Meteohub Update 4.3a

[admin]

DEUTSCH:

Update V4.3a (NSLU2 und x86) enthält die folgenden Änderungen:

* Fügt Unterstützung der Wetterstation WS500 hinzu.
* Fügt für x86-Plattformen Ünterstützung für LabJack U3 HV/LV hinzu. LabJack U3 hat 16 Eingänge, an denen Spannungen, Frequenzen, Perioden, Signalverteilung gemessen und Signale gezählt werden können. Dies ermöglicht den Anschluss und die Auswertung fast beliebiger Sensoren an Meteohub. Dieses Feature ist noch experimentell.
* Verbessert das Verhalten bei Abriss der Kommunikation zur Wetterstatione. Log-File wir dnicht mehr mit Meldungen geflutet.
* Ändert den in METAR-Paketen gesendeten Luftdruck von Stationsdruck auf Normaldruck.
* Erhöht die Auswertungshäufigkeit zur Regenmengenübermittlung an das Wetternetzwerk "Borgervejr".
* Firefox ruft Meteohub-Seiten mit einer gewissen Ladedauer zweimal auf. Dies kann bei der Neuanlage von Wetterstationen oder dem Löschen von Grafikdefinitionen zu unerwünschten Effekten führen. Die Ursache des Problems ist noch nicht gefunden. Es wird empfohlen, die Administrationsoberfläche mit einem anderen Browser zu bedienen (z.B. Opera).
* Beseitigt das im Forum diskutierte Problem ungenauer "heart beat" -Auswetungen.


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ENGLISH:

Update to Meteohub V4.3a (NSLU2 and x86) brings these features:
* Adds support for weather station WS500.
* Adds on x86 platforms for LabJack U3 HV/LV. LabJack U3 has 16 Inputs, that can measure voltages, frequencies, periods, duty cycle and can count signals. This allows to connect nearly all kinds of sensors to Meteohub. This feature is still experimental.
* Improves behavior when loosing communication to a weather station. Log files will not be flooded by error messages.
* Changes pressure notice in METAR packets from station pressure to sea level pressure.
* Increase frequency of computation of rain data for transfer to weather network "Borgervejr".
* Firefox calls Meteohub pages twice, when page setup time is above a certain level. This can have a negative impact when adding weather stations or deleting graph definitions with Meteohub's web interface. Until the problem is resolved it is recommended to use an alternative browser (Opera for example).
* Fixes "heart beat" precision bug as discussed in the forum.

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Link: http://www.meteohub.de/joomla/index.php ... &Itemid=29

[admin]

LabJack U3 is cool device. It gets connected to Meteohub via USB, no additional power supply required. There are tons of sensors that can be made available to Meteohub by this... not just weather sensors.

More details can be found here: http://www.labjack.com/labjack_u3.php

[skyewright]

LabJack U3 is cool device.

Yes a quite amazing little device for I/O. It's really easy to use and so flexible.
It never occurred to me to ask for a Meteohub interface, but it's great that you've been able to provide one. :cheer:

I'm fascinated to see how you've provided for it...

PS. Is there any theoretical (or practical) limit on the number of Weather Stations that can be set up on a Meteohub (processor power permitting)?

[admin]

On NSLU2 one might reach limits with more than a handful of stations. But I never tested this.

Meteohub limits number of stations to 20 at the moment. I hope that will be enough for a while ;-)

[admin]

Here is a calibration signal from my scope and what LabJack makes of it...

[admin]

Giving that to LabJack (on FIO-6 and FIO-7) Meteohub reoorts a frequency of 999.75 Hz and a duty cycle of 50.09% high level.

[admin]

here the corresponding "weather station" settings for above LabJack situation.

[skyewright]

here the corresponding "weather station" settings for above LabJack situation.

Very comprehensive (as usual). I look forward to 'playing' with it. :cheer:

Meteohub limits number of stations to 20 at the moment. I hope that will be enough for a while

Coding to allowing for up to 20 "(weather) stations" on a single Meteohub seems like a perfectly reasonable starting point! If someone manages to think of that many uses and to get that many running at a reasonable pace and still wants more I'm sure you'd be interested to hear about it!

[wfpost]

it it possible to measure the current power consumption of everything around my meteohub gadgets plugged in one socket and to display this with meteohub graphics interface?

Like current Watts, Volts, Ampere?

cheers,

[skyewright]

it it possible to measure the current power consumption of everything around my meteohub gadgets plugged in one socket and to display this with meteohub graphics interface?

If you could find a "pass-through" power meter (i.e. one that plugs into the socket, with Meteohub, etc., plugged into it) that has a USB interface it ought to be possible to write a plug-in to get the data into Meteohub.

I've got a couple of "pass-through" meters, but neither have a computer interface. I just did a quick google. They do seem to exist, but I didn't spot one from a UK or European supplier (but it was a quick look).

[wfpost]

it it possible to measure the current power consumption of everything around my meteohub gadgets plugged in one socket and to display this with meteohub graphics interface?

If you could find a "pass-through" power meter (i.e. one that plugs into the socket, with Meteohub, etc., plugged into it) that has a USB interface it ought to be possible to write a plug-in to get the data into Meteohub.

I've got a couple of "pass-through" meters, but neither have a computer interface. I just did a quick google. They do seem to exist, but I didn't spot one from a UK or European supplier (but it was a quick look).

I thought Labjack U3 would do the trick and was able to measure voltages, power, etc.
Am I barking up the wrong tree?

[YJB]

I'm using my RFreceiver connected to meteohub not only to receive the oregon sensor signals, it's also listening to my RFXmeter sensors that are monitoring power usage of my entire home. (www.rfxcom.com). Probably too expensive as a solution when you are just looking for monitoring the power usage of meteohub.....

[skyewright]

I thought Labjack U3 would do the trick and was able to measure voltages, power, etc.

Ah. I see what you mean now.

To a LabJack U3 "High Voltage" means up to 20V! It's mainly used for sensor IO and control(which tends to be lowish voltages and currents) rather than direct attachment to the mains, so it's not directly applicable.

[admin]

LabJack U3 can handle volatages +/- 2.4 V (LV version) or +/- 10 V (HV version) and can register frequencies (+/- 2.4 V range). So plugging it to mains will be an impressive but short experience :blink:

As voltage and frequency of mains is constant (hopefully) only interesting value might be amps. This can be done by using a shunt (as most power meters do) or by making use of the "Zangenamperemeter" (I don't know the English term) principle like discussed here (http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zangenamperemeter). That will also need the lines in the power cord separated or might be implemented into a "Zwischenstecker".

I have no experience with this, but at least I should improve my knowledge of English terms for electronic components like this.

"current monitoring coils" looks like what we are looking for (http://www.coilws.com/index.php?main_pa ... cPath=2_14). Having one of these with a cable of the power cord going through the whole should do the trick, ok we need a diode, resistor and capacitor to make something DC-like from it, putting it into a "Zwischenstecker" wouldn't be too much of work... calibration could then be done by a regular power meter, Meteohub can take this info to adapt sensor calibration (as long as it is linear). Sounds like a nice low budget project. Anybody with solid engineering experience out here who would like to comment? I am not a professional on this. B)

[skyewright]

"current monitoring coils" looks like what we are looking for

Is that the same sort of thing as the "Split-Core current sensor" used by the RFXCOM RFXPwr module on this page?