Im working on a arduino weather station like many others do, but in my oppinion it's not a weather station unless you have temperature, RH and wind speed/direction.
I've could have bought a anemometer on ebay but they seem to cost around 65$, and that is problematic do to import taxes.
I've could have made a anemometer, but i'm living near the sea in Norther part of Norway and i dont see any way i could weatherproof it to hold more than a few weeks during winter.
So... im looking for alternative ways to measure windspeed, I've thought about using a flex sensor, wind will bend the flex sensor and give back a signal. I might have to mount some sort of "sail" to get it to bend correctly.
Don't know if this is a good solution please give me feedback or some tips how to do this another way.
emtech:
So... im looking for alternative ways to measure windspeed, I've thought about using a flex sensor, wind will bend the flex sensor and give back a signal. I might have to mount some sort of "sail" to get it to bend correctly.
Interesting idea!
You could use 2 small load cells (eBay, ~5$/pc) with a plate with known dimensions on it. One facing eg to north and one in east direction.
calculating the wind speed and direction involves some physics, but I think it's doable.
Fulliautomatix:
You can get some very cheap ones from Maplin like this one for less than £3
I just said that! Please read the posts by other forum members before you post, you could be repeating something that has already been said. Sometimes I do that myself, to add weight to a recommendation, but I always acknowledge the member who first suggested it. Otherwise it could give the impression you are ignoring them and trying to grab all the glory.
Take a old PC Cooler fun, take out the fun, the small circuit and if you can as well the coil, leave the magnet.
If you fun is black put a small white paper on the center shaft and use the infrared leds to measure the RPM's calcuating the RPM's you can find out the wind speed.
Fulliautomatix:
I have made several weather stations and air-speed indicators. I've tried anemometers, weather vanes, ultrasonic systems and hot-wire anemometers.
at the end of the day I've always found myself going back to a traditional cup anemometer and a wind vane.
You can get some very cheap ones from Maplin like this one for less than £3
if you have even seen a wind sock at an airport, you know that the more full the sock is the faster the wind. the sock is open on the back to allow any air that comes in to have an escape.
if you have a wind vane, that can spin the whole array into the wind and keep your wind pushing on your sensors.
if you hang a simple plate, the wind can push it. the higher the wind, the flatter it would be. it is very easy to measure rotation with an Arduino. a simple lever with black and white stripes would offer an encoder. you can fix the sensor and move the stripes. look at absolute encoders and see how you can use multiple sensors to show what section you are in.
a PVC cap, with a magnet glued inside.
a hall effect sensor on the post.
use a stainless shaft as the axel, maybe a nylon bearing ?
you can make a water and weatherproof sensor with not too much trouble.
aarg:
Some countries have import taxes that can make you cry.
Hi.
Uk seller to Norway, no free taxes ?
From UK gov home-page.
"Norway is not a member of the European Union (EU), but is a member of the European Economic Area (EEA). However, Norway acknowledges the same trading code practice as the EU."
My own country in EU, more than 32 Euro ( product value and shipping cost included ) I will pay import taxes. +- 23%, but only if I buy outside EEA.
So, if his concern are 65usd, I understand, but not for a 3usd product as PaulRB refereed.
PaulRB:
Hello. I use one of these for my weather station. They are cheap enough that you can keep a spare ready and if they only last a year, so be it.
