LinkMeter v2 Homebrew BBQ Controller - Part 1


 
Status
Not open for further replies.
I find that the ET-732 probes are very sensitive to placement. I have to be very careful that there are not tight bends in the cable. The ET-73 probes don't seem to be nearly as sensitive. I don't see an issue with the dropping out, but reading incorrectly if I have a kink, or tight bend.

dave
Originally posted by Justin:
I was just wondering if anyone has had problems with their ET-732 probes dropping out every few seconds? I'm almost positive its the probes as I verified that this doesn't happen with some non ET-732 probes. Every dip in the graph is where the pit probe dropped. I've only ever smoked with these probes once and they've never been exposed to water. I'm thinking maverick may owe me some new probes. The food probe does the same thing but much less frequently.
graph.jpg


Thanks
Justin
Click to expand...
 
Thanks for the reply Bryan.

I've been keeping an eye on Craigslist, but WRT54GL's don't pop up too often. I keeping home to find a cheap one that isn't already sold. I'll start watching Ebay, too.
 
Hi,

Looking for some help configuring the Wifi interface on the router.

Using a wired connection is fine... DHCP address is issued by my Internet Router and I can connect and see the Linkmeter home page and configuration pages.

I've now spent ages trying the different combinations of WiFi configuration. My aim is to have the Linkmeter connecting to my exsiting Wireless network (I've removed all security to remove variables in gettin it setup).

In the 'Interfaces' section I have one interface - "LAN". In the Physical Settings page it has the following checked:
<UL TYPE=SQUARE> <LI> VLAN Interface: "eth0.0"
Wireless Network: Client "nicknet" (my home wifi SSID)
[/list]
In the Wifi section I have 2 Controllers listed - Radio0 and Radio1.

In the 'Radio0' section I have one entry. This says:
<UL TYPE=SQUARE> <LI> SSID: nicknet
<LI> Mode: Client
<LI> 0%
<LI> Wireless is disabled or not associated
[/list]
Looking at the settings for this entry shows:
<UL TYPE=SQUARE> <LI> Status: as above
<LI> Wireless network is enabled
<LI> Channel: Auto
<LI> Transmit power 20dBm
<LI> ESSID: nicknet
<LI> Mode: Client
<LI> BSSID: My home network router MAC address
<LI> Network: lan radio button selected
[/list]
Is anyone able to advise what I'm doing wrong... I've tried what I think are all combinations and never seem to get anywhere

Thanks

Nick
 
I find other compatible Linksys routers all the time for 3.99 at Goodwill. All Bryan would have to do is make some small tweaks to v3.2 to get to make it mount upside down in any Linksys router.
 
I have a v3.2 board and a WRT54GV2. I soldered 5 wires to the HM board for the router connection, put a right angle header on the router board, and hooked them up. The board fits in just fine and everything has worked good for two cooks. There are a ton of these on ebay and you can get them for under $10.00.
 
Nick,

I had alot of trouble getting mine to work as well. I finally figured out I wasn't being patient enough. When I would change a setting and hit save and apply the router would act like it was freezing up, so after 5 minutes or so I would pull power and try again. I finally figured out it was taking up to an hour for the setting's to update. If I just let it go and come back later the setting's would be updated and everything worked. I have three wrt54gv2 and it is the same on all of them. Follow Bryan's procedure here http://tvwbb.com/eve/forums/a/...103/m/7691098906/p/4 and give it plenty of time for the setting's to apply. I ended up enabling the wireless and saving that setting before changing anything else. That worked for me.
 
I uploaded the sketch to a regular arduino and made a serial connection between that and an linksys wrt54gl and everything just works fine. Now I'd like to build a real one and would like to ask if anyone has a spare v3.2 board and wants to send it to me. arwin2atgmail.com is my adress....
 
Originally posted by Andrew Meimann:
I have a v3.2 board and a WRT54GV2. I soldered 5 wires to the HM board for the router connection, put a right angle header on the router board, and hooked them up. The board fits in just fine and everything has worked good for two cooks. There are a ton of these on ebay and you can get them for under $10.00.
Click to expand...

Just be careful to check the polarity on the serial port. Some models have ground on the right and some on the left.

