Hobby Boards moisture meter

[kas300]

Michael,

Please let me know if the Hobby Boards moisture meter:
http://www.hobby-boards.com/catalog/...products_id=70
can be accessed through MCS Temperature.

This device is based on the DS2760 chip:
http://www.maxim-ic.com/quick_view2.cfm/qv_pk/2931

TIA
yves

[Michael McSharry]

Yes for xapmcs1Wire, but no for mcsTemperature. Take a look at http://board.homeseer.com/showthread...6&page=3&pp=20 starting in the neighborhood of post #50 to observe the type of response you can expect from this gypsum moisture probe and sensor.

[kas300]

Well...

My intention was to use the "leaf wetness sensor"
http://www.hobby-boards.com/catalog/...oducts_id=1544
to obtain a boolean indication for "rainy" / "non rainy" days.
Any workaround to obtain this TRUE/FALSE value through MCStemperature ?

yves

[kas300]

Michael,

I know you are a very responsive guy
Would you please implement basic access to the DS2760
My aim is to measure the number of rainy days per month and check the corelation between win direction and rain probability

TIA
yves

[Michael McSharry]

A solution does exist using xapmcs1wire and this application can be integrated with mcsTemperature or other Homeseer event logic.

The problem that has occurred too many times in the past is that a partial implementation to satisfy a specific need is not adequate for the next person that wants to use the DS2760, for example. The logic to read the DS2760 is trivial, but the support for other aspects of managing and charting the data from this type of device is where the effort lies. The mainstream focus of mcsTemperature is for trending of data and the various interfaces such as the DS9490 or Temp08 are ancillary.

[kas300]

I was nearly set up with MCS temperature ...

OK, ready for a new challenge

I am not familiar with xapmcs1wire and what it brings compared to mcs temperature
Should I use xapmcs1wire alone or in combination with mcs temperature ?
Do you have a recommended link to xapmcs1wire main features ?

yves

[Michael McSharry]

The place to start is with the documentation to setup the environment at http://board.homeseer.com/showthread.php?t=113939. There are three application that you will want to run. The Homseer plugin mcsXap does the LAN interface. xapmcsHub is a LAN message router to overcome the limitations of use of a singlle LAN port. xapmcs1Wire converts 1-wire protocol into xAP so it can be communicated on the LAN. You put two of them into your Window's startup folder so they are loaded when the computer boots. mcsXap is loaded by Homeseer when it starts.

There is some initial startup sequencing as you indicate which 1-wire reading you want xapmcs1wire to put onto the LAN and then after it is being sent on the LAN and equivalent selection function in mcsXap to select messages on the LAN that should be used to update Homeseer devices. Once a Homeseer device then it can be added to mcsTemperature for data collection and charting. Your DS9490 will be managed by xapmcs1wire rather than mcsTemperature in this architecture.

If you can wait until next month then I should be able to do something with mcsTemperature to provide some form of interface to the moisture sensor, but I dont quite know what it will be yet.

[kas300]