Hi all. I present for general viewing a homemade radio control panel for controlling various objects from a distance. It could be a car, a tank, a boat, etc. made by me for a “children’s” radio circle. Using the NRF24L01 radio module and ATMEGA16 microcontroller.
For a long time I had a box of identical broken game joysticks from consoles. Got it from a gaming establishment. I haven’t seen any particular use for faulty game joysticks, and it’s a shame to throw them away or disassemble them. So the box stood like a dead weight collecting dust. The idea of using gaming joysticks came as soon as I talked to my friend. A friend ran a club for young radio amateurs at a boarding school, free of charge on weekends, and introduced inquisitive children to the world of radio electronics. Children are like sponges, absorbing information. Since I myself really welcome such circles for children, and here also in such a place. So he suggested an idea on how to use non-working joysticks. The idea was the following: to create a homemade radio remote control for models assembled with your own hands, which I would like to offer to children to study the project. He really liked the idea, considering that funding for children's institutions is, to put it mildly, not very good, and I was also interested in this project. Let me also make my contribution to the development of the radio circle.
The goal of the project is to create a complete device not only as a radio remote control, but also as a response to a radio-controlled object. Considering that the remote control is for children, connecting the receiving part to the model should also be as simple as possible.
Assembly and components:
Having disassembled the game joystick into its components, it immediately became clear that we needed to make a new printed circuit board, and of a very unusual shape. At first, I wanted to connect the printed circuit board to the ATMEGA48 microcontroller, but as it turned out, there simply weren’t enough microcontroller ports for all the buttons. Of course, in principle, such a number of buttons is not needed and it was possible to limit ourselves to only four ADC microcontroller ports for two joysticks and two ports for clock buttons located on the joysticks. But I wanted to use as many buttons as possible, who knows what else the kids will want to add. This is how the printed circuit board for the ATMEGA16 microcontroller was born. I had the microcontrollers themselves, left over from some project. 
The rubber bands on the buttons were very worn out and could not be restored. But this is not surprising considering where joysticks were used. For this reason, I used tact buttons. Perhaps the disadvantages of tact buttons include the strong clicking sound that occurs as a result of pressing the button. But for this project it is very tolerable.
There was no need to redo the board with joysticks; I left it as is, which saved a lot of time. The end buttons were also kept in their original form.
I chose the NRF24L01 radio module as the transceiver, since the price is very low in China at $0.60 per piece. bought. Despite its low cost, the radio module has considerable capabilities and of course suited me. The next problem I encountered was where to place the radio module. There is not enough free space in the case, for this reason the radio module was placed in one of the handles of the joystick case. There was no need to even fix it; the module was pressed tightly when the entire body was assembled.
Perhaps the biggest problem was the issue of power supply for the radio remote control. The purchase of some specialized batteries, say lithium ones, cost a pretty penny, since it was decided to assemble seven sets. And the remaining free space in the case did not really allow the use of standard AA batteries. Although the consumption is not significant, various suitable power sources can be used. As always, friendship came to the rescue; a colleague at work fitted lithium flat batteries from mobile phones and charged them with a bonus. Still, I had to redo them a little, but this is insignificant and much better than making battery charging from scratch. That's where I settled on flat lithium batteries.
During testing, the radio module justified its declared range and worked confidently in line of sight at a distance of 50 meters; through walls, the range decreased significantly. There were also plans to install a vibration motor that would react, say, to some collisions or other actions in a radio-controlled model. In this regard, I provided a transistor switch for control on the printed circuit board. But I left additional complications for later. First, I need to test the program, since it is still raw. And the design, considering that this is a prototype requires minor modifications. That’s how they say, “one by one,” a radio control panel was created with almost minimal investment.
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This type of lighting is often used in residential and industrial premises. Control systems that are implemented on the basis of motion sensors, telephones, radio switches and various types of controllers equipped with lighting control panels are very popular. Now it is possible to control the lighting in a room, even while in another country, using a mobile phone. The most popular control methods will be described in this article.
