Teakgate

[WakeGirl]

I've never heard of an Arduino but they look pretty interesting. How hard would it be for a noob to learn to program one ?

I could send you the 25 page report that we did on how to control a greenhouse with it if you like.

[Malibuzer]

Which Audrino device are you using? I may want to buy one to play with. I see all sorts of possibilities.

[Levi900RR]

It really depends on what you want to do. Grab one and hop onto their website and walk through some of their tutorials. You will be blinking LEDs and smiling in no time.

Just remember "no time" coming from a programer = 60 hours straight for normal humans...

[mica]

I'll have to look up the name of the GPS's I've tested. There have been so many it is hard to keep track. I have yet to find a "bad" one. They all lock on quickly and seem to update as advertised (1Hz, 5Hz, 10Hz). Which one are you having trouble with? Maybe I can help. I know things to not....

GPS voltage - 3.3V units will need a voltage conversion circuit to allow the GPS to talk with a 5V based controller.

GPS Config - before talking the GPS you should send it a proper config telling it what rate you would like it to update and also what NEMA strings you would like to receive, along with the baud rate. If the baud rate is too slow and your update rate is very high, you will get erratic performance since the serial line will over run with data.

Hello Martin,

Thanks for your answer... You was right the main problem was in the communication speed between the GPS module and the Arduino software. I was trying to read the GPS tram at each software cycle without waiting that the tram is completed. The result was corrupted datas. I have now a 200 ms delay to be sure that I have the whole tram. And I will keep working on the software.

I search on the web to find how to change the settings of the GPS but I did not find anything for the one I have. He is actually working at 1 Hz with 9600 bauds.

I will keep looking tomorrow to try to find something.

I have this shield: http://linksprite.com/wiki/index.php5?title=GPS_Shield_With_SD_Card_Slot_for_Arduino_V2.0_A

[martinarcher]

Good deal. I'm glad that helped. Reading the serial stream from the GPS when it is not ready will certainly lead to bad data. If you pace it or check the serial status, that is the best thing to ensure you aren't getting trashed packets. If you are running at 1Hz, you probably won't need to worry about re-configuring the GPS since a 9600 baud should handle the default data stream coming from your GPS receiver.

[martinarcher]

Alright guys....time for an update, you fellow nerd will enjoy this project. I've been working hard on getting a custom controller constructed for the Teakgate controls to replace my box of spaghetti and help others on the board that want to control their gates with a plug and play box. The last two to three weeks have been nuts. Someday I'll have to catch up on sleep, but right now I'm having too much fun soldering and prototyping. I designed a board and finally have my prototype in hand.

I ordered some PCB and used a friends CNC to drill the thru-hole and vias and the etched the copper traces myself so save cost on the prototype since one off boards are typically around $1k. The first board had some parts spacing with pads and also hole spacing. I learned this after mounting the majority of the parts, oh well - live and learn. I changed the board to fix my spacing issues and CNC'ed and etched a new board. All the layout looks great and I got a full board assembled late on Tues night and have been testing the last couple nights. I have all the relay outputs working great and was working on testing the GPS and LCD last night.

Here's some pics....

The PCB on the mill....

Ironing on the traces....poorman's long, tedious, and miserable way to manufacture boards.

Etching the board with acid.....

Hand assembled board complete....I can't wait for production boards with real vias that will make assemble so much easier. Keep in mind, that's a hand built prototype (including the board). Some parts needed some "hand alignment:.

In the enclosure....with a couple spaghetti jumpers (need to re-lay two traces. Not too bad for Rev2)

Now I have to put the 6 ports in the box for the LCD, GPS, Switches, Perfect Pass output, Power, and surf outputs.

I'm excited. I'm getting closer to a clean box of controls. Tonight I'll hopefully get the GPS talking and the microSD card tested. Whoo hoo!

[TrickyNicky]

Likely not my cup of tea to do but damn that is definitely cool!!! There isn't enough time in the world to do all the projects I'd like to.

[shawndoggy]

All other DIY hacks bow down to the great MA!

