So I learnt lots messing about with my Uno and now I want to make something I can use. I work as an outdoor instructor and want to make a mini weather station for use as a teaching tool that I can attach to my backpack that will display information like current temperature, humidity, barometric pressure, uv (?) along with 24hr min/max and trend.
The device will need a screen, it will be battery powered and rechargeable via USB. I’d like to log data onto an SD card and ideally pull the data from the card via the USB port too (minimal ports will make it easier to weather proof) but I haven’t looked at whether that is possible yet.
I’ve just found a 3D printer at the local library I can get stuff cost effectively printed on and I’ve just created my first CAD model and had that small part printed (which was super nerdy
So my first thing I need suggestions on is which board to use for this project?
Any Arduino can read the required sensors and drive some sort of display.
I prefer the 3.3 V Pro Mini, which can quickly and easily be converted to a "bare bones" Arduino suitable for extremely low power battery operated projects.
ianganderton:
...a mini weather station for use as a teaching tool that I can attach to my backpack that will display information like current temperature, humidity...
Not your question, but the temperature you measure could be strongly affected by direct radiation, precip, etc. on the sensor, you, and your backpack. The magnitude of the effect will depend on where your sensor is located and how it is housed. Likewise, humidity could be affected by you.
Which is why weather station instruments are usually enclosed in a Stevenson screen or similar enclosure.
For better results, you could mount your sensors inside a small "solar shield" (see Amazon for examples) on top of a pole mounted to your pack, but then you'd look sorta...dorky. Which would be cool by me, but it would make bushwhacking difficult.
I have an ESP8266 with an DS18B20 on a 1 metre cord and a BME280 for temp, pres and RH
I use a cell phone battery pack and the NOKIA 5110 display, no backlight.
it lasts for a few days with zero power saving and sending data to the web once an hour.
I have just started to research how to use the SPIFF with it to save my data.
The ESP32 has bluetooth and my next goal is to replace the ESP8266 and have the ESP32 for the low power on sleep.
PaulRB:
Can you post a few links please? I have been looking for similar.
I have been saving the bowls from the frozen lunch meals.
I figure that cutting some PVC pipe as spacers and cutting out the center would be easy to make my own.
however at $20, it seems they are in the hobby price range
dave-in-nj:
I have an ESP8266 with an DS18B20 on a 1 metre cord and a BME280 for temp, pres and RH
I use a cell phone battery pack and the NOKIA 5110 display, no backlight.
it lasts for a few days with zero power saving and sending data to the web once an hour.
The ESP32 has bluetooth and my next goal is to replace the ESP8266 and have the ESP32 for the low power on sleep.
@dave_in_nj: Is that your build? I guess not, you would not have had time to purchase, so where did you find those pics? I see a Wemos, battery shield, LiPo battery, and a shield with bme280, but wierdly, a bh1750 light sensor inside the solar shield!?! How can that work?
My weather station is also based on Wemos. I use a 2,400mAh 18650 size Li-ion battery which lasts 10~12 weeks. Link.
I am planning a re-build and intend to move away from WiFi in favour of LoRa to extend battery life to 1yr+. So I am a little at surprised at your decision to go for esp32, which I've heard is less energy efficient than esp8266. What do you see as the advantages? Why do you need Bluetooth.
PS. Your link was no good for me!
AcuRite.com is currently unavailable in most European countries. We are engaged with the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to the EU market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all users with our time, temperature, and weather solutions.
I am aware that I/we are in danger of hijacking the OP's thread. I might ask the mods to split off this discussion from post #3 into a new thread if everyone is in agreement.
