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Todd Peterson
Created October 6, 2017 © LGPL

Remote generator controller

Start a diesel generator from anywhere in the world using a smartphone or a computer. Also monitor fuel level, voltage, current, etc.

AdvancedOver 1 day55
Remote generator controller

Things used in this project

Hardware components

Raspberry Pi Zero
Raspberry Pi Zero
×1
Hologram Nova
Hologram Nova
×1

Story

Read more

Schematics

Schematics

Basic schematics for ADC, relay controller and PU-801 ignition switch. AC interrupter switch and fault clear switch are up to you to figure out.

Digikey BOM

Minimum components to build monitoring and control circuits.

Code

Relay control

Python
This is just generic GPIO code to control a relay
from flask import Flask
from flask_ask import Ask, statement, convert_errors
import RPi.GPIO as GPIO
import logging

GPIO.setmode(GPIO.BCM)
app = Flask(__name__)

ask = Ask(app, '/')

logging.getLogger("flask_ask").setLevel(logging.DEBUG)

@ask.intent('GPIOControlIntent', mapping={'status': 'status', 'pin': 'pin'})
def gpio_control(status, pin):
    print("status: " + str(status) + " pin: " + str(pin))
    try:
        pinNum = int(pin)
    except Exception as e:
        return statement('Pin number not valid.')

    GPIO.setup(pinNum, GPIO.OUT)

    if status in ['on', 'high']:    GPIO.output(pinNum, GPIO.HIGH)
    if status in ['off', 'low']:    GPIO.output(pinNum, GPIO.LOW)

    return statement('Turning pin {} {}'.format(pin, status))

@ask.intent('LocationControlIntent', mapping={'status': 'status', 'location': 'location'})
def location_control(status, location):
    print("status: " + status + " location: " + location)
    locationDict = {
        'fan': 12,
        'light': 21
    }

    targetPin = locationDict[location]

    GPIO.setup(targetPin, GPIO.OUT)

    if status in ['on', 'high']:        GPIO.output(targetPin, GPIO.HIGH)
    if status in ['off', 'low']:        GPIO.output(targetPin, GPIO.LOW)

    return statement('Turning {} {}!'.format(location, status))
   
if __name__ == '__main__':
  port = 5000 #the custom port you want, 5000 must be open/or port forward from the router
  
  app.run(host='0.0.0.0', port=port)

Analog

Python
Generic code for reading ADC.
#!/usr/bin/env python

# Written by Limor "Ladyada" Fried for Adafruit Industries, (c) 2015
# This code is released into the public domain

import time
import os
import RPi.GPIO as GPIO

GPIO.setmode(GPIO.BCM)
DEBUG = 1

# read SPI data from MCP3008 chip, 8 possible adc's (0 thru 7)
def readadc(adcnum, clockpin, mosipin, misopin, cspin):
        if ((adcnum > 7) or (adcnum < 0)):
                return -1
        GPIO.output(cspin, True)

        GPIO.output(clockpin, False)  # start clock low
        GPIO.output(cspin, False)     # bring CS low

        commandout = adcnum
        commandout |= 0x18  # start bit + single-ended bit
        commandout <<= 3    # we only need to send 5 bits here
        for i in range(5):
                if (commandout & 0x80):
                        GPIO.output(mosipin, True)
                else:
                        GPIO.output(mosipin, False)
                commandout <<= 1
                GPIO.output(clockpin, True)
                GPIO.output(clockpin, False)

        adcout = 0
        # read in one empty bit, one null bit and 10 ADC bits
        for i in range(12):
                GPIO.output(clockpin, True)
                GPIO.output(clockpin, False)
                adcout <<= 1
                if (GPIO.input(misopin)):
                        adcout |= 0x1

        GPIO.output(cspin, True)
        
        adcout >>= 1       # first bit is 'null' so drop it
        return adcout

# change these as desired - they're the pins connected from the
# SPI port on the ADC to the Cobbler
SPICLK = 18
SPIMISO = 23
SPIMOSI = 24
SPICS = 25

# set up the SPI interface pins
GPIO.setup(SPIMOSI, GPIO.OUT)
GPIO.setup(SPIMISO, GPIO.IN)
GPIO.setup(SPICLK, GPIO.OUT)
GPIO.setup(SPICS, GPIO.OUT)

# 10k trim pot connected to adc #0
potentiometer_adc = 0;

last_read = 0       # this keeps track of the last potentiometer value
tolerance = 5       # to keep from being jittery we'll only change
                    # volume when the pot has moved more than 5 'counts'

while True:
        # we'll assume that the pot didn't move
        trim_pot_changed = False

        # read the analog pin
        trim_pot = readadc(potentiometer_adc, SPICLK, SPIMOSI, SPIMISO, SPICS)
        # how much has it changed since the last read?
        pot_adjust = abs(trim_pot - last_read)

        if DEBUG:
                print "trim_pot:", trim_pot
                print "pot_adjust:", pot_adjust
                print "last_read", last_read

        if ( pot_adjust > tolerance ):
               trim_pot_changed = True

        if DEBUG:
                print "trim_pot_changed", trim_pot_changed

        if ( trim_pot_changed ):
                set_volume = trim_pot / 10.24           # convert 10bit adc0 (0-1024) trim pot read into 0-100 volume level
                set_volume = round(set_volume)          # round out decimal value
                set_volume = int(set_volume)            # cast volume as integer

                print 'Volume = {volume}%' .format(volume = set_volume)
                set_vol_cmd = 'sudo amixer cset numid=1 -- {volume}% > /dev/null' .format(volume = set_volume)
                os.system(set_vol_cmd)  # set volume

                if DEBUG:
                        print "set_volume", set_volume
                        print "tri_pot_changed", set_volume

                # save the potentiometer reading for the next loop
                last_read = trim_pot

        # hang out and do nothing for a half second
        time.sleep(0.5)

Credits

Todd Peterson

Todd Peterson

8 projects • 5 followers
Specialist in real-time embedded systems hardware, software and systems integration. Well rounded in many engineering disciplines.

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