Getting Started! Beginner in Raspberry Pi

[bookworm-boop]

Hello!
I want to quickly say this is a really cool software and I'm surprised that I only recently found it!
I have a couple of questions, I want to be thorough in understanding what parts I need.
I have 4 enclosures, 3 leopard geckos, 1 ball python with future plans of switching to bio-active.

How do you pick which parts are most suitable with each other?
I wanted temperature and humidity sensors with webcams. I would like to install a misting system to help with low humidity levels.

With that being said, how do I pick out my parts?
Is it possible to complete the whole thing solderless?
How do you store your main pi and boards in a safe manner?

These are a lot of questions, I apologize if this has been answered before I must have missed the post. I'm a complete beginner in pi, but I have successfully set up and accessed the dashboard with the pi.
It's the set up of sensors that is worrying me. I don't completely understand the resistors issues and pi's limitations so I hope to learn from this!! I understand complete walkthroughs are not possible with all the support for various sensors and parts but I want to be able to choose compatible parts and not overload my pi. Thank you.

[theyosh]

Hi,

First, welcome!

this is not easy to answer. As there is a lot of hardware supported, but some hardware will exclude other hardware due to used GPIO ports.

Also, soldering is mandatory, but it is not difficult. And it is probably not that much.

A lot of information can be found at: https://theyosh.github.io/TerrariumPI/ But a lot of detailed information about hardware, needs to be googled. There is also a lot of information on the internet, and they are almost always compatible with TerrariumPI, as I mostly follow all the external documentation that is available. But I do expect some handy-ness will hardware, cables and soldering...

So I will try to specify to your setup.

There is not a hard limit on how many sensors you can use. But some sensors are slow, and when you have a lot of them, then It could be a problem. But I have seen people working with 9 different terrariums with a single Raspberry PI. So it is possible.

Temperature

For temperature sensors I would go for: https://theyosh.github.io/TerrariumPI/hardware/sensor/1-wire-sensor/ . Especially DS18B20 temperature sensor.
You can connect up to 128 devices to a single GPIO port. And they can handle rather long cables. I use old telephone cables for this. But make sure you have 4 wire cable. You need 3 wires to use 1-wire sensors. And I do have a small image on how to connect multiple sensors to a PI. It needs a resistor. And they are pretty cheap.

Humidity

For humidity, this is a bit more difficult. Again, I would go for 1-wire system. There are some 1-wire humidity sensor, but they are expensive. And example: https://www.embeddeddatasystems.com/OW-ENV-TH--Temperature-Humidity-Sensor_p_168.html / https://www.teracomsystems.com/sensors/1-wire-humidity-temperature-sensor-tsh202/ /https://www.ibuttonlink.com/products/ss-wall-th

But when using those humidity sensors, you can connect to the same cable as the temperature sensors.
I suggest not to use https://theyosh.github.io/TerrariumPI/hardware/sensor/am2302-sensor or https://theyosh.github.io/TerrariumPI/hardware/sensor/dht22-sensor/ or https://theyosh.github.io/TerrariumPI/hardware/sensor/dht11-sensor/ as that sensor seems to break done easily and fast. So mostly after a year it will not work anymore.

Other solution is to use I2C connected sensors, but than you will run into problems when you want to use multiple sensors. As those sensors are fixed on the I2C address, you can only have 1 sensor per I2C bus. Luckily, you can add multiple I2C busses to the Raspberry PI. Either use https://theyosh.github.io/TerrariumPI/hardware/i2c-multiplexer/ or follow https://www.instructables.com/Raspberry-PI-Multiple-I2c-Devices/ (could be a bit outdated). It is possible to create more I2C busses on the Raspberry PI.

Relays

For relays you need I guess at least 8 relays. 4 times light, 4 times a mister. There are boards that support up to 16 relays at once. But for those boards, the code is not stable yet. I am working on that still.
But have a look at: https://theyosh.github.io/TerrariumPI/hardware/#relays
Using Wifi or USB versions is the most easily.

When you want to use dimmers, it gets complicated again. The raspberry PI only support 2 dimmers stable. You can connect more, but I am not sure of that will be stable. But this could be an option: https://theyosh.github.io/TerrariumPI/hardware/relay/i2c-4channels-led-ac-dimmer/
And the power wires can be very long, so that will never be a problem.

But to know more what is possible / handy, we need to know how much hardware you want to use that needs AC power.

Raspberry PI

I suggest to use a Raspberry PI 4 with 2GB memory. Than it will run smooth. How to store it, I just put it on top of my terrarium with out any protection. But there are also people making complete boxes with all hardware inside. #210

My hardware is running now for about 10 years. I still have a Raspberry Pi 3 B with 1G memory. And that is still working....

That is what I can tell right now.... If you more questions, just ask!

[bookworm-boop]

Thank you so much! I was very lost on how to start and I got overwhelmed with all the options.
For the TSH202 1-wire sensor, on the website it lists as a temp/humidity sensor, can it do both readings? I know the dht22 does both since I used one for a college project. It's okay if you don't know the specifics, I might buy one and see how it works out.

So Shopping List:

• Resistors
• TSH202 Sensor (1 to start off to test but a total of 4)
• 4x 1 wire temperature sensor (if the TSH202 sensor cannot do both readings)
• 1x I2C 4Channels LED AC dimmer (Does this need an additional I2C to run?) Test for 1st setup then Buy 3 more.
• 4x relays for misters (usure which one yet) (I was thinking between kasa smart and energenie usb)
• soldering equipment
• Raspberry Pi + cooling (Got it!)

Thank you for your help! I'll update you on how I'm doing, feel free to add!
Also do you recommend the docker image or downloading the git repo locally?

[theyosh]

With 1 I2C 4Channels LED AC dimmer you can control 4 dimmer lights. So not sure if you need that much.

The TSH202 does indeed temperature, so that will save some temperature only sensors. And cabling, as two sensors are already put on 1 cable :D

You can always add more 1 wire (temperature) sensors when needed.

And when you have enough money to spent, by of everything at least 1 backup item. Over the years some hardware devices will not be sold. And than they will break.
And specially when you have your setup running, it is hard to do tests with it, if you want. So a second Pi is always handy when you want to add new hardware. You can try first on a second Pi before altering your running setup.

[bookworm-boop]

Updated List

• Resistors
• 4x TSH202 Sensor
• 1x I2C 4Channels LED AC dimmer (Is there another similar one that I can use? like LED-Warrior18? I'm having a hard time finding it on Amazon)
• 4x relays for misters (usure which one yet) (I was thinking between kasa smart and energenie usb) (Do you have a recommendation for this one?)
• soldering equipment
• Raspberry Pi + cooling (Got it!)

Thanks for all your help!!

[theyosh]

If you are planning to use 4 enclosures, I think this could be handy for relays: https://www.tindie.com/products/bugrovs2012/8-channel-i2c-electromagnetic-relay-module/

This is 8 relays in 1 board. This board is close to your PI. So the power lines are long. And you have spares for like a heating map or light.

An usb version which I use: https://denkovi.com/usb-relay-board-four-channels-for-home-automation But there are more with the same system like https://theyosh.github.io/TerrariumPI/hardware/relay/ftdi/

[theyosh]

And think about maybe ordering some extra sensors... just as backup 1 extra.