I'm looking at using something like this Kamoer pump for a few different tasks, but I don't know anything about interfacing a stepper motor driven device to Robo-Tank. Anyone have any ideas of where I should start looking, or if maybe something already exists? I'd like to use them for automatic water changes, and maybe a few other things. I'm thinking of trying to build an automatic alkalinity tester.
Peristaltic pumps that use stepper motors + Robo-Tank
- Thread starter kdx7214
- Start date
Hi, nice pump you found, I really like that price.
The drivers you mentioned in the email, DRV8825 or A4988, would be ok. I think it might be easiest to first find a tutorial with some basic code to run on the Pi so you can get things working. Then move over to reef-pi for control but I don't know if it's possible.
Hopefully you have a DB9 serial connector available on the main controller, these are all untouched GPIO's from the Pi. In the tutorial it should show connections directly to the Pi GPIO's so on controller just connect to the DB9. You can get a DB9 adapter to make connections easier.
The latest reef-pi does have support for stepper drivers but I haven't heard of anyone using it so don't know if or how well it works. I am thinking it might not work for your application as I believe reef-pi only controls them as a dosing pump which I don't think you could configure for an ATO. If you have the latest reef-pi running see if you can access it from ATO tab but I think only on dosing pump tab. It will also require 5 or 6 GPIO's so you'll only be able to connect one unless a bunch of them can share a GPIO in reef-pi. When you look at the settings you'll see what the GPIO's are for.
Another option is to run a script for the stepper motors and use the reef-pi API to interact with the script but that would be fairly advanced.
The drivers you mentioned in the email, DRV8825 or A4988, would be ok. I think it might be easiest to first find a tutorial with some basic code to run on the Pi so you can get things working. Then move over to reef-pi for control but I don't know if it's possible.
Hopefully you have a DB9 serial connector available on the main controller, these are all untouched GPIO's from the Pi. In the tutorial it should show connections directly to the Pi GPIO's so on controller just connect to the DB9. You can get a DB9 adapter to make connections easier.
The latest reef-pi does have support for stepper drivers but I haven't heard of anyone using it so don't know if or how well it works. I am thinking it might not work for your application as I believe reef-pi only controls them as a dosing pump which I don't think you could configure for an ATO. If you have the latest reef-pi running see if you can access it from ATO tab but I think only on dosing pump tab. It will also require 5 or 6 GPIO's so you'll only be able to connect one unless a bunch of them can share a GPIO in reef-pi. When you look at the settings you'll see what the GPIO's are for.
Another option is to run a script for the stepper motors and use the reef-pi API to interact with the script but that would be fairly advanced.
Forgot to answer about the Pi 3/4. Sounds like you have case for Pi Zero, two options. Print new cases or you can cut out the two sides where the Pi ports go, I've done that once and didn't look to bad either. I recommend the Pi 3 as the the 4 gets much hotter and does require cooling fan. I run Pi 3 without cooling and it's fine but certainly hotter then the Zero.
What I'd like to do is have the control of the stepper completely isolated from the pi, so that all that needs to be sent is a simple on/off to the pump. At least that is what I'd like to do for the automatic water change. Could probably get by with that for the ATO as well. For an automatic alkalinity tester I'd have to do something different, but I have no problems using an esp32 or something to control that. Actually, the esp32 route might be a good method in general, if I can figure out how to connect it to the reef-pi setup.
Would you happen to know if reef-pi supports REST api or something from it's scripts? If so, I might be able to come up with something on the esp32.
I'll dig into this and post more when I figure that part out.
By the way, do you have STL files for the pi 3 case? If I can ever get this damned Ender 3 to work I could print it myself.
Thanks!
That's a good idea, you could use a GPIO and set it to LOW and HIGH to switch the pump. The esp32 could read the LOW/HIGH and do it's thing. I think you could then use an "Outlet" in reef-pi and switch via the ATO.
Not sure about the API, never looked into it. I think there's a link within reef-pi that brings up info on it.
Here's a link for all the cases. Hope you get yours going, I know they can be stubborn sometimes.
Robo-Tank 3D Printable Cases
A collection of Robo-Tank 3D printable cases for the reef-pi deluxe aquarium controller and accessories. Also various brackets for your favorite water sensors. Download STL and Sketchup Free design files.
www.robo-tank.ca
That's a good idea, you could use a GPIO and set it to LOW and HIGH to switch the pump. The esp32 could read the LOW/HIGH and do it's thing. I think you could then use an "Outlet" in reef-pi and switch via the ATO.
Not sure about the API, never looked into it. I think there's a link within reef-pi that brings up info on it.
Here's a link for all the cases. Hope you get yours going, I know they can be stubborn sometimes.
Robo-Tank 3D Printable Cases
A collection of Robo-Tank 3D printable cases for the reef-pi deluxe aquarium controller and accessories. Also various brackets for your favorite water sensors. Download STL and Sketchup Free design files.
Heh, stubborn is the understatement of the millenia. I've never seen such a poorly made piece of equipment as a Creality Ender 3.