Published March 24, 2019 © CC BY-NC

Aquarium LED WiFi Controller

Controlling two (or more) LED channels via WiFi to make sunrise, sunset and set night mode too!

IntermediateFull instructions provided2 hours5,991

Things used in this project

Software apps and online services

Arduino IDE

Adafruit IO

Story

The goal for this tutorial is to build two-channel power LED controller managed by home wireless network. This project provides smooth increasing and decreasing power of lighting to create sunrise and sunset for your tank. My personal goal is to use less hardware to get the same results as in other similar projects.

The controller has two modes:

automatic mode - you are able to set start/end time, time of full lighting, maximum lighting power for both channels. This mode provide sunrise and sunset simulation and night mode.

non-automatic mode - you are able to set maximum lighting power for both channels.

1. Microcontroller

You need to use board based on ESP-8266 module (like Wemos D1 mini). The most important requirement is to have needed number of GPIO to manage current drivers. In my project I used NodeMCU v2.

from: https://pradeepsinghblog.files.wordpress.com/2016/04/nodemcu_pins.png?w=616

2. Constant Current Power Supply

Next step you need choose constant current power supply for power LEDs. For this purpose I used Basic Driver Calculator, which is available here: https://www.tc420.net/connecting-high-power-LEDs-to-the-TC420.php

In my case I have two channel - 6 blue LEDs and 3 white LEDs. Calculator showed that I need one driver per channel like Mean Well LDD-700H:

from: https://www.tc420.net/connecting-high-power-LEDs-to-the-TC420.php

Finally, I bought cheaper modules based on driver P4115H from local store, which are driven by PWM signal like LDD-700H.

3. Power Supply Unit

I use PSU dedicated for computers to get +5V and +12V. To get +24V I used DC-DC adjustable converter module based on XL6009. In my opinion, the best way is to use +12V power supply with appropriate current output and then use DC-DC converters to get needed voltages.

4. Build

Whole system is easy-to-build and if you have only two channels, you can directly use attached circuit schematic. To speed up project I soldered modules to prototype board and created needed wiring.

5. Adafruit IO

Code for ESP8266 needs created account on Adafruit IO site. When you get your profile, please create feeds with naming convention showed below:

After that, move to Dashboards card and create new dashboard. Then create controls as below ('duration' feed is assigned to the "Time of Full Lighting" control):

When everything is done, generete you AIO KEY (click on yellow key in the right corner of your dashboard tab) and save for next step.

6. Arduino IDE

Whole code was written for Arduino IDE. Before upload that into your ESP, you need specify in 'Preferences' tab additional URL:

and next, in 'Board Manager' find esp8266 board and install it:

Moreover, you need to get Adafruit MQTT library and install. After that, copy whole code and put into your sketch. Before uploading code to your board, define your home WiFI network name and password:

#define WLAN_SSID       "my_network" //write your wifi network name
#define WLAN_PASS       "password" //write your password to wifi

And paste your saved name and key from Adafruit IO site:

#define AIO_USERNAME    "name" //write your name from adafruit site
#define AIO_KEY         "key" //write your key from adafruit site

Define your time zone too:

#define time_zone 1 //+1 hour

Note that value for set_pwm function in night mode is hard coded. You can disable lighting for night by assign two zeros. Of course, you can also fit pwm signal into your tank needs:

else //night mode
 {
   set_pwm(3, 0);         
 }

Code

aqua wifi LED controller

#include <ESP8266WiFi.h>
#include "Adafruit_MQTT.h"
#include "Adafruit_MQTT_Client.h"

#define WLAN_SSID       "my_network" //write your wifi network name
#define WLAN_PASS       "password" //write your password to wifi

#define blue_name D3 //GPIO connected with driver for blue channel
#define white_name D1 //GPIO connected with driver for white channel

#define time_zone 1 //+1 hour

// Adafruit IO
#define AIO_SERVER      "io.adafruit.com"
#define AIO_SERVERPORT  1883
#define AIO_USERNAME    "name" //write your name from adafruit site
#define AIO_KEY         "key" //write your key from adafruit site

WiFiClient client;
 
// Setup the MQTT client class by passing in the WiFi client and MQTT server and login details.
Adafruit_MQTT_Client mqtt(&client, AIO_SERVER, AIO_SERVERPORT, AIO_USERNAME, AIO_KEY);

