DIY iphone Passerel Remote Controll

BartW

BartW

Well-Known Member
Joined
9 Oct 2007
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Location
Belgium
www.amptec.be
One of our sons finalised the Japa, Project;
“Jasper Amazing Passerel App.”
In cooperation with one of his classmate / friends Ben.

A small Simblee processor board (similar to Arduino),
Is placed on a self-designed relay /psu PCB.
The PCB works with a 5V….30V DC supply.

Japa%20pcb.jpg


The app allows to remotely controll 6 relay’s to operate the passerel.
Wireless connection is with Bluetooth.

Japa%20display.jpg


The big difference with Arduino is that the app software is written and stored on the Simblee itself,
and is downloaded on the iphone as soon the phone gets a Bluetooth connection with the board.
The iphone / android runs a generic Simblee download app, this means you don’t need to program apps on iphone nor android.

The design is very universal, and can be re- programmed for any other remote application.
Second function on Bleu Angel will be remotely switch on or off the generator,

Demo video:

 
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Nice work Bart. I am thinking of trying to put together a remote controller for engines/bowthruster so I can moor from the cockpit solo. Not sure how this can be done as the engines are mechanical, but the transmission controllers are electronic I think.
 
rafiki_ said:
Nice work Bart. I am thinking of trying to put together a remote controller for engines/bowthruster so I can moor from the cockpit solo. Not sure how this can be done as the engines are mechanical, but the transmission controllers are electronic I think.
Click to expand...

You should have a chat with jrudge about this when we get together in London next month - he built his own yacht controllers for both his T40 and his S65.
 
Looks great but one obvious downside is that you have to get your phone out on the pontoon when staggering back from the pub. Even having a waterproof iPhone 7 won't help if it's on the seabed. With a normal remote it can be on a key ring with a float, just in case.
Cool though and with many possibilities.
 
Bart

Looks really good! Fantastic for those under 35, who now seem to be permanently
welded to their phones. No need to carry a separate remote.
 
rafiki_ said:
I am thinking of trying to put together a remote controller for engines/bowthruster so I can moor from the cockpit solo. Not sure how this can be done as the engines are mechanical, but the transmission controllers are electronic I think.
Click to expand...

have been thinking about that myself, our controlls are hydraulic, even more difficult to modify,
keep us updated if you start making something.
 
BartW said:
have been thinking about that myself, our controlls are hydraulic, even more difficult to modify,
keep us updated if you start making something.
Click to expand...

Will do Bart. According to legend (well J_T_B, who is legendary), Jrudge has done this before. I will hook up with him at the London Boat Show, and ask the question.
 
rafiki_ said:
the engines are mechanical, but the transmission controllers are electronic I think.
Click to expand...
Fwiw, my 3116 are mated to ZF IRM220A g/boxes, and they are mechanically controlled for good.
At a guess, your 3126 probably are NOT mated to the same g/box, 'cause the 220 is rated for 350hp, while the 3126 has a higher output.
But I'd be VERY surprised if you would have electronically controlled g/boxes, anyway.
I have seen a few boats (with 3196 and C12 engines, for instance) with electronic throttles directly controlling the engine governor, plus actuators to push/pull the g/box cables - but never the other way round.

Anyway, imho the best actuators for interfacing mechanical engines/throttles (and I'm talking to BartW now: I've seen it installed also on some mechanical MAN engines) are those built by Kobelt.
Solid bronze construction (mostly used on commercial boats, in fact), and with levers that can be engaged to move the cables 100% mechanically from the actuators inside the e/r, failing the electronic controls.
In principle, I would never change properly working mechanical throttles for electronic ones (with mechanical engines and g/boxes), but if I should, that's the only one I'd consider.

Oh, and of course, once there are electronically controlled actuators moving the mechanical throttles and g/boxes cables, remote controls can always be interfaced.
Not sure about what jrudge did to build a remote control for his T40 and T65, but surely at least the latter was already an electronically controlled boat, to start with - hence not needing any actuator.

PS @ the OP: very nice stuff indeed! Now that you have such a technology wizard in the family, I'm looking forward to the next BA domotic upgrades...! :encouragement:
 
MapisM said:
Fwiw, my 3116 are mated to ZF IRM220A g/boxes, and they are mechanically controlled for good.
At a guess, your 3126 probably are NOT mated to the same g/box, 'cause the 220 is rated for 350hp, while the 3126 has a higher output.
But I'd be VERY surprised if you would have electronically controlled g/boxes, anyway.
I have seen a few boats (with 3196 and C12 engines, for instance) with electronic throttles directly controlling the engine governor, plus actuators to push/pull the g/box cables - but never the other way round.

Anyway, imho the best actuators for interfacing mechanical engines/throttles (and I'm talking to BartW now: I've seen it installed also on some mechanical MAN engines) are those built by Kobelt.
Solid bronze construction (mostly used on commercial boats, in fact), and with levers that can be engaged to move the cables 100% mechanically from the actuators inside the e/r, failing the electronic controls.
In principle, I would never change properly working mechanical throttles for electronic ones (with mechanical engines and g/boxes), but if I should, that's the only one I'd consider.

