ARGraph Datalogging project and info.

[Pman]

Received my data logger from ARG a couple days ago. I will also be getting an ARGMeter for Ophir sometime after he gets back from vacation.
As always with me, this is me messing around and I may change anything at anytime.
I was trying to decide what to do with the data logger to make it somewhat protected and easily hooked up to either of my LPMs. Had originally made both the TEC based and Ophir based LPMs so they could easily be hooked up with alot of options (I'm heavy on options). So these are a few pictures of the units so you can see why I did what I did for the data logger.

Both units have switchable displays and banana plug compatible outputs.

TEC based unit:

Ophir based unit:

This is what I did with the data logger:
Altoids can (don't necessarily have to use this flavor)

Side view showing holes for USB and Power connector

Standard 1/8" mono headphone jack

Insulated and very well fitting box. Very secure

Wires routed out of way of indicator lights (red Vin wire not used)

9V wall wart, USB cord, 9V battery connector, 1/8" male to banana plug

Shown with all connections (box can be open or closed)

Shown lit up and ready to roll

Comments:
-You should test your wall warts output as even though mine is labelled 9V, it actually puts out 11.53V.
-Arduino need 7-12V
-Data logging board needs 5.2-12V
-IF you plug in the USB connector with no other power (side connector or Vin pin), it will all work (tested this). You will see about 4.5V between the Vin and ground connections on the data logger. However, ARGLaser said that "at the higher powers it will read inaccurately because the 5V reference will be off. You need voltage above 5.2V to generate an accurate reference". So, unless you are testing low powered lasers, don't use just USB power for everything.
-You can use EITHER the side power input or Vin to power the data logger but NOT :tsk: both at the same time or it will go poof with possible funny smell
-You have to snip the Vin pin if the voltage is too low for the Arduino to run off of. You can apply 7-12V to the Vin without snipping it (such as using the +side of 9V to an Ophir).
-The reason there's not an issue between Vin/side power connector and the USB power is that the Arduino has an auto selector so that when both USB and another source are connected, it will use the other source.
-The only software needed is the Arduino and Peregrine to get everything up and running.
-I had an issue with the Peregrine program not opening on my main computer with the issue being that I just needed to update Java. Program tested on Windows XP desktop, laptop, Vista laptop and Windows 7 netbook all good.
-Install the Arduino software first and follow the procedure to make sure it loads properly and you see it under Ports in device manager with a Com port # and you are good. Don't need to flash anything. Peregrine should then be able to see the com port and you are good to go.

Big :thanks: to all involved in this project especially ARGLaser and Trevor:wave: Please consider supporting these guys with a few $.
Pete

 

[awillis2589]

Nice idea with the box!!

 

[offroadfreak8582]

Sweet! You just made an attachment! Nice idea! :beer:

 

[Pman]

Thanks guys. Not expecting the ARGMeter for at least a few weeks so instead of redoing the TEC LPM with this I decided to make it so I could use it with anything.
Since I keep my LPMs in the PL cases there's enough room to put this in either one and with the connections I use it only takes a moment to connect anything.
Not sure what to do about the ARGMeter yet. I'm going to have to look it over when it arrives and decide then. Thinking I might just do a different type of seperate box add-on. The screen with buttons complicates things.
Unit is shown powered with a single 9V battery but I do have aa battery holders for 4,6 and 8 cells with the standard 9V connector on the end as part of the holder so I could use one of those in whatever combination of alkaline, eneloop or lithium with dummy cells if necessary for more capacity. aa eneloops are rated at 2000mAh. Haven't looked into any other battery size holder.
The reason why you see a little bit of electrical tape on the data logger wires and around the 1/8" mono jack is just for piece of mind. The 3 data logger wires have pins on the ends of them and I decided to not cut them off and just solder the ground and signal wires to the jack so I could easily pull out the whole thing. What I did was solder a couple of 24awg silicone wire to the 1/8" jack (shrink wrapped to the terminals and then just wrap a small piece of tape around the rest of the exposed jack because I couldn't get shrink wrap to shrink properly) and then just pushed the pins into the other ends of the 24awg wire. The pins are in tight but I wasn't going to take any chance of them seperating and possibly touching anything so I put a small piece of tape around them. The red Vin wire still has the pin on the end also but with a piece of insulation from 18awg silicone wire (wire pulled out) pushed over the pin and on top of the pins insulation and small piece of tape around it. Have to be very careful with that wire as any power to the arduino will give voltage out of the data logger Vin. I say all this to explain why I purposely didn't wire everything "cleaner" so no changes were made to the unit as received and I could easily change things in the future.
Also, to make extra sure nothing will move, on top of the USB connector is a piece of foam and there's 3 pieces of electrical tape where the box lid closes and will touch the datalogger pin insolation (you can see the slight marks from the pins just touching the tape). Even without doing any of that, the Arduino doesn't move at all plugging or unplugging connections in since it sits on a sticky pad in bottom of box.

 

[jimdt7]

Nice mod you did there...:gj:
+1 :beer:

Jim

 

[lasersbee]

TEC based unit:

Wow... would like to see those 7.788 Watt and 8.888 Watt
Lasers....

Nice work building the logger into an Altiods can...


Jerry

 

[Pman]

Yeah, it's remarkable how stable and powerful those (2) 532nm Wicked Lasers are on my remote signalled plasma displays:crackup:

LPM shots are older and you can see the neverending lovely white cat hairs.
Marie. Guilty as charged!

 

[lasersbee]

I hear that you can shave cats....:eg:
Or maybe use a load of Brylcreem.....:crackup::crackup:


Jerry

 

[ARG]

Looks great Pete! I like the way you did it in the tin.

Thanks for showing others your install, I'll be sure to redirect people to this. Do you mind if I use your images for the website? I would like to add more pictures of these installed into LPM's.

 

[Pman]

Use whatever you like Everything I post for anything is meant to help us all.
I am completely in step with keeping everything open and honest so we all can benefit.
Pete

Here's a few pics of it in the TEC LPM Skylaser PL case. It was important that it all fit well.