Adafruit_MQTT_Publish blue_channel = Adafruit_MQTT_Publish(&mqtt, AIO_USERNAME "/feeds/blue_channel");
Adafruit_MQTT_Publish white_channel = Adafruit_MQTT_Publish(&mqtt, AIO_USERNAME "/feeds/white_channel");

Adafruit_MQTT_Subscribe max_blue_channel = Adafruit_MQTT_Subscribe(&mqtt, AIO_USERNAME "/feeds/max_blue_channel");
Adafruit_MQTT_Subscribe max_white_channel = Adafruit_MQTT_Subscribe(&mqtt, AIO_USERNAME "/feeds/max_white_channel");
Adafruit_MQTT_Subscribe start_time = Adafruit_MQTT_Subscribe(&mqtt, AIO_USERNAME "/feeds/start_time");
Adafruit_MQTT_Subscribe end_time = Adafruit_MQTT_Subscribe(&mqtt, AIO_USERNAME "/feeds/end_time");
Adafruit_MQTT_Subscribe duration = Adafruit_MQTT_Subscribe(&mqtt, AIO_USERNAME "/feeds/duration");
Adafruit_MQTT_Subscribe enable_auto = Adafruit_MQTT_Subscribe(&mqtt, AIO_USERNAME "/feeds/enable_auto");
Adafruit_MQTT_Subscribe timee = Adafruit_MQTT_Subscribe(&mqtt, "time/ISO-8601");

Adafruit_MQTT_Subscribe *subscription;

int i_max_blue_channel = 100; //initial value for blue channel driver (from 0 to 100)
int i_max_white_channel = 100; //initial value for white channel driver (from 0 to 100)

//standard of notation time: HHMMSS, where minutes and seconds are calculated as follows: minutes or seconds / 60 * 100
int i_start_time = 100000; //initial time value in project standard of notation
int i_end_time = 230000; //initial time value in project standard of notation
int i_duration = 80000; //initial time value in project standard of notation
int i_timee = 0; //current time, initial value in project standard of notation
bool b_button = true;

int last_blue_value = 0;
int last_white_value = 0;

void MQTT_connect();
void set_pwm(int blue_value, int white_value);
void button_true();
void read_subscription();


void setup() 
{ 
  //asset white and blue channel
	pinMode(white_name,OUTPUT);
	pinMode(blue_name,OUTPUT);

	//turn on built-in LED to show that ESP working
	pinMode(D0,OUTPUT);
	digitalWrite(D0, LOW);

  //waiting for WiFi connect
	WiFi.begin(WLAN_SSID, WLAN_PASS);
	while (WiFi.status() != WL_CONNECTED) 
	{
	delay(200);
	}

	// Setup MQTT subscription 
	mqtt.subscribe(&max_blue_channel);
	mqtt.subscribe(&max_white_channel);
	mqtt.subscribe(&start_time);
	mqtt.subscribe(&end_time);
	mqtt.subscribe(&duration);
	mqtt.subscribe(&enable_auto);
	mqtt.subscribe(&timee);
}

void loop() 
{
  MQTT_connect();
  

  while (subscription = mqtt.readSubscription(300)) //wait for data
  {
    read_subscription();
  }
  
  if (b_button == true) //automatic drive turn on
  {      
    button_true();
  }
  else if (b_button == false) //automatic drive turn off
  {
    set_pwm(i_max_blue_channel*10, i_max_white_channel*10);
  } 
} 


//insert logic for updating PWM value
void set_pwm(int blue_value, int white_value)
{ 
  if(blue_value != last_blue_value) //update PWM if different to last set value
  {
    analogWrite(blue_name, blue_value); 
    last_blue_value = blue_value;
  }

  if(white_value != last_white_value) //update PWM if different to last set value
  {
    analogWrite(white_name, white_value); 
    last_white_value = white_name;
  }
}


// Function to connect and reconnect as necessary to the MQTT server.
// Should be called in the loop function and it will take care if connecting.
void MQTT_connect() {
  int8_t ret;

