The file 'WiFi Skywatcher 200 Telescope Moonlite Compatible Focuser And WiFi Dongle 3D Printer Model' is (stl,ino,pptx) file type, size is 4.3 MB.
Moonlite stand alone software controlled WiFi Focuser for the Skywatcher 200 telescope using Orly Andicos Arduino Code hosted on a NodeMCU micro-controller.
All instructions are in the PDF, including the electronic parts details and wiring diagrams.
Includes a WiFi dongle utilising a NodeMCU running ESP-Link.
Based on my original Bluetooth Telescope Focuser but updated to communicate by serial over WiFi.
Arduino code for the NodeMCU focuser end is included in the files.
ESP-link firmware for the WiFi dongle download link included in the documentation.
The WiFi Dongle NodeMCU connects to your astro PC via USB and becomes an additional com port that the Moonlite stand alone software can use. The focuser NodeMCU establishes a TCP connection to the WiFi dongle on the PC (via your home network) and hey presto serial over WiFi to control the telescope. It would also be possible to establish a direct WiFi link between the two device, just configure the WiFi dongle as an access point instead and change the Arduino code to connect to it instead of your home network.
Other bits and pieces required:
You will need wire to join up the bits (connection diagram included in the PDF file)
Some m3 capped screws of various lengths, a few nuts and a length of GT2 belt (exact length will depend on the final print & motor position. I cut mine and superglued the ends together it as not too much load)
A DC power jack and a couple of push to make switches of any type you can fit in.
Two M3.5 X20 screws to replace the two removed focuser screws
Power input is 12VDC so can be run off a DC psu or car battery (LM2596S DC to DC power module has to be set for 5V output before connecting it up as the NodeMCU in the focuser runs at 5V)
Read the last sentence again it is VERY important.
The telescope printed items should be done at >50% infill.
I am not really working this as a project but I will try to help out where possible.
Setting up the connection:
There are 2 ways to make the link between the dongle and the focuser.
Station Mode - Set up the dongle end using Soft-AP settings, you define the SSID, Password and the IP address is whatever the address is you connected the browser to. Enter these 3 bits of information into the .ino file and programme the focuser.
AP Mode - Set up the dongle using WiFI Configuration option after connecting to the dongle via your browser. This means connect to your home Wifi SSID using your home Wifi password. Now you should see the IP address your router allocates in the Wifi state boxes, enter it in the .ino along with your router SSID and home Wifi Password and programme the focuser.
The .INO file gets loaded into the focuser only. You have to edit the file first though: Enter the SSID, password and the IP address in the first few lines of the .INO (so set up the dongle first using one of the two methods above so you know what these values are).
The dongle end contains the ESP-Link Firmware only, but note it can be configured 2 ways and it makes a difference what you add into the .ino file.
For example in Station mode use Soft-AP Settings
You set SSID to "dongle", password to "password" and IP address is already set at probably 192.168.4.1 (I think thats the default)
In the .ino you need to edit the first few lines to be:
const char ssid = "dongle"; // This is the ssid you created in the Soft-AP settings
const char password = "password"; // the password you created in the Soft AP settings
const char* host = "192.168.4.1"; //dongle IP address
And flash the modified .ino to the focuser.
OR
Example for AP mode where you configure wireless settings to connect to home Wifi
If your home Wifi is called "HomeWifi" and your password is "WifiPassword" you enter these in the Wifi configuration, connect and the router allocates your dongle an IP address of say "192.168.1.234" (it wont be this it will be a 4 octet number though)
Then you need to make the .ino entries of:
const char ssid = "HomeWifi"; // Your home Wifi name
const char password = "WifiPassword"; // your home Wifi password
const char* host = "192.168.1.234"; //dongle IP address (allocated by your home router)
And flash the modified .ino to the focuser.
dongle_box.STL |
dongle_lid.STL |
GT2-20toothD.STL |
moonliteWiFiClient_Thing.ino |
Moonlite_WiFi.pptx |
motor_mount.STL |
motor_mount_top.STL |