Advantages of remote light control
Application of equipment for remote control of electrical appliances has such advantages:
- reducing electricity consumption;
- the lighting control process becomes more comfortable;
- due to the effect of presence, the risk of breaking into the premises is reduced.
Types of remote light switching
Experts divide light control into wired, automated and manual, with the additional ability to change the light intensity using equipment that operates on the basis of receiving and emitting different types of waves. Next, the process of controlling lighting using different types of radiation, as well as programmed sound and voice commands, will be described.
Remote control of light from the remote control
Turning on the light using infrared radiation
Turning on the light using infrared radiation using a remote control is used very rarely. Such systems operate on the principle transmission of signals via radio waves. To be able to control lighting using infrared radiation, a remote control unit is connected to the electrical circuit break, which is capable of turning the lamp on and off with its television remote control. You need to point the remote control at the unit, then press any key, and after that the command will be saved in the device’s memory. Now you can turn on the lighting while sitting on a comfortable sofa.
The main disadvantage of this method is the need to fairly accurately point the remote control at a special radio signal receiver. They can only operate within line of sight due to the weak signal level. In such cases, it is recommended to use repeaters.
Equipment for remote control of electrical appliances
Lighting control systems using a conventional remote control, in which a certain signal reaches a special controller, are very popular. It is able to regulate the switching on and off of light at a strictly defined frequency.
Lighting control via radio signal is very popular for the following reasons:
- the ability to control lighting not only using a remote control, but also a personal computer or telephone;
- the maximum range of the product is no more than 110 meters;
- the possibility of using radio signal amplifiers and powerful repeaters.
Modern light control system via radio using a remote control consists of the following elements:
- regular remote control;
- high-quality battery;
- a special remote controller that connects to the network and any load.
Place the controller on the wall or in a special glass lamp. It can be used to control simple incandescent lamps and other types of lighting devices. Additionally, it is possible to control the lighting of not only one lamp, but also an entire group.
Remote light switches
Infrared switches are rarely installed indoors, because it is more profitable to control the lighting using radio devices. Such a switch is controlled by a simple remote control or manually. Special signals are received by the receiver, which is located at the bottom of the product on the touch panel.
Radio switches can control the light from a remote control or manually. Externally, they are no different from ordinary switches. Radio switches interact with the lamp using power units, which are connected to the electrical network and the lamp. It is possible to connect simple incandescent lamps and halogen lamps with a voltage of 220 volts to such power units. Such a switch with a remote control can be installed absolutely anywhere in the room, and it is better to hide the power units in a junction box or lamp glass.
Infrared sensors for convenient light control
Now on the market you can find many models of motion sensors, which are intended for remote light control circuits. The most popular of them are infrared sensors. Such products are special devices that open or close the power circuit when the infrared signal increases in their visible zone. Any person or animal whose temperature is greater than the ambient temperature will turn on the lighting if it enters the area of operation. When a person leaves the sensor operating area or does not move for a couple of seconds, the lighting turns off. Motion sensors are installed mainly in entrances, at dachas, and less often they can be found in your apartment.
Advantages and disadvantages of all motion sensors
To the main disadvantages The use of motion sensors can include a high possibility of false alarms, poor performance in heavy rain or snow, the device not responding in a case where a person’s outer clothing does not transmit this type of radiation well, turning off the lighting 20 seconds after the object stops moving.
To the main advantages Motion sensors include monitoring energy consumption, reducing cost, safety for humans and ease of use.
How to connect a motion sensor
Connecting an infrared motion sensor is quite simple. It is necessary to purchase a wire consisting of three insulated cores. With its help, the motion sensor is connected to the electrical network and to any lamp. The phase conductor of the network is connected to the phase output of the device. The neutral wires of the electrical network, motion sensor and lamp must be connected together. The phase wire of the electrical appliance is connected to the third core of the motion sensor. This is the entire sensor connection diagram.
