HeaterMeter Hardware v4.2.4


 
Hi Bryan. Is it possible to order the non thermocouple kit with the omega connector? ( ie. $103 version ) I have the surface mount parts.

Scott
 
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Sure Scott, it'll be $2 extra. Just make a note when you make the purchase and I'll work it out. I'm about to leave to get on a plane to Ottawa for the weekend though, so the order won't be fulfilled until Monday.
 
Ottawa eh? Some skating on the Rideau Canal? Parliament? or visiting some of the nice museums? Dress really warmly though, -25 C not gonna be pleasant. Have a safe trip
 
Hi Bryan. I received the kit today. Maybe I missed it....is the Atmel micro supposed to be included? Is there a good source for order a single TC connector?

Every thing looks great! I like the component id card. Nice work on offering this kit.
 
It should have an Atmega328p chip. The heatermeter does not use a Atmel micro, it does use an raspberry pi A,B,A+. It does not work with a B+
 
Yep...the 328p.

I'm missing the 328p and the 16MHz resonator after doing inventory. Sorry i don't know how else to contact besides this forum.
 
Yeah I am on a roll! Of the 100+ kits I've sent out in 3 months, one had a missing part. This week? Two kits with missing ATmegas. I came back from Canada with some sort of deathly illness so I blame them. Something about -30C temperatures apparently didn't react well with my body. Did you also know you're forced to decrypt your laptop at the border if asked to do so, or face obstruction charges and seizing of property? And I thought America was paranoid!

If anyone else is missing their ATmega or any part, you can just reply to the order confirmation email and it will go right to me or post here and I'll make it up. I sent you a PM too Steve.
 
Bryan,

If your illness has been anything like mine over the last week or so, my condolences! This bug looks to be making its rounds through most of Ontario. My stomach feels like it was hit by a freight train!

I just assumed you we're gettin krunk on our maple syrup and Labatt 50 :)
 
In a pretty giant CAM mistake on my part, I created 60 HeaterMeter v4.2.4 PCBs that are bad. The Boxy robot logo came out on the bottom copper layer which is ALMOST acceptable except it contacts one signal trace at one point. They're all unsalable but easily fixable in a few seconds with a knife. Rather than throw them out I've put them up on the HeaterMeter Store for free with any other purchase (limit 2).

In other store news I may have a line on Raspberry Pi Model Bs! If everything works out I should be able to offer Raspberry Pis Bs with the 4.2 kits at the $35-$36 price point. We'll see if that works out.
 
Awesome, glad the release day for the HMv4.2 is finally here...
Here is a pic of my HMv4.2.4 in my prototype sliding back case:
HMv4.2.3CaseBic.jpg

Ralph, I've been looking around the forum for your sliding back case and for the life of me can't seem to find it. Have you made your stl files available publicly?
 
In a pretty giant CAM mistake on my part, I created 60 HeaterMeter v4.2.4 PCBs that are bad. The Boxy robot logo came out on the bottom copper layer which is ALMOST acceptable except it contacts one signal trace at one point. They're all unsalable but easily fixable in a few seconds with a knife. Rather than throw them out I've put them up on the HeaterMeter Store for free with any other purchase (limit 2).

In other store news I may have a line on Raspberry Pi Model Bs! If everything works out I should be able to offer Raspberry Pis Bs with the 4.2 kits at the $35-$36 price point. We'll see if that works out.

Bryan, have there been any updates on Raspberry Pi B's being available in the store?
 
Bryan, have there been any updates on Raspberry Pi B's being available in the store?
I was just coming to post this! They arrived today.


It isn't cost effective for me to sell them, but HeaterMeter kits can now optionally include a Raspberry Pi Model B at a $35 premium with free shipping included. These are only marked up less than a dollar over my cost so hopefully this will be a way to shave $10-15 off the total cost of a build.
 
Just finished building 4 V4.2.4's. Luckily I didn't had any problems sourcing the RPI's, but getting hold of some ALPS SKQUAAA010 (for a reasonable price) was a b***h.

Can't wait for V5.0 ;)
 
Hi Bryan,

I have a 6.6V LiFe battery that's sitting unused, and I was wondering if it could be used to power HM. I tried to google HM's input voltage range, and found some postings from hardware version 4.0. There you said that whatever voltage is applied to the DC jack is directly given to the fan and the speed is controlled by pulsing. I guess the actual input range comes from the OKI regu, and is 7-36V, right? How about that blower voltage, has anything changed from 4.0 to 4.2.4? Would it be feasible to use any battery whose voltage differs greatly fom 12V?

5V/~2A USB powerpacks are also very popular these days, and they already have nice casings and charging/discharging electronics. Do you see any easy way to use 5V with HM, or should I just build a 12V upconverter for whatever source voltage I'm using?

Antti
 
Yeah the input range for the electronics is set by the 5V regulator, which is 7-36V. The blower in v4.2 can operate in "voltage" mode so HeaterMeter will attempt to buck convert the input voltage down to the 5V-12.1V as needed. The components are optimized to work with a 250mA blower with an input voltage of 12V-16V so it may not be able to control the voltage fully at different input. You can also run it in "pulse" mode which it doesn't matter what the input voltage is but it isn't going to step it up or down at all.

You can't hook 6.6V up directly to the 5V line on the HeaterMeter. Max voltage there on our stuff is 5.5V for some stuff 6V for others. Not sure what the max Pi voltage is though. If you hooked a 5V/2A power supply directly to the 5V line that would work but you'd need to boost it for the blower input. 5V power isn't a good choice for the power input in general because it would need to be stepped up which means you need a lot more beef in the power supply. Stepping up 5V to 12V at 80% typical efficiency is a 3x multiplier to the current. A 500mA fan (which isn't terribly oversized) would require 1.5A, plus the Pi 0.5-1A, and a servo can pull over an amp...
 
Long time lurker but finally pulled the trigger when Bryan included the option for the Raspberry with the kit. I was a bit tentative purchasing an A+ since the B seems to be completely unavailable in Toronto. Even Kijiji didn't give me much options. Thanks Bryan, looking forward to playing around with this!
 
Just finished building 4 V4.2.4's. Luckily I didn't had any problems sourcing the RPI's, but getting hold of some ALPS SKQUAAA010 (for a reasonable price) was a b***h.

Can't wait for V5.0 ;)

Hi Peter,

I have an RPI, I just bought a damaged PCB and a good PCB. Now I am following in your footsteps. I see ALPS SKQUAAA010 has been OOS at Mouser for a few weeks now. They say "Possible Replacement 688-SKRHAAE010". I have no clue if that is a good replacement or not. Where did you find the ALPS SKQUAAA010?
TIA
John
 
There are links in the wiki to another place that has it, or you can just use the MouserAlt surface mount version which is giant and easy to install over the holes.

Welcom, Melvin you're the first person who ordered with a RaspberryPi included! I thought for sure that would be immediately popular for the cost savings, hope it catches on.
 

 

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