Building a wired RS485 sensor network

written by hek
If you have problems with your steel walls in your home, making radio traffic impossible, you can create a wired MySensors network using RS-485 modules connected to your Arduino.

We're using the AltSoftSerial library (internally) to give the Arduino an additional serial port. This way you can still use pin0/1 for node debug prints.

The AltSoftSerial library can simultaneously transmit and receive. Minimal interference with simultaneous use of HardwareSerial and other libraries. Consumes a 16 bit timer (and will not work with any libraries which need that timer) and disables some PWM pins. Can be sensitive to interrupt usage by other libraries.

Wiring Things Up

Board Transmit Pin Receive Pin Unusable PWM
Arduino Uno, Duemilanove, LilyPad, Mini (& other ATMEGA328) 9 8 10
Arduino Leonardo, Yun, Micro 5 13 (none)
Arduino Mega 46 48 44, 45
Teensy 3.0 / 3.1 / 3.2 21 20 22
Teensy 2.0 9 10 (none)
Teensy++ 2.0 25 4 26, 27

You also have to connect the DE-pin output to pin 2 (or some other defined by the MY_RS485_DE_PIN in your sketch).

Demonstration

Example Serial Gateway

/mysensors/MySensors/examples/GatewaySerialRS485/GatewaySerialRS485.ino
Last updated by tekka007, 24 Jul 2022, "Upate CI and HW defs (#1530)"
/**
* The MySensors Arduino library handles the wireless radio link and protocol
* between your home built sensors/actuators and HA controller of choice.
* The sensors forms a self healing radio network with optional repeaters. Each
* repeater and gateway builds a routing tables in EEPROM which keeps track of the
* network topology allowing messages to be routed to nodes.
*
* Created by Henrik Ekblad <[email protected]>
* Copyright (C) 2013-2019 Sensnology AB
* Full contributor list: https://github.com/mysensors/MySensors/graphs/contributors
*
* Documentation: http://www.mysensors.org
* Support Forum: http://forum.mysensors.org
*
* This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or
* modify it under the terms of the GNU General Public License
* version 2 as published by the Free Software Foundation.
*
*******************************
*
* DESCRIPTION
* The RS485 Gateway prints data received from sensors on the serial link.
* The gateway accepts input on seral which will be sent out on
* the RS485 link.
*
* Wire connections (OPTIONAL):
* - Inclusion button should be connected between digital pin 3 and GND
* - RX/TX/ERR leds need to be connected between +5V (anode) and digital pin 6/5/4 with resistor 270-330R in a series
*
* LEDs (OPTIONAL):
* - RX (green) - blink fast on radio message received. In inclusion mode will blink fast only on presentation received
* - TX (yellow) - blink fast on radio message transmitted. In inclusion mode will blink slowly
* - ERR (red) - fast blink on error during transmission error or receive crc error
*
* If your Arduino board has additional serial ports
* you can use to connect the RS485 module.
* Otherwise, the gateway uses AltSoftSerial to handle two serial
* links on one Arduino. Use the following pins for RS485 link
*
*  Board          Transmit  Receive   PWM Unusable
* -----          --------  -------   ------------
* Teensy 3.0 & 3.1  21        20         22
* Teensy 2.0         9        10       (none)
* Teensy++ 2.0      25         4       26, 27
* Arduino Uno        9         8         10
* Arduino Leonardo   5        13       (none)
* Arduino Mega      46        48       44, 45
* Wiring-S           5         6          4
* Sanguino          13        14         12
*
*/

// Enable debug prints to serial monitor
#define MY_DEBUG

// Enable RS485 transport layer
#define MY_RS485

// Define this to enables DE-pin management on defined pin
#define MY_RS485_DE_PIN 2

// Set RS485 baud rate to use
#define MY_RS485_BAUD_RATE 9600

// Enable this if RS485 is connected to a hardware serial port
//#define MY_RS485_HWSERIAL Serial1

// Enable serial gateway
#define MY_GATEWAY_SERIAL


// Enable inclusion mode
#define MY_INCLUSION_MODE_FEATURE
// Enable Inclusion mode button on gateway
#define MY_INCLUSION_BUTTON_FEATURE
// Set inclusion mode duration (in seconds)
#define MY_INCLUSION_MODE_DURATION 60
// Digital pin used for inclusion mode button
#define MY_INCLUSION_MODE_BUTTON_PIN  3

