Teltonika router RUT 240 quick setup

Updated 2023-06-01 !

My old boat/travel WiFi router didn't behave so I was forced to look for a new one with these must functions;

    Built in SIM 4G/LTE capabilities

    WAN failover

    Powered with 12V DC

    Bridge public WiFi:s, or my phone, to LAN

I did a lot of Googling and ended up with Teletonika RUT 240(TR).....

This post will cover a setup summary for the RUT 240 model, but it's useable for other Teltonika models too since they have a common firmware.

Check these posts ! Teltonika router as security, burglar, alarm !

                                Bridged Teltonika router as source for router or mesh network

Shelly 1 quick install

Updated 2023-05-04 !

This post focus on Shelly 1(S1), a really a nice automation device with great versatility, but much of the content is also valid for some of Shellys other devices using the gen1 API.

Setup for the later version, Shelly Plus 1, is found here !!

S1 is a WiFi switch, 16 Amps, with dry contacts and the function "without Internet" + that the S1 can use a 12V DC source makes it perfect for an "use case" in a boat/mobile home.

It's compatible with Alexa, Google or HomeKit using HomeBridge or as a "native" HomeKit device using Mongoose firmware(Flashed via a standard WEB browser !)

Shelly PLUS 1 quick install

Updated 2023-05-03 !

In a former post I made a writing about Shelly 1(S1) and this post will handle about the successor Shelly PLUS 1(SP1) but much of the content is also valid for some of Shellys other devices which uses the same software/API.

To keep it simple, SP1 is a WiFi switch, 16 Amps, with dry contacts but compared to the S1 the hardware and the software is updated. 

The function "without Internet" + that the SP1 can use a 12V DC source makes it perfect for an "use case" in a boat/mobile home.

HomeKit bridge with Shelly/Shelly 1

Updated 2023-05-01 !

I really recommend flashing, via WEB-browser, the device with Mongoose software to avoid Homebridge.

 
HomeBridge is used for this setup and to make it appear in the Apple Home app.

The main advantage with the Shelly devices are that they are WiFi enabled and therefore You don't have to use a hub, this compared to z-way/zigbee and some other solutions. 

First install Shelly1(S1).

Node-Red on MCU:s, Raspberry Pi Pico W

Since I'm not a programmer, and probably never will be 😉, I really like Node-Red(NR). NR is also a nice way trying to learn some JavaScript via the function nodes.

I also appreciate hardware, MCUs, like ESP32 and Raspberry Pi Pico but find it a little hard to code in MicroPython or C++.

Somewhere ?? on the WEB i found some applications that can export NR json code to C++ and run it on several MCUs.

As you understand I had to check it out... 

NTP server on Raspberry & Linux(Offline)

Uppdated 2023-02-01 !

The use case, creating an offline NTP, was that I'm on our boat sometimes don't have an Internet connection but always have a connected GPS. The GPS updates time on a Raspberry(RPi) running Signal K.

The actual issue is that there are other devices on the LAN that needs to be updated and then you need an NTP server.

Of course this setup is also valid for a RPi/server, with a RTC, acting as a NTP server in an isolated LAN.  

Underfloor heating with PID controller, NodeRed

In a former post I did some hacking/checking how our underfloor heating control system handled the valves, actuators, regulating the heat. 

Now it was time to do some tests with NodeRed(NR), with a PID controller, and a Shelly 1(S1) connected via WiFi and driving the actuator.

The actuators are in my case controlled by 24 VAC and the S1 accepts 110 - 240 VAC, 24 - 60 VDC and 12 VDC. So in this case it was simple to just add a rectifier and a capacitor, to the 24 VAC, to get approx 36 VDC to source the S1.

Seatalk 1 and NMEA2000 combined

Updated 2023-01-20 !

Our boat was delivered, 2006, with just Raymarine equipment using network Seatalk 1(ST1), and some NMEA0183(N1). Updates and additional equipment will use the newer NMEA2000(N2K). We will keep the two well functioning Raymarine 12”, E120, and the radar. In addition, for Navigation purposes, we use the iPad app iSailor.

The easy way to combine ST1 with N2K is to use the Raymarine Seatalk 1 to Seatalk NG(STNG) converter, Raymarine E22158. STNG and N2K is the same protocol, with some dialectal differences, but have different cabling.

Don't miss this post where I'm presenting additional solutions, including a NMEA WiFi gateway, and add ons.

Calculate wind using U and V GRIB components, NodeRed, JS

Updated 2022-11-28 !

In a former post I showed how to download and extract data from forecast GRIB files but avoided to handle if the wind direction and speed was declared as U and V components, vectors. 

In this post I will extract wind data from a GRIB forecast file and use the U V components to calculate, and display, wind speed and direction at a chosen point. The data is visualized as graphs in a NodeRed dashboard.

Normally, using charts in NodeRed, the timestamp is taken from the time when the input message is created but here I will use the timestamp from the forecast, loading the whole chart in one go.

Victron monitoring solution, Venus, on Raspberry

Updated 2022-09-18 !

