X10 Community Forum
🔌General Home Automation => Automating Your House => Automated Home Showcase => Topic started by: pconroy on June 29, 2010, 07:01:35 PM
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Well, relatively inexpensive. :)
I bought two of these devices: http://cgi.ebay.com/PC-Notebook-Laptop-USB-Thermometer-Temperature-Recorder-/250388256032?cmd=ViewItem&pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item3a4c4d9520#ht_3619wt_910
One USB based and one that has a USB/RS232 chip embedded in it: http://www.pcsensor.com/index.php?_a=viewProd&productId=28
I found the RS232 device incredibly easy to program; the USB device required a little Googling to get it running on Linux.
I've got one monitoring a room temp on the first floor, pretty conventional usage.
The other one, I think I got a little creative with -- I used a USB extension cord and ran it up to some HVAC ductwork that passed right by my server room. I just wedged the sensor into the ductwork and have it check the temps every 2 mins. This is the way I'm watching my furnace (in the winter, central A/C in the summer) cycle.
I write all the readings to a database and have been using them to guesstimate the effectiveness of some of the lifestyle changes we're putting in place.
Just thought I'd pass that along!
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Thanks for sharing your find and how you are using it. >!
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I bought two of these devices: http://cgi.ebay.com/PC-Notebook-Laptop-USB-Thermometer-Temperature-Recorder-/250388256032?cmd=ViewItem&pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item3a4c4d9520#ht_3619wt_910
Very cool. I didn't even known there was such devices!
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Nice gadget! Thanks for sharing.
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pconroy:
If you like, you can feed the temperature data into Heyu with the emulation module type ORE_TEMU.
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Charles..
Cool - I didn't know that?!?!?
Thanks!
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Charles..
Cool - I didn't know that?!?!?
Thanks!
See section OREGON SENSOR EMULATION in man page x10oregon(5) for details.
Why not repost your message on the heyu_users forum (perhaps with some details about configuring the USB device). I'm sure the folks there will appreciate it.
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With visual basic 2008 express it is possible to send signals X10 based temperature setpoints. I am currently designing an application to control my air conditioner.
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Just a suggestion, make sure the USB extension is a plenum cable or you could run into trouble. Non-plenum cables are not intended to run in any space designed for breathable air-flow (Ie: HVAC duct work, return air vents, etc).
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Good advice!
In my case, the sensor is on the outside of the duct and is never in the airstream but that's an important warning!
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Very CooL!!. Thankz For Info!!
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The plenum rating is for safty if there is a fire, it will not produce harmfull smoke.
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How did you run the first sensor? How long was the USB run? I have my server in my office but would like sensors like this in more appropriate spots. I'm worried that using multiple extension cables will cause too much resistance. Thanks.