  // Stop if already connected.
  if (mqtt.connected()) {
    return;
  }

  uint8_t retries = 3;
  while ((ret = mqtt.connect()) != 0) { // connect will return 0 for connected
       mqtt.disconnect();
       delay(5000);  // wait 5 seconds
       retries--;
       if (retries == 0) {
         // basically die and wait for WDT to reset me
         while (1);
       }
  }
}

void button_true()
{
  int floating = (i_end_time - i_start_time - i_duration) / 2; //calculating time of sunset/sunrise
    
  if(i_timee < i_start_time + floating && i_timee > i_start_time)
  {   
    if(i_timee - i_start_time < floating / 3)
    {
      int counter = (i_timee - i_start_time) / (floating / 3.0) * 1000.0;
      set_pwm((i_max_blue_channel*10) * (counter / 1000.0), 0);
    }
    else if(i_timee - i_start_time > 2 * floating / 3.0)
    {
      int counter = (i_timee - i_start_time - 2 * floating / 3.0) / (floating / 3.0) * 1000.0;
      set_pwm(i_max_blue_channel*10, (i_max_white_channel*10) * (counter / 1000.0));
    }
  }
  else if(i_timee > i_end_time - floating && i_timee < i_end_time)
  {
    if(i_end_time - i_timee > 2 * floating / 3.0)
    {
      int counter = (i_end_time - i_timee - 2 * floating / 3.0) / (floating / 3.0) * 1000.0;
      set_pwm(i_max_blue_channel*10, (i_max_white_channel*10) * (counter / 1000.0));
    }
    else if(i_end_time - i_timee < floating / 3)
    {
      int counter = (i_end_time - i_timee) / (floating / 3.0) * 1000.0;
      set_pwm((i_max_blue_channel*10) * (counter / 1000.0), 0);
    }
  }
  else if(i_timee < i_end_time && i_timee > i_start_time) //max light blue&white
  {
    set_pwm(i_max_blue_channel*10, i_max_white_channel*10);
  }
  else //night mode
  {
    set_pwm(3, 0);         
  }        
}

void read_subscription()
{
  if (subscription == &enable_auto) 
  { 
    if (strcmp((char *)enable_auto.lastread, "ON") == 0) 
    {
        b_button = true;
    }
    else if (strcmp((char *)enable_auto.lastread, "OFF") == 0) 
    {
        b_button = false;
    } 
  }

  if (subscription == &max_blue_channel) 
  {
    char *value = (char *)max_blue_channel.lastread;
    String message = String(value);
    message.trim();   
    i_max_blue_channel = message.toInt();
  }

  if (subscription == &max_white_channel) 
  {
      char *value = (char *)max_white_channel.lastread;
      String message = String(value);
      message.trim(); 
      i_max_white_channel = message.toInt();
  }

  if (subscription == &start_time) 
  {
      char *value = (char *)start_time.lastread;
      String message = String(value);
      message.trim(); 
      i_start_time = message.toInt()*10000; //fit hours to project standard
  }

  if (subscription == &end_time) 
  {
      char *value = (char *)end_time.lastread;
      String message = String(value);
      message.trim(); 
      i_end_time = message.toInt()*10000; //fit hours to project standard
  }

  if (subscription == &duration) 
  {
      char *value = (char *)duration.lastread;
      String message = String(value);
      message.trim(); 
      i_duration = message.toInt() * 10000; //fit hours to project standard
  }


  if (subscription == &timee) 
  {
      char *value = (char *)timee.lastread;
      String message = String(value);
      message.trim(); 
      String hour = message.substring(11,13);
      String minute = message.substring(14,16);
      String second = message.substring(17,19);
      i_timee = hour.toInt() * 10000 + time_zone * 10000 +  (minute.toInt() * 10000.0)/60.0 + (second.toInt() * 100.0)/60.0;
  }
}

Credits

Artur Rzepka

2 projects • 1 follower

Aquarium LED WiFi Controller

Things used in this project

Software apps and online services

Story

1. Microcontroller

2. Constant Current Power Supply

3. Power Supply Unit

5. Adafruit IO

6. Arduino IDE

Schematics

Circuit for 9 power LEDs (6 + 3)

Code

aqua wifi LED controller

Credits

Artur Rzepka

Comments

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Aquarium LED WiFi Controller

Aquarium LED WiFi Controller

Things used in this project

Software apps and online services

Story

1. Microcontroller

2. Constant Current Power Supply

3. Power Supply Unit

5. Adafruit IO

6. Arduino IDE

Schematics

Circuit for 9 power LEDs (6 + 3)

Code

aqua wifi LED controller

Credits

Artur Rzepka

Comments

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