Victron have a state-of-the-art monitoring solution used by the GX products. It can monitor their other system components such as inverter/chargers, solar chargers, shunts, and batteries both local and remote all over the world.

If you have a smaller Victron solution it is nice to know that the same software, Venus OS(VOS), can run on a Raspberry Pi(RPi) instead of the more expensive and versatile GX products.

Davis PWS linked to pwsweather.com

If you are using Davis Personal/Professional weather stations(PWS) you will get a nice dashboard when you link your PWS to the Davis weatherlink(WL) site.

What you probably really miss is a forecast displayed together with your PWS data. The picture is showing a part of the dashboard at pwsweather.com(PW) after you have linked your PWS to the site.

An add on is that you via API:s can get both the current weather, forecast and other data free of charge, via the aerisweather.com(AW) site.

This post will handle the setup and also a Node-Red dashboard interfacing the aeris API.

NMEA 2000 temperature sensor, wet exhaust

In former posts I used the temperatur sensor DS18B20, in several applications, but now it was time for the boats exhaust temperature and checking out YDTC-13 from Yacht Devices(YDTC). (But please note that the YDTC can be used in any temperature application.)

When you are boating, using the engine, it's very important that the cooling water always is present otherwise major damages can follow. In "wet exhaust" systems it's easy to get the temperature which I posted here.

Exhaust temperature measure, boat

Updated 2022-06-10 !

In other posts I blogged about a way to measure temperature with a Raspberry Pi(RPi), direct connected or via WiFi, together with the marine applikation SignalK(SK). In this post I will follow up with a short brief about the practical solution, measuring exhaust temperature in a boat and sending an alarm if the temperature exceeds a set value .

In "wet exhaust" systems it is very important that the cooling water, injected in the exhaust system, always is present otherwise major damages can follow.

If you wan't to avoid a RPi check this post with approved NMEA 2000 temperature sensors from Yacht Devices 

Read and write NMEA files, Openplotter, Signal K

This post is written for those who runs Signal K(SK), or applications that indirect are using SK, and want to write log files that could be read for later use.

Other applications could be Openplotter which includes SK or OpenCPN for example interfacing a NMEA 2000 network via SK.

There are sample files within the SK installation which can be used, for testing purposes, before you have created your own log files from your boat trips. Check here at "Input file/data".

Victron VE.Direct with Raspberry Pi/Signal K

Updated 2022-01-11 !

During my update of the cables going from the batteries, to the distribution panel and engines, I stumbled over the Victron SmartShunt(VSS). We had a 15 year old Mastervolt battery monitor but it didn't feel "true" and it wasn't at the right place in the boat. So instead of moving the old shunt we bought a VSS. 

Raspberry, edit config or add files before boot

The actual use case was that I have a Raspberry Pi(RPi) sourcing Vesselfinder with AIS data from nearby. I wanted to change/test a new configuration but on the other hand I didn't want to take the RPi down, during a longer period, since it's an online service.

So the solution was to make a bootable clone of the actual application and test with a second RPi. The major obstacle was that I then would have 2 hosts, with the same hostname, which will mess up the local network.

So how to change the host name on the cloned SD card before I'm using it in the second RPi ?

Another post on how to read and write Linux drives with Windows/MacOS

Raspberry, restart network, or reboot, at ping failure

Using a Raspberry Pi Zero(RPi), with wifi, I sometimes have problem that the WiFi connection is lost. This is due to that, at our boat, we are using the Teltonika RUT 240 router. The router just have one receiver/transmitter, LAN and WAN WiFi are shared, and in some use cases the WiFi will temporarily be disconnected. To restart the WiFi quick the following solution is used.

This post will cover a solution, a bash script, with inspiration from this blogpost, but with some fine tuning. 😉
 

Another way could be using the watchdog function, described here, with reboot.

SIGNL4, automated alerting with free mobile app

I'm involved in several projects where you, as quick as possible, want to get an alert if anything fails. After a lot of Googling I found SIGNL4.

They have several ways to create an alert, can involve a team, have a nice app and is free, up to 5 users, if you use the "STARTER" option.

In this post, as an example, I will show how I detect if my AIS receiver/dispatcher stops receiving AIS targets, sent to Vesselfinder, and how an alert is forwarded to the SIGNL4 app.

I'm using NodeRed on a Raspberry Pi to realize the function

Signal K charts, offline & online

In Signal K(SK) there are 2 applications, in SK appstore, that can handle charts

• Freeboard SK(FSK)
• Tuktuk Chart Plotter(TT)

FSK, preinstalled, uses the OpenSeaMap charts(OSC) when you are online. If you want to use offline charts or other chart resources you have to install "@signalk/charts-plugin"(CP)

Raymarine AXIOM and NMEA0183

Updated 2021-07-24 !

Many newer MFD:s don't have any NMEA 0183(N1) connector. The  Axiom don't even have any Seatalk NG connector anymore, just the Device Net micro connector for NMEA 2000. Loosing the  N1 info, too for example the old VHF (position data for DSC), could be a problem so how to solve it ?

Some solutions

• Pick N1 data from the AIS
• NMEA 2000, N2 to N1 konverter
• SeaTalk NG, NG to N1 konverter