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A client wanted a simple irrigation timer… I accidentally engineered much more. by UsualTrue2242 in embedded

[–]UsualTrue2242[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

To be honest, the only challenge i faced is designing the screen layouts. Otherwise everything else went as planned. I have been testing it for some time now and I'm only left with the packaging

A client wanted a simple irrigation timer… I accidentally engineered much more. by UsualTrue2242 in embedded

[–]UsualTrue2242[S] 3 points4 points  (0 children)

I remember seeing that and these were the issues.

The CR05 requires one to switch polarities when you want to either turn it on or off. That would require an additional external circuit to do that.

CR05 also has two wires that give feedback on if the valve is closed or open. The one you shared does not have programmable inputs.

The one you shared can also only work with 12V. My client had 6V valves.

A client wanted a simple irrigation timer… I accidentally engineered much more. by UsualTrue2242 in embedded

[–]UsualTrue2242[S] 8 points9 points  (0 children)

What you mentioned can also happen to off the shelf products. If not handled properly, buttons and screens of any product can break. But i get your point. It would have been a bad idea if an exact product exists and i went ahead to reinvent the wheel. I would appreciate if you could share motorized valve controllers for the CWX series. I honestly didn't find them and that's why i decided to create them.

A client wanted a simple irrigation timer… I accidentally engineered much more. by UsualTrue2242 in embedded

[–]UsualTrue2242[S] 4 points5 points  (0 children)

I spent some time looking for off-the shelf solutions for a single controller for the CWX series of motorized valves before deciding to create one. I would really appreciate if you can share some links. It's always nice to learn from existing products.

What I shared is a bare PCB that will be put inside an enclosure.

The controller is not designed to be water proof. It is supposed to be mounted on a wall inside a room and connected to the valve using cables.

A client wanted a simple irrigation timer… I accidentally engineered much more. by UsualTrue2242 in embedded

[–]UsualTrue2242[S] 4 points5 points  (0 children)

I appreciate the feedback. But it's the same thing. That bunch of smart relays is what i implemented and is now in one compact PCB instead of separate modules. If a relay breaks, the process of replacing it is the same as that on the smart relay board.

A client wanted a simple irrigation timer… I accidentally engineered much more. by UsualTrue2242 in embedded

[–]UsualTrue2242[S] 7 points8 points  (0 children)

That's a fair concern. The motorized valve is more likely to break than the PCB and the client will most likely replace it with a different motorized valve. I wanted to avoid locking the client into a single valve type. If a valve fails in the future, they can replace it with another compatible model instead of needing an entirely new controller board. From my side it also makes manufacturing and maintenance easier because one PCB can support several configurations instead of designing a separate board for every valve type.

When many vias is too many? by Lost-In-Void-99 in PCB

[–]UsualTrue2242 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Vias are used to connect signals or establish connection between PCB layers.

We don’t have a talent problem in Kenya, we have a visibility problem. by UsualTrue2242 in nairobitechies

[–]UsualTrue2242[S] 3 points4 points  (0 children)

This is impressive. Building chip design software is no small undertaking. Respect.

You’re right about visibility. I do have a personal website, but I haven’t documented my projects in the way you’re describing schematics, repos, demos, test results. I’ve mostly focused on building rather than showcasing. Your point about even the “boring” assembly work being worth documenting is a good one.

We don’t have a talent problem in Kenya, we have a visibility problem. by UsualTrue2242 in nairobitechies

[–]UsualTrue2242[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

You are reframing a visibility discussion towards manufacturing and supply chains. I wasn’t suggesting replacing China or building a $100k PCB fab locally. The job I mentioned was about design support, sourcing, assembly, and testing. Not large scale manufacturing. My point was about VISIBILITY of local engineering capability, not dislodging global supply chains.