Tinkerforgehttps://www.tinkerforge.com/en/blog/2024-03-13T12:36:14+00:00Eine freie Plattform für Content ManagementNew HAT Brick and Industrial Dual AC In Bricklet2024-03-13T12:36:14+00:00Bastian Nordmeyerhttps://www.tinkerforge.com/en/blog/author/bastian/https://www.tinkerforge.com/en/blog/new-hat-brick-and-industrial-dual-ac-in-bricklet/<p>Today we have released <a href="https://www.tinkerforge.com/en/shop/bricks/hat-brick.html">version 1.9 of the HAT Brick</a>. This new version is equipped with an improved power supply and can now be operated with an input voltage of 6V-36V. The HAT Brick also supports the power-hungry Raspberry Pi 5.</p>
<p><img alt="HAT Brick 1.9" height="533" src="https://www.tinkerforge.com/media/uploads/blog/.thumbnails/brick_hat_c_tilted_3_w_rpi_orig_800.jpg/brick_hat_c_tilted_3_w_rpi_orig_800-800x533.jpg" width="800"/></p>
<p></p>
<p>Additionally, we have released a new Bricklet: The <a href="https://www.tinkerforge.com/en/shop/industrial-dual-ac-in-bricklet.html">Industrial Dual AC In Bricklet</a>. This Bricklet features two 230VAC-compatible digital inputs. It can be used to monitor two separate 230VAC circuits. Both circuits share a common neutral.</p>
<p><img alt="" height="640" src="https://www.tinkerforge.com/media/uploads/blog/.thumbnails/bricklet_industrial_dual_ac_in_caption_800.jpg/bricklet_industrial_dual_ac_in_caption_800-800x640.jpg" width="800"/></p>New Features in WARP(2) 2.2.1 and WEM 2.0.22024-02-12T14:03:50+00:00Olaf Lükehttps://www.tinkerforge.com/en/blog/author/olaf/https://www.tinkerforge.com/en/blog/new-features-in-warp2-221-and-wem-202/<p>This blog entry is <a href="https://www.tinkerforge.com/de/blog/new-features-in-warp2-221-and-wem-202/">only available in german</a>.</p>Review 2023 / Outlook 20242024-01-05T15:11:49+00:00Olaf Lükehttps://www.tinkerforge.com/en/blog/author/olaf/https://www.tinkerforge.com/en/blog/review-2023-outlook-2024/<p><strong>Review 2023</strong></p>
<p>In 2022, we still struggled with issues related to the chip shortage. However, in 2023, these problems were mostly resolved. Only in isolated cases it is still challenging to procure components. Fortunately, material costs have also not continued to rise and have stabilized.</p>
<p>In 2023, there were many developments in the area of our wallboxes. For example, we released the WARP Energy Manager, allowing users to analyze home energy consumption. With the latest firmware, various Modbus-RTU, API, Sunspec, and soon Modbus-TCP electricity meters can be read. The meter data is stored locally on the Energy Manager and can be analyzed in hourly and monthly graphs. Additionally, the Energy Manager enables automatic phase switching for WARP2 Chargers, allowing charging with lower power (~1.4kW) for charging with PV. User-defined rules can also control external devices through the Energy Manager.</p>
<p><img alt="" height="737" src="https://www.tinkerforge.com/media/uploads/blog/.thumbnails/lv.png/lv-1015x737.png" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="1015"/></p>
<p>With the WARP2 Charger wallboxes, there have been significant developments in the software as well. In addition to numerous detailed improvements, new interfaces (OCPP, Modbus TCP, Wiregard) were introduced, providing the option for energy and time limits, along with the addition of a charging logbook. The WARP Charger now supports up to 32 NFC tags. Users can define rules for setting charging currents or sending MQTT messages. We have extended the warranty for a WARP Charger to 3 years. There are also visual updates – in addition to stainless steel, wallboxes and charging stations are now also available in powder-coated variant in the color DB703.</p>
<p><img alt="" src="https://www.tinkerforge.com/media/uploads/blog/wb5.jpg" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"/></p>
<p>One of the major efforts for us in 2023 was the relocation to a new and bigger property. Apart from the actual move of materials and offices, there were several side issues. For instance, we struggled for a long time to establish a reliable internet connection. This was unexpected, considering that the property has a fiber connection that was used by the previous owner. We had to make do with an LTE connection for months. The relevant departments of the involved companies did their best, or at least, we were assured of that. Well, let bygones be bygones. We have moved, and everyone is delighted with their new offices, ample storage space, and good infrastructure! Next on the agenda is the installation of a solar power system of nearly 200 kWp and a charging infrastructure with 16 WARP Wallboxes and 10 PV carports in our parking lot. The parking lot has already been expanded for this purpose, and the foundations for the carports are also already in place. We will keep you updated on this.</p>
<p>For the Tinkerforge system of building blocks, there were also many improvements, such as new firmwares.</p>
<p></p>
<p><strong>Outlook 2024</strong></p>
<p>In the first quarter, we plan to release the WARP3 Charger (photo is of early prototype, there will still be some changes).</p>
<p><img alt="" height="800" src="https://www.tinkerforge.com/media/uploads/blog/.thumbnails/warp3.jpg/warp3-1200x800.jpg" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="1200"/></p>
<p>The WARP3 Charger will feature two contactors, allowing for the internal switching between 1-phase and 3-phase charging. Together with the ability to read meters using SunSpec, this enables PV surplus charging without an external WARP Energy Manager. Two DIN rail-mounted 63A contactors are used to ensure no compromises are made, avoiding soldered or less able contactors. Additionally, a terminal block will always be present, even in the Pro variant, simplifying the electrical installation. The internal LAN connection has also been improved. WARP3 uses the same basic housing as the WARP2 Wallbox, so we had to significantly reduce the size of the charging electronics to fit everything into the enclosure. Furthermore, WARP3 features an RGB LED for easier communication of various states. Dynamic load management will also be introduced through a software update in the near future.</p>
