Forfatter Mads Chr. Olesen

25 maj

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Ford 3000 Tractor Instrument Voltage Stabilizer – Mechanical PWM!

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Some time ago we bought a nice used Ford 3000 tractor (3 cylinder diesel, Chief frontloader). It needed some work, and one of the items was a new wiring harness. After replacing all the wiring everything seemed to work fine, until one day all the instruments just died; this being a mechanical beast everything else kept working. After quite some investigation, I found out that the instrument fuse (the only fuse in the entire system) had blown. Replacing it just blew it again, so something was clearly wrong. This lead to taking out the so-called “instrument voltage stabilizer”, and disassembling it.

Apparently I had connected it in such a way that the arm had raised itself, and was now short-circuiting to the case. I had already ordered a replacement, but only got what was essentially a very expensive connection:

So, what was the mechanism actually doing, and is it essential? After some headscratching at Hal9k the conclusion was that it was essentially a mechanical PWM, with something like this diagram

When the switch is touching the terminal current is flowing from the battery (B) to the instruments (I), but also to ground (E) through the resistor wrapped around the switch arm, causing the metal in the switch to heat up and lift. This breaks the connection, whereafter the switch cools down, and at some point makes contact again. Beautifully simple mechanism! Bending the arm back into position essentially fixed the device, and gave this waveform

I have seen the function described online as “pulsating DC”, which is actually quite accurate. So, I re-assembled the stabilizer with some sealant, inserted in the instrument cluster of the tractor, and it has worked perfectly ever since.

The only question is why it is done this way, if just giving a constant DC voltage from the battery also seems to work? I haven’t looked into it further, but my best guess is that the instruments are using coils to move the dials slowly, and that the PWM will heat up the coils less. In conclusion: If your voltage “stabilizer” is broken, you can probably do without it, or quite easily repair it.

For reference, here are the resistance readings between B-E, and I-E:

Gemt under: Extern, HAL9k

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28 jan

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Reverse engineering Aduro Smart Response

Af

I have a fancy thermometer for my wood stove namely an Aduro Smart Response. The accompanying Android app basically shows a temperature graph, with guidelines as to whether the burning is optimal and when put in more wood. I have generally been content with the app: it is quite slow, but generally helps in more optimal burning. Recently however, the Android app has stopped working (something about connecting to a database), and this prompted me to start on a project I wanted to do for some time: get the data from the Smart Response unit into a database under my control.

The Smart Response unit uses Bluetooth Low Energy, and is powered by 3xAAA batteries (my batteries lasted for a year before replacing). Connecting to a BLE unit from Linux is quite easy, at least from the command line:

$ sudo hcitool lescan
LE Scan ...
B4:99:4C:25:12:B2 (unknown)
B4:99:4C:25:12:B2 Aduro demo
$ sudo hcitool lecc B4:99:4C:25:12:B2
Connection handle 3585
$ sudo gatttool -b B4:99:4C:25:12:B2 --interactive
[B4:99:4C:25:12:B2][LE]> connect
Attempting to connect to B4:99:4C:25:12:B2
Connection successful

hcitool is used to create a connection/pairing. gatttool is used to query the device interactively. Thereafter the device can be explored, to see which “handles” are available:

[B4:99:4C:25:12:B2][LE]> primary
attr handle: 0x0001, end grp handle: 0x000b uuid: 00001800-0000-1000-8000-00805f9b34fb #Generic Access
attr handle: 0x000c, end grp handle: 0x000f uuid: 00001801-0000-1000-8000-00805f9b34fb #Generic Attribute
attr handle: 0x0010, end grp handle: 0x0022 uuid: 0000180a-0000-1000-8000-00805f9b34fb #Device Information
attr handle: 0x0023, end grp handle: 0x0027 uuid: 0000180f-0000-1000-8000-00805f9b34fb #Battery
attr handle: 0x0028, end grp handle: 0xffff uuid: 0000ffb0-0000-1000-8000-00805f9b34fb # ???

The annotations on the right are mine; the UUIDs can be looked up under GATT services on the Bluetooth website.
For example, the battery status can be queried somewhere in the Battery handle group from 0x0023 to 0x0027:

[B4:99:4C:25:12:B2][LE]> characteristics 0x0023 0x0027
handle: 0x0024, char properties: 0x12, char value handle: 0x0025, uuid: 00002a19-0000-1000-8000-00805f9b34fb
[B4:99:4C:25:12:B2][LE]> char-read-hnd 0x0025
Characteristic value/descriptor: 5d # Battery level 0x5d = 93%

Now, the only unknown primary is from handle 0x0028 and higher. Let’s query those:

