I have prototyped my project on a breadboard and it is pretty messy so far. I feel like I want to try to get my project on a board and make more of them. I can search on google and find a bunch of ads for printing and such, but I wanted to see what you guys used for your projects. I would like to make it where all I have to do it make my hard connections as well as get the Argon in there.
I’m not exactly clear what you’re asking.
For PCB design I use Eagle (free version for hobbyists). PCB manufacture SEEED Studio or OSHPark. But there are other software options, and endless PCB manufacturing options.
For Argon you can install headers on the PCB to plug it in. I can’t identify everything you have in there. Potentially, or at least for a first version, you could treat some of the other items as daughter boards that mount to your PCB so you’re primarily cleaning up all the cable connections.
You could easily pick up the Feather Wing layout from say this project. Helpful Adafruit guide on Eagle and OSHPark.
Good luck! I think you’ll be ecstatic to get that simplified onto a PCB.
Thanks. The board in the top right is one that I took out of a 5VDC wall wort that I would like to be able to incorporate in the new board. The others are just relay boards. I am looking at the Seeed Studio now.
I've never gotten in to the PCB world. Sorry if I sound like a hard core newbie.
Excellent @TeraBull! I wasn’t sure what level you’re starting from.
Why incorporate the wall wart? E.g., can you power it from a 5VDC cellphone charger that just connects to your board? If you need more than a cellphone charger can provide, just get anoff the shelf AC/DC adapter. Or get a higher voltage AC/DC adapter if you need for other parts, and a 7805 voltage regulator to step it down. I guess you have the space to have an internal power supply, but I would avoid it unless you have a good reason for it. You could even in that space have AC come into the box and install an outlet that a cellphone wall wart plugs into (if it complies with local regulations, safety, etc.).
Is the bottom right a relay too?
That is for an ORP sensor to measure chlorine in the pool. the two relays run the pump and lights. it has the water temp, air temp and water pressure before the filter. I feel like everything works pretty good.
The purpose of breaking the wall wort apart is because I don’t want to use a precious wall outlet to power my device. I want it all in one piece so that I have one 120V supply coming into the box and break it off from there. I don’t want a wall wort in an outlet out by my pool. I feel like it can be a cleaner build like that. I think…
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I would support what @bloukingfisher has suggested - i.e. use a packaged AC/DC converter - these will take your 120V AC and give you a clean 5V DC. They can easily (and safely) be incorporated in a PCB. The LM7805 Low Drop Out voltage regulators are very inefficient and depending upon the input DC voltage can generate a bit of heat - better to get your supply voltage directly with a switching PSU.
OR use a mobile phone charger and USB cable into the microUSB on the Argon (simplest).
At a prototyping stage I would suggest after breadboard to use the Adafruit feather proto boards and the tripler featherwing - it is much easier than designing custom PCBs and getting them made.
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