How to choose a good motion sensor
When purchasing infrared motion sensors, you must pay special attention to the following characteristics:
Controlling lighting from your phone
At first, touch control of light was used only in conjunction with the construction of a smart home, however, nowadays you can find a special photo relay in any room. Automatic lighting can make a person's life easier. A multi-channel switchboard is capable of turning on the lighting of all rooms from one point.
Experts identify such advantages of the remote lighting control system:
- Control using radio waves can increase the security of the apartment. You can control the light from your phone, personal computer or using a timer. This will protect the apartment from intruders in the absence of the owners.
- Great savings in necessary materials. To run cables to the switches you need a lot of expensive wire. It will also need to be replaced over time. The electronic control system needs a small amount of wire.
- There is no dependence on the electrical power supply network. The multi-channel cabinet and circuit breakers are connected using radio waves, and all light control is carried out without connecting to a local network.
Such a control system is most convenient when it is necessary to control the lighting level in many places at the same time. It can be combined with a dimmer, which will provide the most comfortable lighting in the room.
Microwave and ultrasonic sensors
Microwave sensors can operate on reception and emission of electromagnetic waves. In simple mode, the reflected and emitted waves have the same frequency and wavelength. When a person enters their field of action, these characteristics change and the lighting turns on. The main advantage of such sensors is that they are very accurate devices that can operate in bad weather. The disadvantages are high cost, risk of false positives and negative impact on the human body.
Ultrasonic sensors operate quite similar to microwave sensors. They install a special generator of sound waves of various frequencies, which are emitted and returned from objects located in the range of the device. When a person enters the field of action of the sensor, the frequency of the reflected waves changes, and the device reacts to this. The main disadvantages of such sensors are that they do not respond well to slow movement and are harmful to the health of animals.
A remote control (remote control) is an electronic device through which remote (remote) control of another electronic device (device) is carried out at a certain distance. The control panels themselves can exist both autonomously and non-autonomously (wired version). From a design point of view, the remote control is a small box containing an electronic circuit, as well as control buttons and (most often) its own autonomous power supply.
How to make a control panel
Such a unique device as a control panel greatly simplifies the work with most devices. In everyday life, this could be a DVD player, TV, home theater, etc. Sometimes semi-professional and professional cameras are also equipped with a remote control, but the price for such a remote control is very high. How to make a control panel is discussed below and requires virtually no financial investment.
- Take the most ordinary flashlight-keychain. Disassemble it until you find a contact closure circuit operated by pressing the forward and reverse buttons. Carefully cut off from the bottom all elements that are not necessary for assembling the remote control. Glue the 2 contacts so that one is located on the bottom and the other on the “border”. The function of the first contact will be focusing. The second will take responsibility for the complete descent.
- Then attach a very small plate and spring to the power button. Moreover, this process must be done in such a way that when pressed the spring does not reach the plate.
- High-quality solder both contacts together. By pressing the button, the spring will certainly come into contact with the lower contact, thereby focusing. In addition, in this way the device will acquire additional rigidity. When the button is pressed all the way, the second contact will clamp, causing the shutter to operate. Everything is soldered and the remote control is assembled.
- To do this, you will need a roll of electrical tape of a size that is equal to the diameter of the wire outlet. This is necessary since the wire itself is quite thin.
- Proceed with the construction of the most difficult part, which will serve as a connector for connecting to the device. After selecting wires of the appropriate diameter, glue them together as required for high-quality operation of the device and for docking the remote control with your unit.
- It is better to expose the insulation on one side, as this will allow the wires to be connected. Then you should put a thermal tube on top and fill it all with glue.
- The resulting “filling” now needs to be placed in a suitable housing that would fit in the hand. And then use glue or electrical tape to connect everything together and the remote control is ready.
