I am powering everything from my 3v arduino pin without an issue.
The remote looks nice! I would make the head a bit bigger. I tried to keep mine as small as possible, but with all the wires it ended up jam packed. I realised that this is not something that I keep in my pocket, so it can be bigger.
Hey MaxMaker, big fan of your build, you actually inspired my build of an arduino and NRF24. I followed schematics I found online and assume the capacitor may be necessary when using a NRF24 with larger wifi antennae? Still a noob when it comes to electronics so the best I can do is ask. Its good to know your not having any trouble with it as is but I have these step-down voltage regulators and hope to use one, would they hold a more stable current (acting as a cap) to the NRF24 compared to no cap.
Hi, I guess it will work also with the step down, anyway capacitors are good as power buffer, when these NRF24 transmit and receive, the power request has a surge which could lead to voltage instability, it happens at high frequency. No big deal: try! If you experience frequent signal loss… you already know what to do next.
@MaxMaker, i will update the code because I swap the ramp on receiver side (in case of transmission problem should be safer, I thought). It’s a bit tricky to get some esc to engage, if so, it’s matter of sending min, max, idle command to the esc during Setup {}
I have been designing PCBs for awhile now. I much prefer putting the components on a PCB so I get the functionality I need rather than using a arduino mini or nano. Once we converge on a design I would be happy to design the PCB. Eagle has a nice feature where the PCB with components can be inported into F360 to see the assembly together.
This is a messy Fritzing scheme of my transmitter, it works fine to me, but I don’t use capacitor to filter the NRF24i power (3.3V), I preferred a power module, very easy to use, take care of adapting 5V and have some SMD ceramic capacitors that stabilize the power.
I use Honeywell SS49E linear hall sensor and 2 neodimium magnets, the hall sensor is in between North-South faces, it gives better sensitivity and wider “range” of movement for the trigger.
I used a reed bulb as ON/OFF switch, magnet outside the case to turn on the command. There’s a calibration routine to do each time you power it on, so you’ll be sure the sensor gets the right zero and 100% without having to wonder values and narrow the reading range to have max and min safely in.
The fisrt version had the ramp into the transmitter but I realized that in case of disturb or else, it’s safer to have the receiver to manage the motor with an accelleration ramp!
These are the Arduino sketches: TRANSMITTER NRF24i RECEIVER NRF24i
In the future, I will add an ammeter before the ESC, to limit eventual over-current, and who knows? Maybe would be cool to read the amps and voltage or other data onto a OLED display, directly onthe transmitter? The way for development is wide and free! Just take lots of time…
As disclaimer: 2.4Ghz and water… sucks! But with an hi-power NRF24 module, pulling the antenna out of the ESC box and gluing it in front of my board i did the trick. It works reliable.
I don’t share the cover design because it suck either, I had to use silicone to joint the two parts, neoprene gasket was leaking. Anybody could do better.
So over the weekend when I tested my board, no matter how well I sealed my my remote in a bag, it seemed to take water.
However I have now ordered an IP67 rated switch and potentiometer so that I can change a couple components and turn the cheap remote into a cheap waterproof remote
Today I trashed another, Arduino oxidized, saved the nrf24, usb charger and step up, the nrf24power shield gone also… no matter for silicone, PETG it’s never watertight.
How did i miss this thread… im making a water proof remote as well based on a esk8 to work with the Vesc. My housing is machined out of HDPE and the the electronics poted. Can i ask why more are not using the VESC?
Yes SIK based 433/915 radios are used extensively in UAVs and should have good water penetration. Maybe the size of the units + antenna discouraged people. I have some lying around here, maybe I should use them.
I guess the problem in my remote housing are the thin walls of the Hall housing. I never had problems of tightness with ASA and PC but I gave up after 2 prints slightly warped (no way to squeeze the gasket due to deformation).
Next will be PLA or else, then epoxy
As a size ref here is the spi 2.4. v.s my serial SIK 433. I can maintain a serial link well over a mile with it set on max power 100mw, fo our aplication 10mw would be more then enof and water would be no issue.
I read something into internet about that radio module, didn’ t know it existed before. With lower frequencies I’m more concerned about disturbs, even though in open sea there should little of that.
I think it’s worth to try, it’s a transceiver and that’s necessary for our purpose, unless to leave a LED on the board to know when remote is coupled.
Which library do you use on Arduino, for that module?
Last weekend we had a successful session with our improved waterproof efoil remote. This weekend we plan to get out riding and test a minor improvement on it but its pretty much ready for injection molding and production! It will work with any ESC and has a built-in safety to shut off the motor if you fall or lost connection.