Extra sensors

steve · **Posted:** Fri Aug 26, 2011 11:58 am

I'm investigating adding support for extra Davis sensors. I propose that initially there will be a separate window which displays the current values, and a separate log file 'parallel' to the 'monthly' log files which simply logs the current values at the same interval as the 'normal' logging. At some point in the future I may do something with the values (e.g. highs and lows, graphs etc).

I'm a little confused by how many of each type of sensor I need to cater for. The Davis DLL allows me to read the following 'live' data:

7 extra temp, 7 extra humidity, 4 soil moisture, 4 soil temp, 2 leaf wetness, 2 leaf temp

But the logger entries have:

3 extra temp, 2 extra humidity, 4 soil moisture, 4 soil temp, 2 leaf wetness, 2 leaf temp

So there's a discrepancy in the number of extra temp and humidity sensors. Does anyone know how many I actually need to cater for? If it's more than the number in the logger entries, then there will be gaps in the data for those sensors which aren't in the logger entries (if you don't run software 24/7)?

I will probably incorporate support for additional sensors for Oregon Scientific stations, and I think I need to go up to 10 extra temp and humidity sensors for those anyway. But I'd still like to understand the situation with the Davis sensors.

MackerelSky · **Posted:** Fri Aug 26, 2011 11:26 pm

steve wrote:

I'm investigating adding support for extra Davis sensors. I propose that initially there will be a separate window which displays the current values, and a separate log file 'parallel' to the 'monthly' log files which simply logs the current values at the same interval as the 'normal' logging. At some point in the future I may do something with the values (e.g. highs and lows, graphs etc).

I'm a little confused by how many of each type of sensor I need to cater for. The Davis DLL allows me to read the following 'live' data:

7 extra temp, 7 extra humidity, 4 soil moisture, 4 soil temp, 2 leaf wetness, 2 leaf temp

But the logger entries have:

3 extra temp, 2 extra humidity, 4 soil moisture, 4 soil temp, 2 leaf wetness, 2 leaf temp

So there's a discrepancy in the number of extra temp and humidity sensors. Does anyone know how many I actually need to cater for? If it's more than the number in the logger entries, then there will be gaps in the data for those sensors which aren't in the logger entries (if you don't run software 24/7)?

I will probably incorporate support for additional sensors for Oregon Scientific stations, and I think I need to go up to 10 extra temp and humidity sensors for those anyway. But I'd still like to understand the situation with the Davis sensors.

Hi Steve,

Not enough to do this week? lol

My lady and I are planning on adding a couple of sensors for the garden and back yard areas next year, and maybe an extra annemometer up at our house, instead of down on the valley floor...other than that, I can't imagine anyone needing more than what the logger is handling unless they were 'commercial'...

As far as what the DLL allows, I've never owned anything, that I know of, to read them puppies...Wouldn't anything past what the logger shows be fodder for a money making piece of software, *commercial growers*?

As far as display, a secondary window on the software would be fine with a log like you mentioned...If you could include webtags so that I could show my lady on the web, instead of giving her permission to play with my cumulus computer :clap:

, would be all I would need...

Brad

duke · **Posted:** Sat Aug 27, 2011 5:45 am

I was just about to post asking about displaying the leaf and moisture station, glad I did a search first.

Duke

prodata · **Posted:** Sat Aug 27, 2011 7:58 am

Rewritten for more clarity:

I think it depends on whether we're talking about loop or archive packets. When Davis talk about 'logging' they tend to be referring to archive data. So although the loop data packet formats were designed with space for 8 extra T/H values (and indeed the VP2 console is able to receive and display 8 such values), for some reason - available processing capacity in the loop cycle? - the archive data packets have space only for 2 such xT/H values. The DLL is presumably looking at the loop packets.

I've never really looked at loop packets with 3 or more xT/H transmitters installed. It's conceivable that the data is there for the extra sensors. And even if not, then it's not inconceivable that a future new standard console type, perhaps with a faster CPU or more memory, could have the capability to populate the missing fields in a new archive format.