Having figured out how to make a remote control, you need to check it for functionality. So, you can find out about the presence of a signal from the remote control by looking at it through the “eye” of a video camera or digital camera, while pressing any buttons on the remote control. Please note that all CCD matrices in consumer photo and video devices usually recognize the infrared range.
Having assembled the JDM programmer, we begin to search for some easy-to-replicate circuit. Quite often these are banal flashing lights on an LED or a clock on LED indicators, but the first option has almost no practical application, and the second is often not suitable, not because it is undesirable, but because a radio amateur, especially a beginner or living in the outback, does not always have the necessary components (for example, a quartz resonator or LED indicators).
The scheme proposed below, taken from the Zhelezo-off website (http://aes.at.ua/publ/31-1-0-61), uses more accessible elements.
I replaced the TSOP1738 photosensor with a TSOP1736, but you can experiment with similar parts removed from faulty equipment.
The microcontrollers indicated in the diagram are flashed with different firmware - both firmware versions can be downloaded from the site mentioned above.
You can use any relay with a winding voltage of 12 volts.
A little about the remaining details, since the values of some of them are not very clear in the diagram:
C1 - 220 µF 25 V;
C2 - 220 µF, at least 10 V;
C3 - 0.1 μF (here a typo crept into the author’s diagram - the next capacitor, electrolytic, must have serial number 4);
C4 - 4.7 µF 10 V;
R1 - 330 Ohm;
R2 - 1K;
R3 - 4.7 K;
T1 - BC547, KT315 or other similar transistors of the N-P-N structure;
LED - LED of any type and color of your choice;
D1 - 1N4148, 1N4007 or analogues;
Button - without fixation.
Stabilizer - any 5 volt.
It was not possible to use existing experience. A review of the market for such systems showed that there are solutions only for incandescent lamps. And if you use energy-saving lamps in your home, then the existing options will not work. An attempt to adapt them also came to nothing. All that remains is to come up with your own suitable solution.
In general, after thinking and searching, I settled on the MP325M system from the Master Kit company.
Here's what we bought to solve the problem:
MP325M set,
- power supply PW1245,
- additional MP325M transmitter/transmitter,
- and a one-button switch without fixing was purchased on the construction market.
Since the set consists of a receiver and a transmitter, there are two transmitters in the set. This turned out to be the case, by the way, since to solve our problem we needed just two transmitters.
Actually, what we do: first, it is advisable to de-energize the section of the circuit where we will make the modification.
First of all, we take out the standard switch and connect the two standard wires to each other, insulating them with PVC tape.
Then we take one of the transmitters for the MP325M module and disassemble it. In parallel, we solder two pieces of wire with one of the control buttons. We clean the resulting conclusions and connect them to the contacts of the switch.
If desired, the transmitter scarf itself can also be wrapped in one layer of PVC electrical tape.
Then we move on to the connection point of the lamp or chandelier.
We connect the modules according to the diagram below.
If the apartment has a suspended ceiling, the modules can be hidden in the space between the ceilings. If this is not possible, then you can try installing connections in the niche of the lampshade, having previously insulated the receiver module and the power source with PVC tape.
If the electricity is turned off while the lighting is on, then when it is supplied the chandelier will be in the off state, this is a plus in the safety of our automatic control.
Well, that's all, you can use it.
Now you can independently control the lighting from the switch and wireless remote control. If the switch stops working after a couple of years, don't panic, just replace the transmitter battery. The transmitters can be powered from a 27A or 23A element, which can be freely purchased at any supermarket. An additional channel can be used as a surprise for guests by including additional lighting, such as a starry sky.
By the way, you can use both channels of the MP325M module. But for this you need to use a two-button switch without fixing. And the switch itself may need to be modified by disconnecting the common bus to be able to connect a second button on the MP325/transmitter remote control. If necessary, a free relay can be used to control the receiver by connecting the COM and NC contacts in parallel with the reset and add button on the remote control.
I hope this solution will be interesting and useful. Perhaps someone will want to not only repeat it, but also improve it))