Hi. I am looking at using a cm4 and Waveshare mini io board. For a project I am setting up on my small narrowboat.

As the tiny antique single cylinder diesel engine. Means the boat suffers from a fair bit of vibration. And this will be the first time I have used a CM4.

I was hoping some folks could share there experiance/advice on using CM4 boards in similar rough environments.

I am planning to build a system mounted to din rails with rubber pads to absorb some of the vibration. But any other experience other have can only help.

  • HumanPenguinOP
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    9 months ago

    Unfortunately the solder thing is part of the BSc for all boats in the UK and EU

    The safty rules state no solid wires. All must be stranded to pass the test.

    While solder is allowed. Its is strongly discouraged. And the inspecters are expected to ensure no wicking into the stranded wire. As it is a 1970s boat that I am completely rewiring and upgrading.

    My hesitation is more about not giving any reason to question. Then the actual risk.

    Atm Iafter your advice. I am wondering about replacing gpio pins 1,2,4 and 6 with ones that extend both sides of the board. So I can mount soldered connectors that the crimp to stranded wire. As well done crimps are generally recommended for all 12v wiring.

    I’ll also add the reason we are doing this makes a difference. The boat is owned by my brother and I.

    While we both have some vision. We are legally blind. The pie is designed to manage electrics in a way our vision cannot. Our vision changes often. And numbers are the hardest thing to read when it is bad. So this system is to manage the solar dump and hot water temps. Warning us if its been stored unsafe for to long. Also a few other ideas that came up. Because its there :)

    The vision makes me soldering harder. Hence the comment about asking someone to ensure no wicking happens.

    This is the io base board I plan to use.

    https://www.waveshare.com/wiki/CM4-IO-BASE-B

    • CameronDev@programming.dev
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      9 months ago

      Removing the GPIO pins will be non-trivial. You have to use a screwdriver/pliers to pull the plastic bit off first, and then desolder each pin. Ive done it, but its very fiddly, and if your not careful, you can cook the board and lift pads. Go slow and careful.

      What is your plan for software?

      • HumanPenguinOP
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        9 months ago

        I’m a retired software engineer so plan to write python scripts. running on rasbian.

        As I say. I think I’ll get a friend to do the soldering. Smt is a little hard vision wise.

        • CameronDev@programming.dev
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          9 months ago

          Sounds like a cool project, good luck! Are you going to be publishing updates somewhere as you go? I would be very interested in following along.

          • HumanPenguinOP
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            9 months ago

            Maybe once I have a working example. I planned to take pics of the tank testing. As I have some ideas to use stratification to make things a little more effective when solar is limited.

            So will be testing that in my kitchen.