[Palmyweather]

UPDATE:

With winter fast approaching, I want to make sure that my weather station will make it through without a hitch. I have used a very small 10w solar panel which has worked well over summer but lets face it, probably won't do well in maintaining the TX battery over winter. I wanted a way to provide extra power to the battery for recharging when needed which will minimise my trips up and down on the roof.

Solution: I have wired in a simple single pole, double throw (SPDT) relay onto the back of the solar panel which is connected to a mains wall plug pack set to 13.8VDC. With the plug pack wired across the coil, when it is turned on at the wall, it will switch the relay, isolating the solar panel, and providing direct voltage across the second contact to the battery through the solar charge controller.

The best of both worlds with less trips to the roof for maintained.

Now that I am also running WeatherDuino Pro2 v2.0 software, which allows for a relay output, I am hoping to code in a basic outside battery voltage monitor. This could flash an LED, or sound a buzzer when the transmitter battery voltage gets lower than a pre-set value. The potential with this new addition of a relay output on the RX unit could even mean switch the power supply mentioned above, on and off when it requires. Options are almost endless.

[werk_ag]

Now that I am also running WeatherDuino Pro2 v2.0 software, which allows for a relay output, I am hoping to code in a basic outside battery voltage monitor. This could flash an LED, or sound a buzzer when the transmitter battery voltage gets lower than a pre-set value. The potential with this new addition of a relay output on the RX unit could even mean switch the power supply mentioned above, on and off when it requires. Options are almost endless.

Yeah, the new GPO function will allow endless new possibilities to the system. Turn on or off watering systems, heaters, lights, etc, etc or simply turn on a LED at a user defined alarm condition.
It will have another interesting side effect: Will make people play with the code, and learn even more about how the their system works.

Rgds
Werk_AG

[Palmyweather]

I am pleased to announce my new TX outside enclosure box. This has been redesigned after 7 months use of my first design.

I have learned a lot in these 7 months and it was time to put what I have learned into practice. A few notes follow:

• Use a good solar charger: I used a cheap "switching" solar charger which did not manage my battery well and ended up damaging it. I would recommend a MPPT or PWM charge controller to manage your battery better. I am now using a PWM controller.
  
  
• Use a large battery: Better is better, especially over winter when there are a lot more overcast days and the sun hours are less. This will keep the system running through thick and thin. I went from a 7Ah, to a 9Ah and have finally settled on a 12Ah with this new design.
  
  
• Option of alternative power source: When it all goes wrong with your solar/battery combo, it is nice to rest knowing that you have a backup source of power. I have added provision for a mains powered adaptor which, through a relay, will drive the TX unit when the battery gets low. This could also be used in reverse like an uninterrupted power supply (UPS) for if the power fails, the battery will kick in. I have used a switch which has bicolour LEDs in it to give me a visual indicator on the outside of the TX box as to what state the station is in. Green for solar, red for mains power.
  
  
• External fuse holders: It is so much easier to replace fuses when they are on the outside of the box. It saves having to open the box and muck around trying to find the right fuse holder to replace. I have one fuse for the TX board and one for the solar panel. Always pays to be safe.
  
  
• Horizontal mount antenna: I do not understand the science, but it works so much better when the transmitter antenna is mounted horizontally.
  
  
• Easy access enclosure box: You may be surprised by the number of times you want to access the transmitter board. Using a box which has buckle locks on it will make things quick and easy to service. (It sure beets having to undo 6 screws when you want to change something).
  
  
• Mount sensor mast separately: Have your sensors secured to something that is not the enclosure box. The mast vibrates in the wind and when it is attached to the box (which is already heavy with the battery) it tends to become very heavy and puts extra forces on the mounting points.
  
  
• 30+ Watt solar panel: A 10 Watt panel will work over summer, but to get through the long winter with short days, a larger panel is needed to keep the battery at its best. This is something I will add later on.
  
  
• Use a good radiation shield: Make sure water can not easily be blown into the temperature's radiation shield. When it does, it can cause a short and ruin your hygrometer sensor.
  

A lot of this has already been said and discussed in other parts of this forum, but I thought it would be good to share my experiences.

Happy weather watching everyone.


               

[AllanG]

Thank you for sharing your experiences, it's interesting and very helpful.

I'm particularly interested in your experiences with solar power. A few weeks ago I set up a 50W solar panel feeding a 110Ah battery via a PWM controller which is intended to power the weather station and also some led lighting in the garden. It's working perfectly now of course, it's middle of the summer here - although it's hard to believe with temperature over the last few months around 16-18 degrees and the sun only occasionally showing itself through the clouds Even so, there will be a *lot* less daylight in the winter but more use of the led lighting, so I will probably need, like you, to backup with mains power.

