A combined temperature and humidity probe that has a very small footprint, is protected from excess moisture, and has a long (10ft+) cable from the probe itself to the controller
Why not put the controller nearer to the probe? Long cables require additional processing/hardware.
It was my thinking that one controller would service multiple probes. Usually the tanks to be probed are set up on bakers racks (like metal bookshelves). This way one controller could service either one shelf of multiple tanks, or the entire rack. Often times there may be as many as 6 smaller tanks on one shelf, having longer probes would be useful for reaching from the top of the rack to the bottom to create a sampling of temperatures for that one rack/shelf.
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- Controller displayed readings of temperature and humidity based on probe number
How many probes do you figure?
At least 4
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- Computer displayed readings of temperature and humidity based on probe number as well as the ability to log the data and make calculations from it (e.x. 24 hour high and low temp/RH, daily averages, weekly averages, etc)
Using the logged data is something that a spreadsheet on a PC is better suited for.
I wanted a PC to be a major component of this project.
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- The ability to turn on and off a device (e.x. a fan) based on probe readings
One device per probe? Multiple devices per probe? Multiple probes per controller? Soon, it gets to be a nightmare configuring what to do when for what probe.
I am definitely out of my area of expertise. The extent of programming I have had was on a TI series calculator.
Example: You have Probes 1-4 connected to controller A. Probe 2's temperature sensor hits 81 F, this triggers the fan assigned to controller A to run until Probe 2's reading is 78.
Generally if one tank(probe) reaches an undesirable temperature the rest are soon to follow. For simplicity's sake it shouldn't be a problem to just turn any and all fan's on.
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The only comparable system out there is the HerpKeeper (from digitalaquatics )which is way overcomplicated and expensive in my opinion.
What price point for the device do you have in mind? How is the data to be logged? SD card per controller? XBee on the controller sending data to a central location? Via ethernet on a server somewhere?
Around $100(?) for a Controller to PC, via ethernet (or some other hardline). Probes - maybe $60 each? Data should be logged by the PC. XBee (wireless right?) depending on cost, initially hard line
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and have spent thousands and thousands of dollars on their frogs.
But a cheap system of monitoring the environment is needed?
I don't mean 'cheap' when I say cost effective. Cost effective in that the temperature sampling across a wide range of tanks with an extra $10 to $20 off means more tanks can be sampled with a comparable price.
Examples (rack system and a very large collection room of over 300 frogs).
Maybe I'm the only idiot out there who likes to actually see a rough picture of things, but here goes: