"I completed making WiSwiSys2.0 on 23/06/18
and tested it for the first time on 24/06/18. I completed designing its website
on 15/07/18 and it was published on 17/07/18 (1:00 PM)"
Well, the
making of WiSwiSys 2.0 was not simple as it looks. There were many incidents
behind the making of WiSwiSys2.0. Some of the interesting ones have been given
here.
1) Planning of the project
Wi-Swi Sys 2.0 project was planned
on February, just a few weeks before my +2 board exams. It was planned to be
done during my vacation as a vacation project.
2) From Version 1 to Version
2
WiSwiSys 1.0 was wired and was depended on a
temporary server. So I thought of making a 2nd Version to it by adding a WiFi module to the main board and by hosting
a permanent custom server on which WiSwiSys will be depended.
So for this , initially I thought of doing the
project using Arduino UNO and ESP8266-01 WiFi module but it didn't end well😅
3) Purchasing the components
All the major components of the
project were bought from Amazon.
4) Getting Started with
Arduino
It was the first time me dealing with Arduino. So I
had to go through few tutorials. The codes for Arduino seemed a little easy for
me to understand as it was very similar to C++ and I had learned C++ basics at
my school.
The very first program to be uploaded to the board
was Blink L.E.D program. It makes a simple L.E.D connected to the board to
blink each second.
5) Getting Started with ESP8266-01 WiFi
module
It was really tough to work with ESP8266 module
due to its small size. The module had so many restrictions. I faced many
problems trying to program it. I realised that it's not easy to play with small
things 😅.
6) Limitations and change of plans
After learning few things on the internet, I
realised that I won't be able to host a server on my own as I didn't had the
required knowledge to do it. Also, ESP8266 module was not working as expected
with the Arduino. It never responded to the program written to Arduino board.
It also heated up too much when it was connected to Arduino as the voltage
supplied by Arduino was greater than the voltage required by the
module.
I had to flash (Re-installing the inbuilt
firmware) ESP8266 several times due to many reasons. It was also tough to flash
it as it had many limitations.
Finally, one day I changed the baud rates of
ESP8266 to that of Arduino's hoping that then it'll work with
Arduino. But it never worked. Also, due to this ESP8266 became unflashable and
thus became useless for my project. Basically, I damaged it (I guess) 😅. So I had to give up working on Arduino and ESP8266 WiFi
module. I was forced to change the plans.
7) Getting to know about NodeMCU
ESP8266 module (The Hero)
Well it's rightly said, "Failures are the
stepping stone to success". So I didn't stop thinking about WiSwiSys2.0.One day while I was crawling through the internet,
I came to know about NodeMCU module. I watched tutorials on how to work with it
and some projects which were possible with it.
It had so many advantages than the ESP8266-01
module. It was really easy to connect and program and guess what? it had
inbuilt WiFi module too😃.
8) Blynk (The Soul)
I came to know about a website called Blynk which
allows us to configure our modules to work with their server for free. WiSwiSys thus became depended on Blynk servers
which is permanent and free. It also provided tools that helped me to do my
project more easily
With the help of Blynk I was even able to make a
custom app for my project.
9) Gathering things
The switches and sockets used for WiSwiSys2.0 was
earlier used in my home which were replaced by new modern style switches. The
plug used for WiSwiSys2.0 was taken from an old T.V Stabilizer. The box used
for placing the mother board of WiSwiSys2.0 was used by my grandmother to keep
her medicine 😄 .
10) Dedicated
days for WiSwiSys 2.0
It took me about 4-5 days of continuous work to
make WiSwiSys 2.0. WiSwiSys 2.0 was completely built by myself including
the Extension board connections. I spent these days completely upstairs of my
home as my work table is there.
11) Testing the Extension box
After assembling all the components of the
extension, I was really scared to plug the extension to the power outlet! What
if some connections were wrong? So I actually kept some distance while plugging
the extension and switching it on because SAFETY FIRST right?😄
12) Old to Gold
Since switches and sockets I used were old, they
were dirty as they had stains on them. So I had to Scrub them using a dish
scrubber to make them look like new. It was hard and I injured myself while
doing it.
14) Working on custom app
13)A possible issue
After I
screwed the scrubbed switches and sockets on to the extension box, I thought
about a possible issue which I would face while using WiSwiSys. The internet in
my home is not stable at times. WiSwiSys would require an active internet
connection to keep the sockets alive! So if there is no internet connection,
the extension box would just become useless as there would be no power in the
sockets (the relays which control this will not be active, since WiSwiSys2.0 is
not connected to internet to activate it). In other words the power in the
sockets would just be depended on the internet connectivity of WiSwiSys2.0. Who
wouldn't love to have some extra features? Therefore, I had to change my
switches which were one-way type and use two-way type switches. Which included
the process of scrubbing and screwing again.
14) Working on custom app
I thought about making a custom app on my own for
the project due to some reasons and I came to know about thunkable with which I
was able to make the app easily
15) Testing WiSwiSys2.0 for the first time
Since I had already bought Arduino, I thought of
using it as a power source for my 5V relays. But after screwing it to my
Grandma's medicine box, it stopped supplying power (don't know why). And this
happened while I was showing my project for the 1st time to my family. For a moment
I started sweating because I thought all my work just got wasted. I thought the
relay was damaged.
Then I tried connecting the relay to 3.3V output
of the NodeMCU module, AND IT WORKED! 😃
So I removed the arduino board from the medicine
box to save space.
16) Initial reactions😃😃😃
The initial reactions from my parents and brothers
were amazing! They just stood there smiling at me. They were amazed it seems...
They were so
happy!😃💓
17) The Website
It took me so many days to
complete designing this website just because I was enjoying my vacation
alongside designing this website 😅.
There was so much hard work behind the making of
Wi-Swi Sys 2.0 and its associated things like website and app. I got injured
many times while making it. But the result of such a hard work is always SWEET
and I am really happy about it :-) .
If you feel I have done a good job and deserves an
appreciation, then please show your love 💓 in the form of a small
donation. Click here to go to donation
page.
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