Hi, thanks a lot for your response and clarification. I checked the code and I think there is something wrong in J_switch.ino file. If you put false for second pumprelay_2, solenoidvalve and pumpsafe then the parameter pumpState-1 never changes and is always 0. I replaced the pumpState_1 with pumpState in Digitalwrite(relaypin_1,pumpState_1) and it worked. Then I changed false with true and Digitalwrite(relaypin_1,pumpState_1). It did not work (I mean everything works except turning on pump and valve). So please, when you have time and are in a good mood, upload the last published version to your switch and see if it works. I am very sorry to blame on code, but checking it one more time is the easiest.
Thanks again for excelent job.
Simon

Ok,

I'll have a look at it.

Originally Posted by terzyans

Hi, thanks a lot for your response and clarification. I checked the code and I think there is something wrong in J_switch.ino file. If you put false for second pumprelay_2, solenoidvalve and pumpsafe then the parameter pumpState-1 never changes and is always 0. I replaced the pumpState_1 with pumpState in Digitalwrite(relaypin_1,pumpState_1) and it worked. Then I changed false with true and Digitalwrite(relaypin_1,pumpState_1). It did not work (I mean everything works except turning on pump and valve). So please, when you have time and are in a good mood, upload the last published version to your switch and see if it works. I am very sorry to blame on code, but checking it one more time is the easiest.
Thanks again for excelent job.
Simon

Version 3.1 is the latest properly finished version, disregard the beta version 3.3.
The problems you describe are related to the beta version 3.3, it is now deleted.

If you have used a potentiometer instead of the pressure sensor to try it out I would recommend checking "reset calibration" so you don't mess it up. You can also run the "clear Eeprom" sketch from the examples menu of the Arduino software before you upload the switch again, this is so that the memory slot of the calibration does not hold a unrealistic value. This will reset all settings, it might not be a problem it's just in case.

If you find similar problems with version 3.1 please let me know and I'll fix it promptly.

Hi,
I appreciate your help very much.
This weekend I tested the 3.1 version. I cleaned the EEPROM, as you suggested, and uploaded the 3.1 version with my pin numbers. After initialization it started turning on and off the pump relay. The intervals between on states was around 1 second, while on state was very short (some milliseconds). Is it a normal behavior or something is wrong? I remember reading something about often switching in the post about solid state relay. If this condition is normal, why we need the often switching of the pump? I am afraid that it will hurt the compressor.

Thanks, Simon


P.S. I made the schematics of my device on Eagle and if somebody is interested I can post it. It uses arduino pro mini and LCD with normal, not the original I2C ,connection.

No, that is not normal.

- Are you sure all pins are connected according to the sketch?
- Have you made any personal settings in the settings menu page in the sketch?
- Are you still using a potentiometer instead of the MPX5100DP vacuum sensor?

This must be solved.

hi i am just about to start my build waiting for a push button switch IIC/I2C/TWI/SPI Serial interface Board Module they sent me the lcd but not the IIC/I2C/TWI/SPI Serial interface Board Module so have printed a project box for it cant wight to get the soldering iron out and get started

Originally Posted by LA8PV

No, that is not normal.

- Are you sure all pins are connected according to the sketch?
- Have you made any personal settings in the settings menu page in the sketch?
- Are you still using a potentiometer instead of the MPX5100DP vacuum sensor?

Here are my pin numbers and attached is the schematics.

int sensorPin = A0; // MPX5100DP pressure/vacuum Sensor
int threshPin = A1; // threshold knob (10k potentiometer)
int marginPin = A2; // margin/diff knob (10k potentiometer) This one is 5k in my switch.
int switchPin = A3; // pump ON/OFF toggle switch

int buttonPin = 10; // push button (connect only to signal/ground: push = 0, release = 1)
int relayPin_1 = 13; // pump relay
int ledPin_1 = 9; // pump toggle LED
int ledPin_2 = 8; // warning LED
int valRelPin = 11; // solenoid valve relay (if present)


I did not change anything in settings.
I tested with gauge and with potentiometer.

Also one more question. What does the toggle switch do? Does it turn the pump OFF or ON. In my case when it is closed the pump is off and the toggle LED is OFF.

Originally Posted by terzyans

Hi,
I appreciate your help very much.
This weekend I tested the 3.1 version. I cleaned the EEPROM, as you suggested, and uploaded the 3.1 version with my pin numbers. After initialization it started turning on and off the pump relay. The intervals between on states was around 1 second, while on state was very short (some milliseconds). Is it a normal behavior or something is wrong? I remember reading something about often switching in the post about solid state relay. If this condition is normal, why we need the often switching of the pump? I am afraid that it will hurt the compressor.

Thanks, Simon


P.S. I made the schematics of my device on Eagle and if somebody is interested I can post it. It uses arduino pro mini and LCD with normal, not the original I2C ,connection.

