Irrigation controller: ARM + ESP8266/ESP-07 or ESP-12F + GPIO expander?

Name: Irrigation controller: ARM + ESP8266/ESP-07 or ESP-12F + GPIO expander?
Uploaded: 2019-09-06T09:11:50+02:00
Description: Hi, I am currently planning a garden irrigation controller, with Wi-Fi access. And I'm faced with a dilemma: Is it better to use some ARM + control via AT commands with an ESP8266/ESP-07 module ? Or using the ESP-12F as the main processor + extending it with some expander for additional GPIOs?...

Question

Hi, I am currently planning a garden irrigation controller, with Wi-Fi access. And I'm faced with a dilemma: Is it better to use some ARM + control via AT commands with an ESP8266/ESP-07 module ? Or using the ESP-12F as the main processor + extending it with some expander for additional GPIOs?...

jakubek56 · Answer

If you want to use ST then you have the option of using ESP 01, so nothing is wasted.

tos18 · Answer

How about ESP32 ?

RometFan;p · Answer

ESP32 - I've heard but I'm totally unfamiliar with it. How do you program it besides Arduino?

That's if I add the argument that I assume this is not a hobby project and I will want to develop it? Is it worth leaning on ESP then?

kaczakat · Answer

The difficulty of programming in Arduino ESP is so much less as there are off-the-shelf products, e.g.: The screen could simply be a tablet/smartphone managing the device via WIFI and the WWW. Older devices tend to get dusty in drawers somewhere and are just waiting for such a chance.

Nagus · Answer

. Normally, on foot, using esp-idf. Anyway, the RTOS for the 8266 is slowly being rewritten in esp-idf style. So, currently you program both ESPs the same way. There are only a few nuances due to hardware differences. And not all features have been rewritten for the 8266, e.g. the https server.

Anonymous · Answer

. It will be as long as the TFT has a high resolution. What resolution of the display? What communication interface?

RometFan;p · Answer

3.2 inches, SPI or 8 bit depending on processor and amount of gpio. Resolution is 320 x 240 and I have tested on ESP and Stm32. Performance is sufficient for me on the plus side in stm32 that I can Use DMA

Anonymous · Answer

. Pushing over 150kB (that's what the buffer in the microcontroller should be) through SPI will take over 80ms assuming an SPI clock of 15MHz (which is what the controllers in the displays usually allow). DMA required, eventually RTOS sending piece by piece. Parallel mode in ESP is out, as it has no hardware interface. You can supposedly generate CS, WR by swiping a pin but then forget the benefit of DMA. In the case of STM32 parallel mode and . When you use SPI in the display then ESP will suffice as long as the SPI has DMA and enough RAM for a buffer. Other solutions can also work (no buffer, swiping pins) but expect effects similar to . Added after 8 [minutes]: As for the refresh, I don't have a video ready, I would have to record. With SPI, the screen refresh in 80ms seems fast (12FPS) but unfortunately you can see the screen drawing. To make the de-scratching unnoticeable it needs to be done in 30ms max. For 320x240 this requires a parallel interface but @Ba_rt-projects ver @niveasoft is able to get 20FPS on the Xmega: and in the video this and 50FPS is possible. Naturally you have to tacitly assume that @niveasoft has to overclock the SPI in the display to about 25MHz (about 70% - as if working not after 8h but after about 14 or the Fiat126p had to move at 170km/h - it would probably fall apart) and 50FPS is on a small part of the screen or by other tricks. The question is what trick to use for the whole screen cleaning operation when it is necessary? So if the device is to look professional STM32 (preferably with SFMC/FMC) + ESP-01, as in the Arduino way (as in the video above) or even worse (as below - ArduinoMega2560 + IL9486 at full power 0.08FPS) . then you have complete freedom, even on an ArduinoUNO you will do.

khoam · Answer

. As much as possible on ESP32 And even if you decide to use the 'hobby' Arduino HAL, it just happens to be 100% RTOS based on this platform, so it will be all the more fun to program .

krzbor · Answer

I have a PV installation with a new SMA inverter. What is surprising - in an expensive and branded unit the display has been removed - there are only 3 LEDs. The rest of the information (very abundant) via the network only - mainly via WiFi of course. The device works both in AP mode and as a standard web server on the local network. It can also work in the cloud. The installer told me that the display was removed because it was the component that broke most often (inverters can even work outside in very variable weather conditions). I think this is a good direction. In general we have two types of users:
1. It's supposed to work and I don't care about anything - to them, LEDs are enough - power supply, correct operation, failure. If something is wrong, they call a professional, but with cloud or remote access, problems can be diagnosed remotely. More affluent people tend to think about watering their garden in an advanced way, and these are often among this group of users.
2) They like to know what and how (this applies to almost all electrode users

)- but they don't mind rich information on a computer or smartphone instead of a display. I say "rich" because it's not just configuration, but also statistics, operation graphs, humidity sensor analysis, downloading weather information, water consumption analysis, etc.

In the absence of a display, such an ESP12 should suffice. You can, of course, use an ESP32 especially if you are thinking about touch control or the need for analogue inputs (e.g. to determine valve failures).

Udios · Answer

. Hello. Could you write something more about what your system will have to do and what it will control? My parents have a greenhouse on their allotment and the thought has also recently crossed my mind to get them some automation to control it. I was thinking of designing a controller for an ESP 32. It has a lot of inputs. My assumption was that it would control three electric actuators for opening doors and windows - temperature-dependent opening and closing. Monitoring the position of the actuators. And it would control a valve for watering the plants. In addition, I wondered if the system would have some kind of GSM module to monitor temperature, humidity and if something unexpected happened. For example, an actuator would not open, we would run out of water. The plot of land is a long way from where we live.

RometFan;p · Answer

Hi,
after reading my colleagues' posts I've started to wonder a bit whether to push for a display.

The general assumptions are that:
- Control of 4-8 watering sections,
- reading the outside temperature,
- rain sensor so as not to water when it rains,
- communication via WiFi (here possible control from the web/smartphone via a web page).

As to which specific functions it implements - download the manuals of several controllers available for sale. There you will find which functions they have and which are worth writing and which you will not necessarily need.

GSM module - I once considered such a solution in a project, but abandoned it because the validity of the card/charging discouraged me.

As for your needs:
You can also implement the actuators' steering on relays. Actuators with limit switches, reading the signal from the limit switches opens the relay, etc....

Irrigation controller: ARM + ESP8266/ESP-07 or ESP-12F + GPIO expander?

Post #1

Post #2

Post #3

Post #4

Post #5

Post #6

Post #7

Post #8

Post #9

Post #10

Post #11

Post #12

Post #13

Topic summary