Excuse my EE ignorance here...but i'm looking for some guidance on the next steps.

Got the Arduino with the protoshield (and white breadboard thingie). Have a couple DS18B20's and the SF800 flowmeter. iButton reader is on backorder for 4 more weeks, but thought I'd get a jump on things.

The problem is I think I need a little more noob-guidance in the connecting of everything. I can solder well enough to get this put together, just don't know much about these kinds of components. I've looked at photos from other kegbots (especially geoffculps), but I'm a bit confused about precisely what wires to connect to what sensors, and how to best do that.

I found the pin layout for a kegboard, which seems simple enough
http://kegbot.org/docs/kegboard-guide/wiring.html
but I think I need either to be pointed at exactly how to properly connect one-wire devices. For example, there are three pins on the DS18B20 temp sensors...do we only connect a single wire to the Arduino?

Since I have the arduino shield...Am I soldering it right to the breadboard thingie, or should I be putting the wire ends onto single post connectors and shoving them into sockets on the shield?

I think it might be super helpful if someone posted a pic of their Arduino and actually highlighted what connections were for which pins, also how the connections were made, etc.

Or, if this is info on the Arduino site, I don't mind teaching myself to fish if this is too remedial, I just couldn't find it. Or, the info I found, doesn't seem to be authoritative enough to start F'ing up my Arduino...

Also is using something like cat-5e appropriate for short-runs in wiring this? Worried that such a thin solid copper wire might not live too well in a fridge environment....

Again, thanks in advance, getting quite exciting to be this close. But, when you get to this point in the docs, it just sort of abruptly ends. But maybe that's bc the docs are assuming you are not a dumbass when it comes to connecting these sensors!

edit: OK, if maybe I just F'ing googled it, I can teach myself to fish...here's wiring of the temp sensor. I need to conect to ground, and two other pins to the digital input (one of which including a pullup resister) Now, I read on the forums 2.2k resister, but this graphic shows a 4.7k. Maybe some help though, what's the best way to ground all this stuff (to arduino board ground connection, I assume? Not to the ground on a nearby AC socket eh?)
http://www.flickr.com/photos/sctv/3138287688/


more edits: ah, I get it, the little white breadboard is solderless, and you use it to quickly prototype your project. Still confusing to a noob, but getting less so...
http://www.hacktronics.com/Tutorials/beginning-solderless-breadboards.html

Excuse my EE ignorance here...but i'm looking for some guidance on the next steps.

Don't worry I was in the same position when I started building my kegbot.

The problem is I think I need a little more noob-guidance in the connecting of everything. I can solder well enough to get this put together, just don't know much about these kinds of components. I've looked at photos from other kegbots (especially geoffculps), but I'm a bit confused about precisely what wires to connect to what sensors, and how to best do that.

I found the pin layout for a kegboard, which seems simple enough
http://kegbot.org/docs/kegboard-guide/wiring.html
but I think I need either to be pointed at exactly how to properly connect one-wire devices. For example, there are three pins on the DS18B20 temp sensors...do we only connect a single wire to the Arduino?

Hopefully this will help clear things up. The flow sensor and temp sensor are basically wired the same. Pin 1 goes to a 5v power source, Pin 2-"Data" goes to an Arduino digital input, Pin 3- goes to a ground source.

I think it might be super helpful if someone posted a pic of their Arduino and actually highlighted what connections were for which pins, also how the connections were made, etc.

Also is using something like cat-5e appropriate for short-runs in wiring this? Worried that such a thin solid copper wire might not live too well in a fridge environment....

Cat-5 cable might be a little thin to work with but it may work. In these pictures I'm using 22 gauge solid core wire.

Like a boss! OK, that's something even a dumbass can work from...

OK, I'm going to get to work! Now I see the logic in also buying the shield and breadboard combo, very glad I spent the extra ten bucks on that baby.

Much appreciated Geoff. When I get this baby built, I'm going to offer up some help to Mike for updating the docs.

Hmm..one more q: I see that 4.7k resister there....that's for the temp sensor right? And is it a 2.2k resister for the flowmeter? Looks like another trip to radio shack...

Rosenbagel
Hmm..one more q: I see that 4.7k resister there....that's for the temp sensor right? And is it a 2.2k resister for the flowmeter? Looks like another trip to radio shack...

I'm pretty sure any value resistor will work (2.2k, 4.7k 10k). I'm using the same value resistor for temp sensors and the flow sensors.

Geoff's got it right; 4.7k is a commonly used value, but anything around that should be fine. 2.2k is the low side & safest if you plan on running a longer cable.

Thanks for the nicely annotated picture, Geoff! The docs could badly use something like this. I'll see what I can do.