The relay should not start to switch on and off rapidly without any reason, something is definitely wrong with that. But my switch is working perfectly like it should so I'm kinda puzzled that yours do not. The schematics wont tell me much because I'm just using plug and play ready made modules, it looks really nice though.

Some people would prefer to use a solid state relay if possible, but the standard Arduino compatible solenoid relays works perfectly well and are probably the most commonly used and in all kinds of devices so thats nothing to worry about.

Originally Posted by dpot

hi i am just about to start my build waiting for a push button switch iic/i2c/twi/spi serial interface board module they sent me the lcd but not the iic/i2c/twi/spi serial interface board module so have printed a project box for it cant wight to get the soldering iron out and get started

Awesome !!!

Originally Posted by LA8PV

The relay should not start to switch on and off rapidly without any reason, something is definitely wrong with that. But my switch is working perfectly like it should so I'm kinda puzzled that yours do not. The schematics wont tell me much because I'm just using plug and play ready made modules, it looks really nice though.

Some people would prefer to use a solid state relay if possible, but the standard Arduino compatible solenoid relays works perfectly well and are probably the most commonly used and in all kinds of devices so thats nothing to worry about.

Hi,
Is it possible that connection of LCD interferes with remaining part of the code. May be it does additional steps when it is connected with 6 outputs.

Please answer to these two questions also. What the pump toggle switch do? Does it turn the pump on without paying attention to states the other inputs are in? In my case it turns OFF the pump and toggle LED.
What is behavior of the toggle LED?

Originally Posted by terzyans

Hi,
Is it possible that connection of LCD interferes with remaining part of the code. May be it does additional steps when it is connected with 6 outputs.

Please answer to these two questions also. What the pump toggle switch do? Does it turn the pump on without paying attention to states the other inputs are in? In my case it turns OFF the pump and toggle LED.
What is behavior of the toggle LED?

What the pump toggle switch do?
- The toggle switch is to turn on and off the pump even if the vac.switch is "on". I have used my controller (vac.switch unit) on top of my workbench and with the vac.system on the floor under it (big and heavy system), it is convenient to be able to switch the pump on or off from the unit on top of the workbench while starting the vac.bagging.

If the vac switch have reached it's threshold and turns the pump "off" it will remain so regardless of the switch position, if the toggle switch is "off" the pump will always be turned off regardless of the vac.switch. The green led (toggle led) lights up when the toggle switch is "on" so that it is clearly visible that the pump is "on" even if it's not running.

Is it possible that connection of LCD interferes with remaining part of the code. May be it does additional steps when it is connected with 6 outputs?
- If you are not using an I2C interface board with the LCD display I would guess you have too few in/outs on your board to handle that. If this is the case or otherwise I can write a simpler code for you with just the absolutely necessary functuions and we could develop it from there, this should solve your problem whatever it is.

Originally Posted by LA8PV

What the pump toggle switch do?
- The toggle switch is to turn on and off the pump even if the vac.switch is "on". I have used my controller (vac.switch unit) on top of my workbench and with the vac.system on the floor under it (big and heavy system), it is convenient to be able to switch the pump on or off from the unit on top of the workbench while starting the vac.bagging.

If the vac switch have reached it's threshold and turns the pump "off" it will remain so regardless of the switch position, if the toggle switch is "off" the pump will always be turned off regardless of the vac.switch. The green led (toggle led) lights up when the toggle switch is "on" so that it is clearly visible that the pump is "on" even if it's not running.

Is it possible that connection of LCD interferes with remaining part of the code. May be it does additional steps when it is connected with 6 outputs?
- If you are not using an I2C interface board with the LCD display I would guess you have too few in/outs on your board to handle that. If this is the case or otherwise I can write a simpler code for you with just the absolutely necessary functuions and we could develop it from there, this should solve your problem whatever it is.

Thanks a lot for the answers. Now I understand the role of the toggle switch and the led.
Thank you for your readiness to help me. As I told before, I modified the code in J-switch.ino of v3.3 and it does what I need for now. It turns on the pump when vacuum is low, and off when it riches the upper limit of vacuum. It also turns on and of the solenoid. When it goes from off to on it first turns the pump on, after 1 sec turns the valve on. When it goes from on to off it turns off the valve first and after a second the pump. In safe mode it keeps the pump on max for 10min and then switches to recovery mode for 20 min. The push button does all its functions and the potentiometers change the range and the width of the range. I will test my system with described futures for some time and if I find problems I will ask for your help.
Thank you very very much one more time.
Simon

That's great news terzyans!

What you are doing now is exactly what I have been doing all this time developing this, now that you have managed to understand how you can modify it and make it work like you want to you are pretty much self contained with this.

Some problems might appear if you try to combine several functions or settings, it's all about testing,testing and more testing. Be aware that it is almost at it's limits of the Arduino memory so it's not too much room to add much without compromising the stability.

When you are satisfied with it you could post your result and perhaps it could be helpful to other people as well, you should put your name on it too