My 'Wall-E' system - Temperature Capture

[jaffab]

As part of my home automation system, I wanted the ability to monitor temperatures around my house. I wanted this partially so I could know how hot/cold it was outside before I left the house, partially so that I could automate things like A/C and central heating based on temperatures (either via programs or via the net) but mostly because I am an information freak.

After a lot of research, I found there are lots of temperature monitors available, but most of them are major money. I wanted something which was as cheap as chips, and easy to use.

I opted for a pre-built DS18S20 Computer Serial Temperature Data Logger from Quaser Electronics (they supplied a kit PCB for those happy with a soldering iron) - http://www.quasarelectronics.com/314...ata-logger.htm.



The PCB plugs into my computer via a USB cable, and can run upto 4 temperate sensors – I am running three – 2 through this device and then I get a reading from my current cost device. The PCB, drivers and 3 temperature sensors cost me about £38. I now receive temperature data from three locations in my house; Outside (A small hold drilled through the wall and a temperature sensor outside, away from direct sunlight), my lounge and my office. In time, I will add a final one to my bedroom.

Now, the temperature sensor works as a com port device (via USB), and sends every second, the temperature data as a string such as…

1 0021.18 <crl/lf> 2 0022.17 <cr/lf>

the number (1 or 2) for each line is the sensor number, and the value that follows (21.18 or 22.17) is the temperature for the sensor. I log the data into a main home server running SQL Server, in a temperature table as follows:

CREATE TABLE [dbo].[Temperature](
[SampleDate] [datetime] NOT NULL,
[location] [varchar](1) COLLATE SQL_Latin1_General_CP1_CI_AS NOT NULL,
[temp] [varchar](10) COLLATE SQL_Latin1_General_CP1_CI_AS NOT NULL,
[done] [varchar](1) COLLATE SQL_Latin1_General_CP1_CI_AS NULL
) ON [PRIMARY]

Now because it sends the data every second, and that’s far, far too much data my home app, I wrote a small VB program (VB6 or Visual Studio) which opens the Com port for the device, and takes a reading every 10 seconds, and writes them away to the temperature file. My code is as follows:


Sub Form_Load()

TempComPort.PortOpen = True ' Open the port
LastTempDate = Now()

End Sub


Private Sub Timer1_Timer()
'
' +-------------------------------------------------------------------------+
' | |
' | The Main PRocessing Subroutine - this is the timer event that proceses |
' | all the inputs, and calls all the data capture routines. |
' | |
' +-------------------------------------------------------------------------+
'
'
If incycle = "Y" Then Exit Sub
'
' Read in the Temperature Readings
'
Dim loc(3, 2)
loc(1, 1) = "L"
loc(2, 1) = "W"
thistext = TempComPort.Input
If thistext <> "" Then
If DateDiff("s", LastTempDate, Now()) > 10 Then
If thistext <> "" Then
Dim f2, fs2
Set fs2 = CreateObject("Scripting.FileSystemObject")
Set f2 = fs2.OpenTextFile("c:\Nyumbani\" & Format(DateTime.Now, "ddMMyy") & "-TEMP.log", 8, -2)
f2.Write ("<%" & CStr(DateTime.Now) & "%>" & thistext)
f2.Close
End If
LastTempDate = Now()
Dim conn2 As New ADODB.Connection
conn2.ConnectionString = "Provider=SQLOLEDB.1;Persist Security Info=False;User ID=sa;password=electric;Initial Catalog=Nyumbani;Data Source=" & server_name
conn2.CursorLocation = adUseClient
conn2.Open
Dim Temprs2 As New ADODB.Recordset

Temprs2.Open "Temperature", conn2, adOpenKeyset, adLockOptimistic
'
' Loop for each line
'
thistext = thistext & Chr(13)
thisline = ""
For x = 1 To Len(thistext)
thischar = Mid$(thistext, x, 1)
If thischar = Chr(10) Then
Else
If thischar = Chr(13) Then
portno = 0
If Left$(thisline, 2) = "1 " Then portno = 1
If Left$(thisline, 2) = "2 " Then portno = 2
If Left$(thisline, 2) = "3 " Then portno = 3
If loc(portno, 2) < 1 And portno > 0 Then
If (Val(Mid$(thisline, 3, 99)) + 0) > 0 Then
loc(portno, 2) = (Val(Mid$(thisline, 3, 99)) + 0)
End If
End If

thisline = ""
Else
thisline = thisline & thischar
End If
End If
Next x


'
' Check everything is ok
'
If lastloungetemp <> "" Then
If loc(1, 2) > lastloungetemp Then
If (loc(1, 2) - Val(lastloungetemp)) > 3 Then
GoTo baddata
End If

Else
If (Val(lastloungetemp) - loc(1, 2)) > 3 Then
GoTo baddata
End If
End If
lastloungetemp = loc(1, 2)
End If


For x = 1 To 3
If loc(x, 2) <> "" Then
Temprs2.AddNew
Temprs2![SampleDate] = Format(Now(), "dd mmm yy hh:mm:ss")
Temprs2![Location] = loc(x, 1) ' for the office
Temprs2![temp] = Trim(loc(x, 2))
Temprs2.Update
End If
Next x
Temprs2.Close
conn2.Close


End If


End If

'
' And Exit routine
'
incycle = "N"
Exit Sub
baddata:
x10Timer.Enabled = False
Timer1.Enabled = False
Call SendMail("X10 problem getting temp", "The x10 com receiver has seen a temp change of over 3 degrees in one cycle, and the program has therefore been restarted")
If Timer1.Enabled = True Then
CurrentCostComPort.PortOpen = False ' Open the port
TempComPort.PortOpen = False ' Open the port
End If
t% = Shell("F:\Program Files\Touchstone Systems Ltd\My Product Name\NyumbaniService.exe", vbNormalFocus)
End
End Sub

The result is the data is logged, and part of my home application (which I will cover later on and provide the database/source code/installation – if anybody wants a copy) can display this information from a web page, or on my wall mounted PC.

[Yanson]

I got one of these, it's pretty cool.

I cloned the HDD temperature template in cacti to graph it, but there are a few issues such as not going negative.

Anyone got a cacti template for this? One that overlays all the temps on the same graph would be cool.