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Complete Pinshack and workshop build

It really is looking good. And will represent a MASSIVE saving on a factory built unit. Especially given the spec you have built it to, as the shed manufacturers really start adding in cost when you start insulating them properly
 
It really is looking good. And will represent a MASSIVE saving on a factory built unit. Especially given the spec you have built it to, as the shed manufacturers really start adding in cost when you start insulating them properly
thanks bud - yeah for less than 6k with everything I do think it has saved a hell of a lot of money. From what other people have said nearer 30k for my spec pre built!!!

Cheers

kev
 
So is everyone here saying it looks good?

I think Kev exceeded his Mongolian genetics buts that's as far as I'll go.
 
Excellent build you've done there kev. I'll have to have a drive up and and check it out.
Pics look great but you can't beat being there. :thumbs:

I'll call into the chippy in Seaton on route, lol
 
Excellent build you've done there kev. I'll have to have a drive up and and check it out.
Pics look great but you can't beat being there. :thumbs:

I'll call into the chippy in Seaton on route, lol
yeah when its finished properly no sweat man!!!
 
Its been a while guys so thought I would give you a quick update with what is going on with the build.

I nearly have all the timber and parts for the sauna build now, just waiting on the glass door and the alder bench slats so work can begin in earnest (want it done before xmas!)

So meanwhile, I have started to build the control unit that will control all of the lighting, heating and sauna within the build via the Blynk app on my phone and tablet. I have so far managed to source a very nice large Rittal project box with clear lid and mounted in it the Arduino Mega with WS5100 piggy back network module, the two 8ch relay boards(one for each side of the build ie pinshack and workshop) and the 4ch Solid state relay board that will control the heating(2ch spare at the moment).

I have also done all the TTL interlink ribbon cables for the logic control side and it is now pretty much ready to go into the shack to have everything hooked up into it. The box may look pretty empty at the moment but in total there will be 19 x 1mm T&E cables, 2 x 2.5mm T&E cables and 6 data signalling cables(2 x occupancy sensors, 3 temp monitors and 1 x sauna control) all going in so it will get pretty busy in there once everything is connected!!

Here is a pic of the progress on this so far

@Wizcat you may want to watch this from here bud to see how the Blynk app works with this lot!!!

the 2 ribbons at top of pic are 16 switch inputs, the other choc blocks are goinjg to be neutral busbars, earth busbars, +5vDC busbars and GND busbars
IMG_2570.JPG

Cheers

Kev
 
why are you using that system? Is it cost? I'd have thought its a lot of effort to do when there are a huge number of off the shelf solutions now?

Neil.
 
why are you using that system? Is it cost? I'd have thought its a lot of effort to do when there are a huge number of off the shelf solutions now?

Neil.
Hi Neil,
Advantage is I can program it myself and it cost zero!!! apart form the hardware - which also costs nearly zero. 16 ch equivalent + 4Ch heating kit would of cost a fortune. Here are a few taster preview screen shots form the Blynk app I am just setting up - so no where near complete yet.

Watch this space as it develops.

IMG_2579.PNG IMG_2576.PNG IMG_2577.PNG IMG_2578.PNG

Cheers

Kev
 
Kev,
looks like a cool system, where did you get the controller from?

Neil.
 
Kev,
looks like a cool system, where did you get the controller from?

Neil.
I designed it all Neil from component parts - there is basically an arduino mega with a a piggyback w5100 network card, 2 8 ch relay cards for the lighting(and spare channels on them) and a 4ch Solid state relay card to control the heating. In each of the rooms is a DHT22 temp/humidity monitor and one also outside. I wrote all the software myself. The blynk app is free and just adds control vai IoT(internet of things). All the lights can be worked with physical switches in the each room and these feedback to the arduino to update the app in Blynk with the status of each switch. This keeps them in sync with the app

When its fully complete and all debugged I will put a vid on if anyone wants to see it in operation.

