Wind Sensing with Cortex

[Karam]

I believe Vivian has both an anemometer and wind vane. The former interfaces using the pulse count feature on digital inputs and corresponding meter object in Cortex. The latter I believe provides an analogue output so this is sensed using a QAI module - you'll find that one of the icons that can be attached to an analogue input is a compass.

[chris_j_hunter]

for USB over distance, how about :

http://www.lindy.co.uk/usb-firewire/...ers-extenders/

we used their Active Pro version, daisy-chained as per :

http://www.lindy.co.uk/12m-usb-2-act...pro/42782.html

Google for best price ...

[Paul_B]

Thanks Chris that gives me some more options. Hope we've given you some ideas on your original questions

[neilhooper]

Thanks to everybody for your input on this subject.

Just to add something else into the mix .....

The reason that we are wanting to add wind sensing to Cortex is to do with our now infamous 10ft blind. It has now been returned to us complete with fabric this time and has been installed, which was a breeze by the way, and is being controlled perfectly using a motor control object in Cortex. We have it set up at the moment to close if it gets too bright outside, 80%, open again when the light level dims down a bit, 70%, close if it gets too hot in the room as the room is south facing and if it's open it closes when it gets dark enough outside as well, 10%.

However, with it being a 10ft blind it also makes it quite a good sail. If the doors are open, they don't have to be very far, the blind gets blown about quite a bit.

We would like to measure the wind speed, I think between us all we've now got that covered, and I'm thinking of some switches on the doors connected as a digital input on one of my QRI's to sense the doors being open.

My simple logic is this; IF Wind Speed > XXX and Doors Open THEN Open Blind.

Now the question is this, is this logic capable of being reproduced within Cortex?

- Neil

[Karam]

Depends how you are measuring wnd speed but I'd imagine it will be either analogue input or pulse count meter both of which have user configurable threshold transgression trigger outputs. This combined with a logic object (eg. AND gate) or with a Macro implementing IF THEN logic are just a couple of ways which might be suited.

[neilhooper]

Depends how you are measuring wnd speed but I'd imagine it will be either analogue input or pulse count meter both of which have user configurable threshold transgression trigger outputs. This combined with a logic object (eg. AND gate) or with a Macro implementing IF THEN logic are just a couple of ways which might be suited.

I'm thinking via a pulse count meter. Now I know it's possible I'll be ordering a wind sensor soon.

Thanks Karam.

- Neil

[JonS]

I have one of the Maplin wireless weather stations ~£50 and I use the excellent (and free) Cumulus software which implements the xAP weather schema. So I have all the information from all the sensors available on xAP. I haven't ever brought this into Cortex as it didn't seem to have much use for such information. I have an outdoor IDRANet temperature sensor so never bothered with temperature. This should all be do-able though via the xAP object as it can extract data from any xAP schema.

RFXCom / xAP is an alternative path.

K

As a cyclist I'd love to know how windy it is when I wake up (Cortex alarm-call already gives outside temp :-)) but I've always struggled with the physical side of weather stations...
The best place for the sensors seems to be on top of the house with TV aerial.(Garage surrounded by trees). However as this is high / inaccessible it would be TV aerial install ... OK once but what about batteries? Do you just run an extension cable from the wiring at the top to an accessible point for the transmitter / batteries?
Is the weather station permamently connected to Cortex PC via USB, or is that wireless too? How power hungry is the weather base-station?

On Cortex machine also run Cumulus and then connect via XAP?

How long lived are these sensors?
Has anyone found reasonably priced wired sensors that could connect direct to Cortex modules?

The alternative would be to get info from a local weather station on the internet and suck that into Cortex ... any ideas how?


Thanks

[chris_j_hunter]

local readings readings would maybe need to be seen in-context, relative to a wider view ... and the Met.Office seems an obvious place to go for this - eg:

http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/public/w...p&map=Rainfall

lots of options there - including rain, pressure, wind, gusts, temperature, humidity, zoom in & out, historical & forecast, location, etc ...

plus it's possible to view the source code (on our 'Macs : Safari | View | View Source), which would seem to give the info' needed to be able access their database - ie: cut & paste & edit code into something that would talk with Cortex ...

haven't tried this yet, but when we get a moment, perhaps next year, we might give it a go ...

the Cortex PC might be a good place, for us, to display the info', perhaps in a PlanView window ...

[qba]

I am using ZWD wind sensor connected to the pulse count meter and ZRD rain sensor - both described here: http://www.fakro.com/htmlen/366.php
This particular rain sensor is not best one - it gets damaged after about 2 years, but it is possible to find similar products like http://www.kemo-electronic.de/en/Hou...or-12-V-DC.php