Environmental Monitoring

[David Ecklein]

Just a thought...

If you are not looking for deep instrumentation, but merely an alarm system.
a near-zero budget idea would be to pick up those dial-type units that
measure temperature and humidity.  I see them all the time at flea markets
and thrift stores for $5 or less.  Epoxy very small magnet to the pointers,
and thermal-glue reed switches in strategic places - and you can set up
limit-sensing, which may be all you need.

Dave E.

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Ben Scott" <dragonhawk at gmail.com>
To: <gnhlug-discuss at mail.gnhlug.org>
Sent: Tuesday, May 10, 2005 11:25 AM
Subject: Re: Environmental Monitoring


> On 5/10/05, mike ledoux <mwl+gnhlug at alumni.unh.edu> wrote:
> > Have any of you done anything like this?
>
>   If you have any APC Smart-UPS units with open expansion slots, APC
> sells a gadget that provides ambient environmental monitoring.  I
> think it's called "Measure-UPS".  I've seen them for a few hundred
> dollars.  While that is more then the "non-existent budget" you
> mentioned allows, it is cheaper then multiple thousands.
>
>   If you're really after the "bargin basement" stuff, I've seen hacks
> that attach a thermocouple to the parallel port using a simple
> analog/digital converter IC.  I'm told such projects require nothing
> more then some really cheap parts and some skill with a soldering
> iron.  I don't know about humidity sensors, but it's possible the same
> idea applies.
>
>   Keep in mind that polling the parallel port to acquire data like
> this tends to be rather CPU intensive, due to the ancient and
> brain-damaged design of the parallel port, so if you go this route, I
> would put it on a spare junkbox PC, not a busy server.
>
>   This message originated in theory, where everything works.  Reality
> may have other ideas.
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