[B4:99:4C:25:12:B2][LE]> characteristics 0x0028 0xffff
handle: 0x0029, char properties: 0x0a, char value handle: 0x002a, uuid: 0000ffb6-0000-1000-8000-00805f9b34fb # 0x0a = R/W
handle: 0x002c, char properties: 0x10, char value handle: 0x002d, uuid: 0000ffb7-0000-1000-8000-00805f9b34fb # 0x10 = notify
handle: 0x0030, char properties: 0x10, char value handle: 0x0031, uuid: 0000ffb3-0000-1000-8000-00805f9b34fb # 0x10 = notify
handle: 0x0033, char properties: 0x02, char value handle: 0x0034, uuid: 0000ffb4-0000-1000-8000-00805f9b34fb # 0x02 = Read
handle: 0x0035, char properties: 0x08, char value handle: 0x0036, uuid: 0000ffb8-0000-1000-8000-00805f9b34fb # 0x08 = Write
handle: 0x0037, char properties: 0x08, char value handle: 0x0038, uuid: 0000ffb9-0000-1000-8000-00805f9b34fb # 0x08 = Write
handle: 0x0039, char properties: 0x0a, char value handle: 0x003a, uuid: 0000ffb5-0000-1000-8000-00805f9b34fb # 0x0a = R/W
handle: 0x003b, char properties: 0x08, char value handle: 0x003c, uuid: 0000ffb2-0000-1000-8000-00805f9b34fb # 0x08 = Write

The annotations on the right are again mine: they specify the char properties as looked up under “Characteristic Declaration”. Querying the char value handles gives some uninteresting values (0x00 bytes, etc.), but also some interesting ones:

[B4:99:4C:25:12:B2][LE]> char-read-hnd 0x002d
Characteristic value/descriptor: c4 01 03 01 fd 00
[B4:99:4C:25:12:B2][LE]> char-read-hnd 0x003a
Characteristic value/descriptor: 44 65 6d 6f 20 20 20 00 # 'Demo \x00'
[B4:99:4C:25:12:B2][LE]> char-read-hnd 0x0034
Characteristic value/descriptor: c3 01 ba 01 c4 01 27 00 c2 01 d1 01

Querying a bit outside also gives some very interesting strings:

[B4:99:4C:25:12:B2][LE]> char-read-hnd 0x002b
Characteristic value/descriptor: 41 64 75 72 6f 20 47 65 74 4c 6f 67 # 'Aduro GetLog'
[B4:99:4C:25:12:B2][LE]> char-read-hnd 0x002f
Characteristic value/descriptor: 41 64 75 72 6f 20 4c 69 76 65 56 61 6c 75 65 # 'Aduro LiveValue'

At this point I tried to look for values that changed, and also manipulating the device (temperature, playing with the damper that is connected with a microswitch). It turns out that 0x002d and 0x0034 changes values, but 0x002d changes the most. Is there a pattern?

Characteristic value/descriptor: c4 01 08 01 fb 00
[B4:99:4C:25:12:B2][LE]> char-read-hnd 0x002d
Characteristic value/descriptor: c4 01 1f 01 f3 00
[B4:99:4C:25:12:B2][LE]> char-read-hnd 0x002d
Characteristic value/descriptor: c4 01 3c 01 ec 00
[B4:99:4C:25:12:B2][LE]> char-read-hnd 0x002d
Characteristic value/descriptor: c4 01 5c 01 e2 00
[B4:99:4C:25:12:B2][LE]> char-read-hnd 0x002d
Characteristic value/descriptor: c4 01 9f 01 c3 00
[B4:99:4C:25:12:B2][LE]> char-read-hnd 0x002d
Characteristic value/descriptor: c4 01 0f 02 9d 00
#counting UP DOWN

Something is counting up, while something else seems to be counting down; this was while the temperature was cooling down. As 0x002d allows for notify, we can even ask for notifications by writing 0x0100 to 0x002d + 1:

[B4:99:4C:25:12:B2][LE]> char-write-cmd 0x002e 0100
Notification handle = 0x002d value: c5 01 43 00 2a 01
Notification handle = 0x002d value: c5 01 44 00 2a 01
Notification handle = 0x002d value: c5 01 45 00 2b 01
Notification handle = 0x002d value: c5 01 46 00 2c 01
...
Notification handle = 0x002d value: c5 01 f0 01 94 00
Notification handle = 0x002d value: c5 01 f1 01 94 00
Notification handle = 0x002d value: c6 01 00 00 93 00
Notification handle = 0x002d value: c6 01 01 00 93 00

In the end of the series I manipulated the damper. Trying to identify the temperature, the last 2 characters seems the most promising: values from 0x93 (147 C) to 0x012c (300 C) seem reasonable from what I have seen previously. The middle 2 characters always increase by 1, so it is probably a datapoint counter. The first 2 characters seems to increase by using the damper.

This was implemented in a small Python script, using the Gattlib, pyAduroSmart.py.

I hooked this into my home monitoring system (more on that in a later blog post), and now have a nice graph of the number of firings, and the temperature:

Gemt under: Extern, HAL9k

03 maj

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Hal9k tager på Sommerhack!

