Topic: DIY Logger

[Garth Bock]

Sometime back I asked if anyone was using the DIY Logger by Wojtek and heard nothing so I bought one to try it out. Attached are my notes as well as the Manual and Schematic for it.

[Garth Bock]

Here is the manual and schematic as posted on Scaled Instruments site

[docbee]

I don't think any of this old designs will work after Davis adopted their console firmware to only work with "green dot" loggers years ago. Nowadays, it needs a certain chip with a security register set to a proper value in order to juice out data.

[johnd]

Boris, purely for the record, the schema is incomplete - it mostly details pin connections rather than anything more. This DIY logger is fully green-dot compatible.

Edit: But I would just underline that this logger is called a DIY logger for a reason - it assumes that you know enough electronically about connecting the pins to do so correctly. There is, for example, no direct USB connection provided - this would have to be done via a very inexpensive add-on part. None of this is very difficult to do and the DIY logger can be a very cost-effective solution, but it is not quite plug and play in the same hardware sense that the Davis legacy loggers, or WifiLogger or Nano are. But for users with a little knowledge and wanting to connect a legacy console to a Raspberry Pi unit for example, the DIY logger can be a great solution.

[docbee]

Boris, purely for the record, the schema is incomplete - it mostly details pin connections rather than anything more. This DIY logger is fully green-dot compatible.

Thanks for clarification, I just wanted to avoid that people heat-up their soldering irons, try to rebuild and will fail.

[Garth Bock]

If you read my doc you will see the link where I purchased the USB cable and also instructions on connecting it. Sorry if that wasn't very clear.

[docbee]

Sorry, if I inserted confusion here. All 3rd party logger solutions making use of the special chip and having it programmed correctly are working fine with all consoles. I just referred to the schematics, which had that part missing (not knowing that is on the real board of the DIY). All good and sorry again!

[Garth Bock]

Here is a step by step setup of the DIY Logger for a USB to PC connection. It is very easy. Please read through my DIY Logger Notes posted earlier here. It shows that it is has been tested with a range of PC weather software (but should work with Apple PCs). I am working on freeing up my Raspberry Pi 4 to run WeeWx as the final test.

This logger has several benefits - Lower cost with same function as the Davis Logger, No GreenDot issues, No need for a separate Davis power brick to Console/Envoy, Open connection architecture so the experimenters can connect a Console/Envoy to other equipment and use data from a Davis station, Did I mention LOWER COST?

Disclaimer: I did the write ups on my own without sanction from Wojtek (creator of the WifiLogger 1/2 and the DIY Logger). I am not selling it or receiving any compensation from Scaled Instruments.

UPDATE: The USB to TTL cable from AliExpress was recommended to me by Wojtek. You should be able to get the same thing from sources like AdaFruit or Digikey or Amazon but be sure the USB chip is either the CP2102 or CH340. Wojtek let me know there are cheap clones out there that don't seem to work.

[johnd]

Can I just add a note to remember that this is a very international forum. Ryan at ScaledInstruments is the sole distributor for WFL products like WFL itself, the DIY logger, etc in North America. For the rest of the world, ie anywhere outside of N America, my business (Prodata Weather Systems) handles all the distribution. An email to sales@weatherstations.co.uk will get you a quote to include shipping to wherever you live.

[Garth Bock]

JohnD I have updated the docs and reposted them. I did not mean to exclude anyone. If there are more sources to be added please let me know.

[johnd]

JohnD I have updated the docs and reposted them. I did not mean to exclude anyone. If there are more sources to be added please let me know.

Thanks. And no it's OK, I didn't mean to imply any selectivity - just clarifying that there are two separate markets for WFL products - International and then N America, which are served by 2 different distributors. And in a few countries like Italy and France for example we do also supply local resellers. And the reason for needing to email us is simply that shipping methods and costs are so variable to different locations around the world, so we need a specific postal address before we can quote an accurate price.