<p>On the software side, the development of the WARP3 Charger is shared with the WARP2 and even the WARP1 Wallbox. Any further innovations, as long as they are technically feasible, will therefore also be implemented in these Wallboxes.</p>
<p>In addition to our WARP products, the Tinkerforge system of building blocks is also being further developed. For example, we will soon be releasing a new HAT Brick with a more powerful power supply.</p>
<p>The year is still in its early stages. Look forward to many news and improvements!</p>
<p>We wish you all the best for 2024!</p>
<p>Team Tinkerforge</p>Tinkerforge has moved to a new building!2023-10-25T11:38:49+00:00Bastian Nordmeyerhttps://www.tinkerforge.com/en/blog/author/bastian/https://www.tinkerforge.com/en/blog/tinkerforge-has-moved-to-a-new-building/<p><img alt="Tinkerforge neues Gebäude" height="800" src="https://www.tinkerforge.com/media/uploads/blog/.thumbnails/new_building.jpg/new_building-1200x800.jpg" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="1200"/>Since yesterday, we have officially moved to a new location at Helleforthstraße 22-28. Our new building is just a few meters away from our old site, but it's significantly larger and more spacious. As you can see from the photos, we're in the midst of our relocation efforts. We're currently in the process of setting up our offices, organizing our warehouse, and enhancing the outdoor facilities. Excitingly, we're also investing in a larger photovoltaic system and multiple electric vehicle charging points. We can't wait to show you our brand-new location once it's fully furnished and ready. In the meantime all the shippments and our support will go on as usual. Stay tuned!</p>WARP Chargers are eligible for KfW 442 funding2023-09-26T08:08:20+00:00Bastian Nordmeyerhttps://www.tinkerforge.com/en/blog/author/bastian/https://www.tinkerforge.com/en/blog/warp-chargers-are-eligible-for-kfw-442-funding/<p><img alt="KFW 442 Tinkerforge" height="838" src="https://www.tinkerforge.com/media/uploads/blog/.thumbnails/kfw442-tinkerforge.jpg/kfw442-tinkerforge-1071x838.jpg" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="1071"/></p>
<p>The list of eligible charging solutions for KfW funding 'KfW 442 - Solar Power for Electric Cars' has now been released. Our wallboxes, WARP Charger Smart and WARP Charger Pro, are listed on the list and therefore qualify for a 600€ grant. The funding supports the new purchase and installation of a wallbox, photovoltaic system, and storage. The PV system is subsidized at 600€ per kWp, and a storage unit at 250€ per kWh. An electric vehicle must be either already owned or ordered. The specific conditions are described on the KfW website: <a href="https://www.kfw.de/inlandsfoerderung/Privatpersonen/Bestehende-Immobilie/F%C3%B6rderprodukte/Solarstrom-f%C3%BCr-Elektroautos-(442)/">Link to KfW 442 website</a>.</p>
<h4><strong>Bidirectional Charging Solutions</strong></h4>
<p>Bidirectional charging solutions are eligible for an additional 600€ in funding. As of now, only one product is listed, which is a DC Charger. We have not been able to find any sellers offering this product directly. We assume that the additional costs far exceed the higher funding amount. After all, a bidirectional DC Charger requires an inverter that converts between the DC battery voltage of the vehicle and the AC power grid.</p>
<p>Some manufacturers offer partial "solutions" for bidirectional AC charging. To our knowledge, the technical and legal framework for these solutions has not yet been defined (communication with the vehicle, feed-in characteristics, etc.). Furthermore, we are not aware of any electric cars currently on the market that are technically equipped for this purpose. Vehicles that can operate an AC device (e.g., a cooler box) are not automatically suitable for bidirectional AC charging.</p>
<p></p>Tinkerforge Offers 3-Year Warranty on WARP Charger - Retroactively2023-09-19T13:06:53+00:00Bastian Nordmeyerhttps://www.tinkerforge.com/en/blog/author/bastian/https://www.tinkerforge.com/en/blog/tinkerforge-offers-3-year-warranty-on-warp-charger-retroactively/<p><img alt="WARP Charger Garantie" height="336" src="https://www.tinkerforge.com/media/uploads/blog/.thumbnails/wb-garantie.jpg/wb-garantie-400x336.jpg" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400"/></p>
<p>We are now offering a three-year warranty for all WARP Chargers, starting from the date of the invoice. In the rare instances where WARP Charger owners needed assistance due to hardware issues, we have always been accommodating and promptly replaced defective components. While we haven't publicly communicated this practice in the past, we have consistently worked behind the scenes to ensure our customers' satisfaction.</p>
<p>Formally, we have only provided the legally required warranty. However, because we firmly believe that our WARP Chargers are among the highest quality products on the market, we now want to officially emphasize this through a comprehensive warranty for our customers. Unlike some common practices, there is no need for you to register yourself or their Wallbox separately to avail of the warranty. The three-year warranty automatically applies from the date of the invoice, and this also applies retroactively to existing customers!</p>
<p></p>WARP Charger and WARP Charger Stands now also available with powder-coated finish2023-04-27T12:45:42+00:00Bastian Nordmeyerhttps://www.tinkerforge.com/en/blog/author/bastian/https://www.tinkerforge.com/en/blog/warp-charger-and-warp-charger-stands-now-also-available-with-powder-coated-finish/<p data-pm-slice="1 1 []">From now on, all WARP2 Chargers and WARP Charger Stands will be offered in addition to the V4A stainless steel version, also powder-coated in the color DB703 "micaceous iron ore finish".</p>
