What do you need for a home thermometre system?

In summary: You could also check out the adafruit site.In summary, Lara is wondering if there is a cheaper way to set up a temperature measuring system for her boyfriend than getting him a Raspberry Pi. She also mentions a few low cost sensors that may be appropriate.
  • #1
Pictsie
1
0
Hi everyone!

I really need your help on this one.. My boyfriends birthday is in about a month and I'm kind of clueless about what I need to get him for what I'm planning.
He's a student of computer sciences and loves programming and a little of home engineering. Lately he has been nerding himself into some peculiar kitchen stuff like bread baking (which is really funny to watch :D) and other stuff which kind of lead to the idea, to set up some kind of temperature measuring home system. It started with a oven and fridge thermometre, but he thould it would be way cooler to have one kind of "station" with several sensors throughout our appartment (like in the oven, fridge, living room, balkony, etc.), which all report back, so that he can watch all temperatures of significance at once, having an overview over evrything important. Or something like that I really hope I explained that one right .___.

Since we're both students and constantly broke he didn't follow those plans much (except mentally, he's so excited about it), but with his birthday coming up, I thought he'd prefer some nerd equipment to actually set up this "super-exciting" (I'm sorry, I am female and a psychology major -.- But I love him lots!) system over some candle-light-thingy.
So I wanted to give him some kind of a kit to make it happen, or at least start to.

He really loves to work with Raspberry Pis (He's already got two of 'em) and I'm sure one of those little buggers could do the job. I'd be willing to get him another one, but maybe there is an alternative, cheaper way?
Also I figured out you'd need x kind of sensors to drop at the wanted locations, but I can't really wrap my mind around what kinds might be appropiate and what else you need to make them report back to your RasPi/?...

I'd really appreciate it if you had any suggestions - I only have him for technical advice and that's out of the question on this one, and I really want to make him happy and not ruin any surprise..


Best regards and lots of love,

Lara
 
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  • #2
Welcome to the PF.

Does your boyfriend already know about Make Magazine? http://makezine.com/

It's a great gathering of DIY resources and links to projects/products. Have a look through their pages to see if you find anything related.

The main issue you/he will face is getting the data back to the central point & Pi. Wireless would be the most convenient, but will probably cost something like $20/node, which will get expensive. And all those nodes will need batteries that get replaced a few times a year. Not fun.

A lower-cost way would be to run thin twisted pair wires out to the temperature sensors, and use the Pi to gather their date from the multiple sets of twisted pair wires. I believe that Dallas Semiconductor has a 2-wire temperature sensor that runs from the DC voltage that you put across the twisted pair. Maybe check out their website (it may be called a "One-Wire" sensor, but I haven't looked at them for a while).

Have fun! :smile:
 
  • #4
on a budget, you say ? But microcomputer savvy?
search on "serial temperature sensor"

tc74 is around one dollar at Digikey , and 2 wire interface - can raspberry do I^2C ?
http://ww1.microchip.com/downloads/en/DeviceDoc/21462D.pdf

TI's TMP 100 & 101 are competitive,
http://www.ti.com/lit/ds/sbos231g/sbos231g.pdf [Broken]
but in a less convenient package.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
  • #5


Hi Lara,

I would recommend looking into a home automation system that includes temperature monitoring. This would allow your boyfriend to not only monitor the temperature in different areas of your apartment, but also control other aspects of your home, such as lighting and security.

Some popular home automation systems include Google Nest, Amazon Echo, and Apple HomeKit. These systems often come with temperature sensors that can be placed in different areas of your home and linked to a central hub, such as a smart home speaker or a dedicated hub device.

Alternatively, you could also look into purchasing individual temperature sensors that can connect to a Raspberry Pi. There are many different types of temperature sensors available, such as digital thermometers, thermocouples, and infrared sensors. Your boyfriend may have a preference based on his knowledge and experience with Raspberry Pis.

In addition to the sensors, you will also need to consider how the data will be transmitted and displayed. This could involve setting up a data logger or creating a custom program to display the data on a computer or mobile device.

I hope this helps and good luck with your surprise for your boyfriend's birthday!

Best regards,

 

1. What is the purpose of a home thermometre system?

The purpose of a home thermometre system is to measure and display the temperature inside a house or other living space. This allows homeowners to monitor and adjust the temperature for comfort and energy efficiency.

2. How does a home thermometre system work?

A home thermometre system typically consists of a main unit with a display screen and one or more remote sensors. The sensors are placed in different rooms or areas of the house and send temperature readings back to the main unit. The main unit then displays the temperature readings for each sensor.

3. What are the essential components of a home thermometre system?

The essential components of a home thermometre system include a main unit, remote sensors, and batteries or a power source. Some systems may also include additional features such as humidity sensors, Wi-Fi connectivity, and programmable settings.

4. Can a home thermometre system be used for outdoor temperature readings?

Most home thermometre systems are designed for indoor use and may not be accurate for outdoor temperatures. However, there are some systems that come with outdoor sensors or can be programmed to display outdoor temperatures if placed in a sheltered location.

5. How accurate are home thermometre systems?

The accuracy of home thermometre systems can vary depending on the brand and quality of the system. Generally, they are accurate within a few degrees Fahrenheit. It is recommended to check the accuracy of a home thermometre system periodically by comparing it to a known accurate thermometer.

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