Started Assembling my HeaterMeter


 

Jason Allen

New member
Thought I would take the opportunity to start a new thread, since there is this great new area for posts!

I've been following the threads and the project for quite a while, but found myself being A.D.D with this project. Finally sent off the schematic to Dorkbot and received 3 v3.2 boards. Last night, I started assembling the board. So far so good. I'm following the assembly order that Bryan provided, I've complted resistors, micro capacitors, potentiometer, reset button, and shift register.

I'm currently planning to do the base HeaterMeter, once I get that up and going, I'll decide whether to continue with the LinkMeter/Router, I figure baby steps is best. I'm probably most nervous about troubleshooting the hardware, I'm a software guy and very novice hardware, so I'll cross my fingers that it will boot up on the first attempt.

I also need to do some reading about how to initially flash the board, haven't really looked into yet, but I think I saw a post about flashing from the Arduino. Unfortunately the search functionality on the forums is caput, once that's fixed I'll be on it.

Thanks for everyone's hard work that came before I and wish me luck!

-Jason
 
Jason,

There are a few guides out there on how to flash from Arduino. It is a little wacky, but should work (I've never tried it myself). A USBTiny programmer is about the same price as an Arduino Uno, and you end up with a usable Uno when you are done. Either way, $20 i

The hardware is not that big of a deal, and soldering should be a breeze on such a nice PCB.

Good luck!
 
To continue what Evan said.

Go to radio shack and get a Uno, It comes with an ATmega 328 with a bootloader already installed. Then all you have to do is hook it up to the computer and get the required heatermeter files from github and put them in the Arduino folders on the computer. Then its just a matter of hitting the compile button in Arduino and then the upload button and thats all thats needed. In the future if you need more Atmega chips then get one that have the boatloader already installed. I picked up some from http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B00761CCH0/tvwb-20 for about 2.95 each, the cheapest i could find.
 
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To continue what Evan said.
Go to radio shack and get a Uno, It comes with an ATmega 328 with a bootloader already installed. Then all you have to do is hook it up to the computer and get the required heatermeter files from github and put them in the Arduino folders on the computer. Then its just a matter of hitting the compile button in Arduino and then the upload button and thats all thats needed. In the future if you need more Atmega chips then get one that have the boatloader already installed. I picked up some from http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B00761CCH0/tvwb-20 for about 2.95 each, the cheapest i could find.
Wow I didn't realize that Amazon sold components. If you buy a chip from there, make sure you get the one that has the Uno bootloader though, not the Duemilanove bootloader. Also I've noticed that Amazon also sells Arduino Unos for a LOT cheaper than Radio Shack has them, $20 shipped with Prime and no tax.
 
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Wow I didn't realize that Amazon sold components. If you buy a chip from there, make sure you get the one that has the Uno bootloader though, not the Duemilanove bootloader. Also I've noticed that Amazon also sells Arduino Unos for a LOT cheaper than Radio Shack has them, $20 shipped with Prime and no tax.

I got the ones with the Duemilanove bootloader and was able to load the software just fine on them, I just had to change the the board setting in Arduino from uno to Duemilanove and it flashed without problems and I verified they all work just fine.
 
Yeah the problem is that the LinkMeter AVR firmware upgrade process once the board is in place assumes an Uno bootloader, which runs at a different baud rate so if you want to update you have to either fiddle with the command line or pull the chip out which isn't very convenient. The Duemilanove bootloader is also 4x the size of the Uno bootloader, which may come into play once we run out of space on the AVR.

The same seller has the Uno version for the same price so might as well get that if one has the option.
 
Thanks for all the great replies. I thought my post might sit "outside" the main thread and get missed, but clearly it wasn't.

1) Well, I guess I should have read more about the flashing portion :( I already installed my ATMega without the bootloader...details...details. I'll have to uninstall it and do some reading on flashing. I already own an Uno, so maybe the easiest solution is to use Optiloader to load the bootloader, following the instructions here: https://github.com/CapnBry/HeaterMeter/wiki/HeaterMeter-Bootloader, then re-install the ATMega into the HeaterMeter.

2) I'm not totally clear how to hook up the HeaterMeter for updating the HeaterMeter code. Is the best way to buy an FTDI cable to hook up the HeaterMeter via USB and then use the Arduino IDE?

3) Must have forgotten to pickup the LM7805 when I placed my original order, looks like it's another mouser order for me :(

Anything else I might be missing or should think about?
 
The LM7805 is a common part, I'd check Radio Shack first. They should have one.

dave

Thanks for all the great replies. I thought my post might sit "outside" the main thread and get missed, but clearly it wasn't.

1) Well, I guess I should have read more about the flashing portion :( I already installed my ATMega without the bootloader...details...details. I'll have to uninstall it and do some reading on flashing. I already own an Uno, so maybe the easiest solution is to use Optiloader to load the bootloader, following the instructions here: https://github.com/CapnBry/HeaterMeter/wiki/HeaterMeter-Bootloader, then re-install the ATMega into the HeaterMeter.

2) I'm not totally clear how to hook up the HeaterMeter for updating the HeaterMeter code. Is the best way to buy an FTDI cable to hook up the HeaterMeter via USB and then use the Arduino IDE?

3) Must have forgotten to pickup the LM7805 when I placed my original order, looks like it's another mouser order for me :(

Anything else I might be missing or should think about?
 
Thanks for all the great replies. I thought my post might sit "outside" the main thread and get missed, but clearly it wasn't.
I'm glad new threads are being created because it makes it a lot easier to find things when they're split up by topic rather than all one gigantic thread.
2) I'm not totally clear how to hook up the HeaterMeter for updating the HeaterMeter code. Is the best way to buy an FTDI cable to hook up the HeaterMeter via USB and then use the Arduino IDE?
Once you have Optiboot and HeaterMeter installed on the AVR chip, you just upload new hex files from the web interface (or use the "online repository" if the router has web access) and the hmdude process on the LinkMeter flashes it with no extra cabling needed.
 
I'm glad new threads are being created because it makes it a lot easier to find things when they're split up by topic rather than all one gigantic thread.

Once you have Optiboot and HeaterMeter installed on the AVR chip, you just upload new hex files from the web interface (or use the "online repository" if the router has web access) and the hmdude process on the LinkMeter flashes it with no extra cabling needed.

Thanks Bryan. Although I'm only doing the HeaterMeter for starters, I hadn't planned on doing the full LinkMeter.

The LM7805 is a common part, I'd check Radio Shack first. They should have one.

dave

Oh...good heads up Dave. I'll try RadioShack. That would save me a lot of time.
 
Thanks Bryan. Although I'm only doing the HeaterMeter for starters, I hadn't planned on doing the full LinkMeter.



Oh...good heads up Dave. I'll try RadioShack. That would save me a lot of time.

Found the 7805 at RadioShack, now that's installed...

Also, I think I was able to flash the bootloader using optiLoader and the ICSP Header. No errors were given when I monitored the serial port...

Now, to get HeaterMeter loaded.
 

 

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