Post by Pokahpolice on Apr 10, 2014 20:18:46 GMT -5
I wanted to take a few minutes to go over my thoughts on the Arduino DIY controller. I have it working enough now where I can form an opinion.
Let's start with the costs. Just like anything in life cost is relative. You can keep things very simple and keep the cost very low. The basic Arduino Uno only goes for $13.00. I bought the Arduino Mega board with a LCD touch screen which cost $45.00. Now there are quite a few hidden costs that you end up running into. Things that don't really cost a lot but end up nickle and dime-ing you to death. Power cord, wire, wire nuts, tape, solder, solder gun, sensors, resistors, breadboard, RTC, relays, project box, step downs, ext. All add up and rather quickly. I am completely lost on the actual money I have invested in this build but I can confidently say that it is over $200. Realistically you could build a very basic controller with a green screen for about $50 if you have basic electronics tools and accessories.
The good...the capabilities of this controller are endless. I currently have a controller that has a color LCD touch screen display. Even the $800 Apex still uses a basic blue screen display. You have to have it connected to an Ipad or phone to get this kind of controller. It can control everything from LEDs with sunrise and sunset and lunar schedules, to auto top offs, to auto feeders, to wave makers, to heaters and chillers / temp control, to pumps, to PH, Salinity, ext. The list is endless.
The bad...this is not a controller. If someone took an Apex controller, erased all the programing, tore out the motherboard and handed it to you...that is what this is. You have to not only build, wire and solder each component but you then need to program it. Not only does it need a program but you need to reference basic programs within the software and all the files have to be organized correctly for it to work. There is a ton of info and help online but the bottom line is that this is not a build for everyone. If you do not have basic electronics knowledge AND basic C++ programing knowledge or someone that can help you through it than this is a bad option for you.
My conclusion - personally this was a great build for me. I spent HUNDREDS of hours researching things and writing code but I enjoyed it and the end result was very rewarding. I'm going to continue to build the controlling items such as ATO, doser, ext over the next few months so I can continue to enjoy 'the build'. If you're looking at an Arduino simply as a cheap option, I would look elsewhere...unless you know what you're doing, then it's a cheap easy solution.
Let's start with the costs. Just like anything in life cost is relative. You can keep things very simple and keep the cost very low. The basic Arduino Uno only goes for $13.00. I bought the Arduino Mega board with a LCD touch screen which cost $45.00. Now there are quite a few hidden costs that you end up running into. Things that don't really cost a lot but end up nickle and dime-ing you to death. Power cord, wire, wire nuts, tape, solder, solder gun, sensors, resistors, breadboard, RTC, relays, project box, step downs, ext. All add up and rather quickly. I am completely lost on the actual money I have invested in this build but I can confidently say that it is over $200. Realistically you could build a very basic controller with a green screen for about $50 if you have basic electronics tools and accessories.
The good...the capabilities of this controller are endless. I currently have a controller that has a color LCD touch screen display. Even the $800 Apex still uses a basic blue screen display. You have to have it connected to an Ipad or phone to get this kind of controller. It can control everything from LEDs with sunrise and sunset and lunar schedules, to auto top offs, to auto feeders, to wave makers, to heaters and chillers / temp control, to pumps, to PH, Salinity, ext. The list is endless.
The bad...this is not a controller. If someone took an Apex controller, erased all the programing, tore out the motherboard and handed it to you...that is what this is. You have to not only build, wire and solder each component but you then need to program it. Not only does it need a program but you need to reference basic programs within the software and all the files have to be organized correctly for it to work. There is a ton of info and help online but the bottom line is that this is not a build for everyone. If you do not have basic electronics knowledge AND basic C++ programing knowledge or someone that can help you through it than this is a bad option for you.
My conclusion - personally this was a great build for me. I spent HUNDREDS of hours researching things and writing code but I enjoyed it and the end result was very rewarding. I'm going to continue to build the controlling items such as ATO, doser, ext over the next few months so I can continue to enjoy 'the build'. If you're looking at an Arduino simply as a cheap option, I would look elsewhere...unless you know what you're doing, then it's a cheap easy solution.