<p data-pm-slice="1 1 []"><img alt="" height="1200" src="https://www.tinkerforge.com/media/uploads/blog/.thumbnails/warp-pc-overview.jpg/warp-pc-overview-1600x1200.jpg" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="1600"/></p>
<h2>DB703</h2>
<p>The dark gray tone DB703 contains a special effect pigment that gives the surface a slight metallic sheen. Subjectively speaking, the color is very similar to the well-known RAL7016 color tone, but it has a significantly more high-quality appearance. In combination with the WARP Charger, which is now also available in DB703, a very high-quality alternative to the pure stainless steel look is created. Since we laser the front panel of the WARP2 Charger with a logo, the front panel is always made of V4A stainless steel. The powder coating is therefore an additional option and incurs a small surcharge of 10€. We have consciously decided against using cheaper steel, as there would be a risk of rust due to the laser process.</p>
<h2>Powder-coated WARP Charger Stand in DB703</h2>
<p>For the WARP Charger Stands, galvanized steel is used as the base material for the powder-coating with DB703. This is significantly cheaper than V4A stainless steel. We can offer the DB703 WARP Charger Stands at a lower price than the V4A Stands, despite increasing the material thickness from 1.5mm (stainless steel) to 2.0mm (DB703).</p>
<p>In addition, we have made changes to the pricing of our WARP Charger Stands. To enable better price comparability with competitor stands, we have now made pre-wiring optional. This has allowed us to significantly reduce the entry price for the stands and offer them at a similar price to those of competitors.</p>
<p>Die WARP Ladesäule für einen Ladepunkt ist nun ab 749€ brutto in unserem Webshop erhältlich. Ohne Vorverdrahtung erfolgt der Anschluss der Wallboxen, wie bei den Mitbewerbern, direkt in den Wallboxen. Wer eine Ladesäule vorverdrahtet bestellt, bekommt diese wie gewohnt mit bereits verbauten und angeschlossenen Verteilerkästen inkl. Klemmenblöcken. Im Webshop kann nun ein direkter Versand per UPS gewählt werden (59,50€ brutto). Hierbei ist es unabhängig wie viele Ladesäulen bestellt werden. Bei höheren Stückzahlen liefern wir nach Rücksprache ggf. per Spedition. Auch eine Selbstabholung der Ladesäulen ist möglich und kann im Shop ausgewählt werden (0€).</p>
<p>The WARP Charging Stand for one charging point is now available in our webshop starting at 749€. Without pre-wiring, the connection to the wallboxes is made directly in the wollboxes, as with competitors. Those who order a pre-wired WARP Charging Stand will receive it with already installed and connected distribution boxes, including terminal blocks. In the webshop, direct shipping via UPS can now be selected (59.50€). This applies regardless of how many charging stations are ordered. For higher quantities, we may deliver by freight carrier. Pickup of the WARP Charging Stands is also possible and can be selected in the shop (€0).</p>
<p>You can find more information in our shop at <a href="https://www.tinkerforge.com/en/shop/warp/wallbox.html">https://www.tinkerforge.com/en/shop/warp/wallbox.html</a> or at <a href="http://www.warp-charger.com">www.warp-charger.com</a>.</p>New functions for WARP Charger and WARP Energy Manager2023-03-23T11:45:35+00:00Bastian Nordmeyerhttps://www.tinkerforge.com/en/blog/author/bastian/https://www.tinkerforge.com/en/blog/new-functions-for-warp-charger-and-warp-energy-manager/<p>Unfortunately this article is only available in german: <a href="https://www.tinkerforge.com/de/blog/new-functions-for-warp-charger-and-warp-energy-manager/">https://www.tinkerforge.com/de/blog/new-functions-for-warp-charger-and-warp-energy-manager/</a></p>WARP Energy Manager2023-02-28T10:47:34+00:00Bastian Nordmeyerhttps://www.tinkerforge.com/en/blog/author/bastian/https://www.tinkerforge.com/en/blog/warp-energy-manager-released/<p><img alt="WARP Energy Manager" height="789" src="https://www.tinkerforge.com/media/uploads/blog/.thumbnails/warp-energy-manager.jpg/warp-energy-manager-800x789.jpg" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="800"/></p>
<p>Today events are a bit hectic for us:</p>
<p>On one hand, we have released a new firmware for the WARP Charger Wallboxes. This firmware offers various new features (OCPP, charging logbook download as PDF, etc.). For this, we will publish a separate blog post that will introduce the new features in detail.</p>
<p>On the other hand, today we have released the <a href="https://www.tinkerforge.com/en/blog/feeds/atom/%22https://www.tinkerforge.com/en/shop/warp-energy-manager.html">WARP Energy Manager</a>. The development took longer than planned because we had to create various internal technical prerequisites. But now it's finally here, and the WARP Energy Manager can be purchased for 299€ in our webshop. Today we have also released the WARP Energy Manager Firmware in version 1.0.0. We had various requests from you to test the WARP Energy Manager in advance. Thank you very much for that! With the release, we want to fulfill this offer. The reason is that, in our view, an important feature is still missing in the firmware: The energy analysis. We will catch up on this in the next two weeks and release it with a new firmware.</p>
<p>For this reason, the shop entry is marked with the <strong>shipping date of March 14th, 2023</strong>. This means that after an order is placed, we will ship the WARP Energy Manager as soon as this feature is released (new firmware). We do this so that installers receive a complete product.</p>
<p>If you would like to test the WARP Energy Manager with firmware version 1.0.0 in advance, please write us an email or add a corresponding order comment. Then we will send the Energy Manager with the 1.0.0 firmware immediately.</p>