Cheers

Kev
 
Got the box of tricks fitted on saturday and wired up 2 of the channels. All seems to be good except I am having problems with the network connection in the shed. The arduino just keeps dropping the network connection so more investigation required to get this going. I suspect there may be an issue with the 30m cable run to the pinshack from the house which will be a complete knacker if it is as all buried undeground in conduit now!!!!

IMG_2580.JPG IMG_2581.JPG
 
30m should be fine for Ethernet - I’d guess maybe a dodgy termination?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro
 
30m should be fine for Ethernet - I’d guess maybe a dodgy termination?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro
checked and remade both ends twice neil - doing my nut in - brand new cable as well any other ideas ?

Cheers

kev
 
If it is coming from the Router in the house, What connection speed is it showing on that port??

I had it a few times where the connection was there, however instead of being 1Gb it was 100Mb. Seems like it was a problem with one of the cores not making proper contact.

i invested in one of these just to prove and found that i had one single dodgy core in the cable. There ARE cheaper ones available...

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B01HDASKC4/

Edit : Even something like this : https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/282387797509 (Select Cable Tester)

might be worth checking out :)

30M is easily fine - Specs on ethernet say 100m as Cat5 or Cat5e... :)
 
Last edited:
[QUOTE="Big Phil, post: 230598, member: 194"

Did you not put a draw cable in the conduit?[/QUOTE]


Cut the end of the cat5 cable and use it as the draw cable to replace itself if needed. Then put a draw rope on as well for adding additional cables if needed in the future
 
[QUOTE="Big Phil, post: 230598, member: 194"

Did you not put a draw cable in the conduit?


Cut the end of the cat5 cable and use it as the draw cable to replace itself if needed. Then put a draw rope on as well for adding additional cables if needed in the future[/QUOTE]
Hi guys no draw wire as quite a few 90 degree bends so doubt it would pull all around those. Anyway there isn't an issue with the cat5 between router and shed I am getting 75mb DL speed and 19 Mb UL speed - which is exactly the same as the router so I suspect there is an issue between the PoE router in the shed and the arduino. Will do some trace debugging of the blynk code tonight and see if I can see why it is not connecting - beginning to wonder if it is the 8 port PoE that may be blocking ports or something ?

Cheers

kev
 
802.3af or at for the POE Kev?

Just wondering, since af powers 44 V DC at up to 350 mA.... so if you are on the edge of this it might explain why there are dropouts...
 
Assuming you are using the Poe to power the ardunio ?

Can you run it temporarily of an injector or dedicated PSU for a bit to eliminate Poe issues ?
 
Assuming you are using the Poe to power the ardunio ?

Can you run it temporarily of an injector or dedicated PSU for a bit to eliminate Poe issues ?
no guys the PoE is just for the IP camera on the front of the shed there are 4 no PoE on the switch that I am using for the arduino etc The arduino has its own power supply you can just see it in the top right of the the picture earlier
 
My guess would be the arduino is dropping connection if its not used for a while? Might be worth trying adding a periodic ping request in the main loop every 5 mins or so?
 
My guess would be the arduino is dropping connection if its not used for a while? Might be worth trying adding a periodic ping request in the main loop every 5 mins or so?
Thanks Paul - think I have it sorted now just debugging software and trying find the other ends of cables the appear to marked up wrong for the wall switches - aaargh!!!

Cheers

Kev
 
Hi Guys,

Slow progress on all the wiring that has to be done into my control unit. All the lighting circuits for the pinshack side are now in and working 2 way - ie from the 5 gang wall switches in the shack and from the buttons on my iphone. Last night I got the external temp sensor and the pinshack sensor installed and wired up. These are working great and now I can move onto the next stage of actually the control unit to control the heating. More on this later when it is up and running.

Here is the external and pinshack sensors. I mounted the DHT22s on a little abs box so I could connect them back to the control unit. Looks quite neat.

External up under the canopy of the shed

IMG_2608.JPG
and internal
IMG_2609.JPG

Here are the readings I was getting just an hour ago
IMG_2611.PNG

And from the graph (albeit not much data yet) you can see the pinshack temp and humidity is nice and stable

IMG_2612.PNG

Cheers

kev
 
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