Parts List
| Component Type | Component Name | Description | Quantity | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Direct Attach Type | Pin / Socket | Pin or Socket sensorboard connector | 1 | |
| Wireless Technology | WiFi 2.4Ghz 802.11g | Wireless LAN 2.4Ghz IEEE 802.11g | 1 | |
| Humidity | Standard Accuracy | Standard Accuracy (± 5.0%) from 0 to 100% RH | 1 | |
| Light | Visible Spectrum | Visible spectrum (peak wavelength 750nm) | 1 | |
| Temperature | Standard Accuracy | Standard Accuracy (±2°C) from -40°C to 105°C | 1 |
My Various Sensor Needs
I have several spaces and items around the house that I would like to monitor, and it would be great to have a standard low-cost sensor that can be used for all the various purposes.
My specific examples include:
1. My little Trillium Trailer (aka RV, camper, travel trailer, caravan) is stored outside through the winter. I live on the West Coast of Canada so there's a lot of rain during the winters, and it does freeze for a few weeks here and there.
For this little trailer I need to make sure that:
a) it does not freeze - requires a temperature sensor
b) it stays dry to avoid mold growth and keep it smelling fresh - requires a humidity sensor
2. My Greenhouse could use some monitoring for:
a) inside temperature (temperature sensor)
b) outside temperature to compare (external temperature sensor)
c) hours of light received (light sensor)
d) tracking humidity levels would also be interesting here (humidity sensor)
3. I keep hummingbird feeders up through the winter and need to ensure that the nectar does not freeze:
a) liquid temperature monitoring nectar, kept inside a feeder-cozy insulating wrap (temperature sensor)
b) outside air temperature (external temperature sensor)
4. Out-buildings (workshop, garden shed, pool house)
- these could benefit from the same setup as used for the little trailer
As these items are all outside of the house without direct network cabling available, they all also need WiFi to connect back to my home network to allow for monitoring.
Ideally it will connect up easily to an IoT service too.
One Board to Rule Them All
... and to the Internet bind them.
As I was thinking about all of these things that I want to monitor, I realized that one simple kind of sensor setup could be put to use for all of my different scenarios, which is where the start of this DreamBoard design began.
While it is certainly possible to load up a board will all possible sensors out there, I've kept this sensor simple to help keep the price down, the size small, and to hopefully also make it easier to use.
Further Notes
* The Pin/Socket connection, in my use case, is to allow the addition of an external temperature sensor.
* Ideally the WiFi would automatically choose b/g/n/ac as available, and support all the modern security encryption options.
* Accuracy of the humidity sensor is not super important, as all I need for my purposes is a general idea.
* The light sensor is mostly just for the greenhouse, but could be used as a security check too for the outbuildings.
* Ideally the accuracy of the temperature sensor would be much better, more like ±0.5°C, to allow more accurate tracking of the freezing point. It should still cover at least -20°C to +40°C for my purposes though.
Cheers,
-Nico