codyg Posted November 21, 2005 Share Posted November 21, 2005 Hey, I was just wondering if anyone had any idea on how i could easily make a few water proof thermometer that would send the temperatures to a com port plug on my pc, so that i could then write a php script that will monitor the temperatures in a graph form. I have done a few searches on the net, and in this forum and can't seem to find what i am looking for. If anyone could give me some idea on how to do this it would be very muchly appreciated and if/when i get the script done, i will make it available to anyone that wants it, so then they can use it to monitor their fish tank temperatures from outside of their fish room. Just an idea i had Cheers Cody G Fishtank Amateur Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wui39 Posted November 21, 2005 Share Posted November 21, 2005 this might not be quite what your looking for but maybe look at the wireless weather station designs available on the net. it may involve the programming of a PIC or AVR to transmit and recieve the info Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
abob Posted November 21, 2005 Share Posted November 21, 2005 I've had the same thought. I've gotten as far buying the components and drawing up a circuit diagram. Just havn't had time to build or program it. The basic idea is to run a bunch of small temperature ICs into a PIC via I2C and then serial to a PC com port. I also plan to run some audible alarms, LEDs ,water level sensors, hopefully some sort of flow rate sensor and cheap fish feeders. I have built a couple of feeders for $1.5 each they just need the PIC to set the off. The grand plan is to put the info on a web page with a web cam so I can monitor my tanks while away. If you have the time or will-power to build it I'm only to happy to help with the designs and PIC code. or, if you have more money and less time, you could look at ADAM modules from Advantech advantech.com.tw. They have analog input modules that interface easily to a PC. Dean Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wui39 Posted November 21, 2005 Share Posted November 21, 2005 will we all share the profits if we commercialise this thing? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Josh Posted November 21, 2005 Share Posted November 21, 2005 hey good to have a local boy around. I am just over at the rail so not to far away Maybe a better way to do it is with something like THIS. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
static Posted November 22, 2005 Share Posted November 22, 2005 Hi, You would be better of buying a existing commerial type and then opening it up a taking the temperature reading from that, (voltage or current) an sending that to a microcontroller or a pc. The main problem is sealing the temperature probe. I've have used Dallas 3 wire temperature ics in the past, very easy to use with pic mircocontrollers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
codyg Posted November 22, 2005 Author Share Posted November 22, 2005 Thanks for all of your input Abob, good ideas with the alarms etc, would be a great addition. Yeah, well im not too good with the whole electronics side of things, as in designing and making the pcbs and all that jazz but i will see if i can get some help from people around here. However if any one could design the board, im sure i could eventually get the script working lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
abob Posted November 22, 2005 Share Posted November 22, 2005 hey good to have a local boy around. I am just over at the rail so not to far away Maybe a better way to do it is with something like THIS. ← That is the sort of thing I plan to build. buying a couple of those DAQ boards and the software would be the easiest and quickest way to go. The problem I find is cost. I'm a chep dudE and that DrDaq thing is like $160 for like $5 of components. The sensors too are damn expensive too. I'd love a ph probe in each tank but at $100 I'd need to be seeling a while lotta fish to cover it. The Dallas 3 wire temperature ic is one of the two chips I've got. I was thinking of trying to mount one a blob of silicon or on the outside of the tank glass. I know it wouldn't give the fastest or most accurate results but I'm only really looking for when a heater goes nuts and sticks on or off. codyg : The thing wouldn't involve many components. You'd be suprised how easy they are to put together. It is one of those things you think is hard until you actually try. Properley designing the curcuit is the hard bit. I'll try to put something together, maybe on my web page over the next week or two with my designs. Dean Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
static Posted November 22, 2005 Share Posted November 22, 2005 hey good to have a local boy around. I am just over at the rail so not to far away Maybe a better way to do it is with something like THIS. ← That is the sort of thing I plan to build. buying a couple of those DAQ boards and the software would be the easiest and quickest way to go. The problem I find is cost. I'm a chep dudE and that DrDaq thing is like $160 for like $5 of components. The sensors too are damn expensive too. I'd love a ph probe in each tank but at $100 I'd need to be seeling a while lotta fish to cover it. The Dallas 3 wire temperature ic is one of the two chips I've got. I was thinking of trying to mount one a blob of silicon or on the outside of the tank glass. I know it wouldn't give the fastest or most accurate results but I'm only really looking for when a heater goes nuts and sticks on or off. codyg : The thing wouldn't involve many components. You'd be suprised how easy they are to put together. It is one of those things you think is hard until you actually try. Properley designing the curcuit is the hard bit. I'll try to put something together, maybe on my web page over the next week or two with my designs. Dean ← You chould use a precision temperature sensor ic which is a lot cheaper and faster, but then you would read the temperature via a AD convertor or simular circuitry before the pic or pc Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wui39 Posted November 22, 2005 Share Posted November 22, 2005 An AVR will provide you with the A to D conversion built in. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mianos Posted November 22, 2005 Share Posted November 22, 2005 I already built something similar. I use the Dallas chip but I have a radio modem and receive it on a matching the serial port of my server that way I did not have to run the wires. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
codyg Posted November 22, 2005 Author Share Posted November 22, 2005 I already built something similar. I use the Dallas chip but I have a radio modem and receive it on a matching the serial port of my server that way I did not have to run the wires. ← can i get any info on how you did this?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mianos Posted November 22, 2005 Share Posted November 22, 2005 Here is the description: http://www.siliconchip.com.au/cms/A_103238/article.html I bought the box of bits and a pre programmed pic from the Guy in Canberra. I wrote my own software for the linux machine to put the temp in a postgres database in real time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
abob Posted November 22, 2005 Share Posted November 22, 2005 I already built something similar. I use the Dallas chip but I have a radio modem and receive it on a matching the serial port of my server that way I did not have to run the wires. ← How have you mounted the chip? static: my concern about speed was more that the change in water temp would take a while to effect the chip temp as it would be insulated to a degree by the silicon or glass. If mounted on the glass it would also be effected by the room temperature. How did you tackle this mianos? Dean Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mianos Posted November 22, 2005 Share Posted November 22, 2005 I put the temperature chip (which looks like a normal 3 pin transistor with a plastic case) on the end some wire. I then put some heat shrink on the transistor, shrunk it with the hair dryer and filled it up with aquarium silicon. The end of the chip was exposed to the water. I then just hung the board off the edge of the tank at the back. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
codyg Posted November 22, 2005 Author Share Posted November 22, 2005 Here is the description: http://www.siliconchip.com.au/cms/A_103238/article.html I bought the box of bits and a pre programmed pic from the Guy in Canberra. I wrote my own software for the linux machine to put the temp in a postgres database in real time. ← I couldn't view the article :/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
static Posted November 22, 2005 Share Posted November 22, 2005 I put the temperature chip (which looks like a normal 3 pin transistor with a plastic case) on the end some wire. I then put some heat shrink on the transistor, shrunk it with the hair dryer and filled it up with aquarium silicon. The end of the chip was exposed to the water. I then just hung the board off the edge of the tank at the back. ← another way is to use a bag sealer to make a long thin waterproof sleive from a think plastic bag and place the sensor in this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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