I think you made an excellent point about fuses. Even a 12Ah battery can cause a lot of damage if a short-circuit occurs so I was quite worried about using something as huge as 110Ah located in the shed, some distance away from what it is powering. I eventually discovered some very useful "cube fuses" that can be attached directly to my battery terminals. As the lowest available is rated at 50A, I do also use separate inline fuses at the Weatherduino and led lighting, but hopefully the huge explosion that 110A all escaping at once would cause will be prevented....

For anyone interested, a link to Cube Fuses...

My sensors which are all the old FO ones right now, along with the Weatherduino, are at the top of a ground-mounted pole which is next to the garden shed. Even so I do get a lot of vibration in the pole in high winds which I suspect interferes with accuracy. I now have a Davis 6410 anemometer & direction sensor ready to put up so will make some other changes at the same time. I'm intending to remove the Weatherduino and it's housing from the pole, make use of the I2C bus extender and place it inside the shed. It will only need about 8 metres of cable back to the T & H sensors up the pole so should be ok.

Thanks again for sharing and I hope the refurbished station continues working well!

Allan.

[johnmw1]

Hi Palmy,

What a great project you have completed with lots of helpful hints along the way.

Interested to know what expertise and experience you had before taking on this project as you seem to know your way around a circuit board.

Me I would like to attempt something like this myself but don't have the confidence in even trying, plus alas my eye sight is not very good these days and I even struggle to read nowadays.

I also have recently aquired the Silicon Chip articles and wonder how much parts etc have changed since that was written.

Anyways I really enjoyed your write up.

Cheers,
John

[Palmyweather]

Hi John, thanks for your message.

I do confess, I do have a reasonable understanding of electronic components. I have had an interest in it since a kid and would often build my own little projects.

A basic knowledge of electronics will be good to see this project through. It will help if you have a little bit of past experience soldering and being able to identify components. You might be able to find some entry level kits in an electronics store like Radio Shack, Jaycar or Altronics which you can get started with to get an understanding of what is going on if you have not done anything with electronics before.

The WeatherDuino circuit boards are well layed out with good tracks and markings as to what component goes where; there really is not much to go wrong as the documentation which is also on this forum will give reference as to what goes where.

Sometimes Werk_AG does offer pre-assembled and tested boards for sale. I think you may be a perfect candidate for one of these boards. Check out this post here: http://www.meteocercal.info/forum/Thread...led-boards

This would get you well and truly started. All you would then by required to do would be build the enclosures for the inside and outside units and order some parts like the temperature sensors etc. There is still a lot of work to be done once the boards are assembled, so do not feel like you are missing out on too much by getting assembled boards; it just means the fiddly work is done for you.

I hope this is helpful John.

[johnmw1]

Hi Palmy Weather, greetings from across the ditch.

Yes you did seem to know your way around a circuit board that's for sure.

Nah I have absolutely no knowledge of electronics full stop, so I'm probably busted to start with, but I take your point about getting a kit or something from Jaycar to have a bit of a play.

Will probably give Werk_AG a PM to see if he can get me started with the boards.

I tell you I have been reading up on this for weeks to try and get my head around it all, as it's not only the electronic side of things, but also trying to find the best place to actually buy all the outside sensors etc + also trying to understand Cumulus and how it all ties in together.

I do like the way you set up your outside enclosure with the added solar array and batteries etc, and just love how you have used your vent pipe on the roof to attach your mast to.

That is another dilema for me as to where to actually set it all up outside, as I live on top of a hill facing a vast open area of land direct to the sea, which is where most of our weather comes from.

So much so that we had a wind gust last week during a storm recorded at 96kms (from a nearby station) which flattened my back fence and it ended up in the bottom of the pool. I think the gust was probably stronger as it snapped the welds clean off my fence posts at the base. It was pretty dangerous here for awhile as there were bits of iron and fence panel flying everywhere, but we survived.

Palmy your post has been very helpful indeed.

Cheers,
John

[uncle_bob]

Hi John,
If you wish, I could assemble whatever parts of the system you need, for cost price, test and mail to you (I'm in Canberra).
Cheers UB

[johnmw1]

Hi Bob,

That would be fantastic, I shall PM you with some details.

Currently I'm at work on night shift and will also be working all weekend.

Cheers,
John

[zitoune]

I am pleased to announce my new TX outside enclosure box. This has been redesigned after 7 months use of my first design.

Looks pretty cool and neat Palmyweather!!

I was also thinking about having a solar panel and MPPT charger; thing is my terrace does not provide that much sun; some high rise buildings nearby create shadows.. I have also revamped my TX boards/box. Some picts soon.