28-Jan-2017 New updates - corrections to scheamtic, stripboard layout, PCB files. Updates to firmware and Windows app to follow.will be posted in next few days. Updates are as a result of discovering bugs in original schematic and code that this project was based on.
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Hello, this is a great project! I tried to collect it, but the seeing values for me are almost always equal to 0.12 or 0.15 (after switching on, they fall from 5.05 within two or three minutes). In complete darkness, or if I point the sensor at the Sun, the readings are the same, about 0.15. Please tell me what could be the problem?
Thank you.
2 things
the sensor is connected the wrong way round
the variable pot was set incorrectly
The sensor is very easy to destroy, I have blown quite a few. Very difficult to get it working
I have not gone back to this project - I lost interest after my unit started giving strange readings, about 3 months from memory, replaces the sensor and it wouldnt go so I moved on (I had also parted with my solar telescope around the same time).
Hello, this is a great project! I tried to collect it, but the seeing values for me are almost always equal to 0.12 or 0.15 (after switching on, they fall from 5.05 within two or three minutes). In complete darkness, or if I point the sensor at the Sun, the readings are the same, about 0.15. Please tell me what could be the problem?
Thank you.
I used your fritzing PCB, so I think the variable pot is set correctly (but to check I soldered another board and the result was the same). Probably the matter is in the quality of the sensor (I carefully read your manual, and I understand where the cathode is at the sensor, so I think I connected it correctly).
Do you remember if there are any recommendations for calibration or tuning? Perhaps the lmc6484 pins should have a specific voltage that can be adjusted using the variable pot?
Can you remember what values the device shows without the Sun in the room or if the light of a lantern is directed at it?
I would be very grateful for any information. By the way, I also put together your focuser and it is just great.
Thank you
Ivan
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DO NOT FORGET TO CALCULATE THE CONTROLLER USING THE 2K-Ohm POT AS PER INSTRUCTIONS
The feedback resistor is normally adjusted such that the voltage output registers a maximum of one volt increase when the photodiode is in full sun, no clouds (mine was 0.95 or thereabouts, 1pm sun high in the sky, no clouds).
It is measured on the A0 pin of the Arduino chip.
It was designed for use by VTP4085H, but I could not source those at the time, so the BPW24 was used.
Thank you very much for your message, Robert. I really skipped this and just uploaded the sketch.
Today was a clear day and a low winter sun. For tuning, I used three photodiodes (I changed them periodically to eliminate the problems of one). I uploaded your latest sketch and the "My solar" application opened, with the previous version, it did not open for me (I tried two computers). I set the voltage to 1V (I tried both 0.95 and 1.05) to A0.
The dynamics and the range of values have hardly changed, everything is still hovering around zero. But now the values are negative. On a low Sun without clouds, they varied from -0.07 to -0.15, rarely more or less, but what is most interesting, if I covered the sensor with my hand, the readings did not change much.
One of the three sensors, after I connected sssm to another computer, stably showed -0.95 both in the sun and in the dark.
It is difficult to draw conclusions, but it seems to me that the matter is in bpw34. I have heard that some of them are not IR sensitive. Although it is possible, I am wrong.
Anyway, I will order a new batch of bpw34 and try to find vtp4085h.
Thanks again for your recommendations.
Ivan
If you would like to refer to this comment somewhere else in this project, copy and paste the following link:
28-Jan-2017 New updates - corrections to scheamtic, stripboard layout, PCB files. Updates to firmware and Windows app to follow.will be posted in next few days. Updates are as a result of discovering bugs in original schematic and code that this project was based on.
4th Feb 2017 New Windows app uploaded - logging fixed. Uploaded myLogViewerPro which can view data logfiles.
05 March 2017. Updates to OLED firmware and support files.
21 March 2017 Major changes to OLED code
02April2017 New Yahoo support group at https://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/myArduinoDIY/info for the myDCFocuser, myDewController, myFocuser, myGPS, mySQM and mySolar products.
12 Oct 2017 - New Arduino Firmware v106
23-April-2019 - Added gerber files so can now order PCB at low cost from EasyEDA
Hello, this is a great project! I tried to collect it, but the seeing values for me are almost always equal to 0.12 or 0.15 (after switching on, they fall from 5.05 within two or three minutes). In complete darkness, or if I point the sensor at the Sun, the readings are the same, about 0.15. Please tell me what could be the problem?
Thank you.
2 things
the sensor is connected the wrong way round
the variable pot was set incorrectly
The sensor is very easy to destroy, I have blown quite a few. Very difficult to get it working
I have not gone back to this project - I lost interest after my unit started giving strange readings, about 3 months from memory, replaces the sensor and it wouldnt go so I moved on (I had also parted with my solar telescope around the same time).
Regards
Robert
Hello, this is a great project! I tried to collect it, but the seeing values for me are almost always equal to 0.12 or 0.15 (after switching on, they fall from 5.05 within two or three minutes). In complete darkness, or if I point the sensor at the Sun, the readings are the same, about 0.15. Please tell me what could be the problem?
Thank you.
Attachments:
Updates
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Thank you very much for your answer, Robert.
I used your fritzing PCB, so I think the variable pot is set correctly (but to check I soldered another board and the result was the same). Probably the matter is in the quality of the sensor (I carefully read your manual, and I understand where the cathode is at the sensor, so I think I connected it correctly).
Do you remember if there are any recommendations for calibration or tuning? Perhaps the lmc6484 pins should have a specific voltage that can be adjusted using the variable pot?
Can you remember what values the device shows without the Sun in the room or if the light of a lantern is directed at it?
I would be very grateful for any information. By the way, I also put together your focuser and it is just great.
Thank you
Ivan
The firmware says
DO NOT FORGET TO CALCULATE THE CONTROLLER USING THE 2K-Ohm POT AS PER INSTRUCTIONS
The feedback resistor is normally adjusted such that the voltage output registers a maximum of one volt increase when the photodiode is in full sun, no clouds (mine was 0.95 or thereabouts, 1pm sun high in the sky, no clouds).
It is measured on the A0 pin of the Arduino chip.
It was designed for use by VTP4085H, but I could not source those at the time, so the BPW24 was used.
Please try attached firmware
Thank you very much for your message, Robert. I really skipped this and just uploaded the sketch.
Today was a clear day and a low winter sun. For tuning, I used three photodiodes (I changed them periodically to eliminate the problems of one). I uploaded your latest sketch and the "My solar" application opened, with the previous version, it did not open for me (I tried two computers). I set the voltage to 1V (I tried both 0.95 and 1.05) to A0.
The dynamics and the range of values have hardly changed, everything is still hovering around zero. But now the values are negative. On a low Sun without clouds, they varied from -0.07 to -0.15, rarely more or less, but what is most interesting, if I covered the sensor with my hand, the readings did not change much.
One of the three sensors, after I connected sssm to another computer, stably showed -0.95 both in the sun and in the dark.
It is difficult to draw conclusions, but it seems to me that the matter is in bpw34. I have heard that some of them are not IR sensitive. Although it is possible, I am wrong.
Anyway, I will order a new batch of bpw34 and try to find vtp4085h.
Thanks again for your recommendations.
Ivan
I had not tested the ino file with the windows app. I should have stated that one should use the serial monitor of the Arduino IDE to see the output,
you need to put this statement at the end of setup to enable use with the serial monitor
logging = true;so it looks like
Many thanks.
But I couldn't insert this code, error: 'logging' does not name a type.
Ivan
I have not yet found time to test this (attached) - too busy on the updates for myFilterWheel and mySQM+ updates.
R
Last edit: brownrb 2022-01-15