All the weather systems I have seen for homeseer offer no lightning sensing to my knowledge. So I had to improvise, and it works "INCREDIBLY" well... For a total of less than $30! So I will share it with the world:
If you need lightning detection, for whatever reason, then here is a useful few notes to get homeseer to count these annoying and dangerous strikes: (from up to 30 miles away!)
First, order/buy an EMP SENSOR PCB from EBAY (or elsewhere if you can find it). The PCB you are interested in will be found by searching keywords "EMP SENSOR DETECTOR MODULE". Mine cost $10 free shipping... Sure you could make it with a coil, trigger etc, but for $10 you cannot!
It is powered by 3-5vdc, needs to be REGULATED and a clean source, so I added a 7805 regulator chip (adding a forward biased diode to drop it .6v further) and drive it from 12volt input. Now the sensor PCB "DIGITAL OUTPUT" will go 'LOW' whenever lightning is detected, for a short pulse that is usually too fast to detect with anything homeseer offers, so I used an ALTRONIX 6062 or equivalent timer (PCB delay timer) to "stretch out" the pulse for a few seconds so that Homeseer can "see it" happen. (I use an ADIO-100 digital input channel for this function, but any contact input closure that triggers hi-low would work). The PCB has a buzzer too, if you don't want that you can fill it with glue to silence it.
PROGRAMMING HOMESEER:
Simple... when a strike "input" is detected, it simply increments the DEVICE counter using a simple event.
Combined with other weather sensors, this specifically will determine thunderstorm activity, early warning for sending text message alerts for safety (mowing the pastures, outdoor activities, etc)
(the device can be reset at midnight, or after an hour of no strikes- whatever tickles your needs)
My daily logfile is populated with weather history, and this adds electrical storm intensity to the data, as well as turning off a few outdoor radio repeaters that are prone to interference from storms.
I am not near a city, so mine works incredibly well with zero false triggers. Not sure how it would perform in an urban environment, or if it matters at all.
NOTE: the altronix timer (or equivalent) is highly suggested (in my application or similar) whereas the sensor is located 800ft away from the homeseer computer because the timer output is RELAY CONTACTS it allows ISOLATION from the enemy which it is supposed to detect. The distance of wire would carry a surge directly into homeseer without isolation. And additional note- the sensor does NOT have to be "exposed", mine is installed into a junction box located on the side of a concrete wall near a security camera...
Image attached is a screen capture from the ebay auction, and just a note- I am NOT the seller of this item, nor am I affiliated with them.
If you need lightning detection, for whatever reason, then here is a useful few notes to get homeseer to count these annoying and dangerous strikes: (from up to 30 miles away!)
First, order/buy an EMP SENSOR PCB from EBAY (or elsewhere if you can find it). The PCB you are interested in will be found by searching keywords "EMP SENSOR DETECTOR MODULE". Mine cost $10 free shipping... Sure you could make it with a coil, trigger etc, but for $10 you cannot!
It is powered by 3-5vdc, needs to be REGULATED and a clean source, so I added a 7805 regulator chip (adding a forward biased diode to drop it .6v further) and drive it from 12volt input. Now the sensor PCB "DIGITAL OUTPUT" will go 'LOW' whenever lightning is detected, for a short pulse that is usually too fast to detect with anything homeseer offers, so I used an ALTRONIX 6062 or equivalent timer (PCB delay timer) to "stretch out" the pulse for a few seconds so that Homeseer can "see it" happen. (I use an ADIO-100 digital input channel for this function, but any contact input closure that triggers hi-low would work). The PCB has a buzzer too, if you don't want that you can fill it with glue to silence it.
PROGRAMMING HOMESEER:
Simple... when a strike "input" is detected, it simply increments the DEVICE counter using a simple event.
Combined with other weather sensors, this specifically will determine thunderstorm activity, early warning for sending text message alerts for safety (mowing the pastures, outdoor activities, etc)
(the device can be reset at midnight, or after an hour of no strikes- whatever tickles your needs)
My daily logfile is populated with weather history, and this adds electrical storm intensity to the data, as well as turning off a few outdoor radio repeaters that are prone to interference from storms.
I am not near a city, so mine works incredibly well with zero false triggers. Not sure how it would perform in an urban environment, or if it matters at all.
NOTE: the altronix timer (or equivalent) is highly suggested (in my application or similar) whereas the sensor is located 800ft away from the homeseer computer because the timer output is RELAY CONTACTS it allows ISOLATION from the enemy which it is supposed to detect. The distance of wire would carry a surge directly into homeseer without isolation. And additional note- the sensor does NOT have to be "exposed", mine is installed into a junction box located on the side of a concrete wall near a security camera...
Image attached is a screen capture from the ebay auction, and just a note- I am NOT the seller of this item, nor am I affiliated with them.
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