Hello to everybody,
I have some setup problems with my WD program and my 1wire extra sensors. I have a Davis Vantage Pro2 station + 1 1wire solar sensor + 1 1wire temperature sensor which I want to use as soil t
hi
in the control panel, solar setup, there you can set to use max mvolts from that sensor
also in the 1 wire setup, solar setup, set to use the ID entered there as your solar sensor
i cant remember other details just at the moment, other 1 wire solar users should be able to help out
Hello Brian
Thanks for your fast reply. I have done that already but I can’t obtain the data in graph (solar graph and solar info in the main WD screen…
Perhaps other users who use this kind of sensors could help…
“Daveq” has told me that when he comes back from holidays he’ll try to help me.
Actually, I am trying to check and uncheck the boxes in the setups and see the results…I know what I will do with my evening…lol…my wife will be happy…hum 8)
kirikiri, I have attached screen shots of my setup for my 1-wire solar. Will do 2 posts because of the 128K size limit. Hope this helps. Bill
Daniel, I sent you a PM last evening with the setup info I have. The settings in the screen shots Bill posted appear to be much the same as as mine. You’ll be able to see the differences in his screen caps and mine but either should get the result you want. After you get it plotting we can work on the settings to make it more closely match you conditions. Broadstairs has a solar calculator which will help a lot. And you tweak the percentages to match the sky conditions as both Bill and I have done.
–Dave
Thanks to Bill and Dave for this very accurate info. I will work on that this evening when I come back from work…I will keep you informed of my progress.
I think that with these infos it will help me progressing. 8)
FYI. I assume you are using a Hobby Board solar sensor. I use the one with the RJ45 jacks on it. I had to supply power to the solar sensor or my readings would be very erratic. It uses 9-24 vdc. I used 12vdc from my computer power supply and it works good. Good luck.
Bill
I assumed you had a Hobby Boards also. I don’t use a power supply but readings are very stable. How do you have the sensor mounted? Remember it is water resistant, if you have a Hobby Boards sensor and you had them coat it. It is not however waterproof and you will have to protect it in a suitable enclosure in either case.
–Dave
It is put horizontally above my roof (on the top of a pole) and connected with a RJ45 cable and USB adaptor to my PC. It is well a coated version enclosed in a box sold as an option by Hobby Boards.
I had to postpose my tryings to today’s evening because yesterday I had to go out for the evening…
As Dave mentioned, it must be in a waterproof enclosure and I don’t believe the Hobby Boards box is waterproof. Bill.
The Hobby Boards box is not waterproof. I ordered one with my sensor and just used the bottom portion of the box as a holder for the circuit board when I mounted it. The sensor is located at the bottom of the drilled hole in the box thus creating a ‘shadow’ when the sun is at a low angle. I don’t have the comparison readings any longer but there was quite a difference between the ‘boxed’ sensor and the ‘naked’ sensor.
–Dave
Thanks for this important info Dave and Bill…what’s then the best way to use this sensor? Dave, if I understand well you have removed the top of the box and let the circuit in open air? Is there no risk with the rain and moisture? My RJ45 plugs are isolated with a special waterproofing paste. If the best way is to remove the top and let the sensor (I have observed too that the sensor is in a hole but I thought that Eric from Hobby Boards had made it so and it was OK so)
This WE I will install my Boltek on this pole…so if I have to work on my solar sensor…it will be the occasion because I don’t like to be 10 meters above the ground on a ladder #-o
Many thanks to you for your help
kirikiri, I would experiment with the top of box on and off. But the whole board MUST be in a waterproof container!
I have mine mounted inside an opaque glass globe from a lighting fixture. It is about 6" in diameter. The glass globe is mounted on a peice of 3" PVC pipe. I believe there have been other posts about how folks mounted there solar sensor. I seem to remember someone using a frosted wine glass with the stem broke off.
My experience tells me not to us a clear material, but something opaque or the sensor will overload.
Bill
I haven’t done extensive testing on the case to see how much it blocks but I have been thinking about some modifications that I may add in the future to make the blockage less.
Eric
Yes, I removed the top of the box but then mounted the sensor in a waterproof container. Don’t get me wrong about the box from Hobby Boards. It is well made and a good value plus it surprised me how well the sensor aligned with the drilled hole. I just found it not to be waterproof and it did shield the sensor some.
The hard part for me was, and is, finding a suitable container. I used a square container but the corners focus the sunlight and cause the sensor to overload for a few minutes in the morning and again in the evening. You can see that on my graph at about 11 a.m. I am thinking a frosted sphere would be the best but haven’t found one as of yet.
–Dave
Eric, I don’t have the readings any longer but with and without the box top made a difference. I was thinking of using a countersink to taper the edges but never go around to it.
I’m not trying to bad mouth your products by the way. I think they are first rate and will purchase additional sensors. The solar enclosure just needs a little tweaking by eliminating the shadowing and making it completely waterproof, which I find is no small feat. 8O
–Dave
Dave,
I in no way thought you were trying to bad mouth my products. I agree that the solar case could use some work. I unfortunately don’t have the R&D budget of the big guys so time for it has to fit in around the edges 
I’m already way behind on some new ideas already.
I was thinking about the countersink approach as well but I have to get it so that it looks nice when finished and is manufacturable in my small assembly plant (basement workshop) Waterproof will be down the road a bit. I offer the coating to help with the moisture problem but a nice waterproof case would be nice.
Eric
Basement workshop!! Now I’m doubly impressed. :salute:
My son is an excellent machinist. I’ll see if he has any ideas.
–Dave
I am very happy that my post has ignited a constructive discussion how we can make this sensor more
powerful.
Before a new kind of waterproof box comes on the “market” I think the Bill’s idea is interesting…I will try something in the next days (4 days off…that will help me)…the idea of using a “Bordeaux” style glass of wine, cutting the foot of it, enclosing the solar circuit in it, putting everything on a cutted plastic plate with 2 holes for the cables, waterproofing with silicone the glass rounding and the holes (after insertion of soft plastic guides)…and after that give the result a try… 8)