Real Time Rain sensor

[BraveSirRobbin]

Sort of like a volt, in mechanical terms!

So to put it in more common terms: about 15 grains or a little over half a pennyweight?

Is this what happens when the weather starts to turn a little warm in New York!!

 

[Guy Lavoie]

BSR, when I asked Spankey about the 2200 ohm resistor, he said that you would need to unsolder it from the board... Maybe it could be done on an input expansion board, but I would not advise taking a soldering iron to a main board, at least not if its still under warranty. These are surface mount resistors too, so they're small and can't be easily put back on cleanly.

upstatemike, are you serious about what's a gram? Its a unit of weight. One thousand grams = 1 kilogram, etc.

 

[elcano]

In have an Ocelot on the box yet, so I could use it instead of the Elk.

My only concern is that I understand that the bias must be AC to prevent the deterioration of the sensor (stuff related to cathodes/anodes/oxidation/deposit of suspended ions, etc.). An AC bias signal would neutralize any damage because each contact can be a cathode/anode 50% of the time. So I assume that Eric.s moisture sensor should have any kind of oscilator. May be I can use a couple of relays to simulate very low frequency AC from the Elk or the Ocelot. May be one day in each direction.

[Edited]
Yeap. See here the 555 oscilator chip in the moisture meter board:
http://www.hobby-boards.com/catalog/images...ge/mm2-r1-a.jpg

 

[Guy Lavoie]

I made my pool water level sensor from this chip:

http://www.ortodoxism.ro/datasheets/nation...or/DS005700.PDF

This is a discontinued part but I bought a dozen of them from a guy on ebay that was selling them 30 cents apiece. I even remember posting about it on Cocoontech. It also uses alternating current on the sensor plates to avoid sensor damage. It works fine with a SECU16 input.

In looking for this chip just today, I came across this interesting alternate chip:

http://cgi.ebay.com/CL4L-Water-Fluid-detec...1QQcmdZViewItem

 

[BraveSirRobbin]

Wonder what shipping is for that chip. Is there another company other than that one in Australia?

 

[Guy Lavoie]

I don't see any other real references to that chip on the net, aside from this Australian site:

http://www.flcmicro.com/products.htm

And when you click on the chip link, the page is not found...

 

[elcano]

In looking for this chip just today, I came across this interesting alternate chip:

http://cgi.ebay.com/CL4L-Water-Fluid-detec...1QQcmdZViewItem

Humm...4 channels sensor. Good as a level sensor for my water tank. Not as good as a pressure sensor (I love analog) but very good anyway - and much easier.

 

[elcano]

Do anybody know the Smarthome TV Detector Probe? The Owner's Manual says:

It can also be used as a flood probe (it will actually send an on signal when water comes in contact with the antennea.

It says that the probe is connected to either the X10 to IR Linc, the PC to IR Linc, or the I/O Linc. Do I really need them? Isn't the IR Linc just an I/O interface like the Elk of the Ocelot could do?

 

[FrankMc]

In looking for this chip just today, I came across this interesting alternate chip:

http://cgi.ebay.com/CL4L-Water-Fluid-detec...1QQcmdZViewItem

Humm...4 channels sensor. Good as a level sensor for my water tank. Not as good as a pressure sensor (I love analog) but very good anyway - and much easier.

Interesting .....I intend to install a water tank to catch the rain water and would like to monitor the water level.....Wonder if this would be suitable...??... This Company is located about 1/2 hour drive from where i live.....

Frank

 

[elcano]

Frank,

See here http://pei.ucc.ie/daithi/construction.html what I consider to be the ultimate tank level sensor. Ignore the data acquisition part. The detector is an analog sensor based on pressure differential.

 

[Guy Lavoie]

In looking for this chip just today, I came across this interesting alternate chip:

http://cgi.ebay.com/CL4L-Water-Fluid-detec...1QQcmdZViewItem

Humm...4 channels sensor. Good as a level sensor for my water tank. Not as good as a pressure sensor (I love analog) but very good anyway - and much easier.

Interesting .....I intend to install a water tank to catch the rain water and would like to monitor the water level.....Wonder if this would be suitable...??... This Company is located about 1/2 hour drive from where i live.....

Frank

Could you then call them and find out if the chip is available in North America?

 

[FrankMc]

Sure , i,ll ring them when i get home from work later this afternoon......

Frank

 

[FrankMc]

Hi Guy

Rang them and there isnt any American Distributors for this chip......Microchip manufacture it under license for Coolon........

Frank

 

[FrankMc]

Frank,

See here http://pei.ucc.ie/daithi/construction.html what I consider to be the ultimate tank level sensor. Ignore the data acquisition part. The detector is an analog sensor based on pressure differential.

Hi Elanco

An interesting read and looks like it could be a nice cheap analogue sensor...One thing i wasnt sure of was , what happens with the tubing....?? Is it suppose to be installed vertically or horizonal ?? ..didnt grasp that part...??

Thanks
Frank

PS.....I *think* the multi channel water sensor chip is an easy out for me......I also enquired if it was possible to use this chip for moisture sensing....the guy i spoke wasnt a technical guy but indicated it may be possible.....

PPS.....Liked their rgbled garden lights although a bit expensive BUT it appears you can incorporate them into a standard 12v ac garden lighting system ...;-)

 

[BraveSirRobbin]

I know I mentioned Eric's (Hobby Boards) Moisture Sensor above, but just now noticed that it has a solder mask to keep oxidation down (I know this was Elcano's concern). So I'm wondering if you use this do you still need to use a "pulse" method or just look at "raw" resistance via a biased circuit??