Has anyone made an enclosure for a temperature sensor circuit? How can I make sure I'm measuring outside the enclosure without just laying the sensor on the outside of the housing?
Uh, well, that would be the obvious way, wouldn't it?
In general, if you want to measure the temperature of a medium (in this case probably air), you try to achieve the following:
1: Maximize the thermal conductivity between the medium and the sensor. E.g. ensure good airflow around the sensor.
2: Minimize thermal conductivity between the sensor and anything else that may adversely affect the measurement. E.g. use long, thin wires between the sensor and the other electronics and housing.
3: Limit thermal mass of the sensor so that it responds as quickly as possible to temperature fluctuations in the medium.
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It would probably be the easier way, right now my design has a hole in the back of it for the sensor to sit in. Maybe I could just have it sit on the back of the case.
Here is a link that may help. It is the way we did it years ago. https://www.instructables.com/Build-a-Weather-Station-Enclosure/
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ookay, dang that'd be good, i just have to learn how to model that in tinkercad, thank you.
Let us know you do and show the cad files if you want.
this is a pre-built model for a sliding door box. Only thing i added was the holes, i did also invert which side was top and bottom so the lcd on the lid wouldnt slide the door open.
Actually this will inhibit the heat transfer from air to the sensor. Air does not rapidly give up it's heat. So, you want air flow, but slow air flow so the transfer can occur. Experiment!
Link is missing.
It is better if you can export an image and put it in a post.
What is the application/project/environment?
Tom... 
picture 2 (screenshot 3) is dimensions of the slats in the back
picture 3 (screenshot4) is the side slats
I made a sensor enclosure the consisted of a tube open at both ends and a top cover mounted about 3mm above the top of the tube and larger than the tube. I used a small funnel with the opening plugged. The funnel was white plastic the tube was translucent (was a protective cover for a 4' fluorescent tube found in Home Depot.
The sensor was mounted about 10 mm or so from the bottom of the tube and in the center of the tube.
That's a nice insect hotel/spider home.
I'm sure it'll work OK-ish for a weather station as long as it's placed in a somewhat shielded (from direct sunlight, precipitation, wind) spot.
The guy from post 4 showed me something similar, I did model my box off that design. If my box works I'm not sure, I think I'll order it and put it next to my in home temperature monitor and compare them
Can you suggest any improvements? Maybe slanted slats?
For example, yes. And you could make the whole thing bigger so there's simply more distance between the electronics and the outside world. Just make sure air can flow fairly freely through the enclosure. Otherwise it looks fine, really. I'd just out some thoughts into where to place it. That will have more impact than further design improvements.
I'm thinking I can have a pedestal in the middle set the sensor up on that so it's away from everything else. I have a rough drawing I can upload when I get out of school. The drawing doesn't include the pedestal idea though.
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