These models also have 2 serial ports each. Linkmeter uses ttys1 for receiving data from the HM. On some models ttys1 is on the outside header pins and on others it is on the inside header pins.
 
Andrew,

Thanks for the link... I'm going to reset to default settings and try configuring again using the 'manual' method described.

Not too familiar with vi... so going to try and get nano installed to make it easier for me. I'm hoping that "opkg install nano" will work, but may have to manually download and install if it doesn't.

Looking at the /etc/config/wireless file I assume that the "macaddr" option should be configured with the Router MAC address (i.e. the one printed on the bottom of the router)

Nick
 
Originally posted by Dave S (GeoDave):
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Andrew Meimann:
I have a v3.2 board and a WRT54GV2. I soldered 5 wires to the HM board for the router connection, put a right angle header on the router board, and hooked them up. The board fits in just fine and everything has worked good for two cooks. There are a ton of these on ebay and you can get them for under $10.00.
Click to expand...

Just be careful to check the polarity on the serial port. The wrt54g models have ground on the right. Wrt54gs models have ground on the left.


These models also have 2 serial ports each. Linkmeter uses ttys1 for receiving data from the HM. On wrt54g ttys1 is on the outside header pins. On wrt54gs ttys1 is on the inside header pins. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Thanks for the tip Dave. I pinned the connection out before hooking it up. The WRT54GV2 pins 1,3,5,7,9 pinout correctly (compared to a WRT54GL) with pin 9 being ground. I assume this is TTYS1 as it works just fine connected this way. These pins are to the inside of the board, not the outside.
 
Originally posted by Andrew Meimann:
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Dave S (GeoDave):
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Andrew Meimann:
I have a v3.2 board and a WRT54GV2. I soldered 5 wires to the HM board for the router connection, put a right angle header on the router board, and hooked them up. The board fits in just fine and everything has worked good for two cooks. There are a ton of these on ebay and you can get them for under $10.00.
Click to expand...

Just be careful to check the polarity on the serial port. The wrt54g models have ground on the right. Wrt54gs models have ground on the left.


These models also have 2 serial ports each. Linkmeter uses ttys1 for receiving data from the HM. On wrt54g ttys1 is on the outside header pins. On wrt54gs ttys1 is on the inside header pins. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Thanks for the tip Dave. I pinned the connection out before hooking it up. The WRT54GV2 pins 1,3,5,7,9 pinout correctly (compared to a WRT54GL) with pin 9 being ground. I assume this is TTYS1 as it works just fine connected this way. These pins are to the inside of the board, not the outside. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Yeah so I guess the point is to check or be sorry.
 
Originally posted by N Waring:
Using a wired connection is fine... DHCP address is issued by my Internet Router and I can connect and see the Linkmeter home page and configuration pages.
Click to expand...
Don't set up the wired connection at all, leave it set up as 192.168.200.1 static. Because of how the router's bridging works, you can't have both the wifi and the wired ports on your network at the same time.

Once you reset to default, only configure the wifi as a client to your network.

Also note that the "manual method" linked from the old thread doesn't work any more because OpenWrt made some changes upstream that prevents the wlan interface from joining the wan bridge. I'll post my wifi client configuration when I get home tonight, but it won't be until late so check back tomorrow if you're still having trouble.
 
Thanks for your input the WRT54g. I've been having friends check their storage for which version they have. So far we've all had the 2mb later versions.

Anyone selling one of their extra v3.2 boards?
 
Bryan... all sorted thanks to the pointers provided.

LAN connection left alone (192.168.200.x range)
WAN connection configured as Client Mode WIFI with static IP (192.168.1.5) on home network

Thanks

Nick
 
Awesome. You should be able to use DHCP for the wifi if you want, but since you've got it set up I wouldn't mess with it.

Here's my config for anyone who wants to manually configure. Basically add a wwan interface and then set the wifi to use it in "sta" mode.

