3D Printed Arduino Fish Feeder :: The Electronics

February 4, 2015 -- Helios Labs When last we left our 3D printed Arduino fish feeder, it was all but complete. The files were uploaded on Thingiverse and SketchUp's 3D Warehouse, but the electronics still needed to be sorted out.

Note that there are two wires leading into the negative terminal of the DC 12V 1A power source, one from Arduino's GND terminal, and the other from the servo's negative wire. The Arduino is powered by a USB power adapter while the servo is powered by a typical DC wall adapter.

Now it is complete. Here's a tip on wiring up a servo alongside an Arduino (an Uno in this case): First, make sure you are powering the servo separately. We are using a 9g micro servo so a 12V 1A power adapter should be enough. Next, make sure you attach a wire from the Arduino's ground (GND) to the ground (negative) terminal used to hook up the servo. 

Open Source Solar Charge Controller

January 21, 2015 One thing that struck us when visiting the solar power grid being built by volunteers in the remote hills of Pa Deng, Phetchaburi, was the fact that all of the hardware being used was proprietary, off-the-shelf equipment. While it is being effectively used, since the project has limited resources (including a very limited budget), could part of their model include the development of homegrown open source hardware that can do more for cheaper, and do exactly what is needed for the varieties of alternative power grids used in Thailand?

Here is an Instructable by a maker in India who has developed an Arduino-based solar charge controller. The parts are themselves open source, and interestingly the Arduino flavor used is the Nano, sold by Gravitech right here in Thailand. And since the author of this Instructable was kind enough to share his knowledge on Instructables.com, his project is also very open. Known there as user Deba168, he has his own website too; Open Green Energy, providing a lot more information on his projects including the Arduino charge controller.  

NEW :: Arduino Esplora

ARduino :: Just out this month ... the Arduino Esplora. HeliosLabs has 2 Uno boards, and I'll admit I have been an electronics geek since a very young age, and I was taught how to solder before I learned to drive a car - so the Unos are just fine, and of course newbies coming here to learn are walked through the harder aspects of putting together a project. But for some people out there wanting to get into the Arduino, but not having any electronics experience, something like the Esplora might be the right first microcontroller for them.

ARDUINO PROTYPING :: PART 1

ARduino :: The Arduino microcontroller is known for simplifying the prototyping process for electronic projects. I've always loved electronics but it could be a frustrating hobby to say the least - Arduino has changed that. I had an idea for a USB coconut lantern that developed out of one of the example circuits that came with the SparkFun Arduino Inventor's Kit. Combining Circ-02 (seen below)* from the booklet with this Instructable from user Earthshine, led me on my way.