Oh, and of course, once there are electronically controlled actuators moving the mechanical throttles and g/boxes cables, remote controls can always be interfaced.
Not sure about what jrudge did to build a remote control for his T40 and T65, but surely at least the latter was already an electronically controlled boat, to start with - hence not needing any actuator.

PS @ the OP: very nice stuff indeed! Now that you have such a technology wizard in the family, I'm looking forward to the next BA domotic upgrades...! :encouragement:
Click to expand...

P, Rafiki has the ZF gearboxes, elec control, and cable actuation. I'm hoping that I can interface with the elec controllers and the bow thruster. May not be possible though?
 
rafiki_ said:
P, Rafiki has the ZF gearboxes, elec control, and cable actuation. I'm hoping that I can interface with the elec controllers and the bow thruster. May not be possible though?
Click to expand...
Aha, I didn't understand that you already have electronic throttles.
This means that you must have also 4 actuators somewhere inside the e/r (or, more likely, two actuator boxes with two cables each), driving both the governor and the g/box levers of each engine.
And that's very good news when it comes to installing a remote control, because in principle it's just a matter of interfacing the remote receiver with those actuators, which are already electronically driven.
For instance, the "Yacht Controller", which is possibly the most popular remote (though ridiculously expensive), can natively be interfaced with all the controls that you can find in this list.
But if - as JTB said - jrudge has already been able to build a DIY remote for his former Sq65, he surely can tell you much more than myself about the feasibility of doing the same on your boat...! :encouragement:
 
MapisM said:
Aha, I didn't understand that you already have electronic throttles.
This means that you must have also 4 actuators somewhere inside the e/r (or, more likely, two actuator boxes with two cables each), driving both the governor and the g/box levers of each engine.
Click to expand...
Yep, spot on.
 
MapisM said:
Anyway, imho the best actuators for interfacing mechanical engines/throttles (and I'm talking to BartW now: I've seen it installed also on some mechanical MAN engines) are those built by Kobelt.
Solid bronze construction (mostly used on commercial boats, in fact), and with levers that can be engaged to move the cables 100% mechanically from the actuators inside the e/r, failing the electronic controls.
In principle, I would never change properly working mechanical throttles for electronic ones (with mechanical engines and g/boxes), but if I should, that's the only one I'd consider.

Oh, and of course, once there are electronically controlled actuators moving the mechanical throttles and g/boxes cables, remote controls can always be interfaced.
Not sure about what jrudge did to build a remote control for his T40 and T65, but surely at least the latter was already an electronically controlled boat, to start with - hence not needing any actuator.

PS @ the OP: very nice stuff indeed! Now that you have such a technology wizard in the family, I'm looking forward to the next BA domotic upgrades...! :encouragement:
Click to expand...

I'm not considering to replace the hydraulic actuators as long the systems works adaquately,
actually I quite like this system on a old ship like BA
(and I hate to see a retrofit electronic throttle fiited on a old dash if not done properly)
I was thinking to add sort of a additional hydraulic actuator that could be driven electrically,
but I'll probably forget about this idea, as we are quite used to- and good at- manouvring with the camara's
I like this kind of manouvring,
with these modern wireless remote controll for gear, throttle and thruster, there is no challenge in it anymore :)

re. domotica
I'm not so much in to real domotica on a boat,
I'm rather old fashion, and prefer switches, relay's, some timers, etc...
just like to avoid digital controller systems.

I like to have the ability to diagnose / manipulate / interfere on any function promptly.
yes I know that a well designed domotica system should cope with all that,
but the boat is too old, and life is too short to install something like this.

this iphone passerel remote is just a practical thing, as we almost alway's have our iPhone in our pocket
 
Will you produce a few and sell on as I would be interested in getting one, as you say I always have the phone with me.
 
OK, here is our proposal,
we don't want to make a business out of this, but just share this as a hobby project, and cover the costs,
meaning,

80 euro for the PCB board, the Controller and all the components,
40 euro for Jasper, (my sun) for soldering all together, and test each unit
40 euro for Ben, (friend) for the software, and do minimal personal adaptations for each unit.
total: 160 euro.
there is nothing in it for me.

what's included,
a complete working PCB including the Simblee controller (on a socket)
and 6 x relay contacts (C-NC-NO),
including the software (loaded in the controller, and will load itself on a IPhone)
the unit will need 5...30V DC supply

on the IPhone display will show 6 buttons numbered 1,2,....6
these numbers can be changed in to text, as in mine:
in / out / open / close / up / down
actually a better wording on mine would be:
in / out / deploy / fold / up / down

but as the unit can be used for any kind of remote app,
other function names will come up / be possible.
if you like a small logo is also possible.

so far, there is just a momentary action;
as long you push and hold the button on the inphone,
the corresponding relay will go "on"
 
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