Arduino Based Weather Station

[tekkydave]

The code is in Java and you can have it if it helps. It is based on This article.

[Gina]

48 minutes ago, tekkydave said:

My raw wind data is all over the place but I do some consensus processing in the back-end to smooth it out.

Ah yes.  Previous wind vanes without damping flapped about quite a lot and the later version with damping was much better.  Maybe I will add damping.  I'll see how things look.  The 4" aluminium discs should arrive today.

This is how I envisage the casing without damping.  This is upside down - as it would be printed.  The bottom piece will fit inside the outer casing.  The flange is to take the anemometer base.  I haven't shown the mounting pillars for the bottom plate or holes for mounting the anemometer and bottom plate.  I think I'll design another version to take a magnet damping disk (and magnets).

Edited December 7, 2017 by Gina

[Gina]

1 hour ago, tekkydave said:

My raw wind data is all over the place but I do some consensus processing in the back-end to smooth it out.

Reading the article, that looks like what I did with my earlier wind vane but I used Python. 

[Gina]

 Here's a design for the casing to include a 4" aluminium damping disc.  Still fits on my Titan print bed as shown by the square frame

Edited December 7, 2017 by Gina

[Gina]

If I use damping I shall want two ball bearings to ensure the disc stays clear of the magnets.  One bearing would allow too much waggle.  Should be fine with the little 5mm bore bearings.

[Stub Mandrel]

This inspired me to retrieve my 'weather station' from eth top of its pole.

The direction vane assembly is 100%, except the fin fell off a few years ago  - I have it and need to reattach it.

The anemometer went on for years but then stopped rotating. The plastic powder scoop cups are so delicate one broke in two at a touch - it has a large lichen growing inside the cup!

I'm not sure what is inside the aluminium case - I took the screw out but can't get it apart! The shaft is locked solid.

[Gina]

I would be most interested to see what you did in your weather station Neil

[Gina]

No sign of the aluminium discs yet - any post would usually have been delivered by now.  I'm also waiting for the man who's supposed to be repairing my Rayburn - phoned to say he was coming at 10am and it's now well past 12.  I suspect he's been called out on an emergency but he hasn't phoned since 8:30.  I hate hanging around for people to arrive when I could be taking a walk up the hill in the sunshine!!  Why can't these people say if they can't make it????  Tried calling him but only got the answering service - left a message FWIW!

Edited December 7, 2017 by Gina

[Stub Mandrel]

16 minutes ago, Gina said:

I would be most interested to see what you did in your weather station Neil

So will I!

[Stub Mandrel]

I found a clue:

Wind Direction Indicator                              Gray Code

-ve                                          Black

+ve (switched)                     Brown

D0                                          White

D1                                          Yellow

D2                                          Blue

D3                                          Orange

 

Temperature                                                    Resistance

-ve

D0

 

Light                                                                  Resistance

-ve

D0

 

Rain                                                                   Pulse

-ve

+ve

D0

 

Wind Speed                                                      Pulse

-ve

+ve

D0

 

Pressure                                                             Voltage

On board

 

Battery                                                              Voltage

-ve

+ve

 

Charger                                                             Voltage

-ve

+ve

 

Humidity (future expansion)                        TBC

-ve

+ve

D0

[Stub Mandrel]

Which means I probably have a magnet and reed switch inside the anemometer, which was my hunch. Hmm that file has a modified date of April 2008. It is about time I finished the project...

[Gina]

Lots of new and better devices available since then

[Stub Mandrel]

CPC are sel;ling a 'does everything' Oregon Scientific set for £120 ... but where's the fun in that?

[Gina]

Quite!

[Gina]

FedEx are supposed to be delivering my rotary position sensor chips today by 6pm   They've got half an hour

[Gina]

The aluminium discs arrived this afternoon but are only 1.3mm thick though one between two magnets seems to work.

Edited December 7, 2017 by Gina

[Gina]

FedEx are still quoting derlivery as today but no longer saying by 6pm.  Watching on the CCTV

[Gina]

For the wind vane axle I have a stainless steel M5 bolt 74mm long with 22mm threaded and the rest smooth.  Allen key head. Vane beam is 14.5mm thick and could be attached to the bolt(axle) with two nuts.  The ball bearings and aluminium disk could be held by tubes/spacers/standoffs (whichever you want to call them).  In fact only one nut is required to hold the parts together - clamped by one nut on the end of the bolt.

Edited December 7, 2017 by Gina

[Gina]

Actually I think that bolt is too long - makes the casing about 2" high!  Have to see what else I can find   Wants to be nearer half the length.

[Gina]

Ordered some 50mm ones which seems about right.  Should be here Saturday or Monday.

Edited December 7, 2017 by Gina

[Gina]

[Gina]

Rotary sensor chips now out for delivery and due to arrive today   I thought the package wasn't coming last night!

[Gina]

They've arrived   Now where's my microscope??  I have some SOIC-8 breakout boards somewhere.  Now all I have to do is find them   I saw them a little while ago but they aren't where I thought.  I bought them when I was doing things with 1-wire SMD chips.  Before that I glued the little chips on their backs onto stripboard and used very fine tinned copper wire to connect the legs to the holes in the stripboard.  That was was hellish fiddly job!!  The breakout boards were much easier - tin the board pads , lay the chip in position, tack a couple of legs on then apply soldering iron to the other legs.

[Gina]

Failing finding the breakout boards I have ordered some more from Amazon together with more filament.  Due to arrive Monday.  That should make the ones I already have turn up

Edited December 8, 2017 by Gina

[angryowl]

38 minutes ago, Gina said:

They've arrived   Now where's my microscope??  I have some SOIC-8 breakout boards somewhere.  Now all I have to do is find them   I saw them a little while ago but they aren't where I thought.  I bought them when I was doing things with 1-wire SMD chips.  Before that I glued the little chips on their backs onto stripboard and used very fine tinned copper wire to connect the legs to the holes in the stripboard.  That was was hellish fiddly job!!  The breakout boards were much easier - tin the board pads , lay the chip in position, tack a couple of legs on then apply soldering iron to the other legs.

Yeah, I also found the breakout boards to be very helpful indeed. I had considered soldering them onto stripboard, but for the price of a SOIC board just wasn't worth it. Plus I find the legs that go into the board can be used to attach the small chip/board combination much better.