<p>We look forward to your feedback and your suggestions for improvement!</p>
<h2>Current Firmware</h2>
<p>The firmware in version 1.0.0 offers the following functions:</p>
<p><strong></strong></p>
<p><strong>Static load management</strong></p>
<p>This is the load management that WARP2 Charger Smart and Pro can perform directly with each other. However, the WARP Energy Manager can now also be configured as a load manager. The Energy Manager then ensures that a fixed phase current is not exceeded. Static load management, for example, makes sense when multiple wallboxes share a power line that should not be overloaded.</p>
<p></p>
<p><strong>PV excess charging</strong></p>
<p>With increasing energy prices, you want to be able to charge your electric vehicle with as much of the produced energy as possible. DIY enthusiasts among you have already been able to achieve this using the open interfaces of the WARP2 Charger (MQTT, HTTP, Modbus TCP and OCPP). Solutions such as EVCC could also be used. However, there has not yet been a plug-and-play solution for this. This is now taken over by the WARP Energy Manager. Using an external RS485 power meter of type SDM72 V2 or SDM630, it determines the consumption or excess at the grid connection and regulates the charging power of the connected WARP Chargers accordingly.</p>
<p>On the status page of the WARP Energy Manager, the user can choose between four different charging modes:</p>
<ul>
<li><strong>PV:</strong> Only the excess power currently being fed in is used to charge the vehicles. If there is not enough power available, no charging takes place.</li>
<li><strong>Min+PV:</strong> The user can define a minimum charging power. If necessary, this is also ensured via power from the grid. Excess power is used to charge the vehicles. This ensures that charging takes place.</li>
<li><strong>Fast:</strong> Charging starts immediately at the set (maximum) power. The proportion of PV excess is irrelevant.</li>
<li><strong>Off:</strong> No charging takes place.</li>
</ul>
<p></p>
<p><strong>Phase Switching<br/></strong></p>
<p>The type 2 charging standard defines a minimum charging current of 6A. No charging takes place below this value. In three-phase operation, the minimum charging power is thus approximately 4.1 kW. PV systems cannot always ensure this power, so energy must be drawn from the grid. A 2-pole contactor can be connected to the WARP Energy Manager, which can automatically switch from three-phase operation to single-phase operation. This reduces the minimum charging power to approximately 1.4 kW, making it possible to carry out charging processes with lower power without additional grid connection. As it is never allowed to simply switch off phases during an active charging process, the WARP Energy Manager takes over the switching and guarantees safe operation. The contactor is monitored by the Energy Manager, so malfunctions can be quickly detected.</p>
<p></p>
<p><strong>Relay-Output</strong></p>
<p>External loads can be controlled through a built-in relay (max 30V/1A). The user can define when the relay switches. For example, it can be activated when a certain amount of power is left over.</p>
<p></p>
<p><strong>Inputs</strong></p>
<p>The WARP Energy Manager has two inputs for potential-free contacts. If a phase switching (see above) is to be realized, one input is used to monitor the contactor. Otherwise, both inputs can be assigned functions by the user. For example, limiting the charging current is possible or charging processes can be blocked depending on input state.</p>
<p></p>
<p><strong>Networking with LAN (and WIFI)</strong></p>
<p>The WARP Energy Manager is equipped with an internal ESP32 Ethernet Brick and should be installed in the distribution box. It has WLAN and opens a WLAN access point that can be used for configuration. We recommend using the LAN interface for communication with the wallboxes.</p>
<p></p>
<p><strong>HTTP and MQTT API</strong></p>
<p>As is customary with us, the WARP Energy Manager has an open API. Through this API, the Energy Manager can be controlled, but it is also possible to transmit meter values via this interface, such that no RS485 power meter is required.</p>
<p></p>
<h2>Outlook</h2>
<p>Software-wise, several additional features are already in progress or planned for the future. In the following we will give you an overview of the functions the WARP Energy Manager will take on in the future.</p>
<p><strong>Energy Analysis<br/></strong></p>
<p>The WARP Energy Manager is equipped with 8GB of internal flash memory. It records data from power meters and charging processes internally. A cloud connection is not necessary. This makes the WARP Energy Manager independent, and the data stays with you. This data can be visualized locally on the Energy Manager. You can view the data in hourly, daily, monthly, and yearly views, allowing you to analyze and optimize your energy consumption. This feature is still being worked on and is scheduled to be released in the next two weeks.</p>
<p><strong>Dynamic load management</strong></p>
<p>The WARP Energy Manager will support dynamic load management, unlike the existing static load management. In dynamic load management, a fixed value for the maximum phase current is not specified (static); instead, a meter is used to determine the current per phase and calculate how much power is still available (dynamic). For example, this ensures that a power connection designed for 63A is never overloaded. The WARP Energy Manager regulates the wallboxes so that the 63A limit is not exceeded. It takes into account that other connected devices can be switched on and off arbitrarily, causing the current to change constantly. This is useful when a specific current for the wallboxes cannot be guaranteed at all times.</p>
<p><strong>Central user management incl. NFC</strong></p>
