Any Opinions on better Temp/Humidity Sensors

[Person]

Am curious: when you power your Aeotec multi sensor using USB rather than batteries, does it route z-wave messages? Or, does it still behave like a battery-only device and not route? At least it's not asleep when doing a z-wave optimization.

When powered by USB it actually routes message and you can poll it just like any other powered device. Very nice implementation on Aeotec side indeed.

[NeverDie]

When powered by USB it actually routes message and you can poll it just like any other powered device. Very nice implementation on Aeotec side indeed.

Cool! I wish all battery operated devices were more like that. Thanks for posting.

[pcp]

Any Opinions on better Temp/Humidity Sensors

Many thanks to everyone who replied, your input is greatly appreciated!

I especially appreciate the comment about not having enough of a Z-Wave grid and the optimizing. You guys may have saved me a few hundred dollars right there ...and that's important because I've already passed the $3K mark on the switch over from my old system.

For those who may be interested: my old system (HCS II circa 1991) is basically a Zilog process control computer with digital I/O, analog inputs, and X-10 control (also has IR, DTMF, voice, crude LCD, etc.). For temperature I simply rigged up a thermistor and some resistors, ran 5 volts, and whatever voltage from 0 to 5 reached the analog input was then recalculated to a value from -50 to 30 Celsius. My "sensor" probably cost my $1.00, ran for 22 years and in the -10 to 25 range was bang on accurate!

If I don't go with OS then I just might use an ADIO-100 and keep my $1.00 sensors!

I'm switching over because the old system can't do anything beyond X-10 (home ethernet devices didn't even really exist back then); the system is flaky (it doesn't know what X-10 units are on or off; the X-10 is even flakier and the really good modules aren't made anymore; there's no more support for the HCSII...and there can't be more than 100 of us users on the entire planet

The switch over is challenging because I know what I want to program, but I have to re-learn how HS3 and all the plug-ins work...and I'm not as patient as I used to be two decades ago.

Anyways, thanks again to all for your comments!
Chris

I am actually an HCS II user as well and is still running as my base controller. It is very solid and has been running over 6+ months without restart. I wrote plugins to integrate HCS II with HS2 and HS3 (wip) and is used for all hardwired i/o, dac, dac + low level ha functionality (implemented in XPress).

[CeeTee]

Wow!

I am actually an HCS II user as well and is still running as my base controller. It is very solid and has been running over 6+ months without restart. I wrote plugins to integrate HCS II with HS2 and HS3 (wip) and is used for all hardwired i/o, dac, dac + low level ha functionality (implemented in XPress).

Hi PCP,
Now THAT's interesting! I would seriously be interested in finding out more about your HS3 Plug-in progress and would even be willing to pay you for a copy of the plug-in and instructions That would solve my temperature probe challenge! I'm not an engineer nor any kind of electronics expert (even though I did build my HCS as a kit).

I guess your communicating via the RS485?

You are correct that the HCS is a very stable system; its Achilles's heel has been the PL-Link and the X-10 system. It has gotten "flakier" over time.

Regards,
Chris

[pcp]

Any Opinions on better Temp/Humidity Sensors

The hs2/3 plugin communicates with HCS II via the rs232 connection, I.e the same used for the HCS II host program . Think about the plugin like a custom host program to bridge the two automation servers. So your HCS II needs to be running and can communicate to its devices via its rs485 network. In the hs2/3plugin you configure which hcsii inputs, outputs, netbits, dacs, adcs, or variables you want to have as hs2/3 devices. For HCS II variables you can also specify buttons you want to have for the corresponding hs2/3 device. For example I have temperature, humidity sensors connected to adcs and aman on the rs485 network, convert the adc values in XPress code to a temperature or humidity value that I store in HCS II variables and the have hs2/3 device for these variables that is refreshed every second. The plugin also supports several actions and a few other things. The coding of the plugin for hs3 is done and have it running though have not done much testing yet.

If interested I can send you the plugin and you can help in the testing I am trVeling right now but could send it this weekend. As said your HCS II needs to be running and it's serial port connected to the PC where hs3 and the plugin will be running.