Af

Så sker det! OSAA og Hal9k inviterer til campen “Sommerhack” sidste weekend i august. Tag dit telt og computer under armen og kom til en maker-/hacker-/teknologi-camp i Midtjylland.

Tag gerne familien med til hygge i det fri. Vi planlægger også at lave workshops for børn.

Til Sommerhack er der spændende projekter, talks, mad inkluderet og god stemning omkring bålet om aftenen i fællesrummet “pejsestuen”.

Medbring gerne et eller flere projekter, hvis du har noget du arbejder på eller har bygget, og bliv inspireret af andre deltageres kreative og vilde idéer!

Der er plads til at du kan sidde med din computer, 3D-printer, loddekolbe eller hvad du nu har med, nede i det store bindingsværkslokale “pejsestuen”. Vi sætter et antal langborde op med el og netværksswitche, og laver et hackerområde hvor du kan sidde. Ved bordene rundt om den åbne pejs/ildsted, kan man sidde med sin computer og programmere etc., ligesom vi også her har fællesspisning morgen, middag og aften.

Hver dag vil der være talks om forskellige emner inden for bl.a. teknologi, elektronik og software.

På campingområdet er I velkomne til f.eks. at tage et fælles telt med, hvor I kan lave et “hackerområde”. I er velkomne til at samle jer i små “villages” med et fælles tema etc., som det kendes f.eks. fra OHM2013.

Vi håber på sol og sommer og dasen på stranden ved søen. Men fortvivl ej hvis der kommer en byge. Vi sørger for at der er plads til alle i fælleslokalet, og afhængig af deltagerantallet lejer vi også et stort festtelt, med fast bund og langborde mv., selvfølgelig også med el, WiFi og kablet net.

Rammerne er lagt og kun fantasien sætter grænser (næsten) for hvad I kan gøre eventet til.

Vi glæder os til at se jer!

Sommerhack 2016 arrangeres i samarbejde med IDA Embedded, Teknisk landsforbund og PROSA. Medlemmer af IDA, TL og PROSA har mulighed for at købe billetter til en reduceret pris.

Se mere på http://sommerhack.dk

Gemt under: Projekter

02 maj

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Indkaldelse til ordinær generalforsamling i HAL9k torsdag 2016-05-26 kl. 19:30

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Følgende er dagsordenen til den ordinære generalforsamling i foreningen
HAL9k torsdag 2016-05-26 kl. 19:30 på Sofiendalsvej 80, 9200 Aalborg SV.

Dagsorden til generalforsamling:
1. Valg af ordstyrer.
2. Valg af referent.
3. Valg af to stemmetællere.
4. Bestyrelsesformanden og kassereren aflægger beretning, samt
præsenterer planer for den kommende sæson.
5. Kassereren fremlægger det reviderede regnskab til godkendelse.
6. Forslag fra bestyrelsen eller medlemmerne, herunder
vedtægtsændringer, behandles.
7. Behandling af eksklusionssager.
8. Valg af revisor.
9. Valg af bestyrelse.
10. Valg af op til to suppleanter.
11. Behandling af indkommende forslag.

Vedhæftninger:
* Årsregnskab 2015 (Bedre formateret)

Balance pr. 31/12-2015 ved regnskabets afslutning var 59.493,69 DKK

Indkomne forslag skal være bestyrelsen i hænde senest syv dage før
generalforsamlingen.

Vi hackes ved,

Bestyrelsen Hal9k

Gemt under: Projekter

19 feb

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Hvorfor korrelerer min DC-spænding med solen?

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DC-spænding over 24 timer

I mit home-monitoring setup har jeg en AC-DC strømforsyning der laver DC-strøm og lader UPS-batterierne. Denne spænding overvåger jeg, som beskrevet i sidste blogindlæg. Grafen set for en typisk dag ser ud som ovenover. Der er en tydelig stigning i spændingen om morgenen og et tydeligt fald sidst på eftermiddagen. Det korrelerer forbavsende godt med hvornår solen står og og går ned. Her er data for 3 forskellige dage, overlagt med sol op-/ned-tidspunkt:

6sept

6. september – ufiltreret

26-10-2015

26. oktober – filtreret

21-12-2015

21. december – filtreret

Der er ikke noget forbundet til DC-forsyningen der trækker væsentlig forskellig strøm efter belastning (det der er forbundet er switche, router og Arduinoer), og intet der tænder/slukker efter tidspunktet. Temperaturen varierer ikke væsentligt i rack-skabet, og korrelerer ikke med spændingen:

temp-volt-oct

Temperatur og spænding, hele oktober. Spænding (grøn) på højre akse.

temp-volt-26oct

Temperatur og spænding, 26. oktober. Spænding (grøn) på højre akse.

Så det store spørgsmål er: Hvorfor korrelerer min DC-spænding med solen? Er det pga. solceller i nabolaget? Er det pga. gadebelysning der tænder/slukker? Gode bud modtages :-)

Gemt under: Extern, HAL9k

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