Monitoring system temperatures with a pc


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Old 01-27-12, 07:33 PM
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Monitoring system temperatures with a pc

Found a possible neat and easy solution to monitoring multiple temperature points for our heat systems..

Embedded Data Systems' OW-Server

This is a box with a standard lan connection, 3 "1-wire" RJ11 ports and a power connector for $105.
1-wire temperature "chips" DS18S20 (looks like a 3 legged transistor) can be bridged to the same set of wires (called 1-wire, but ya really need 2) for up to 24 sensors for this unit. The sensors are $6 each.
Once on your home lan, you can navigate into the OW from your pc using a regular html page link to see the temperatures.
If you want to get fancy, you can have the data pushed to some hosted site (local or remote), etc etc (see the online manual).

This sounds too sweet.. for $250 I can monitor 24 temperature points without having to learn C++ programming and all that !

Ill repost to this thread once I get em up and running.
 
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Old 01-27-12, 11:40 PM
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Great find Dave !!


Peter
 
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Old 01-29-12, 05:50 AM
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Ive been reading a bunch about this unit. People say its super stable and the web interface is good. Even on a power interruption, it just resets and starts ticking along again.
The SNMP interface is a little whacky, you have to parse one part of the tree to find your device's "index" name, then parse the index tree to find the current state/readings. The index tree can change on each reset or when a device is added. Could be a pain. I dont think most home users would use SNMP though. Parsing for creating a graph etc would be done via scraping the web page or the xml page.

I want to be able to add something like a water/flood sensor switch, but Im not sure if I can with the 'supported devices' in the native OW-Server. It does support a TCP read/write function for "other" 1-wire devices, but they dont go into any detail at all about it.
 
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Old 01-29-12, 06:35 AM
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I want to be able to add something like a water/flood sensor switch, but Im not sure if I can with the 'supported devices' in the native OW-Server
The DS2406 can monitor on off states.
A float switch to signal rising basenment water or anything else you can dream up can be connected and monitored.

Peter
 
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Old 01-29-12, 06:54 AM
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Are you planning to use this in a commercial setting Dave?
How many points are you considering with this device?
Do you have any of these in your hands and can you tell me what the landed cost in Canada was if you do.

The hospital I work at has just gone through a DDC upgrade on all our HVAC systems but unfortunately the lowest price prevailed and left a lot unmonitored!
 
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Old 01-29-12, 06:19 PM
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@Greg - no, just residential.. Id like to have a better understanding of my 7-loop plus air handler system. I think by monitoring details for a while and through the season, I could better understand and tweak it for more efficient use. The Maxim/1-wire sensors are available thru Digi-Key, Ive ordered stuff from them before and no surprise fees. They have the temperature sensors and relays at just over $5 USD. DigiKey typically charges a flat rate $20 shipping for light loads. The OW-Server box seems to only come from EDS for $105 plus $32 shipping via postal.

@Peter.. Im not sure how to do this. The TO packaged 2406 only has one input but thats ok. Says max 12v for an on state, but with reference to what .. the 1-wire's ground ? Do you tie a dc power supply's ground to the 1-wire ground and hope for the best ? If I could use these, in addition to the flood alarm thought, I would want to insert them in my end-switch circuits, so that would mean adding a relay in that 24 ac loop to switch the 12v (actually 6v would be fine) leg on the 2406's.
To tell you the truth though, stuff like 'pull up' resistors etc are just a little beyond my experience.

@Anyone : Is this thread ok to continue in here ? I hope so, since it will be applied to a boiler hydronic system for 'easy' monitoring .. but maybe some might think to move it over to home automation sections etc ?
 
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Old 01-29-12, 06:39 PM
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Of course it's ok for this thread.
After all the NJtrooper moderator guy is, aka -> The Bishop of Wiring.
He downgraded himself from a higher calling given by RBeck.


hehehe
 
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Old 01-29-12, 06:46 PM
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Dave i'm sure there is a diagram for interfacing the 2406, some where on the Maxim site.

However, to put your mind at ease i can give you this:

http://www.welserver.com/support_fil...dig_in_sch.pdf

I know your have found a lower cost alternative to the WEL.
They do sell the 2406 on little board with the above circuit all made up.
I'm sure they would be happy to sell them to you.
Web Energy Logger: Online Store

Peter
 
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Old 01-29-12, 06:47 PM
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Yeah, the air was kinda thin way up there! And I'm afraid of heights!

I don't see a problem keeping it here. I guess it would be equally at home in automation too...
 
 

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