I added some code that makes WHIA send out a tweet every time it opens or closes a vent. Most likely unnecessary, but it was way cool to get a message saying that my bedroom vent is closing! The foam filled funnel was a failure. Not only did it allow the sensor to be exposed to radiant heat, it amplified that effect by nearly 10 degrees! So we’re back to the lab again on that one. May end up having to break down and do the old 3 plastic bowls method.
May
20
The foam filled funnel (that’s a mouthful) is now outside and mounted onto the sensor. We’ll see if I still get that noon spike in temperature on the graphs.
I have redone the servo page almost entirely because, well, I redid the servos almost entirely. I ditched the square bar and piano wires for all 4-40 all thread and ball ends. Much cleaner and much stronger. I ended up mounting the ball ends to the servo horn with shrink wrap and wow did that work out well!
Back to the software tomorrow and letting these vents think for themselves.
May
19
Got the first servo online tonight. Check out the project updates for pictures. The outdoor sensor is having some direct sunlight issues, so I’ve made a blind for it, but the foam is still drying so may not see it until tomorrow.
May
19
This week we’re going to try to knock out a few WHIA todos.
- Build the servo mounting plates. I’m thinking about 1/16 aluminium plate or possibly lexan (cheaper)
- Build the servo arms. The cantilever system was just too complex for such a simple job.
- Mount the servos up!
- Wire them into the controller. Only problem is that Im out of wire and that stuff isn’t free, Click those google ads people
- document document document
The micro PC arrived today. It’s a Via C3 based Mini-ITX board in a custom case that I scored off of ebay for $50 brand new, never opened. It looks like it used to be a VPN appliance from some failed .com. Plenty small enough, but now that I’ve changed the code around, I don’t think it’s needed anymore. I’m going to keep it handy, but no PC is less complex and less power consuming then a small PC.
It looks like I do have a direct sunlight problem with my outdoor sensor too, so I’m creating a shroud out of a kitchen funnel and some great stuff foam. I’ll post pictures of that tonight or tomorrow once the foam is dry and I’ve got it mounted up.