[MalibuTime]

Awesome work MA, that is great that you have the know how to program and construct such a device. Throw that thing in a paint shaker and if it passes that test it will survive anything the 'Bu can throw at it.

[srintx]

You are amazing!

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[WakeGirl]

MA,

One of the classes that I just finished was digital logic, & a lot of it was elementary design of boards like that (actually little pieces of the board, it was a very introductory class). It was a crossover class that both EE & CS majors have to take. Sometime I'd love to see how you did it.

[martinarcher]

Thanks guys. It's not pretty, but it's just a prototype. Lots of testing going on and sea trials to make sure it's rugged enough. I'll probably run it through the vibration table at work as well to be sure it can take the wakes it will see. I know I'll have to epoxy the relay bases down, but the rest of it is small components that shouldn't have any trouble at all.

WG - Sounds like a fun and awesome class. Which part are you interested in? The home brew board etching?

[martinarcher]

Tonight was a good night.....my propeller hat was spinning good all night.

I got the GPS working on the new board along with the LCD display. It's cool to see some of the code I've been working on finally display the gate status up on the LCD when I jumper the switch inputs to actuate the gates. Tomorrow night I'll have to build a new smaller switch box for the switches and label it this time. You have no idea how many times I have yelled from the wake, "throw the switch closes to the yellow wire!" etc.

Hard to get locked onto satellites in the basement so I had to resort to 12V battery power and head out onto the deck.

This is the display when the right gate is extending....

After the right gate completes and the surf wave has formed on the left/port side (regular surf)....

Left Gate extending......

Wave fully formed (gate extended) on the right/starboard/goofy side....

I debated what to display when the gate finishes extending....

Surf Left

Surf Regular

Surf Port

Thoughts? I think Left and Right might be the simplest and easiest to understand. The arrow points to where the wave is.

It gets to ride to work in the passenger seat tomorrow to test the GPS speed accuracy. It was dead on when I did the resolution testing of the different receivers.

[rugger]

It should also tell you when people are in the wrong seats for the cleanest wave.

[pihlstrom]

You are amazing!

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+1!!!

[Levi900RR]

That is so cool man, nice work!

[Clutch-n-Throttle]

I bow in the glory of your awesomeness!

[WakeGirl]

Thanks guys. It's not pretty, but it's just a prototype. Lots of testing going on and sea trials to make sure it's rugged enough. I'll probably run it through the vibration table at work as well to be sure it can take the wakes it will see. I know I'll have to epoxy the relay bases down, but the rest of it is small components that shouldn't have any trouble at all.

WG - Sounds like a fun and awesome class. Which part are you interested in? The home brew board etching?

The logic behind it. It was a really difficult class, but sometimes seeing something in real life that applies can help explain what the prof was trying to get at. No rush, I'd just like to see it when you're all finished (and we both know what "finished" really means ).

[martinarcher]

The logic behind it. It was a really difficult class, but sometimes seeing something in real life that applies can help explain what the prof was trying to get at. No rush, I'd just like to see it when you're all finished (and we both know what "finished" really means ).

Right on.....someday...in a land far far away.

[demo9asx]

Wow, don't even know what to say...............................

[WakeGirl]

Right on.....someday...in a land far far away.

Don't you mean in a galaxy far far away? If I make it out to your WOW in one of the coming summers, you'll have to walk me through all of it.

[martinarcher]

Don't you mean in a galaxy far far away? If I make it out to your WOW in one of the coming summers, you'll have to walk me through all of it.

You got me.

Right on! That would be awesome! See you July 12th.

[mica]

Congrats Mat!!

Really a great job! i think you will solve lot of problem and headache for the guys who want to make a DIY surfgate system

Just one question why did you use 4 relays to activate the gate in state of 2 H bridges?

The cool thing with the H bridge is that you can calculate the current draw by the lenco tabs and make a safety when they are retracting. If you pass a current value it will just stop the movement like Malibu did on is own system...

One more time great job and thanks to have been the pioneer in the automated DIY surfgate project!

[edsvlx]

I do , sending a little extra support. Dam Dude!

[wakebrdr94]

I don't think there will be another DIY that I can do that will make me fell good about myself after seeing this. Awesome work!