Intermediate
20 min

Experience pH measurement at its finest with pH EZO and PIC32MZ2048EFM100

Your go-to expert for precise pH readings, every time

pH Click with Curiosity PIC32 MZ EF

Published Nov 09, 2023

Click board™

pH Click

Dev. board

Curiosity PIC32 MZ EF

Compiler

NECTO Studio

MCU

PIC32MZ2048EFM100

Count on our pH meter for reliable pH monitoring in any environment or application.

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Hardware Overview

How does it work?

pH Click is based on the pH EZO™, a 6th-generation embedded pH circuit that offers the highest level of stability and accuracy from AtlasScientific. With an easy-to-use UART data protocol (with additional I2C serial interface), simple command structure, and flexible calibration protocol that supports single-point, two-point, or three-point calibration, this Click board™ works well with any off-the-shelf pH probe. It has temperature-dependent or independent readings with a full range of pH readings from 0.001 to 14.000. The pH EZO™ circuit is characterized by great sensitivity that gives its accuracy. When electrical noise interferes with the pH readings, it is common to see rapidly fluctuating readings or readings that are consistently off. To verify that electrical noise is causing inaccurate readings, place the pH probe in a cup of water by itself. The pH readings should

stabilize quickly, confirming that electrical noise was the issue. This Click board™ uses the UART communication interface as its default communication protocol that supports all standard baud rates up to 115.200 but also provides the possibility of using the I2C serial interface. The selection can be performed by positioning SMD jumpers labeled COMM SEL to an appropriate position. Note that all jumpers must be placed on the same side, or the Click board™ may become unresponsive. This Click Board™ uses the UART communication interface as its default communication protocol that supports all standard baud rates up to 115.200 but also provides the possibility of using the I2C serial interface. The selection can be performed by positioning SMD jumpers labeled COMM SEL to an appropriate position. Note that all jumpers must be placed on the same side, or the Click board™ may become

unresponsive. Also, the pH EZO™ circuit contains an LED indicator that informs the user about the current state of the pH circuit at any time with a specified color. The green color indicates Standby Mode, the yellow color indicates sent pH data, and the blue indicates pH data being read. Besides, there is a purple color that signals a change in the Baud rate, a red color that represents an invalid command given by the user, and a white color that the LED flashes when a device is connected to the circuit. This Click board™ can operate with either 3.3V or 5V logic voltage levels selected via the VCC SEL jumper. This way, both 3.3V and 5V capable MCUs can use the communication lines properly. Also, this Click board™ comes equipped with a library containing easy-to-use functions and an example code that can be used as a reference for further development.

pH Click hardware overview image

Features overview

Development board

Curiosity PIC32 MZ EF development board is a fully integrated 32-bit development platform featuring the high-performance PIC32MZ EF Series (PIC32MZ2048EFM) that has a 2MB Flash, 512KB RAM, integrated FPU, Crypto accelerator, and excellent connectivity options. It includes an integrated programmer and debugger, requiring no additional hardware. Users can expand

functionality through MIKROE mikroBUS™ Click™ adapter boards, add Ethernet connectivity with the Microchip PHY daughter board, add WiFi connectivity capability using the Microchip expansions boards, and add audio input and output capability with Microchip audio daughter boards. These boards are fully integrated into PIC32’s powerful software framework, MPLAB Harmony,

which provides a flexible and modular interface to application development a rich set of inter-operable software stacks (TCP-IP, USB), and easy-to-use features. The Curiosity PIC32 MZ EF development board offers expansion capabilities making it an excellent choice for a rapid prototyping board in Connectivity, IOT, and general-purpose applications.

Curiosity PIC32MZ EF double side image

Microcontroller Overview

MCU Card / MCU

default

Architecture

PIC32

MCU Memory (KB)

2048

Silicon Vendor

Microchip

Pin count

100

RAM (Bytes)

524288

You complete me!

Accessories

This probe can be used with all pH meters with an input for the BNC connection with a 1m cable. The sensitive part of the probe (in the shape of a ball) is partially protected by a probe's plastic body, which reduces the possibility of mechanical damage. The EPH101 is used to measure the pH value of various liquids (due to the present plastic protection), and it can also be immersed in liquids inflowed in a system). It is stored in a plastic gel bottle with a very long shelf life. A pH (potential of Hydrogen) probe measures the hydrogen ion activity in a liquid. A membrane at the tip of a pH probe permits hydrogen ions from the liquid to be measured to defuse into the outer layer of the membrane while larger ions remain in the solution. The difference in the concentration of hydrogen ions outside the probe vs. inside the pH probe creates a small current proportional to the concentration of hydrogen ions in the measured liquid.

pH Click accessories image

Used MCU Pins

mikroBUS™ mapper

NC
NC
AN
NC
NC
RST
NC
NC
CS
NC
NC
SCK
NC
NC
MISO
NC
NC
MOSI
Power Supply
3.3V
3.3V
Ground
GND
GND
NC
NC
PWM
NC
NC
INT
UART TX
RPD10
TX
UART RX
RPD15
RX
I2C Clock
RPA14
SCL
I2C Data
RPA15
SDA
Power Supply
5V
5V
Ground
GND
GND
1

Take a closer look

Click board™ Schematic

pH Click Schematic schematic

Step by step

Project assembly

Curiosity PIC32MZ EF front image hardware assembly

Start by selecting your development board and Click board™. Begin with the Curiosity PIC32 MZ EF as your development board.

