View Single Post
Old 06-30-13, 02:16 PM   #1
AC_Hacker
Supreme EcoRenovator
 
AC_Hacker's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: Portland, OR
Posts: 4,004
Thanks: 303
Thanked 723 Times in 534 Posts
Default Whole-House Sensors...

I've been wanting to install 1-wire sensors in every room of my house in order to study how heat affects my house and how it moves through the house in the winter.

I finally got it working.

!-wire sensors are very accurate and if you get them direct from China, they're real cheap ($1/ea). They are meant to be wired in as parallel sensors, and a micro=controller can query them, and since they each have a unique number, the micro-controller can keep it straight, which data is arriving from each sensor... pretty cool.

I installed a sensor in each room of my house (7 rooms, including basement) at about the same height (4').

I won't elaborate on the work of installing the string except to say that they are designed to be in a serial topography. I decided to try some branching, to see how it worked (saved a lot of wire), and I didn't run into problems, probably because my house is so small.

But the last sensor is of interest because it is mounted outside in the weather, and the sensor needed to be protected from wet and also from bugs.

Below is the pile of parts, all standard plumbing, 1/2" CPVC

Above is the 1-wire sensor mounted to a tiny board to make assembly easy


Below is the floor flange and the pipe-thread to CPVC adapter

Above, I am making sure the flange will fit flat to the house.


Below is the flange securely screwed (coated screws) to the house.

Above is the cable threaded through the "T" connector.


Below, the "T" connector is correctly positioned and screwed to the house

Above, I am drilling a weep hole that will let water pass through but not bugs


Below, the end cap is glued into place

Above, I am drilling small holes in the pipe for the 1-wire sensor


Below, I am checking the pin-out of the 1-wire against my notes

Above I have soldered the 1-wire to the cable


Below, I am verifying that the new sensor is working

Above, now that I know it works, I glue the top into place


Below is the first test of the sensors fifteen minutes, fifteen readings.

I suspect that he large excursion is because of handling (prior to final assembly).

Working OK!

Best,

-AC

Attached Images
        
__________________
I'm not an HVAC technician. In fact, I'm barely even a hacker...

Last edited by AC_Hacker; 06-30-13 at 02:24 PM..
AC_Hacker is offline   Reply With Quote