Humidity Sensor in the real world

J

John O

Senior Member
Hi All,

I'd be interested in anyone's thoughts as to how (and where) to best physically mount an outdoor humidity sensor (SEN008 Humidity Sensor).

Ulitmately, I want to have a outside box housing a Picaxe chip and 433 MHz transmitter. (I'll have a pressure sensor indoors in the same box as the receiver and LCD display).

I envisage the humidy and temperature sensors mounted together in a single enclosure separate from (but quite close to) the outside box.

What recommendations does anyone have for physically connecting to the sensors (soldered, terminal blocks ?) and protecting them from the weather while, at the same time, allowing the hummidity sensor's sensitve area "access" to the weather?

Thanks,

John.
 
J

John O

Senior Member
cdngunner said:
Where?

Pitty they don't have google on the British internet........
Click to expand...
You're mistaken, we do :)

Neither of those links answer my question. They assume the purchase of complete, ready-made professional sensors of some sort. I've got two three pin semiconductor devices no bigger than a BC149 and nothing else.

I'm asking what's the best way to achieve a professional type installation with those devices. Do I mount them on a small PCB with terminal blocks, do I just hang them on the end of a piece of wire with a bit of tape wrapped round. Do I seal the connections but leave the sensive area exposed?

That was the sort of response I was hoping for. :(

John.
 
J

John O

Senior Member
eclectic said:
Look up
Stevenson Screen

then you can make one easily

e
Click to expand...
Thanks. That's much closer to the answer i was hoping for but, as you'll have read, it's the actual physical connection to the devices that I'm wondering about.

John.
 
E

eclectic

Moderator
John O said:
Thanks. That's much closer to the answer i was hoping for but, as you'll have read, it's the actual physical connection to the devices that I'm wondering about.

John.
Click to expand...
Until a better idea turns up:

1. Terminal blocks, with wires coated in Silicone.

2. Leaves "gaps" for the sensitive bits.

e
 
R

russbow

Senior Member
What recommendations does anyone have for physically connecting to the sensors (soldered, terminal blocks ?) and protecting them from the weather while, at the same time, allowing the hummidity sensor's sensitve area "access" to the weather?
Click to expand...
John, for my twopennyworth, I would solder the lot. For humidity the enclosure must have a free airflow but free of direct water ingress. That of course goes without saying for any electronic boards.

I have played with a sensor and got a lot of guidance from:-

http://www.picaxeforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=14938&page=2&highlight=humidity

last two posts.

Interested in your experiments with the pressure unit. Got stuck on the maths for mine so project now in the "resurrect it sometime" box
 
F

fathom

New Member
I mounted a humidity sensor outside for a weather station by using a 60mm length of plastic conduit sealed at the top end and open at the bottom and mounted it under the eaves of my garage. To stop spiders using the tube as a home I epoxied a small piece of fine mesh (like the stuff used for fibreglass repairs) over the exposed end.

This way it was still open to the elements to allow it to sense the humidity but couldn't be affected by rain unless it started raining upwards.
 
C

cdngunner

Senior Member
John O said:
You're mistaken, we do :)

Neither of those links answer my question. They assume the purchase of complete, ready-made professional sensors of some sort. I've got two three pin semiconductor devices no bigger than a BC149 and nothing else.

I'm asking what's the best way to achieve a professional type installation with those devices. Do I mount them on a small PCB with terminal blocks, do I just hang them on the end of a piece of wire with a bit of tape wrapped round. Do I seal the connections but leave the sensive area exposed?

That was the sort of response I was hoping for. :(

John.
Click to expand...
:( indeed.

You'll have to excuse my tongue in cheek answer.:)

You did ask where to mount them and I think I gave you enough links to answer that.

if you get to the last link it will show a home made Stevenson made out of flowerpots.

And yes, its always a good idea to mount your IC's, how you do it mainly depends on what you have on hand and how much cash your willing to lay out.
 
J

John O

Senior Member
Thanks All for the ideas. They've given me plenty of options.

russbow said:
Interested in your experiments with the pressure unit. Got stuck on the maths for mine so project now in the "resurrect it sometime" box
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The pressure module is somehwere between Futurlec and me so it could be a few weeks yet, at least!

But I'm sure I'll definitely be struggling with the maths as well. I'll likely cheat and use 'westaust55' s brilliant work. http://www.picaxeforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=14661

For the indoor temperature, I'll probably just use another DS18B20 and ignore the temperature output from the pressure sensor. one thing's for certain: if westaust55 says the temperature maths will be hard, I wouldn't stand a chance! (Though I will have a go even if I have to Google it ;) )

John.
 
J

John O

Senior Member
cdngunner said:
You did ask where to mount them and I think I gave you enough links to answer that.
Click to expand...
Indeed I did. Perhaps when I asked "I'd be interested in anyone's thoughts as to how (and where)", I was looking for advice and suggestions in how fellow forum members had done it. Any fool can google.

John
 
C

cdngunner

Senior Member
John O said:
Any fool can google.

John
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Yes, yes, quite right.

These same fools know how to use the forum search too! :eek:;):D

(take it easy now big fella, first response was partially in jest and so is this one, my humour does not come across the internet well)
 
J

John O

Senior Member
Fair enough. I apologise for over-reacting a bit.

Anyway, this is what I've come up with.

This link shows how I've assembled an outdoor housing. My main concern is that there may not be enough air movement through it but I guess there's only one way to find out :).

We get an unfair share of spiders around here so I didn't want to make the ventilation holes too big.



John.
 
C

cdngunner

Senior Member
I have done a fair bit of greenhouse automation. The key to getting any type of accurate useable readings is to have as much air circulating around your sensors as possible without having "wind" blowing over them. I think with the PVC pipe and a few holes you might be affecting how your sensors perform.

Check the link i gave you about using the flower pot saucers.....
 
J

John O

Senior Member
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