Copperhill Technologies

Copperhill Technologies Development and sales of embedded systems for Controller Area Network and SAE J1939, which includes popular systems such as the Arduino and Raspberry Pi.

Copperhill Technologies Corproation was established as an electronics engineering and consulting business in 1993. Our main focus is on the development and sales of embedded systems for Controller Area Network and SAE J1939, which includes popular systems such as the Arduino and Raspberry Pi but also our own embedded solutions such as the jCOM board and gateway series. Our skills also include rapi

d prototyping; we can deliver prototype solutions within shortest time and assist with the manufacturing process of the final product. We deliver not only schematics, bill of material, placement files, Eagle/Gerber files but also the application source code inclduing documentation.

🚛 **Installed a modern digital dashboard in your older diesel truck, but it won't display engine data?**Before you blame...
06/17/2026

🚛 **Installed a modern digital dashboard in your older diesel truck, but it won't display engine data?**

Before you blame the dashboard, the engine ECU, or the wiring, there is a good chance the real problem is a J1939 baud rate mismatch.

Many older diesel engines communicate at **250K baud**, while newer dashboards often expect **500K baud**. Although both devices use SAE J1939, they cannot communicate directly when operating at different network speeds.

In this article, we explain:

✅ Why modern dashboards often fail to display engine data in retrofit projects

✅ The difference between 250K and 500K J1939 networks

✅ Why "Silent Mode" (Listen-Only Mode) dashboards create additional challenges

✅ How a J1939 baud rate converter solves the problem

✅ Which converter version is best suited for dashboard retrofit applications

If you're upgrading an older truck, bus, RV, fire apparatus, or specialty vehicle with a modern digital display, this article may save you hours of troubleshooting.

Read the full article here:

[https://jcom1939.com/why-your-new-dashboard-wont-talk-to-your-old-diesel-engine-and-how-to-fix-it/](https://jcom1939.com/why-your-new-dashboard-wont-talk-to-your-old-diesel-engine-and-how-to-fix-it/)

Why has CAN Bus remained the communication backbone of vehicles, industrial machinery, and embedded systems for more tha...
06/17/2026

Why has CAN Bus remained the communication backbone of vehicles, industrial machinery, and embedded systems for more than 30 years?

The answer isn't speed—it's reliability.

Unlike many other communication technologies, CAN Bus was specifically designed to operate in electrically noisy environments while ensuring that critical messages get through. Features such as non-destructive bus arbitration, automatic error detection, message retransmission, fault confinement, and differential signaling make CAN Bus one of the most dependable networking technologies ever developed.

In our latest article, we explain how CAN Bus prevents message loss, recovers from errors, prioritizes critical data, and compares to technologies such as RS232 and Ethernet.

Read the full article here:

https://copperhilltech.com/blog/why-can-bus-is-one-of-the-most-reliable-communication-systems-ever-created/

Building a CAN data logger doesn't have to mean buying expensive proprietary hardware.In our latest article, we explore ...
06/16/2026

Building a CAN data logger doesn't have to mean buying expensive proprietary hardware.

In our latest article, we explore why the Teensy 4.1 Triple CAN-Bus Board with Ethernet is an excellent platform for custom CAN and CAN FD data logging applications. With triple CAN support, built-in microSD storage, Ethernet connectivity, and a powerful 600 MHz processor, it provides all the essential ingredients for automotive, industrial, marine, and fleet monitoring projects.

Whether you're working with SAE J1939, NMEA 2000, CANopen, or proprietary CAN networks, this board offers the flexibility to build a data logger tailored to your exact requirements.

Read the full article here:

https://copperhilltech.com/blog/why-the-teensy-41-triple-canbus-board-with-ethernet-makes-an-excellent-can-data-logger/

Choosing between an ESP32-S3 and a Raspberry Pi with a PiCAN board for your next CAN Bus project?Both platforms can conn...
06/15/2026

Choosing between an ESP32-S3 and a Raspberry Pi with a PiCAN board for your next CAN Bus project?

Both platforms can connect CAN networks to cloud services, MQTT brokers, web dashboards, mobile apps, fleet management systems, and predictive maintenance platforms—but they are not interchangeable.

In our latest article, we compare:

• Hardware cost and complexity
• Power consumption
• Reliability in deployed systems
• Cloud connectivity options
• MQTT integration
• Fleet management applications
• Industrial monitoring systems
• Predictive maintenance and edge analytics

You'll also learn why an ESP32-based gateway is often the better choice for dedicated CAN-to-cloud applications, while a Raspberry Pi excels when local dashboards, databases, and edge computing capabilities are required.

Read the full article here:

https://copperhilltech.com/blog/esp32s3-vs-raspberry-pi-pican-which-platform-is-better-for-cloudconnected-can-bus-applications/

If you're working with SAE J1939, you've probably asked yourself:🚀 Should I build my application around an ESP32 or a Ra...
06/14/2026

If you're working with SAE J1939, you've probably asked yourself:
🚀 Should I build my application around an ESP32 or a Raspberry Pi?
The answer depends entirely on the application.
In this article, I compare the strengths and weaknesses of both platforms for J1939 development, including:
🔹 Real-time performance
🔹 CAN and CAN FD support
🔹 Cloud connectivity and MQTT
🔹 Fleet management applications
🔹 Industrial monitoring systems
🔹 Predictive maintenance platforms
🔹 Power consumption and deployment considerations
Whether you're building a compact embedded gateway or a full-featured edge computing platform, understanding the tradeoffs can save significant development time.

