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Using the Teensy 3.5

Home Forums Other Data Loggers Using the Teensy 3.5

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    • #15779
      Rick Vogel
      Participant

        Setting up this topic at the request of @neilh to discuss advances we have made using the Teensy 3.5 board for logging data and have been able to establish remote updating, as well as, a bootloader that allows for boot from the loaded program, but checks for boot file on the uSD card first as a potential update to the program.

        Bootloader is taken from the uTasker project: https://www.utasker.com/kinetis/TEENSY_3.5.html

        Solar Charger(Dual Battery version): https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0079/6003/5417/files/ASC30W_Installation_Manual.pdf

        Cellular: XBee LTE-M/NB IoT

        • Used for both MQTT with TLS 1.2 and FTP-Secure for remote updating of Xbee and Teensy files
          • Teensy files are pulled down by Xbee and transferred via serial to Teensy. Teensy writes to SD Card as received and reboots
      • #15783
        neilh20
        Participant

          @vogelrnws thanks.  Would you have an overall schematic of it. Sounds like Solar to +12V.  Then guessing +12V battery that is the main power source. Then  Teensy3.5 supply 3.5to5.5V, possibly also Xbee LTE boards

          https://www.pjrc.com/store/teensy35.html

          Probably a carrier board for the Teensy3.4 and LTE board?

           

        • #15785
          Rick Vogel
          Participant

            @neilh,

            Yes, we have solar to the charger and into (2)12V 9aH batteries (in parallel). The Teensy and Xbee are on a custom motherboard we designed. Has lots of the IO broken out and spots for Adafruit GPS, RTC battery, ESP32 (older requirement) and Wiz850io Ethernet.

            See pic attached

          • #15787
            Rick Vogel
            Participant

              12V to 5V is a DC/DC Din Rail supply P/N: MDR-20-5. The board takes in 5V and and has a 3.3V LDO onboard for those 3.3V parts that pull more than the teensy 3.3V output can provide.

            • #15789
              neilh20
              Participant

                Ahh very nice.  I’m sure its worth it to get a standard design for all climates, and able to cope with keeping some sensors warm.   Seems like the cost is going to go up dramatically though. Powering is a lot of cost and of course IP65 space is costly (for those batteries!!).  I wonder if it is open sourced, or a private contract design.  I use a 4.4AH LiIon, which is quite large for the Mayfly, and of course it can only charge at a max of 0.5A/hr – which means the solar panel is only about 3Watts (though easy to oversize to cope with shading) . Thanks for sharing and the references.

              • #15790
                Rick Vogel
                Participant

                  We use a polycase 12x10x6 customized enclosure for under $85 with everything predrilled https://www.polycase.com/yh-121006.

                  We made a custom din rail bracket to hold the two batteries. 10W panel for solar but charger will accommodate up to 30W

                • #15791
                  neilh20
                  Participant

                    Thanks, good for reference – the critical aspect of any plastic outdoor box is I understand polycarbonate and those IP65 seals 🙂 Keep out the falling rain. Those ants like to get in if they can, so it is a challenge. I really appreciate the detailed guide of what to think about with https://www.envirodiy.org/mayfly-sensor-station-manual/ though I choose my polycarbonate box based on the project.

                    When building a system, I do try and document it for myself so that I can easily repeat it, and also share it. The Mayfly can fit in a small space ~ NBB-15240 with the uSD facing outwards for easy offloading.
                    Sometimes though its the instrument wires and dessicant that need routing space, so I’ve also been using the Bud PTQ-11050 and for testing PTQ-11050-C.

                    Still it would be soo nice to have a processor with at least 4 UARTs, an embedded USB host, and a 1M flash, enough ram and timers for totalizing/counting … with a little screen for site provisioning. I’m playing around with the Wio Terminal – https://wiki.seeedstudio.com/Wio-Terminal-Getting-Started/ but how to get the sleep power usage down, and have it take an Xbee format socket with Digi LTE powering, with all the software open source license…. as ever a variety of engineering challenges. 🙂

                  • #15794
                    Rick Vogel
                    Participant

                      I misspoke on the DC/DC supply. It is a Meanwell DDR-15G-5. Pic of the guts on that polycase is attached.

                       

                    • #15813
                      neilh20
                      Participant

                        @vogelrnws nice to se the layout. That battery holder looks pretty solid and as you said 2 *12V * 9Ah gives 216WHr of capacity. a LiIon at 4.4AH @ 4V is 16Ah.
                        Its great to have a discussion about the mechanical side, what works, what doesn’t work so well.
                        Seems like on of the challenges is that uSD is right up against the side of the cabinet – doesn’t appear like it can be easily removed. Would require the Teensy 3.5 to be pulled first.
                        I wonder also if there is any protection for static/lightening on the instrument leads. That’s a problem in certain parts of the country.

                        The DIN rails take some thinking about. The issue as I see it is how to do assembly simple and reliably. If the screws are inserted from the front, and require a nut at the back to hold it, it can become a challenge for replacement in the field.

                        https://www.mcmaster.com/din-rails/ shows some of the options for clips that might solve that.

                        For the Mayfly, in the Arduino style of a low cost environment, I’ve been using a plastic polycarbonate bar, and configuring it for the mayfly holes.   Here is a write up .. Bud Ptq 11050 Enclosure

                         

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