Need opinions on temp sensor placement

[nightwalker]

I posted this over on the HomeSeer board but realized this might be a better place to ask the question since it's not really HomeSeer specific.

I'm getting ready to put in a couple of outdoor temperature sensors, one in the front of the house and one in the back. I have covered porches at both those locations with in ceiling speakers mounted already. I was thinking of mounting the DS18s20 sensors in the spot of the speakers used for an IR receiver. It would fit in there very nicely.

What I'm wondering is if that would give me good enough sensor readings? I don't think the speakers generate a lot of heat and the sensor is on the other side of the speaker from the speaker drivers. It will be behind the metal grill, not touching mind you but hidden.

It sure would be a slick place to hide the sensor but I also don't want to be getting poor readings either.

Any thoughts or opinions on this placement?

 

[BrettS]

I went through this a couple of months ago and in the end I concluded that the only place to accurately mount a temperature sensor is out away from the building. Take a look at this post to see some of what I tried...

http://www.cocoontech.com/index.php?s=&amp...ost&p=88508

Brett

 

[nightwalker]

Interesting, I had no idea there could be that much difference in placement as long as you weren't in direct sunlight. I may have to re-think this just a bit. Since I'm doing two sensors, one in the front an one in the back I'll be curious to see what the difference will be. If there isn't any maybe it's a good spot or if there is a couple of degrees I could always do an average between the two and use that as a trigger for things.

Or like you say get a pagoda and just put it in the back yard somewhere. h34r:

 

[BrettS]

Interesting, I had no idea there could be that much difference in placement as long as you weren't in direct sunlight.

Yeah, I was pretty surprised by the results as well. Not being in florida you might have a bit less of an issue than I did, but I imagine that in the summer, at least, the heat from the building will make a noticable diffference. You might just want to pick up a cheap little digital thermometer and play around with it like I did to see what you can find. If you put in two sensors on the east and the west you might be able to rely on one in the morning and one in the afternoon... just switch to whichever one is in the shade.

Brett

 

[123]

I installed a wireless temp sensor on the north-east wall of my house about 6 feet above the ground. The metal siding is white and, aside from being influenced by the morning sun, it was a reasonably good location. Well, it was until the very same spot also became the best place for the BBQ. Yup, time to move the sensor to the shady spot on the west side ...

 

[murphy]

....outdoor temperature sensors.....
Any thoughts or opinions on this placement?

Very easy:

1. Generally on the northern side of your house, protected the sensor from sun.
2. Not direct on the wall (or behind any cover), but in the air. A 1/4" space from the wall would be egough.
3. Maybe also not in an area where it can rain. Because of corosion. Put a little roof on top.

All this because you intend measuring the air-temperature.
Not the temp when the sun is heating any cover and not the wall-temperature of the (heated or cooled) house.