Underfloor Heating Valve Actuator Board revD | Voltlog #466

In this captivating video, Voltlog unveils the latest iteration of their revolutionary ESP32-based Valve Actuator project – Revision D. Designed to streamline manufacturing and offer improved functionality, this enhanced version is a testament to the project’s ongoing evolution. Originally conceived as an open-source solution for controlling underfloor heating systems, the Valve Actuator project has gained a loyal following due to its compatibility with popular platforms like Tasmota, ESPHome, and Home Assistant.

With over a couple of hundred units already in operation, the RevD promises to further elevate the user experience and simplify assembly. One of the most notable updates in this revision is the ability to power the valves with a separate AC voltage, such as 24V AC. This feature caters to users with pre-existing underfloor heating systems, providing greater flexibility and compatibility.

Additionally, Voltlog has optimized the PCB design by transitioning from through-hole components to surface-mount technology (SMT) wherever possible, improving manufacturability and reducing potential errors during assembly. The RevD also introduces an innovative LED control feature, allowing users to turn the output status LEDs on or off via GPIO16.

This not only conserves power but also enhances the device’s versatility, making it suitable for discreet installations where visible LEDs are undesirable. Voltlog’s commitment to quality is evident in their collaboration with PCBWay.com, the official provider of printed circuit boards for the channel.

The limited-edition first batch of RevD boards boasts a stunning red solder mask with gold-plated ENIG finish, showcasing exceptional craftsmanship and attention to detail.

Microscope Power Distribution Unit | Voltlog #436

If you’re an electronics hobbyist or a professional working with intricate setups like trinocular microscopes, you know the struggle of dealing with a mess of wires and multiple power adapters. Voltlog’s latest project, the “Microscope Power Distribution Unit,” offers an ingenious solution to this common issue.

In this project, Voltlog designed a compact PCB that takes a single 12V DC input and distributes power to three individual channels, each with its own protection and voltage regulation. One channel is configured to output 5V for powering LED lights, while the other two channels provide 12V outputs for the monitor and camera.

The beauty of this design lies in its simplicity and versatility. By consolidating multiple power adapters into a single unit, Voltlog has effectively decluttered their workstation and reduced the tangle of wires. Additionally, the open-source nature of the project allows others to replicate or modify the design to suit their specific needs.

Voltlog’s meticulous attention to detail is evident in the choice of components, such as the use of PTCs for overcurrent protection and the inclusion of filtering capacitors for clean power delivery. The sleek green soldermask and ENIG gold plating on the PCBs add a touch of elegance to the functional design.

But the project’s true value extends beyond its practical application. It serves as a testament to the ingenuity and problem-solving skills of the maker community. By identifying a common pain point and developing a tailored solution, Voltlog has demonstrated the power of DIY electronics and the potential for streamlining complex setups.

Gopher NPS1601 Open Source Control Panel | Voltlog #322

A while ago I decided to start this project of re-designing the front panel for this power supply to give it more functionality, make it an awesome power supply cause as it is, it’s a good power supply but I think we can make it an awesome power supply. I made an announcement on the channel a while ago so several people joined the project, this is a team effort and right now it’s time to show you the first hardware prototypes and to discuss the choices we’ve made in terms of hardware. 

Voltlog #274 – Installing Traccar GPS Tracking Server On A Raspberry Pi

Welcome to a new Voltlog, today I’m gonna show you how to setup your own GPS tracking server on a raspberry pi. It doesn’t have to be a Raspberry pi, because the software that we’re going to be using for the tracking server is available for Windows and Linux as well, so you could host this on your windows machine or in a virtual machine on a cloud service, it’s up to you, but in this video I’m going to do it on a Raspberry pi 4.

The idea started a couple of videos back, in Voltlog #272 when I got this GPS tracker disguised into a general purpose automotive relay. In theory this should come with free online tracking service on some Chinese hosted server but I wasn’t able to connect to that server and so I thought why not setup my own server and try to pair it with this tracker. So if you want to learn more about this tracker, checkout Voltlog #272 linked on screen right now and then come back to watch this video.

First step is to setup a fresh install of Raspbian, latest version from the source. Next step is to setup the tracking server, the name of the software is Traccar and here is their website. We’re going to be using the Linux arm release, because the raspberry pi runs on an arm processor. Next, your raspberry pi is likely sitting behind a router or firewall so you will need to forward a port so an external device like a GPS tracker can connect to our newly created server.

Next we can add our GPS tracker in the web interface of Traccar, on the left side I click add, choose a name for your device and fill in the 10 digit identifier which is this label on the side of your trackers case.The newly created device will be shown as offline until the server starts receiving data.

The final step is to configure the GPS tracker and these particular commands apply to the tracker that I am using, you might have to use different commands for a different tracker but the idea is to reset the tracker, set your admin number, configure the APN settings for your network operator, set the external ip address we saved earlier, the port is 5013. Set the upload frequency in seconds and enable the GPRS connection. Going back to the Traccar web interface, status should switch to online and we should start seeing data about our device.