// Set blinking period
#define MY_DEFAULT_LED_BLINK_PERIOD 300

// Flash leds on rx/tx/err
#define MY_DEFAULT_ERR_LED_PIN 4  // Error led pin
#define MY_DEFAULT_RX_LED_PIN  5  // Receive led pin
#define MY_DEFAULT_TX_LED_PIN  6  // the PCB, on board LED

#include <MySensors.h>

void setup()
{
    // Setup locally attached sensors
}

void presentation()
{
    // Present locally attached sensors
}

void loop()
{
    // Send locally attached sensor data here
}

Example Motion Sensor

/mysensors/MySensors/examples/MotionSensorRS485/MotionSensorRS485.ino
Last updated by tekka007, 24 Jul 2022, "Upate CI and HW defs (#1530)"
/*
 * The MySensors Arduino library handles the wireless radio link and protocol
 * between your home built sensors/actuators and HA controller of choice.
 * The sensors forms a self healing radio network with optional repeaters. Each
 * repeater and gateway builds a routing tables in EEPROM which keeps track of the
 * network topology allowing messages to be routed to nodes.
 *
 * Created by Henrik Ekblad <[email protected]>
 * Copyright (C) 2013-2019 Sensnology AB
 * Full contributor list: https://github.com/mysensors/MySensors/graphs/contributors
 *
 * Documentation: http://www.mysensors.org
 * Support Forum: http://forum.mysensors.org
 *
 * This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or
 * modify it under the terms of the GNU General Public License
 * version 2 as published by the Free Software Foundation.
 *
 *******************************
 *
 * REVISION HISTORY
 * Version 1.0 - Henrik Ekblad
 *
 * DESCRIPTION
 * This is an example of sensors using RS485 as transport layer
 *
 * Motion Sensor example using HC-SR501
 * http://www.mysensors.org/build/motion
 *
 * If your Arduino board has additional serial ports
 * you can use to connect the RS485 module.
 * Otherwise, the transport uses AltSoftSerial to handle two serial
 * links on one Arduino. Use the following pins for RS485 link
 *
 *  Board          Transmit  Receive   PWM Unusable
 * -----          --------  -------   ------------
 * Teensy 3.0 & 3.1  21        20         22
 * Teensy 2.0         9        10       (none)
 * Teensy++ 2.0      25         4       26, 27
 * Arduino Uno        9         8         10
 * Arduino Leonardo   5        13       (none)
 * Arduino Mega      46        48       44, 45
 * Wiring-S           5         6          4
 * Sanguino          13        14         12 *
 *
 */

// Enable debug prints to serial monitor
#define MY_DEBUG

// Enable RS485 transport layer
#define MY_RS485

// Define this to enables DE-pin management on defined pin
#define MY_RS485_DE_PIN 2

// Set RS485 baud rate to use
#define MY_RS485_BAUD_RATE 9600

// Enable this if RS485 is connected to a hardware serial port
//#define MY_RS485_HWSERIAL Serial1

#include <MySensors.h>

uint32_t SLEEP_TIME = 120000; // Sleep time between reports (in milliseconds)
#define DIGITAL_INPUT_SENSOR 3   // The digital input you attached your motion sensor.  (Only 2 and 3 generates interrupt!)
#define CHILD_ID 1   // Id of the sensor child

// Initialize motion message
MyMessage msg(CHILD_ID, V_TRIPPED);

void setup()
{
    pinMode(DIGITAL_INPUT_SENSOR, INPUT);      // sets the motion sensor digital pin as input
}

void presentation()
{
    // Send the sketch version information to the gateway and Controller
    sendSketchInfo("Motion Sensor", "1.0");

    // Register all sensors to gw (they will be created as child devices)
    present(CHILD_ID, S_MOTION);
}

void loop()
{
    // Read digital motion value
    bool tripped = digitalRead(DIGITAL_INPUT_SENSOR) == HIGH;

    Serial.println(tripped);
    send(msg.set(tripped?"1":"0"));  // Send tripped value to gw

    // Sleep until interrupt comes in on motion sensor. Send update every two minute.
    sleep(digitalPinToInterrupt(DIGITAL_INPUT_SENSOR), CHANGE, SLEEP_TIME);
}



Shopping Guide

10pcs Arduino Pro Mini Compatible 5V
10 is cheaper!
1 available - $13.99   Buy
undefined   Buy
5pcs MAX485 RS-485 Module
Communicate serially between your sensors and gateway using a RS485 module.
undefined   Buy
Unavailable   Buy

Gateways

Sensors & Actuators

Related Content

Comments