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
Bronwen "Apologies for the mass tagging here, I know a lot of you have been in the mix providing great support and advice so far, but if anyone feels they h..." | Read more » over 6 years ago
cfastie "There is a very simple way to read the HCHO sensor with a resolution of about 10 ppb, assuming the range of the sensor is 0 to 1000ppb. (Out of the..." | Read more » over 6 years ago
Alastair_ "8-Bit resolution is fine i'd think, you just need to amplify the signal. Any first year electrical engineering student worth her salt can design th..." | Read more » over 6 years ago
warren "I'd like to try to get input from some of the many people at http://publiclab.org/contributors/datalogger who have almost certainly interfaced thei..." | Read more » over 6 years ago
nshapiro "Thanks so much, Chris! So it does look like the relationship is linear between output and ppb. here is what a friend writes who has used this tool ..." | Read more » over 6 years ago
zengirl2 "Unfortunately this is out of my league. You might try posting on Adafruit's forum asking about signal, but they won't be able to speak for the sens..." | Read more » over 6 years ago
cfastie "I think it is par for the course that a random proprietary sensor will not work gracefully with an Arduino. In this case, it might be that a standa..." | Read more » over 6 years ago
warren "Thanks, Nick - yeah, i think the ADC stuff is more complex than it should be! Maybe we can recruit some help to get a basic Arduino sketch for thi..." | Read more » over 6 years ago
nshapiro "Ah okie thanks! this is all waaaaay over my head. thanks for the clarification re:professional sensor outputs. I think the precision is higher than..." | Read more » over 6 years ago
warren "As to your other question about professional sensors -- I think there's nothing super special about the sensor you have, and almost any system (ard..." | Read more » over 6 years ago
warren "Sorry, Nick I think it may still be an open question whether the manufacturer provides greater precision than this. Do you know? And I think the p..." | Read more » over 6 years ago
nshapiro "Thank you, Chris! This is extremely helpful, although a bit disappointing that none of the DIY data loggers would work without serious fiddling or ..." | Read more » over 6 years ago
warren "@nshapiro - I think this is a provisional "yes" -- thanks @cfastie! Which is to say, a good follow-up question for the company is "how much resolut..." | Read more » over 6 years ago
cfastie "Any Arduino-based data logger should be able to read the signal from that sensor and save the reading at regular intervals. The main obstacle is th..." | Read more » over 6 years ago
Markos "Hi, There are two types of current that can be generated when two conductive materials are dipped into the water. 1- Faradaic current 2- Non Farad..." | Read more » almost 7 years ago
Ag8n "I have never met a conductivity meter that doesn't have some amount of drift. Having said that, the commercial conductivity meter at work was a lo..." | Read more » almost 7 years ago
MadTinker "Yeah, that seems right. I should have thought thru it a bit more. " | Read more » almost 7 years ago
cfastie "I know nothing about this topic, but here is the model I concocted from whole cloth to understand it. Measuring conductivity of water with electro..." | Read more » almost 7 years ago
Bronwen "Thanks for pointing out the old copy: the preorders took a while to ship, but we've got riffles in stock and will update the listing (our shipping ..." | Read more » almost 7 years ago
zengirl2 "Whoah, my first! So exciting. :) " | Read more » almost 7 years ago
warren "@warren awards a barnstar to Zengirl2 for their awesome contribution! " | Read more » almost 7 years ago
gretchengehrke "Hi @pdhixenbaugh! This is great. Have you seen that there is an Open Hour on Data Loggers this Monday (12/4) at noon ET / 9am PT? Might you be free..." | Read more » about 7 years ago
rockets "the pic is great. crystal! " | Read more » about 7 years ago
warren "Great suggestions, Chris. Also: I have often stolen uncommented code from the internet that works perfectly and I have no idea what it does. This..." | Read more » about 7 years ago