<p>Currently each WARP2 Smart or Pro wallbox has its own user management system. If a user wants to charge their vehicle using their NFC tag at multiple wallboxes, they have to teach the tag to each box individually. In the future, the WARP Energy Manager is intended to serve as a central management interface where wallbox users can be managed centrally.</p>
<p><strong>Central charging logbook<br/></strong></p>
<p>Similar to user management charging processes are individually recorded on each wallbox. When using multiple wallboxes, this data must then be collected from each wallbox. In the future, this should also be possible centrally via a WARP Energy Manager. You will be able to download the charging logbook as .CSV or .PDF from the web interface.</p>
<p><strong>SunSpec</strong></p>
<p>Currently, the WARP Energy Manager requires a specific power meter at the grid connection for PV excess charging or dynamic load management. We know that often there are already meters at these points, as inverters, heat pumps, or other manufacturers also require power meters . Unfortunately there is no general standard that we could support, which would ensure that we can read all power meters. At least with SunSpec, there is a standard that is supported by many inverter manufacturers. Using this interface, the WARP Energy Manager can use the data of compatible power meters and no additional power meter needs to be installed.</p>Review 2022 / Outlook 20232022-12-24T16:27:55+00:00Bastian Nordmeyerhttps://www.tinkerforge.com/en/blog/author/bastian/https://www.tinkerforge.com/en/blog/review-2022-outlook-2023/<p>The year 2022 is slowly coming to an end. We would like to give you a small look behind-the-scenes.</p>
<p><br/><strong>Parts procurement and manufacturing</strong><br/>2022 was very challanging for us. The issue of the availability of parts and the associated problems during manufacturing of our products resulted in a significant increase in the amount of time needed. Previously, we always kept some parts in stock for the production of our products, and we would order the missing parts just in time for each new production run. The effort for that was kept within limits. This approach simply stopped working mid to end 2021. We started to increase our stock of parts significantly. Nevertheless we were not able to procure all of the necessary items. As an example the DAC7760 (analog to digital converter used on the Industrial Analog Out Bricklet), is not available anymore for over a year now. Because of this we go through parts that are available at ditributors every day now to buy parts that are difficult to procure, even if we don't need this specific part at the moment. One of the most annoying aspects of this whole situation is that distributors stopped to honor delivery dates. They may say that a part will be deliverd in 3 months, but 1 week before the delivery date they will push it back for another 3 months. This happens all the time now. Because of this we needed to stop an already scheduled production run several times this year.</p>
<p><br/><strong>Price increases / inflation</strong><br/>Additionally, some of the parts that were not available anymore are now available again, but multiple times more expensive. As an example, the INA226 (analog to digital converter used by the Voltage/Current Bricklet) was priced at ~40USD (instead of the normal ~4USD) on the market. This is more expensive then the sales prices of the whole Bricklet. Electronic parts have become more expensive across the board. We are currently not sure if this price spiral will stop in the near future of if the inflation in this category will persist for a while. For now we have just accepted big parts of the price increases. It is unfortunately very much possible that we will have to increase our prices again in the near future.</p>
<p><br/><strong>WARP2 Charger</strong><br/>But not everything was bad in 2022, the opposite is actually true! Our WARP2 Charger wallboxes are a huge success. We were able to implement lots of new features this year. They include the charge tracker, user management, MQTT, HTTP API, Wireguard, Modbus/TCP and also our OCPP implementation is nearly ready. Most of the improvements are based on your feedback and improvement suggestion. Many thanks for that!</p>
<p><br/><strong>WARP Energy Manager</strong><br/>Unfortunately we were not able to fully implement the WARP Energy Manager as fast as we wanted. The Energy Manager was supposed to be available in our shop already. We also actually now have the hardware in stock already, but the software needs some more time. Very sorry for the delays!<br/><br/><strong>Bigger team</strong><br/>In 2021 and 2022 the Tinkerforge team has grown! We actually have not even put Vincent, Michael, Frederic and Matze on our team webpage. We will have to make sure to catch up with that next year.<br/><br/><strong>What will be new in 2023?</strong><br/>For 2023 we plan with lots of improvements for the WARP Charger. We will release the the WARP Energy Manager and lots of other new features will be available with a software update. If you are here for the Tinkerforge building blocks you do not need to worry, we also plan to release new Bricklets soon. However, our personal highlight for 2023 will be our new industrial real estate. Our current building is simply full by now. With the increased stock and new employees we are using up every square millimeter now. With the new modern building that we bought we will have a huge amount of space for offices and warehouse.<br/><br/>That's it for our little review and outlook!<br/><em>We thank you for your trust and wish you and your families a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year 2023!</em></p>WARP News: Webseite, WARP Energy Manager & Stand2022-07-04T11:37:43+00:00Bastian Nordmeyerhttps://www.tinkerforge.com/en/blog/author/bastian/https://www.tinkerforge.com/en/blog/warp-charger-news-webseite-warp-energy-manager-stand/<p>This blog entry is only available in German: <a href="https://www.tinkerforge.com/de/blog/warp-charger-news-webseite-warp-energy-manager-stand/">https://www.tinkerforge.com/de/blog/warp-charger-news-webseite-warp-energy-manager-stand/</a></p>Tinkerforge stand-alone with ESP32 Bricks2022-05-02T15:30:08+00:00Bastian Nordmeyerhttps://www.tinkerforge.com/en/blog/author/bastian/https://www.tinkerforge.com/en/blog/tinkerforge-stand-alone-with-esp32-bricks/<p><img alt="ESP32 Ethernet Brick" height="554" src="https://www.tinkerforge.com/media/uploads/blog/.thumbnails/warp_esp_eth_v2_top_800.jpg/warp_esp_eth_v2_top_800-800x554.jpg" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="800"/></p>
