Controlling Eheim Professionel 3e with Arduino?

ksr · 12/28/2012, 05:01 PM

I would like to use an Arduino to connect to an Eheim Professionel 3e.
This external filter comes with a cable that contains a FTDI FT232 which you connect to the USB port of a PC. This chip then behaves as a RS232 interface (COM port) which the Eheim software will use.

On the other side of the cable is a 3-pole jack plug that goes into the filter. I assume this side uses a common serial protocol such as I2C, but I haven't found any description of it.
The only third party controller I have seen is that the GHL ProfiLux controller used to have a Eheim interface that connected directly to the filter via a jack plug, but this interface is apparently no longer available.

Since the Eheim software is only available for Windows, I would need a computer standing next to the filter if I want to make frequent adjustments / readings. I would prefer an Arduino, but I suppose a Raspberry Pi could run some commands if there are programs or libraries available in Linux.

Has anyone tried to interface directly to the Eheim filter without the USB cable and their software?

12/28/2012, 05:01 PM	#1
ksr Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2012 Posts: 1	Controlling Eheim Professionel 3e with Arduino? I would like to use an Arduino to connect to an Eheim Professionel 3e. This external filter comes with a cable that contains a FTDI FT232 which you connect to the USB port of a PC. This chip then behaves as a RS232 interface (COM port) which the Eheim software will use. On the other side of the cable is a 3-pole jack plug that goes into the filter. I assume this side uses a common serial protocol such as I2C, but I haven't found any description of it. The only third party controller I have seen is that the GHL ProfiLux controller used to have a Eheim interface that connected directly to the filter via a jack plug, but this interface is apparently no longer available. Since the Eheim software is only available for Windows, I would need a computer standing next to the filter if I want to make frequent adjustments / readings. I would prefer an Arduino, but I suppose a Raspberry Pi could run some commands if there are programs or libraries available in Linux. Has anyone tried to interface directly to the Eheim filter without the USB cable and their software?