RFXCOM & mcsTemperature compatibility question?

[SeattleGirl5122]

I have a 3 lab rooms I need to monitor the humidity and temperature in.

The 1-wire temperature and humidity sensors have been really flaky, they all fail in about 12 months, and wiring them is up is such a pain.

I am looking at using RFXCOM 's USB 433.92MHz receiver and Oregon Scientific's THGR810 Inside Temp-Hygro:

1. http://www.cheapertronics.com/produc...=64&item_id=23

2. http://atc2k.com/shop/product.asp?cid=2&scid=7&pid=689

Can I interface them into mcsTemperature? I like mcsTemperature's graphing, logs, and control features and want to continue to use it.

[Michael McSharry]

Yes you can. Today you will use xapmcsRF and mcsXap to provide the interface. ACRF is being updated to .NET and will process these as well.

All humidity sensors need recalibration and/or replacement of the Honeywell sensor. Most just ignore it that it degrades over time and just let it drift.

If your 1-wire components are failing then it would be good to understand why so you do not repeat the process with the RFXCOM devices. I think the sensor technology is the same, but these have a RF backend rather than a wired backend.

[b_weijenberg]

Michael,

The RFXSensors use 1-Wire technology and the Honeywell HIH4000.
The Oregon Scientific sensors don't use 1-Wire or HIH4000 sensors inside.

SeattleGirl5122 is talking about the RFXCOM receiver and Oregon Scientific sensors and yes, this is supported by xAP.

Bert

[kclark]

That's the setup I'm currently using -
the RFXcom combo receiver (433.92MHz / 310MHz)
with Oregon Scientific THGR810 (and some RFXcom sensors too)
all coming in through xapmcsRF and mcsXap and on to mcsTemperature

Everything works great together.

I also have some 1-wire and it has been much more problematic than this combination.

Ken

[SeattleGirl5122]

Thanks for all the help

Thanks for the fast replies. I just got back on today, so sorry for my slow reply.

Ken! Super thanks for information about your setup. It made me feel better about moving away from the 1-wire stuff. The wiring is difficult, unreliable, and expensive once you get all the parts.

So using multiple Oregon Scientific THGR810 sensors will pose no problems then? I will need to use no more than 5.

What is xapmcsRF and mcsXap? Where do i get info on how to install, and use with mcsTemperature. There are little bits and pieces of info scattered all over the place which makes it difficult to get a clear picture.

I have more questions, but I need to run to the Lab.

Thanks again everyone.

[SeattleGirl5122]

1-wire vs. RFXCom for Humidity and Temperature

The 1-wire humidity and temperature sensors have just been unpleasant to deal with.

On the past couple of orders for sensors, it seems like 20% to 30% are broken on arrival. Either they simply don't work or the readings are so far off the mark as to be useless. Then you have the hassle of returning the units from where you got them. Never pleasant or efficient. Usually I get a "sucks to be you" reply from the store.

Then once in place, it seems like the circuit board just starts to oxidize and it fails in about 9 months. Usually the humidity sensor first.

I was thinking of coating the batch of 1-wire units with something, but then I looked at what I was paying for the 1-wire units ($52) and the coast of an Oregon Scientific THGR810 ($37). Then I looked at the pain of running 1-wire wiring which is akin to practicing voodoo. Then I looked at the cost of buying 1-wire USB interfaces, 1-wire hubs, and 1-wire power injectors.

I would rather eat my lipstick than deal with costly and unreliable 1-wire installation again.

The RFXCom stuff really started to look tasty. Now I just have to figure out how to do the software install.