Read the full article:
https://jcom1939.com/embedded-sae-j1939-development-esp32-vs-raspberry-pi-pican-hat/

Many engineers assume that connecting a gateway to a J1939 network is as simple as plugging into the CAN bus and reading...
06/12/2026

Many engineers assume that connecting a gateway to a J1939 network is as simple as plugging into the CAN bus and reading messages. In reality, SAE J1939 is much more than raw CAN.
While many parameters are broadcast periodically, important information such as the Vehicle Identification Number (VIN), Component Identification, and Software Identification are only available upon request. That means a gateway must actively participate in the network rather than merely monitor traffic.
In this article, we explore the challenges of connecting J1939 networks to IoT platforms, cloud applications, telematics solutions, and fleet management systems, and explain why CAN connectivity alone is often not enough.

Read the full article:
https://jcom1939.com/connecting-j1939-to-iot-cloud-and-fleet-management-systems/

If you're developing CAN bus applications with a Raspberry Pi, Python is one of the fastest and most flexible ways to ge...
06/12/2026

If you're developing CAN bus applications with a Raspberry Pi, Python is one of the fastest and most flexible ways to get started. In this article, we demonstrate how to program PiCAN boards using Python and SocketCAN to create CAN bus monitors, data loggers, gateways, and J1939 applications.
Topics include:
• Configuring PiCAN boards on Raspberry Pi
• Installing and using the python-can library
• Sending and receiving CAN messages
• Message filtering and logging
• J1939 message handling
• CAN FD support
• Building CAN-to-cloud and IoT solutions
Whether you're working with industrial automation, heavy-duty vehicles, marine electronics, or custom embedded systems, this guide provides a practical introduction to Python-based CAN development.

Read the full article:
https://copperhilltech.com/blog/programming-pican-boards-with-python-a-practical-guide-for-raspberry-pi-can-applications/

CAN, SAE J1939, and NMEA 2000 Development with Raspberry Pi and PiCAN HATsThe Raspberry Pi has become one of the most ve...
06/10/2026

CAN, SAE J1939, and NMEA 2000 Development with Raspberry Pi and PiCAN HATs

The Raspberry Pi has become one of the most versatile platforms for embedded systems development. Combined with PiCAN HATs, it provides a powerful solution for CAN Bus, SAE J1939, and NMEA 2000 applications in automotive, industrial, and marine environments.
In this article, we explore how developers can use Raspberry Pi and PiCAN hardware for:
• CAN Bus and CAN FD development
• SAE J1939 monitoring and diagnostics
• NMEA 2000 marine networking
• GPS-based tracking and telematics
• Data logging and gateway applications
• Real-Time Clock (RTC) support
• Optional galvanic isolation for harsh environments
• Python and C programming with Linux SocketCAN

Whether you're building a vehicle data logger, a marine monitoring system, an industrial gateway, or a custom IoT solution, the Raspberry Pi and PiCAN ecosystem offers a flexible and cost-effective development platform backed by extensive documentation and sample code.

Read the full article here:
https://copperhilltech.com/blog/can-sae-j1939-and-nmea-2000-development-with-raspberry-pi-and-pican-hats/

If you're developing CAN bus applications with the ESP32, understanding Espressif's TWAI driver is essential.In this pra...
06/09/2026

If you're developing CAN bus applications with the ESP32, understanding Espressif's TWAI driver is essential.

In this practical guide, we explain:
• What TWAI is and how it relates to CAN
• CAN message transmission and reception
• Error handling, bus states, and alerts
• SAE J1939 and NMEA 2000 support
• Common pitfalls and troubleshooting tips
Whether you're building industrial controllers, vehicle networks, marine electronics, or IoT devices, this article will help you get started with ESP32 CAN programming.

Read the full article here:
https://copperhilltech.com/blog/esp32-twai-driver-explained-a-practical-guide-to-can-bus-programming/

Can Multiple SAE J1939 Nodes Transmit the Same PGN?This question comes up regularly in the J1939 world, and the answer i...
06/09/2026

Can Multiple SAE J1939 Nodes Transmit the Same PGN?

This question comes up regularly in the J1939 world, and the answer is not as straightforward as it may seem.
At the CAN level, multiple nodes cannot transmit the same message identifier without causing conflicts. However, SAE J1939 incorporates the Source Address into the 29-bit CAN identifier, allowing multiple nodes to transmit the same PGN while still producing unique CAN messages.
But just because it can be done does not necessarily mean it should be done.
Many J1939 applications are built around the assumption that specific information—such as engine speed, vehicle speed, or transmission data—comes from a single authoritative source. Introducing multiple sources for the same PGN can create challenges for receiving devices, depending on how they process the data.
In this article, I take a neutral engineering perspective and examine both the technical and practical implications of transmitting the same PGN from multiple nodes.

Read the full article here:
https://jcom1939.com/can-multiple-sae-j1939-nodes-transmit-the-same-pgn/

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Greenfield, MA
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