Topic: Alternatives to Davis Datalogger

[phptek]

Hi folks,

Are there alternatives to the Davis manufactured dataloggers that would still work with a DVPro2?

The reason I ask is that as well as the sensors in a DVPro2 Home Weather Station (6162) I'd eventually like to be able to access and query data from several other sensors located on our Solar Hot Water System in the Hot Water Cylinder and on the solar collectors themselves and connect these sensors to the same datalogger. But can Davis Home Weather Stations be connected to other brands of logger?

To further complicate matters, the logger would be networked and assigned an IP via a wireless router in the home so I could query the logger from a PC/Webserver on the wireless network and build my own web applications based on the data from each of the home sensors (I'm a Web Developer).

Has anyone done this before? Is what I'm asking possible?

Many thanks for your time everyone 
Russell

[wxtech]

Hi folks,

Are there alternatives to the Davis manufactured dataloggers that would still work with a DVPro2?


Has anyone done this before? Is what I'm asking possible?

Many thanks for your time everyone 
Russell

Instead look at the one-wire weather stations.  Program 1-wire in Java.  Look at the book 'Weather Toys', by Tim Bitson.  That I2C protocol is very compatible with home automation/security.  1-wire is a network of sensors.  The BasicStamp2P microcontroller has I2C commands.
Don't know of a competitive data logger for the Davis.  The data logger connects to a proprietary device (console) that Davis surely won't open for its competitors.
What you're asking is just what I²C/1-wire does.

[d_l]

I think you will need a Davis datalogger AND another datalogger such as what wxtech suggested to monitor everything else.

[Weather Display]

also look at the Labjack or X12

[phptek]

Thank you all for your input, I will check out the information you've given and perhaps ask more questions if need be.

@wxtech:

The data logger connects to a proprietary device (console) that Davis surely won't open for its competitors.

Sure, I understand. I guess I was thinking that whatever the physical connection was between the Davis console and Davis logger (RS232, USB, whatever) could also be plugged-into by other logging devices. So, I guess Davis is using some sort of proprietary connector or handshake protocol??

(I am very new to the home-automation, logging side of things, but am fortunate to work somewhere where these sorts of devices are deployed all the time so do have some non home-weather-station specific expertise to call upon)

I think I will have to go down the multi-logger route and pool the data from both at the application level.

Many thanks to you all.

[d_l]

I think the Davis datalogger hardware is more like a memory expansion module (it has SRAM for temporary storage of data between downloadings) and something like a microprocessor bus connector (it may actually be a JTAG connection) to serial port translator.  The two versions of the data logger, the USB and IP version, that came out after the serial version simply seem to be "add-ons" or overlays on top of the serial port logger.

[wxtech]

@wxtech:

The data logger connects to a proprietary device (console) that Davis surely won't open for its competitors.

Sure, I understand. I guess I was thinking that whatever the physical connection was between the Davis console and Davis logger (RS232, USB, whatever) could also be plugged-into by other logging devices. So, I guess Davis is using some sort of proprietary connector or handshake protocol??

(I am very new to the home-automation, logging side of things, but am fortunate to work somewhere where these sorts of devices are deployed all the time so do have some non home-weather-station specific expertise to call upon)

I think I will have to go down the multi-logger route and pool the data from both at the application level.

Many thanks to you all.

Definately proprietary.  The physical connection is a double row 2mm 20 pin connector.  It plugs into the expansion connector inside the battery compartment.
The Datalogger IP http://www.davisnet.com/weather/products/weather_product.asp?pnum=06555
or http://www.weatherlink.com/start.php
may provide the assets or information you need.