off boards? Looking on fleabay it is hard to find a real Arduino board. I was gifted a preloaded credit card for Christmas to build myself a flat panel, so it is time to get on with the job. I ebayed an A2 panel (To be sure it will cover any scope I am likely to ever use it with) from the same seller as Gary did on starting this thread.

It will certainly be easier than my current routine which is a graphics tablet balanced on top of the scope and using Teamviewer to remote in to the PC it is connected to to edit a JPG image by varying the density of the "grey" image that I display on the panel.

Last edited by The_bluester; 26-12-2019 at 11:01 AM.
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  #27  
Old 26-12-2019, 11:07 AM
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Hiya.


So this isn't mounted to the scope like a flip flat? It is bolted to the wall in line with the storage position of the scope or a defined position to capture flats?


Can we have some comprehnsive pics please as I have a remote observatory?


Thanks.
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  #28  
Old 26-12-2019, 11:52 AM
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Originally Posted by The_bluester View Post
I take it from what others seem to be using there is no issue in using the "Uno Compatible" knock off boards? Looking on fleabay it is hard to find a real Arduino board.
I'm using Jaycar Uno boards and they are working fine.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Bart View Post
Hiya.


So this isn't mounted to the scope like a flip flat? It is bolted to the wall in line with the storage position of the scope or a defined position to capture flats?


Can we have some comprehnsive pics please as I have a remote observatory?


Thanks.
I'm using it with my normal light box but it could be used with a EL panel bolted to the wall. I don't think anyone in this thread has made the servo motor to open a panel attached to the end of the scope however I have seen a home made one like that at astrofest.... here is the thread:

http://www.iceinspace.com.au/forum/s...ight=flip+flat
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  #29  
Old 27-12-2019, 09:30 AM
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Well that makes it easy, I expected that they should work, and the compats are so cheap I could afford to make a couple of them. I am a bit tempted to do that actually. For some time I will be imaging with a small scope and no obs so I could start with a small tracing panel as well and build it into a slip on light box to be able to be used in daylight.
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  #30  
Old 27-12-2019, 10:24 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by peter_4059 View Post
I put one of these together this afternoon. It turns out Jaycar has a 24V 5A MOS Driver Module (XC-4488) made to work with Arduino. This makes the wiring pretty simple. I've assembled everything temporarily and tested it with the SGP code posted on Cloudy Nights. It's all working fine with my LED light box so next step is to get a box for the electronics.

Hi Peter,

Just purchased the little 24v 5A Mos board from jaycar and wondered how you have the lightbox wired in. Is this between the 12v supply and light box? With the other three wires off to the Arduino?
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  #31  
Old 27-12-2019, 07:04 PM
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Originally Posted by Astroman View Post
Hi Peter,

Just purchased the little 24v 5A Mos board from jaycar and wondered how you have the lightbox wired in. Is this between the 12v supply and light box? With the other three wires off to the Arduino?
I've got the three control wires connected to the Arduino:
SIG to pin 3
VCC to 5V
GND to GND

On the XC-4488 breakout board there are two blue terminal blocks:

One is for the 12 V supply:
VIN & GND


and the other connects to the light box:
V+ and V-
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  #32  
Old 27-12-2019, 07:26 PM
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Thanks Peter, exactly what I thought. So you are using Pin 3 for your PWM signal, is that using the updated code from CN? The one with the added better timing for the Pulse width that kidogofoto had put up?
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  #33  
Old 27-12-2019, 07:38 PM
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Yes I'm using the code with the different pwm timing. You can choose which pwm pin to use and in my case this arduino is only performing one function so pin 3 is what I went with. I've posted a copy of my code in the attached TXT file.
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  #34  
Old 30-12-2019, 08:43 AM
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Time to get on with mine, the panel is at the post office. I reckon I will just go with the MOS module too. I was thinking of buying of the prototyping board shields and soldering a MOS on to it but for $8 for the MOS board I couldn't be bothered.

The only thing I don't like for now is that I think RCA type connectors are rubbish. I will probably hash it up using those but order a two pin DTM panel mount connector to replace them later on. The hole is bigger for the DTM so it won't be an issue to change later, I just need to leave a service loop in the wiring to crimp the pins on after removing the RCA connector.
Are you powering it via the 12V in to the UNO board? It looks as though that is available via the V-in socket on the riser?
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  #35  
Old 30-12-2019, 09:49 AM
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I'm powering the arduino via usb and the mos board by the blue terminal blocks because my power supply for the light box is 13.6v and I wasn't sure if the arduino would like more than 12v.
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  #36  
Old 30-12-2019, 09:55 AM
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I had a dig for the spec sheet and it says 7-14V so it should be OK with my normal power supply. At least if it is not a board is pretty cheap. I am hoping to keep all my power supply arrangements unified so I hope it is happy with it.
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  #37  
Old 30-12-2019, 11:54 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by The_bluester View Post
I had a dig for the spec sheet and it says 7-14V so it should be OK with my normal power supply. At least if it is not a board is pretty cheap. I am hoping to keep all my power supply arrangements unified so I hope it is happy with it.
I guess you just need to ensure you aren't trying to put too many amps through the Arduino since the traces on the PCB will have to transmit the power from the 12V input plug to the VIN pin. That is essentially what others are doing with the cloudy nights approach so it should be ok.

The advantage of going straight to the VIN on the MOS board is that part is rated for 24V 5A. I suspect the GND part of the 12V MOS circuit will be common with the GND pin that connects to the Arduino in any case.
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  #38  
Old 30-12-2019, 11:59 AM
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Just found this on the official Arduino site under Documentation:

"The Arduino Uno board can be powered via the USB connection or with an external power supply. The power source is selected automatically. External (non-USB) power can come either from an AC-to-DC adapter (wall-wart) or battery. The adapter can be connected by plugging a 2.1mm center-positive plug into the board's power jack. Leads from a battery can be inserted in the GND and Vin pin headers of the POWER connector. The board can operate on an external supply from 6 to 20 volts. If supplied with less than 7V, however, the 5V pin may supply less than five volts and the board may become unstable. If using more than 12V, the voltage regulator may overheat and damage the board. The recommended range is 7 to 12 volts."
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  #39  
Old 30-12-2019, 01:56 PM
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I might wire the power separately then just in case. I will be running an A2 panel with this (Went as big as I thought I would ever need) so it might be best to keep the panel current off the uno.
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  #40  
Old 30-12-2019, 04:54 PM
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The Arduino will be getting its power from the USB port that will be controlling it, wouldn't it? Then all that is needed if using the MOS board would be to run the ground, Signal wires from the Arduino to the MOS board then the LED panel and 12v supply from the terminals. Is the 5v rail needed into the VCC of the MOS board? (not sure what this does) I guess so to turn the MOSFET on and off via the PWM? So the Arduino will only be drawing little current to pulse the signal. I doubt enough to damage anything on the MOS board, Arduino or the computer.
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