/etc/config/network
<pre class="ip-ubbcode-code-pre">

config 'switch' 'eth0'
option 'enable' '1'

config 'switch_vlan' 'eth0_0'
option 'device' 'eth0'
option 'vlan' '0'
option 'ports' '0 1 2 3 5'

config 'switch_vlan' 'eth0_1'
option 'device' 'eth0'
option 'vlan' '1'
option 'ports' '4 5'

config 'interface' 'loopback'
option 'ifname' 'lo'
option 'proto' 'static'
option 'ipaddr' '127.0.0.1'
option 'netmask' '255.0.0.0'

config 'interface' 'lan'
option 'type' 'bridge'
option 'ifname' 'eth0.0'
option 'proto' 'static'
option 'netmask' '255.255.255.0'
option 'ipaddr' '192.168.200.1'

config 'interface' 'wan'
option 'ifname' 'eth0.1'
option 'proto' 'dhcp'

config 'interface' 'wwan'
option 'proto' 'dhcp'
</pre>

/etc/config/wireless
<pre class="ip-ubbcode-code-pre">

config 'wifi-device' 'radio0'
option 'type' 'mac80211'
option 'channel' '11'
option 'macaddr' '00:25:9c:52:44:5e'
option 'hwmode' '11g'
option 'disabled' '0'

config 'wifi-iface'
option 'ssid' 'capnbry24'
option 'encryption' 'psk2'
option 'device' 'radio0'
option 'mode' 'sta'
option 'network' 'wwan'
option 'key' 'secretpassword'
</pre>
 
@D Peart: I've been doing some more experimenting with the fan control circuit today. On my test setup using the standard 150mA 6.3CFM fan, when the HeaterMeter wants to run it at 10%, the current draw is over 3 amps. I can only imagine what it is for a larger fan.

I did some experimentation with changing the PWM frequency. Everything from 30Hz up to 31KHz at 10%, 50%, 90% and 100% duty cycles. The higher frequencies were better for current draw, but reduced the controllable range of the fan speed which was then largely dependent on the capacitor size as well. With a 1uF capacitor in a slightly different configuration, I was able to get 10% speed to be around 8V with a peak current draw around 0.5A.

I'm not sure if this configuration would help your problem or not though. What are the stats on your fan again? Do you have a link? I might get one just to mess around with.
 
Bryan,

I'm in the process of putting a LinkMeter together for my father in law who lives in Portland, I'm in Boise. Since I'm not close to replace components if they burn out should I be worried about the 3AMP draw on the fan? Do you think I should change anything before I send it to him? Thanks
 
Originally posted by Bryan Mayland:
@D Peart: I've been doing some more experimenting with the fan control circuit today. On my test setup using the standard 150mA 6.3CFM fan, when the HeaterMeter wants to run it at 10%, the current draw is over 3 amps. I can only imagine what it is for a larger fan.

I did some experimentation with changing the PWM frequency. Everything from 30Hz up to 31KHz at 10%, 50%, 90% and 100% duty cycles. The higher frequencies were better for current draw, but reduced the controllable range of the fan speed which was then largely dependent on the capacitor size as well. With a 1uF capacitor in a slightly different configuration, I was able to get 10% speed to be around 8V with a peak current draw around 0.5A.

I'm not sure if this configuration would help your problem or not though. What are the stats on your fan again? Do you have a link? I might get one just to mess around with.
Click to expand...

Its been a long time since i have posted but I thought I would chime in.

I have been using huge fan for my UDS without problems, since last year, since I upgraded the IRL510

Delta BFB1012HH DC12V 1.65A
Rated Voltage: 12VDC. Operating Voltage Range: 4.0 to 13.2 VDC
Rated Current: 1.10 Amp. Rated Input Power: 13.20 Watt. Speed: 4000 RPM.
Max Air Flow: 28.25 CFM. Max Air Pressure: 1.299 H2O.

Im not sure if anybody would need a larger fan then this for personal smoker.
 
Originally posted by Andrew Meimann:
I'm in the process of putting a LinkMeter together for my father in law who lives in Portland, I'm in Boise. Since I'm not close to replace components if they burn out should I be worried about the 3AMP draw on the fan?
Click to expand...
I've been using my system with the same components for a while now and haven't had any problems or blown components yet. The 3A is pulsed and I suppose the 12V adapter can generally handle it, but it might depend on the adapter. I've got 3 different adapters around the house and like 5 different HeaterMeter boards and they all seem to work.

@John: Holy smokes, that is one serious blower you've got there! What sort of power brick are you using that can give you all them amps?
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

 

Back
Top