Must i buy pekaway components to run VanPi?

Can i install VanPi on a RPI 4 with a RPI 7" touchscreen connected to a Waveshare 8 channel relayboard and other boards or do i really have to buy pekaways controlboards and shunts to have a working system ?
The relayboard you have is not cheap and are almost as expensive as the big brands.

You could setup a fresh install of Raspi OS on RPI4 and then run through the setup script which you can find here: pi4/vanpi-init.sh · main · Vincent / VanPi · GitLab

Just take everything you need from there, there’s also scripts and other files you could use in the repo. Then you need to reprogram it to whatever hardware you are using.

So yes, it is definitely possible to use other boards and hardware, you just have to take the time to adjust the software to your needs.

Hey, i did download and installed “VanPICTRL_pi4_v1.0.4” but i get Fails when installing.
"Failed to start PM2 process manager. See systemctl status pm2-root.service for details.

What has happened ?

exactly how do i run through the setup script ?

How exactly did you install it? What does pm2 say when you check it’s status as the error message suggests? You could also just remove pm2, since we’re not using it anymore in our software stack (used it in older versions but disregarded it)

By running through the script I mean that you either just follow the guide in the repo and let it install everything automatically, or you go through the script by hand and execute every command manually, so that you only install the things you actually need.

i just burn the image with Balena Etcher to my micro SD and insert it to my RPI4 and let the RPI run its course.
Would it be difficult for you to make the .img so that a complete novice could install VanPi to their Raspberry. Not all of us has spent the majority of the younger years at the computer hacking codes :wink:
Im a mechanic doing the big and heavy dirty stuff on trucks and vans, and dont really understand Phyton.

Thats what the .img file is meant for, just burn it to the SD-card and it works out of the box.
Can you reach the Node-RED Dashboard (http://<RPI-IP>:1880/ui)?

If you can reach that, than everything works as intended and you are ready to go.

  1. Burn image
  2. Insert sd card
  3. start raspberry
  4. now a wlan is displayed “VanPiControl_XX”.
  5. connect to it (pw:pekawayfetzt)
    (if asked, confirm that you want to keep the connection even without internet)
  6. open a browser and go to http://van.pi or 192.168.4.1:1880/ui
  7. now you can see and set everything via the webinterface.

Thanx for assisting me with this, i have now managed to get as far as i can connect to Homebridge but i cant activate any of my relays on my waveshare board or get my 7 inch screen showing any values or buttons. The only way to see things is on my computer.
what do i need to do ?

I don’t want to offend you but for someone who doesn’t understand what a headless system is. It will be hard to adapt our system to his setup. The basics are missing. Unfortunately we can’t help you here.

Please register in other forums where it is about basic programming around the Raspberry pi.

Really bad marketing for your product from you. You demand that everyone that want to control the campervans have to be geniuses in programming and if they cant program a raspberry just you like them to to, then you tell them to look at something else.
i did just regret that i ordered stuff from your webshop, when i could have done that from someone that cares about their products.

You could just have say that your program does not work the way i thougt it would.
I can understand why you use Nextion screens powered over the network but you just lost me as a customer, i was on the way to buy stuff for 800 Euros but now i have decided to turn to someone that cares and can give support to buyers !

Hallo,
alles etwas merkwĂĽrdig.
Wenn`s schon los geht ,man möchte die Software nutzen ohne die Hardware kaufen zu müssen.
Schlau machen kann man sich hier auch im Forum, aber nicht nur hier sondern auch in anderen Foren.
Über den Rasberry und Komponenten gibt es so viele Infos, da könnte man Wochenlang lesen.
Auch ein Kinder Elektronik Kurs wĂĽrde helfen um mit den Grundlagen anzufangen.
Ich bin auch kein Programmierer aber mein Womo hat inzwischen auch Teile von Pekaway und meine eigenen Relaykarten inkl.Sprachsteuerung ĂĽber eine Sprachsteuerungskarte.
Am Anfang war ich dem Pekaway-System auch skeptisch, muss aber sagen das Pekaway-Team macht einen super Job. Mit den ForumswĂĽnschen so viel und schnell einzuprogrammieren.
Welcher Hersteller macht das ???
Bei fertig gekauften Systemen gibt es diverse Funktionen und das wars.
Da kannste den Hersteller nicht anschreiben, ich hätte gerne. NIX GIB´S.
Meine persönliche Meinung. Wenn Pekaway dich als Kunden verloren hat, sollten Sie froh darüber sein.
Ich glaube Sie haben sich damit eine menge Ă„rger erspart.
MFG Bernd

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It is wrong what to said.
The software is customized to the hardware and as Vincent explained, it is possible to customize the software to another hardware. But for this you need programming skills.
The Nextion display is used because it also runs software programmed by the Pekaway-Team.
Use the hardware & software that is offered in the store and download area and you will have no or fewer problems.
The larger the community gets, the faster there will be developments and possibly other hardware that can be used with the software.

Best regards

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Sorry but i dont speak jibberish so i cant understand ! Maybe if you tryed to write in English… you know the language of those who kicked your ass in WW2 !!!

Eine Sachliche Argumentation ist hier wohl zwecklos.

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Hey Steelneck,

your behavior and political comments do not fit our community and products.

Your order is canceled and a refund has been made.

We still wish you success with your project.

Bye

1 Like

I understand your frustration, but there is no need for remarks of political nature… !

Parts of this system are open-source where other forum members can try to help and solve the problem. Other Parts are closed source, something that is clearly stated on their website.

Expecting support for an open-source software is always tricky and cannot be taken for granted

This community is german-based but their document-system is in english and regarding the display it is described that this part is closed-source: https://pekaway.de/docs/touchdisplay/