Dropcontroller V3

[Marco]

I built the Dropcontroller V3, it works almost everything except the Bluetooth. When will the two analog inputs and the third flash be implemented in the Windows software?

I used a 2,2k resistance instead of a 2k near the HC-06. Can it create problems?

Sorry for my English but I am Italian

[Martyn]

Using a 2.2k resistor should be OK.

I am updating the version 2 sketch and apps and once I have these done I will add a Bluetooth check sketch. In the meantime I have quite a bit on Bluetooth at martyncurrey.com

• This reply was modified 2 years ago by Martyn.

[Marco]

thank you very much you are a myth

[Martyn]

Hi Marco,

I have updated the apps and sketches and all should be OK now.
I have also added a short guide on setting up a HC-06 Bluetooth module at http://www.dropcontroller.com/setting-up-checking-bluetooth/

[John Jensen]

Hi Martyn!
Thank you very much for keep developing the drop controller! I build gear for my wifes drop photography (www.anita-k-foto.dk/), and was about to make some modifications to her controller, when I noticed V3. Perfect timing 🙂 We have a few suggestions:
1. In the software, add a enable/disable checkbox for each triggerable item, (camera, flash, solenoids) This would make test/timing shots much easier, this could perhaps replace the “number of valves” function.
2. When/If you make the change to the Mega 2560 or find some extra ports some other way, add more flash,camera and solenoid outputs perhaps a servo or two;-)

/John

[Martyn]

Hi John,

Thank you very much for keep developing the drop controller!

My Pleasure. Building the controller has become a hobby in it’s own right.

I build gear for my wifes drop photography (www.anita-k-foto.dk/), and was about to make some modifications to her controller, when I noticed V3. Perfect timing 🙂

Nice site.

We have a few suggestions:
1. In the software, add a enable/disable checkbox for each triggerable item, (camera, flash, solenoids) This would make test/timing shots much easier, this could perhaps replace the “number of valves” function.
2. When/If you make the change to the Mega 2560 or find some extra ports some other way, add more flash,camera and solenoid outputs perhaps a servo or two;-)

I hadn’t thought about enabling/disabling the solenoid valves. You can now turn the camera and flash triggers on/off though.

I hadn’t planned on moving away from the Nano and so don’t have any plans on using the MEGA. If you want a MEGA based feature rich device have a look at Michael Ross’s High Speed Photo Trigger.

I think the two analogue triggers is the end of the extra additions. The whole point of building just a valve controller was so that it was as simple as possible and easy to build.

[Theo Bosters]

no need for extra flash ports, put one flash in master mode and the other in slave, or use radio triggers

[Marco]

Thank you so much for the update. Everything works, but the bluetooth is activated only if I leave the USB socket connected to Arduino Nano. I do not know why, anyway, thank you

[Martyn]

Hi Marco,

just gave it another test, Windows PC to dropController via Bluetooth, works fine.

Are initialising a COM port with the Bluetooth function before attempting to connect to the dropController?

[Marco]

I have a PC windows too. I followed all your steps in the HC-06 bluethoot guide. I’m also able to change the name with the command AT + NAME, but when I load the sketch dropController V3 I can not connect via bluethoot, or rather I can only make the I connect the USB socket. If the gap gives me error

[Marco]

I have a Chinese HC-06 module

[Marco]

maybe I found the mistake. I put an IRFZ44N in place of an IRF9Z24

[Marco]

thank you very much for your advice

[Marco]

[Marco]

[url=https://flic.kr/p/2f9pexJ]
[img]https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4917/47352752412_8ae844d785_k.jpg[/img]
[/url][url=https://flic.kr/p/2f9pexJ]Senza titolo[/url] by [url=https://www.flickr.com/photos/fotofabris/]Marco Fabris[/url], su Flickr

https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4917/47352752412_8ae844d785_k.jpg

• This reply was modified 1 year, 10 months ago by Martyn.
• This reply was modified 1 year, 10 months ago by Martyn.
• This reply was modified 1 year, 10 months ago by Martyn.

[Marco]

• This reply was modified 1 year, 10 months ago by Martyn.

[John Jensen]

What prompted you to switch to Mosfets instead of the tips? I am 99% done with V3, and to be honest, I hadn’t noticed the change 😀 Will I get in trouble for using the TIPs? Was it to facilitate the drain switches?

Regards.
John

[Martyn]

No issues using TIPxxxs, just make sure you connect them correctly and use suitable value resistors (remember TIPs are current based. Mosfets are voltage based).

Reason for switching to mosfets; influenced by all the internet experts I came across. Did make the circuit a little simpler though and mosfets draw less current (although this is still relatively small).

In my own tests, for use with switching solenoids, I found no discernible difference between mosfets and TIPs. You need to look at the nanoseconds scale to see a difference.

[Pierre Charpentier]

Hello,

I used since 3 months the Drop Controller V2. It works very fine and I took lot of colliding drops pictures, see
http://charpentier.pierre.free.fr/piwigo/

Thank you very much for this share !

I’am trying to convert V2 to V3 in order to trig an other flash. I made the wiring modifications and installed the sketch for Arduino and the new app in my phone.
This afternoon, I made some tests with 2 flashs and I encounter strange things.
The flash number 2 doesn’t want to fire alone. I must activate the flash Number 1 at the same time. I suspected a short in my wiring but all is normal. I must program the trig time exactly the same for flash 1 and 2 in order to trig the flash 2.
I made all these tests with BT and phone app.

Is it the same for you ?

Sorry for my poor english I’am french …

Pierre

[Martyn]

Hi Pierre,

the photos look good. Nice start.

It is possible to add a second flash to V2 but not so straight forward. This is one of the reasons I went to V3 instead of V2.xx

To add a second flash, duplicate the circuit used for flash1. Connect to a spare pin (A2/D16, A3/D17, A4/D18). Add the code to set up the flash2 reference and the code to trigger it.

Search the sketches for FT1. This will show you all the places you need to add FT2. There a quite a few places you need to add code (dropController_2019_V2_001, makeDrops, parseDropData, processNewData) and I suspect it will take a while to get it working.

In the apps, you would need to select V3 so the extended controls become available.

[Pierre Charpentier]

Hi Pierre,

the photos look good. Nice start.

Thank you very much !

It is possible to add a second flash to V2 but not so straight forward. This is one of the reasons I went to V3 instead of V2.xx

Yes, I made all the wiring modifications to have a V3 system. I move all wires for respect the new I/O mapping of V3

To add a second flash, duplicate the circuit used for flash1. Connect to a spare pin (A2/D16, A3/D17, A4/D18). Add the code to set up the flash2 reference and the code to trigger it.

That’s why I preferd to move from V2 to V3 by using V3 arduino sketch and new app on phone. I prefer to not modifiy the arduino code if possible, i’am not ver skilled in software.

Search the sketches for FT1. This will show you all the places you need to add FT2. There a quite a few places you need to add code (dropController_2019_V2_001, makeDrops, parseDropData, processNewData) and I suspect it will take a while to get it working.

In the apps, you would need to select V3 so the extended controls become available.

Yes, I made test with V3 and all hardware wired for V3 but I encounter this starnge behaviour; I suspect a problem in the Phode APP. I will make tests with direct serial link with a laptaop to try to understand.

Thank you Martyn for this very good project and for your help.

Pierre

[Author]

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