<p>We are using the <a href="https://www.tinkerforge.com/en/doc/Hardware/Bricks/ESP32_Brick.html">ESP32 Brick</a> and the <a href="https://www.tinkerforge.com/en/doc/Hardware/Bricks/ESP32_Ethernet_Brick.html">ESP32 Ethernet Brick</a> for our WARP Charger for a long time now. The <a href="https://www.warp-charger.com/">WARP Charger</a> (generation 1) uses the ESP32 Brick as the central control unit, while the current generation of WARP2 Charger use the ESP32 Ethernet Brick.</p>
<p>Starting today these Bricks are now also officially part of the Tinkerforge building blocks, i.e. you can use the new Bricks for your own projects!</p>
<p><strong>What are the ESP32 Brick and ESP32 Ethernet Brick?</strong></p>
<p>The ESP32 is a powerful microcontroller platform. It integrates WIFI (802.11b/g/n) and Bluetooth (V4.2 BR/EDR, BLE). It has two CPU cores that each run with 240 MHz and it has 448KB ROM, 520KB SRAM as well as 16MB flash. Both new Bricks each have six connectors for Bricklets. Power can be supplied through a USB-C connector that is also used for firmware flashing. To make this possible the Brick integrates a USB to serial converter, which means that USB can also be used for debugging through the serial interface. Additionally we offer an <a href="https://www.tinkerforge.com/en/doc/Hardware/Power_Supplies/ESP32.html">optional power supply</a> that can be stacked on top of the Brick. It supports an input voltage of up to 27V. As you might have guessed from the name: The ESP32 Ethernet Brick has an additional Ethernet interface compared to the ESP32 Brick.</p>
<p><strong>What is the intended application for the new Bricks?</strong></p>
<p>The ESP32 (Ethernet) Brick can be used in two ways: In the delivery condition the Brick is flashed with a standard firmware. This firmware creates a WIFI access point that can be used to reach be Brick through a web interface. With the ESP32 Ethernet Brick the web interface is also reachable via LAN (DHCP). The web interface can be used to configure the brick, for example to connect to your own WIFI. The standard firmware comes with the proxy mode enabled. With the proxy mode it is possible to control the connected Bricklets through our normal API Bindings. This means you can also connect to the Brick with the Brick Viewer. In this mode the Brick behaves similar to a Master Brick together with a WIFI/Ethernet Extension.</p>
<p>Of course you can also use the ESP32 (Ethernet) Brick as a development platform for your own software that runs stand-alone on the ESP32.</p>
<p>To do this you can use the standard ESP32 development tools. The ESP32 is a widespread platform that has lots of libraries and support for many development environments. To use our Bricklets we offer the C/C++ API Bindings for microcontroller. Additionally you use our standard firmware as a starting point. It is build from many different software modules that can be extended. This means you can use the web interface and all of its configuration pages together with your own sub-pages and the proxy mode at the same time!</p>New features and changes in WARP(2) firmware 2.0.02022-04-08T13:14:41+00:00erikhttps://www.tinkerforge.com/en/blog/author/erik/https://www.tinkerforge.com/en/blog/new-features-and-changes-in-warp2-firmware-200/<p>This blog entry is only available in German: <a href="https://www.tinkerforge.com/de/blog/new-features-and-changes-in-warp2-firmware-200/">https://www.tinkerforge.com/de/blog/new-features-and-changes-in-warp2-firmware-200/</a></p>Review 2021 - Outlook 20222021-12-23T10:45:07+00:00Bastian Nordmeyerhttps://www.tinkerforge.com/en/blog/author/bastian/https://www.tinkerforge.com/en/blog/review-2021-outlook-2022/<p><strong>Chip Shortage</strong></p>
<p>The year 2021 was full of "chip challenges" for us. The chip shortage was (and still is) a huge problem. We have gotten used to delivery times of many month and nobody is shocked anymore to get qouted a lead time of a year. We are trying anything we can to keep supply of our own products available. Our own inventory of ICs has increased significantly. We think we are well positioned for 2022, but it will likely be the case that some individual products will be sold out and have long lead times.</p>
<p></p>
<p><strong>Example Industrial Analog Out Bricklet</strong></p>
<p>Currently the Industrial <a href="https://www.tinkerforge.com/en/doc/Hardware/Bricklets/Industrial_Analog_Out_V2.html">Analog Out Bricklet</a> is sold out. The main IC was ordered by us about 9 month ago and we ought to receive it in 6 month from now. Unfortunately even these lead times can't be trusted at the moment. It might get further postponed at any time. Sometimes ICs unexpectedly arrive early, but often the lead time is pushed further away without any prior notice.</p>
<p>We now have an automatic monitoring system in place that queries the websites of all of the big distributors. With this we are some times able to quickly shift orders from one distributor to another if a part becomes unexpectedly available. There is a chance that we get hold of the analog out IC early through this system. Since there is no direct replacement for this IC, the only other option for us would be a redesign.</p>