Curiosity PIC32MZ EF front image hardware assembly
GNSS2 Click front image hardware assembly
Prog-cut hardware assembly
GNSS2 Click complete accessories setup image hardware assembly
Curiosity PIC32 MZ EF MB 1 Access - upright/background hardware assembly
Necto image step 2 hardware assembly
Necto image step 3 hardware assembly
Necto image step 4 hardware assembly
Necto image step 5 hardware assembly
Necto image step 6 hardware assembly
Curiosity PIC32 MZ EF MCU Step hardware assembly
Necto No Display image step 8 hardware assembly
Necto image step 9 hardware assembly
Necto image step 10 hardware assembly
Debug Image Necto Step hardware assembly

Track your results in real time

Application Output

1. Application Output - In Debug mode, the 'Application Output' window enables real-time data monitoring, offering direct insight into execution results. Ensure proper data display by configuring the environment correctly using the provided tutorial.

2. UART Terminal - Use the UART Terminal to monitor data transmission via a USB to UART converter, allowing direct communication between the Click board™ and your development system. Configure the baud rate and other serial settings according to your project's requirements to ensure proper functionality. For step-by-step setup instructions, refer to the provided tutorial.

3. Plot Output - The Plot feature offers a powerful way to visualize real-time sensor data, enabling trend analysis, debugging, and comparison of multiple data points. To set it up correctly, follow the provided tutorial, which includes a step-by-step example of using the Plot feature to display Click board™ readings. To use the Plot feature in your code, use the function: plot(*insert_graph_name*, variable_name);. This is a general format, and it is up to the user to replace 'insert_graph_name' with the actual graph name and 'variable_name' with the parameter to be displayed.

Software Support

Library Description

This library contains API for pH Click driver.

Key functions:

  • ph_send_cmd - Send command function.

  • ph_get_cmd_resp - Send get response function.

  • ph_switch_led - Toggle LED function.

Open Source

Code example

The complete application code and a ready-to-use project are available through the NECTO Studio Package Manager for direct installation in the NECTO Studio. The application code can also be found on the MIKROE GitHub account.

/*!
 * @file main.c
 * @brief pH Click Example.
 *
 * # Description
 * This example reads and processes data from pH clicks.
 *
 * The demo application is composed of two sections :
 *
 * ## Application Init
 * Initializes UART driver, performing a factory reset of the device, disabling continuous read,
 * and performing calibration at the midpoint on the pH scale.
 *
 * ## Application Task
 * This example shows the capabilities of the pH Click board by performing a reading of the 
 * pH value of the substance in which the probe is submerged and displaying readings via the 
 * USART terminal.
 *
 * @author Stefan Ilic
 *
 */

#include "board.h"
#include "log.h"
#include "ph.h"

#define PROCESS_BUFFER_SIZE 200

static ph_t ph;
static log_t logger;

static char app_buf[ PROCESS_BUFFER_SIZE ] = { 0 };

void application_init ( void ) 
{
    log_cfg_t log_cfg;  /**< Logger config object. */
    ph_cfg_t ph_cfg;  /**< Click config object. */

    /** 
     * Logger initialization.
     * Default baud rate: 115200
     * Default log level: LOG_LEVEL_DEBUG
     * @note If USB_UART_RX and USB_UART_TX 
     * are defined as HAL_PIN_NC, you will 
     * need to define them manually for log to work. 
     * See @b LOG_MAP_USB_UART macro definition for detailed explanation.
     */
    LOG_MAP_USB_UART( log_cfg );
    log_init( &logger, &log_cfg );
    log_info( &logger, " Application Init " );

    // Click initialization.
    ph_cfg_setup( &ph_cfg );
    PH_MAP_MIKROBUS( ph_cfg, MIKROBUS_1 );
    if ( UART_ERROR == ph_init( &ph, &ph_cfg ) ) 
    {
        log_error( &logger, " Communication init." );
        for ( ; ; );
    }
    
    ph_factory_rst( &ph, app_buf );
    Delay_ms( 1000 );
    
    ph_cont_read( &ph, 0, app_buf );
    log_printf( &logger, "-----------------------\r\n" );
    log_printf( &logger, "   -- Initialized --   \r\n" );
    log_printf( &logger, "-----------------------\r\n" );
    log_printf( &logger, "  Place probe into pH  \r\n" );
    log_printf( &logger, " neutral substance for \r\n" );
    log_printf( &logger, " mid point calibration \r\n" );
    log_printf( &logger, "-----------------------\r\n" );
    for ( uint8_t n_cnt = 0; n_cnt < 20; n_cnt++ )
    {
        Delay_ms( 1000 );
    }
    log_printf( &logger, " Starting calibration  \r\n" );
    log_printf( &logger, "-----------------------\r\n" );
    ph_perf_calib ( &ph, PH_CMD_CALIB_MID, 7.000, app_buf );
    Delay_ms( 1000 );
    log_printf( &logger, " Calibration done!     \r\n" );
    log_printf( &logger, "-----------------------\r\n" );
    
    log_printf( &logger, " - Application  task -\r\n" );
    log_printf( &logger, "-----------------------\r\n" );
    ph_send_cmd( &ph, PH_CMD_DIS_RSP_CODES );
    Delay_ms( 1000 );
    ph_clr_log_buf( app_buf );
}

void application_task ( void ) 
{
    ph_send_cmd ( &ph, PH_CMD_SET_SNGL_READ );
    ph_response( &ph, app_buf );
    log_printf( &logger, " pH value: %s ", app_buf );
    log_printf( &logger, "-----------------------\r\n" );
    ph_clr_log_buf( app_buf );
    Delay_ms( 1000 );
}

void main ( void ) 
{
    application_init( );

    for ( ; ; ) 
    {
        application_task( );
    }
}

// ------------------------------------------------------------------------ END

Additional Support

Resources

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