And then there's also the Envoy8x of course, which does already have the capacity to log 8 T/H sensors, although not in any way that's currently accessible to third-party programs except via them reading its WDTU SQL databases.

steve · **Posted:** Sat Aug 27, 2011 8:07 am

MackerelSky wrote:

Not enough to do this week? lol

Always too much to do, Brad :lol:

But it just seems like something that's obviously "missing".

Quote:

If you could include webtags

Yes, I'll be sure to add web tags for them all.

steve · **Posted:** Sat Aug 27, 2011 8:08 am

prodata wrote:

So for the time being you would probably be safe with 3+2. But it's not inconceivable that a future new standard console type, perhaps with a faster CPU or more memory, could have the capability to populate the missing fields.

Thanks, John. I think that as the DLL and LOOP packets allow for 8 I may as well attempt to read 8, since I have to do 10 for the OS stations.

Emjay · **Posted:** Sat Jan 14, 2012 4:37 pm

Hi all,
New user here, but had my eye on Cumulus for some time.

For me I cannot make the jump without adding support for the Davis VP2 extra sensors, in my case a fully loaded soil moisture station.

I know from other post some users want the extra sensors addition.

So my question to Steve is; how much of a donation would it take to jump start this development :oops:

Cheeky I know but you got to try!

steve · **Posted:** Sat Jan 14, 2012 9:26 pm

Emjay wrote:

So my question to Steve is; how much of a donation would it take to jump start this development :oops:

Thank you, but it's more a case of finding the time and having the desire to do more (major) work on Cumulus. At the moment I have very little of either. But I'm sure this won't always be the case, and 'extra sensors' are quite high on the priority list.

ken524 · **Posted:** Sat Mar 17, 2012 5:32 pm

Any update on the "Extra Sensors" project for the Davis VP? I just added a temp sensor for our pool and would love a webtag for it.

Thanks again for the great software!
Ken

steve · **Posted:** Sat Mar 17, 2012 9:32 pm

It's still fairly high up on the list of things to do. Unfortunately I've had very little time for Cumulus development over the last few months, but hopefully this will change before too long.

ken524 · **Posted:** Sat Mar 17, 2012 9:33 pm

steve wrote:

I'm a little confused by how many of each type of sensor I need to cater for. The Davis DLL allows me to read the following 'live' data...

Steve,

The most current version of WeatherLink provides tags for
3 extra temp, 2 extra humidity, 4 soil moisture, 4 soil temp, 2 leaf wetness, 2 leaf temp

If you supported those, you would at least match the functionality of WeatherLink.

BTW, I just upgraded to the latest Cumulus and love the new look and changes. I was about 3 releases behind.

Thanks!
Ken

ken524 · **Posted:** Sat Mar 17, 2012 9:35 pm

steve wrote:

It's still fairly high up on the list of things to do. Unfortunately I've had very little time for Cumulus development over the last few months, but hopefully this will change before too long.

I completely understand and am very grateful for what you have done!

duke · **Posted:** Fri Apr 06, 2012 5:55 pm

Can Cumulus currently display information from a second ISS or would this be "extra sensors"?

Duke

steve · **Posted:** Fri Apr 06, 2012 6:53 pm

duke wrote:

Can Cumulus currently display information from a second ISS or would this be "extra sensors"?

You can only connect one ISS to a Davis station, so a second ISS would have to be on a separate station, and Cumulus can only drive one station at a time, so the second station/ISS would require a second instance of Cumulus running.

duke · **Posted:** Sun Apr 08, 2012 9:28 am

steve wrote:

duke wrote:

Can Cumulus currently display information from a second ISS or would this be "extra sensors"?

You can only connect one ISS to a Davis station, so a second ISS would have to be on a separate station, and Cumulus can only drive one station at a time, so the second station/ISS would require a second instance of Cumulus running.

I assumed (incorrectly) that it was possible to use a second ISS as temp / humidity sensor only.

Thanks for putting me straight.

Duke

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