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Thread: Arduino programming help needed

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Mar 2011
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    North Grenville, Ontario
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    Default Arduino programming help needed

    Just wondering if there was anybody out there that could help
    Me with a couple bugs I’m having with the programming on my RO controls.
    I had a guy that worked for me last year design and program the controls for my RO to run off arduino.
    He no longer works for me and I can’t get a hold of him
    I finally put it all together and it works amazing. But am having 1 slight issue with my pressure switch and would like to see if there is a way to get around it with changing the coding on the arduino.
    600 taps on vacuum
    Lapierre mechanical Releaser
    CDL electric releaser
    2.5 x 10 CDL Venturi ( new for the 2024 season )
    Home made modulating auto draw off
    Homemade RO 2 x 4" membranes
    CDL 16 x 16 bottler
    Wesfab 7" filter press
    Delaval 73 vacuum pumps

    12 hives of bees

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Aug 2009
    Location
    Wardensville, Wv
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    Default

    No promises I can help but I have worked with Arduino. There is anothwr guy on here too that might have more experience, he sells a barometric compensating drawoff.
    2023 - 38 Gallons - RO broke, Buckets didn't run, rebuilt vacuum pump mid-season, still made good syrup!
    2022 - 52 Gallons - DIY RO, 50% less fuel, no late nights in the shack!
    2021 - 48 Gallons - new pans, new arch, lots of new taps and tubing
    2020 - 32 Gallons
    2019 - 27 Gallons

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Aug 2009
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    Wardensville, Wv
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    Default

    I guess I should ask if it's a logic issue you have or a sensor input issue?
    2023 - 38 Gallons - RO broke, Buckets didn't run, rebuilt vacuum pump mid-season, still made good syrup!
    2022 - 52 Gallons - DIY RO, 50% less fuel, no late nights in the shack!
    2021 - 48 Gallons - new pans, new arch, lots of new taps and tubing
    2020 - 32 Gallons
    2019 - 27 Gallons

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Mar 2011
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    North Grenville, Ontario
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    The arduino Dosnt seem to like my mechanical pressure switch.
    When the high pressure pump kicks on it drops the pressure for like a micro second. Not even noticeable on the indicator lamp. And the arduino picks it up and shuts the system down.
    Also think the pressure switch is providing to much resistance since it’s built for 120v.
    The low voltage arduino signal seems to go a little wacky going through the switch.
    I’ve ordered an low voltage pressure transducer. So if I can somehow get that to work should be good.
    600 taps on vacuum
    Lapierre mechanical Releaser
    CDL electric releaser
    2.5 x 10 CDL Venturi ( new for the 2024 season )
    Home made modulating auto draw off
    Homemade RO 2 x 4" membranes
    CDL 16 x 16 bottler
    Wesfab 7" filter press
    Delaval 73 vacuum pumps

    12 hives of bees

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Aug 2009
    Location
    Wardensville, Wv
    Posts
    322

    Default

    I have a "bounce" in my RO and it's just a relay between the feed and high pressure pump. Just a suggestion, but maybe you could do a counting loop once the pressure hits the right spot, that might give it the delay it needs so the pressure fluctuation doesn't throw it off, so once the high pressure pump cuts on make it stay on for say 5 seconds before it starts sampling the pressure, either that or instead of a set pressure, implement it so that as long as the pressure is in a range, like 60 psi to cut on, but allow a drop or increase of 2 psi without cutting out.

    Jacob
    2023 - 38 Gallons - RO broke, Buckets didn't run, rebuilt vacuum pump mid-season, still made good syrup!
    2022 - 52 Gallons - DIY RO, 50% less fuel, no late nights in the shack!
    2021 - 48 Gallons - new pans, new arch, lots of new taps and tubing
    2020 - 32 Gallons
    2019 - 27 Gallons

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Mar 2016
    Location
    Plymouth, CT
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    46

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    I'm curious what pressure switch you are using. I made and sell a device that controls an RO pump (my motive for creating it was to allow for unattended recirculating, but it works for folks that don't as well), but I use a flow meter instead of a pressure switch. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RCiWZ4yCpJU&t

  7. #7
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    North Grenville, Ontario
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    Just a standard pressure switch. Adjustable from 0-30 psi. When set pressure is reached the switch closes and lets current through. It’s just very sensitive. And for a split second when the high pressure pump kicks in the pressure drops. Not even detectable on the light I have wired to the switch. Can’t even see it blink. But the arduino catches it and shuts system down.
    I’ve wired in a N0 momentary switch so that when I start the high pressure pump I hold the switch and it bypasses the switch while I turn pump on. Seems to work good now.
    600 taps on vacuum
    Lapierre mechanical Releaser
    CDL electric releaser
    2.5 x 10 CDL Venturi ( new for the 2024 season )
    Home made modulating auto draw off
    Homemade RO 2 x 4" membranes
    CDL 16 x 16 bottler
    Wesfab 7" filter press
    Delaval 73 vacuum pumps

    12 hives of bees

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Aug 2009
    Location
    Wardensville, Wv
    Posts
    322

    Default

    holding the start switch down is the solution i am using on mine, but i don't have a microcontroller on mine, just a relay, and the well pressure switch.
    2023 - 38 Gallons - RO broke, Buckets didn't run, rebuilt vacuum pump mid-season, still made good syrup!
    2022 - 52 Gallons - DIY RO, 50% less fuel, no late nights in the shack!
    2021 - 48 Gallons - new pans, new arch, lots of new taps and tubing
    2020 - 32 Gallons
    2019 - 27 Gallons

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Mar 2011
    Location
    North Grenville, Ontario
    Posts
    969

    Default

    With a flow meter or pressure switch. There is still a slight drop in flow and pressure drop when the second pump kicks in. Just for a split second.
    I have a 5v digital pressure switch that I would like to use instead of the mechanical pressure switch. I could then have it take measurements of pressure every second and once pressure drop is stable for say 2 seconds it shuts system off.
    I’m going to use what I have for this comming season because I don’t have the time right now to experiment with something new. I have an extra momentary switch wired in now to hold while I start up the high pressure pump once pressure is reached. It just bypasses the pressure switch while holding it in to let the system get up to pressure.
    600 taps on vacuum
    Lapierre mechanical Releaser
    CDL electric releaser
    2.5 x 10 CDL Venturi ( new for the 2024 season )
    Home made modulating auto draw off
    Homemade RO 2 x 4" membranes
    CDL 16 x 16 bottler
    Wesfab 7" filter press
    Delaval 73 vacuum pumps

    12 hives of bees

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Mar 2021
    Location
    North Central IN
    Posts
    2

    Default

    Do you have copy of the code? Unfortunately Arduino's don't let you pull code from them so without the original code copy there isn't anything you can do on the program side. Sounds like all that is missing is a simple debounce timer in the program.
    2020: Approximately 10 taps, a home made barrel evaporator, and total lack of preparedness yielded a few gallons of mediocre syrup
    2021: 17 taps, same home made barrel evaporator, slightly more prepared, 8.25 gallons of good stuff
    2022: Doubling tabs, home brew natural gas evaporator and O.G. barrel evaporator

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