Riffle: an Open Source Water Monitoring Approach
riffle

The **Riffle** is a collection of designs that take an open source approach to water monitoring, with the intent of making gathering water information easier and more accessible. It is part of Public Lab's [Open Water Project](https://publiclab.org/wiki/open-water). (Lead image by @cfastie) For an overview of the design philosophy behind the Riffle, and **what constraints and uses it was aimed at**, see [this wiki page](https://publiclab.org/wiki/riffle_design_philosophy). Public Lab has supported development of an [Arduino](https://www.arduino.cc)-compatible [Riffle version - a datalogger enclosed in a water bottle](https://github.com/OpenWaterProject/riffle_328). This is great, because the Arduino community is huge, and lots of knowledge and troubleshooting resources are now applicable to the Riffle project. (The first **Riffle** design was an [ARM-based datalogger board enclosed in PVC](https://github.com/bgamari/riffle)) **** # Riffle Water Monitor Designs By now, several instrument designs have been constructed around the **Riffle**, some of which of are described in an array of Github repositories: - [Openwaterproject](https://github.com/OpenWaterProject) -- the main organization on github - [riffle_328](https://github.com/OpenWaterProject/riffle_328) -- hardware designs, instructions and software for getting started with the Riffle_328 datalogger - [riffle_328-conductivity](https://github.com/OpenWaterProject/riffle_328-conductivity) -- Design considerations around conductivity - [riffle_328-depth](https://github.com/OpenWaterProject/riffle_328-depth) -- Depth measurement circuit prototype - [riffle_328-turbidity](https://github.com/OpenWaterProject/riffle_328-turbidity) -- Turbidity sensor prototype - [riffle_328-thermistor](https://github.com/OpenWaterProject/riffle_328-thermistor) -- Connecting a thermistor to a Riffle - [riffle_328-i2c](https://github.com/OpenWaterProject/riffle_328-i2c) -- Connecting i2c sensors to a Riffle - [riffle_328-one-wire](https://github.com/OpenWaterProject/riffle_328-one-wire) -- Connecting one-wire sensors to a Riffle # Sensor Designs We've started to summarize some of the approaches to sensing water parameters like conductivity and turbidity: - [Sensing conductivity](https://publiclab.org/wiki/conductivity_sensing) - [Sensing turbidity](https://publiclab.org/wiki/turbidity_sensing) # Activities Here are some activities the Public Lab community has conducted using the Riffle [activities:riffle] # Project Status 2017: A second small order of Riffle_328 boards was shipped on May 30th, and is on its way to the Public Lab kits department in Portland, Oregon. From there it will be sent to Public Lab community members who ordered them. The Riffle was available for pre-order until March 17. https://publiclab.org/questions/warren/06-12-2017/what-s-the-battery-life-of-the-nano-data-logger#answer-comment-16862 2016: A small order of Riffle_328 boards arrived late April 2016, and were sent to Public Lab community members as a way of testing the design and informing further development. Projects using this riffle can be found at https://publiclab.org/tag/riffle and https://publiclab.org/tag/riffle-beta # How to get a Riffle Datalogger The Riffle is open source, so if Public Lab is not currently offering it for sale, anyone can take the designs above to a PCB fabricator and have one made, copy and remix the design, or investigate other dataloggers. # Riffle Alternatives The following dataloggers also have a real time clock and log to a micro SD card as the Riffle does. All of them are based on Arduino and will run more or less the same sketches. These are all open source hardware. 1. [EnviroDIY Mayfly Logger](https://envirodiy.org/mayfly/). Designed at the Stroud Water Research Center and commercially available through Amazon but currently out of stock (as of Feb 2017). 2. [Adafruit Feather M0](https://www.adafruit.com/products/2772) and [Adalogger FeatherWing RTC + SD Add-on](https://www.adafruit.com/products/2922). These are two commercial products which snap together. 3. [Cave Pearl Project logger](https://hackaday.io/project/6961-the-cave-pearl-project). Ed Mallon's design for a DIY data logger made from very inexpensive clone components (Arduino Pro Mini, SD card board, RTC board). Requires soldering and care. 4. see more open source data loggers collected on the [Data Logging page](/wiki/data-logging) **** ## Questions [questions:riffle] **** ###All updates related to the Riffle [notes:riffle] **** ##Related Questions Since the Riffle is Arduino-compatible, here are also some Q&A for Arduinos in general: [questions:arduino] The Riffle is also a part of a larger area on data logging. Here are some Q&A asked more generally: [questions:data_logging] [questions:nano-data-logger]...