<p>The "experts" on TV and in news articles have announced an improvement of the chip shortage some time ago already. With our building blocks we use a broad range of different ICs from different areas and the truth is that we just can not see any improvements yet. We currently expect that the situation will remain difficult through the complete year of 2022. A different difficulty that we face are price increases. If we ignore some parts that are currently only available from scalpers for 10x the normal costs, price increases of 20%-30% are the norm for many parts that are available. On top of that there is a sharp increase in shipping costs (and delivery times), especially for parts that come from overseas.</p>
<p>If you already now that you wil need bigger quantities of specific Bricks/Bricklets in 2022, please contact us as early as possible!</p>
<p></p>
<p><strong>2021 - A good year for Tinkerforge</strong></p>
<p>In spite of all of the aforementioned problems the year 2021 was still a good year for us.</p>
<p>The software and other parts of the Tinkerforge building blocks have been improved and we also released new Bricklets. The dominant topic for us surely was the entry into the electric vehicle charging sector with the brand WARP (Wall Attached Recharge Point) and our WAPR Chargers. By now we have sold more than 1500pcs of the EV chargers that we manufacture in-house. At the beginning we also had long lead times for the EV chargers, but by now we managed to cumulate a big stockpile of parts and the lead time is down to 1-2 weeks.</p>
<p>We plan to expand both areas, Tinkerforge and WARP, in 2022.</p>
<p></p>
<p><strong>Outlook for 2022</strong></p>
<p><strong><img alt="" height="554" src="https://www.tinkerforge.com/media/uploads/blog/.thumbnails/warp_esp_eth_v2_top_800.jpg/warp_esp_eth_v2_top_800-801x554.jpg" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="801"/></strong></p>
<p>Early next year we plan to release the ESP32 Brick and ESP32 Ethernet Brick. As you might expect from the name, these are Bricks that are equipped with an ESP32 microcontroller. The ESP32 Brick has WIFI and bluetooth. It can be programmed with C/C++. You can connect up to 6 Bricklets to it and control them with the (to be released) "C/C++ for Microcontroller" bindings. The ESP32 Ethernet Brick has an additional ethernet port. With the mew bindings you can write your own embedded programs for standalone projects. It is also possible to use the new Bricks in a proxy-mode with a standard firmware that we provide. With this firmware the new Bricks can be used like a Master Brick + WIFI/Ethernet Extension. The ESP32 Brick is already used in the WARP1 Chargers and the ESP32 Ethernet Brick is used in the WARP2 Chargers.</p>
<p>We plan to release additional "Arduino Bindings" that can be seamlessly integrated in the Arduino world. Both new bindings can be used on any microcontroller platform. To add support for a new platform you have to implement a new HAL for the SPI communication with the bricklets. We will start with HALs for Arudino, STM32F0 and Raspberry Pi and expect to add many more HALs in the future.</p>
<p>Of course we will also improve WARP. We have a long list of TODOs that consist of many enhancements, new features and bugfixes (see <a href="https://github.com/Tinkerforge/esp32-firmware/issues">https://github.com/Tinkerforge/esp32-firmware/issues</a>).</p>
<p>For more information about the future of WARP see the german version of this blog entry: <a href="https://www.tinkerforge.com/de/blog/review-2021-outlook-2022/">https://www.tinkerforge.com/de/blog/review-2021-outlook-2022/</a></p>
<p>Please note that we currently only sell WARP within Germany and the complete documentation is currently only available in German. We will likely start to expand this to other countries in Europe in the future and at that point we will start to translate everything to the country-specific languages. For a product like EV chargers we think it is not enough to only provide documentation in english/german if we want to sell outside of Germany in non-german/english speaking countries. This is a big change for us, since we currently only provide support in english and german for the whole Tinkerforge ecosystem.</p>
<p>If you are interested in helping us to bring the WARP Chargers to your country please contact us. We are definitely open for cooperations!</p>
<p></p>
<p><strong>Closing Words</strong></p>
<p><em>We, the Tinkerforge team, want to express our thanks to all of you for 2021! The trust and sympathy that you guys offered to us despite long lead times and all of the support we got from the community was truly remarkable!</em></p>
<p><em>We wish you Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!</em></p>WARP2 ist KfW 439, KfW 440 und KfW 441 förderfähig2021-11-29T10:42:08+00:00Bastian Nordmeyerhttps://www.tinkerforge.com/en/blog/author/bastian/https://www.tinkerforge.com/en/blog/warp2-ist-kfw-439-kfw-440-und-kfw-441-f%C3%B6rderf%C3%A4hig/<p>This blog entry is only available in German: <a href="https://www.tinkerforge.com/de/blog/warp2/">https://www.tinkerforge.com/de/blog/warp2-ist-kfw-439-kfw-440-und-kfw-441-f%C3%B6rderf%C3%A4hig/</a></p>WARP22021-08-17T11:59:40+00:00Olaf Lükehttps://www.tinkerforge.com/en/blog/author/olaf/https://www.tinkerforge.com/en/blog/warp2/<p>This blog entry is only available in German: <a href="https://www.tinkerforge.com/de/blog/warp2/">https://www.tinkerforge.com/de/blog/warp2/</a></p>Master Brick 3.1 - USB-C and 7 pole Bricklet connectors2021-07-20T09:24:37+00:00Olaf Lükehttps://www.tinkerforge.com/en/blog/author/olaf/https://www.tinkerforge.com/en/blog/master-brick-31-usb-c-and-7-pole-bricklet-connectors/<p>2017 (<a href="https://www.tinkerforge.com/en/blog/outlook-for-2017/">https://www.tinkerforge.com/en/blog/outlook-for-2017/</a>) we started to convert our Bricklets from 10 pole connectors to 7 pole connectors. This conversion was allready done for all of the Bricklets. Some Bricks are still equipped with the 10 pole Bricklet connector. With version 3.1 the Master Brick is now also equipped with four 7 pole Bricklet connectors.</p>
