Author Topic: separate wind sensors?  (Read 4322 times)

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Offline lactardjosh

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separate wind sensors?
« on: September 15, 2011, 12:23:32 PM »
While the 5-in-1 sensor looks and sounds great, my set up location isn't ideal for integrated sensors.  I like the cost of the Acu-Rite stations and I really like the upcoming internet bridge at ~$60.

I know there are some individual sensors available on the website, but I don't see a separate wind sensor that does both speed and direction.  Are there any separate anemometers for speed and direction for Acu-Rite?

How many sensors can the internet bridge and My Backyard Weather handle?  For example, if I went with two 5-in-1s as an alternative, one on the roof for the best wind and one near the ground for better temp and rain, would MBW capture both sensors and display both at the same time?

Offline Rhino

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Re: separate wind sensors?
« Reply #1 on: September 15, 2011, 01:04:54 PM »
We have a "legacy" sensor that measures wind speed/direction (00595, 00825). Not available for sale separately at this time, I'll have to check with some folks here to see if it may be offered in the near future.

The only separate wind speed sensor we currently have for sale is a 3-in-1 sensor that gives you wind speed, temperature, and humidity.

We are working on an a separate wind sensor we are pretty excited about, and it will also connect to the bridge and my backyard weather. It is being developed in part due to folks on these forums wanting it- so thanks for the feedback everybody!

The bridge and site/app can handle boith 5-in-1 sensors, and many more! You can even custom name each sensor- like name one "Southeast Roof" and another "North Fence line" or something to that effect. That will then actually allow you to chart  both sensors specific weather data and then see the differences- should be interesting. I am using a few basic temperature/humidity sensors connected to my bridge at my house to fine tune my home HVAC system by charting the sensors together and seeing where I am having temp differences, then adjusting dampers and such.

I actually have one going in my neighbor's house too, as they go to texas for the winter- I can then set an alert to be text/email to them if the temp falls too low this winter while they are gone, prevent those pipes from freezing up on them. Anyway, lots of other uses for the system I am finding.

Offline lactardjosh

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Re: separate wind sensors?
« Reply #2 on: September 15, 2011, 01:38:17 PM »
Thanks Rhino.

Is there a practical limitation to the number of sensors that the bridge or MBW can handle?
I also wanted to set something up with temp/humidity sensors in my house to monitor rooms.

My thought right now is to get a cheap tablet to wall mount, access My Backyard Weather either through the app or website, and all of the sensors indoors and out.  Touchscreen and color weather monitoring on the cheap, not to mention accessible from anywhere.


Offline Rhino

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Re: separate wind sensors?
« Reply #3 on: September 15, 2011, 02:51:06 PM »
It's actually tiered, you get to connect up to 3 physical sensors for free- the strucutre as of now is going to be something like {$.99/month $10.00 a year} for 10 sensors, and around {$10.00/month-$100.00 a year} for unlimited sensors. The system can really handle lots of sensors (the bridge we have at the office has over 60 sensors connected to it for the last few months), but there is data tied to each sensor from a storage perspective. The IT infastructure required to run this system would prohibit a completely unlimited free system.

The great thing is, we have plans to roll out more and more features on the web portal and the app, so the value is high and will get even higher :grin:

I had a similar thought for my house- I have the web portal running on a 7" android tablet at home, acu-link web portal works great on android 2.2, 2.3, 3.0, 3.1. Works great on iPad 1 and 2 as well, although the charting feature option uses adobe flash to create the graphic chart display- so the charting does not function on an iPad- but everything else is good to go.

Someone in the beta test group is actually working on tying this system into their home awareness system- some fancy programming there though!

Offline lactardjosh

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Re: separate wind sensors?
« Reply #4 on: September 15, 2011, 03:59:43 PM »
Yeah, I downloaded the Aculink app from the Android market for my phone just to play with it.  I like the interface and look forward to using it in a practical fashion soon.  I'd get an Android tablet, since you can get an inexpensive one that should be great for this.

Would that pricing be 3 + 10 additional sensors?  Because that would be perfect.

I'm excited for this set up.
Any idea when that separate wind sensor is going to be released? ;)


Offline SlowModem

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Re: separate wind sensors?
« Reply #5 on: September 15, 2011, 06:28:44 PM »
and around {$10.00/month-$100.00 a year} for unlimited sensors.

Is that like "$.025 apiece or 3 for a dollar?"   #-o
Greg Whitehead
Ten Mile, TN USA

Offline lactardjosh

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Re: separate wind sensors?
« Reply #6 on: September 16, 2011, 09:42:36 AM »
and around {$10.00/month-$100.00 a year} for unlimited sensors.

Is that like "$.025 apiece or 3 for a dollar?"   #-o


Makes sense to me...if you pay monthly, you end up paying $120 a year, but if you pay for the full year up front you save $20.
Now if it was $5/month or $100/year, then that would be crazy.  ;)

Offline Garth Bock

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Re: separate wind sensors?
« Reply #7 on: September 16, 2011, 10:54:06 AM »
It's actually tiered, you get to connect up to 3 physical sensors for free- the strucutre as of now is going to be something like {$.99/month $10.00 a year} for 10 sensors, and around {$10.00/month-$100.00 a year} for unlimited sensors.

HUH ? Sorry to come into the middle of this but what is being charged for here ? To put weather on a website ? Or is it to run the Bridge to put weather on a computer ? I thought the station connected to a PC so a person could run weather software that put the data on their own site. You mean you have pay to use this Bridge device to do that ?

Offline Rhino

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Re: separate wind sensors?
« Reply #8 on: September 16, 2011, 11:52:37 AM »
This is for the internet connected ethernet bridge- uploads data to our servers, then you can view in the website, view in the app, share with others, share with weather underground, etc. It's free for up to 3 physical sensors (not just 3 weather data points, for example-a 5-in-1 sensor provides temp, humidity, wind speed, wind direction, rainfall- but is still just one physical sensor).

The USB bridge connects to your computer and provides data to your computer for free (less the cost of the bridge obviously) that you can record and view locally. Additionally, you may port this data out, or still have the option of uploading the data from 3 sensors for free to our servers, portal (acu-link.com),app, wunderground.com,etc.- same deal as ethernet bridge but through your PC's internet connection (PC must remain on for streaming).

The USB display works the same way as the USB bridge.

Hopefully this kind of clears it up for you- there are a few different options here to cover the bases. Let me know if you have any more questions.

 

anything