Author Comment Last activity Moderation
mathew "I'm fully in support of distributing proto-boarded Coqui's over circuit boards, mainly because we may need to add parts/change the resistor and cap..." | Read more » over 9 years ago
mathew "Upverter is nice, Eagle is just as user-friendly as a CAD software from the 80's is expected to be... We should find someone to give us all a KiCAD..." | Read more » over 9 years ago
warren "Great, thanks Don. I can change the title/body to reflect whatever name you think is more appropriate -- "Coqui-based water conductivity sensor"? ..." | Read more » over 9 years ago
btbonval "I hadn't heard of upverter. Adafruit has been pushing Eagle software, which is non-libre and has a cost. I've been seeing a lot of Eagle usage in ..." | Read more » over 9 years ago
donblair "Ah, this is all so great! This brings up a bunch of interesting issue for me that I'd love to get feedback on. Naming conventions. Maybe it'd be..." | Read more » over 9 years ago
kanarinka "Hey @warren @donblair and Katie - Nice work - this is simple and exciting. we did a home brewed test of Coquí here last weekend with hot/cold water..." | Read more » over 9 years ago
cfastie "The first time i have ever found a tree frog in my house was at the LEAFFEST where the Coqui was built, tested, and designed for PCB. . . Clearly..." | Read more » over 9 years ago
kgradow1 "Markdown This looks really good! " | Read more » over 9 years ago
donblair "Oh and -- yes, I'll be going to the barnraising -- excited to meet up there! " | Read more » over 9 years ago
donblair "Hey Greg -- neat ideas! Re: compiling errors -- just to make double-sure: are you using the version of the RTC library linked to here: https://gi..." | Read more » over 9 years ago
gbathree "I used micro SD when I started out also, but for our applications it just was too slow. However, we aren't trying to take lots of measurements ove..." | Read more » over 9 years ago
donblair "Hey Greg, Wow, this is amazing! Super cool to see you forging ahead with this. My impression is that what's going on here is that the basic util..." | Read more » over 9 years ago
gbathree "Hey Don, quick question, I was trying to compile the riffle code on a naked Arduino Uno (nothing attached), and downloaded the libraries and such, ..." | Read more » over 9 years ago
gbathree "Awesome! I think given our workload, ordering one may be easier... I'll just wait till I hear more on that front. Do you have a device yourself a..." | Read more » over 9 years ago
donblair "Hi Greg! Just revisiting this here (rather than on Twitter -- 140 char would almost be over right now :)). The platform looks fantastic. Re: get..." | Read more » over 9 years ago
gbathree "Thanks! Yeah we've kept the data site hidden for a while because we're going to move it to the main site pretty soon. But you can find the curren..." | Read more » over 9 years ago
donblair "... and congrats on all the amazing progress with the MultispeQ!! " | Read more » over 9 years ago
donblair "Hey, Greg -- thanks for the feedback. And the data platform you're developing looks great! It'd be great to learn more about it ... is it on e.g...." | Read more » over 9 years ago
walkerjeffd "Yeah, this is awesome, let's talk about this. So first, the dataset you have up there is actually not riffle data. It was an example dataset that ..." | Read more » over 9 years ago
mathew "I think the most basic would be a blue-red location-stamped color dot for temperature, just like @WalkerJeffD put in his Kayak note, with some sort..." | Read more » over 9 years ago
kmsmith "Nice work Jeff! Hope to catch up next time you are in the Boston area. -Kevin " | Read more » over 9 years ago
gbathree "Hey Don - I hadn't seen this for a while and it looks awesome! We are just bringing our analysis system online at PhotosynQ which might be able to..." | Read more » over 9 years ago
WhiteRabbit "Also, FWIW, not all stainless steels are the same. For instance, 316 SS is more resistant to corrosion than 304. " | Read more » over 9 years ago
WhiteRabbit "Great post. It's also worth mentioning how temperature might affect water conductivity measurements: see comment under http://publiclab.org/notes..." | Read more » over 9 years ago