<p><img alt="" height="669" src="https://www.tinkerforge.com/media/uploads/blog/.thumbnails/brick_master3_tilted_front_800.jpg/brick_master3_tilted_front_800-800x669.jpg" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="800"/></p>
<p>The conversion of the remaining Bricks (Silent Stepper, IMU) will be done soon, such that in the future all Brick <-> Bricklet connections will use 7p <-> 7p Bricklet cables. For new projects it will be much easier to choose the right Bricklet cable, the 7p <-> 7p Bricklet cable will allways be the right choice. <!-----><!-----><!-----></p>
<p>Master Brick 2.1, 10p <-> 10p and 10p <-> 7p Bricklet cables will still be available in the shop. Spare parts as replacements for old projects will be available. These parts are listed in the "legacy" category. All non legacy Bricklets in the shop now only have the 7p <-> 7p Bricklet cable option left. <!-----><!-----><!-----></p>
<p>In comparison to Master Brick 2.1 the Master Brick 3.1 is equipped with 7 pole Bricklet connectors, but also with USB-C instead of Mini-USB. USB-C is at least as robust as Mini-USB but also has the advantage that the USB-C cables can be attached in both directions. Therefore it is much easier to use. Additionally the Master Brick 3.1 has a switchable Brickklet power supply. That means that you are now able to switch the power of connected Bricklets on or off during runtime with the API of the Brick.</p>
<p>Otherwise the Master Brick 3.1 is a one-to-one replacement for the Master Brick 2.1. Up to four Bricklets can be attached to the Brick. It is possible to build stacks of Bricks with up to 9 Bricks (1x Master Brick + 8x other Bricks). Master Brick 3.1 can be used together with Ethernet-, WIFI- and RS485 Master Brick Extension to connect attached Bricks/Bricklets with other interfaces than the USB interface of the Brick.</p>Availability Problems2021-05-26T17:13:16+00:00Bastian Nordmeyerhttps://www.tinkerforge.com/en/blog/author/bastian/https://www.tinkerforge.com/en/blog/availability-problems/<p>This blog post is only available in German. See here: https://www.tinkerforge.com/de/blog/availability-problems/</p>Four new Bricklets2021-05-12T09:23:00+00:00Olaf Lükehttps://www.tinkerforge.com/en/blog/author/olaf/https://www.tinkerforge.com/en/blog/four-new-bricklets/<p>We just released four new Bricklets:</p>
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.tinkerforge.com/en/doc/Hardware/Bricklets/Industrial_Dual_AC_Relay.html">Industrial Dual AC Relay Bricklet</a>,</li>
<li><a href="https://www.tinkerforge.com/en/doc/Hardware/Bricklets/Industrial_PTC.html">Industrial PTC Bricklet</a>,</li>
<li><a href="https://www.tinkerforge.com/en/doc/Hardware/Bricklets/DC_V2.html">DC Bricklet 2.0</a> and</li>
<li><a href="https://www.tinkerforge.com/en/doc/Hardware/Bricklets/Silent_Stepper_V2.html">Silent Stepper Bricklet 2.0</a>.</li>
</ul>
<p>The Industrial Dual AC Relay Bricklet can be used to switch <strong>240V AC with up to 1.2A</strong> (max 12A surge current). Compared to the Industrial Dual Relay Bricklet it uses a solid state relay and it <strong>supports switching during zero-crossing</strong>.</p>
<p><img alt="" height="485" src="https://www.tinkerforge.com/media/uploads/blog/.thumbnails/bricklet_industrial_dual_ac_relay_tilted_600.jpg/bricklet_industrial_dual_ac_relay_tilted_600-600x485.jpg" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="600"/></p>
<p>The Industrial PTC Bricklet has the <strong>same functionality as the PTC Bricklet</strong>, but it uses the standardized 8-pole connector that we use for all Industrial Bricklets. This was often requested, since many customers use the PTC Bricklet together with other Industrial Bricklets and would like to use the same connector for all of them. For now we will stock both (the old PTC Bricklet and the new Industrial PTC Bricklet), but if the sale numbers of the PTC Bricklet start to drop off now we will likely retire it in the future.</p>
<p><img alt="" height="469" src="https://www.tinkerforge.com/media/uploads/blog/.thumbnails/bricklet_industrial_ptc_tilted_600.jpg/bricklet_industrial_ptc_tilted_600-600x469.jpg" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="600"/></p>
<p>The new DC Bricklet 2.0 and Silent Stepper Bricklet 2.0 are Bricklet <strong>replacements for the old DC Brick and Silent Stepper Brick</strong>. They come with the same driver IC and thus have the same capabilities. As a small bonus the Silent Stepper Bricklet has two <strong>GPIOs</strong> that can be used for <strong>end-stops and similar</strong>. With these new Bricklets you can now use the whole Tinkerforge ecosystem together with the HAT and HAT Zero Bricks! There is no feature anymore that is only available in the Brick-formfactor.</p>
<p><img alt="" height="461" src="https://www.tinkerforge.com/media/uploads/blog/.thumbnails/bricklet_dc_v2_tilted2_600.jpg/bricklet_dc_v2_tilted2_600-600x461.jpg" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="600"/></p>
<p><img alt="" height="600" src="https://www.tinkerforge.com/media/uploads/blog/.thumbnails/bricklet_silent_stepper_v2_w_connector_600.jpg/bricklet_silent_stepper_v2_w_connector_600-524x600.jpg" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="524"/></p>
<p>As the next step we will replace the 10-pole Bricklet connector on the Bricks with 7-pole equivalents. <strong>After that the whole system will use 7-7p cables</strong> and the 10p-10p and 10p-7p cables can be retired. We will still stock the Master Brick 2.1 with 10p Bricklet connectors for replacements in legacy systems, but otherwise all products with 10-pole connector will be completely removed from the shop.</p>Auslieferung WARP-Charger2021-03-25T14:54:45+00:00Olaf Lükehttps://www.tinkerforge.com/en/blog/author/olaf/https://www.tinkerforge.com/en/blog/auslieferung-warp-charger/<p>This blog post is only available in German. See here: https://www.tinkerforge.com/de/blog/auslieferung-warp-charger/</p>