Topic: Acu-Link Innards

[eas]

For anyone curious about what is inside the Acu-Link bridge, I popped one open and snapped some photos, which I've posted to my blog.

A few highlights:

• The thing doesn't have much in the way of brains. It has an 8-bit microcontroller with wired ethernet and a small amount of RAM and program storage.
• As expected, the radio equipment includes the same 433MHz receiver module used in their weather station displays. Not expected, there is also a 433MHz transmitter module. It is unclear what the purpose is, perhaps it serves as a range extender?

I've found some people who are reverse engineering the radio communications. Looks like for $20-30 I can get an arduino + RX that would emit sensor readings over a serial port as they come in, which gives me a route to posting more frequent updates to WUnderground, as well as additional PWS networks.

[vreihen]

Interesting info.....

[Rhino]

Yes- interesting indeed

Good write up- let me know if you have any questions- I will answer the ones I can.

Thanks!

[nincehelser]

I opened my bridge today and discovered the transmitter.  I came here hoping someone could explain why it is there.

I've got a strong suspicion that thing is firing up errantly and causing reception problems with my bridge.  I have heard it emit odd RF before, but I never thought it might be coming from an actual transmitter.

I'm thinking about disabling it to see if the problems go away.