Data Logging - another option

[jebatty]

Chuck172: It doesn’t work for me. I tried everything. I even completely uninstalled the programs, then re-installed. For some reason , I know it doesn’t make sense, it looks like you only get one shot to nickname the sensors.

I followed my prior info on setting nicknames, after adding 4 more sensors, and I too could not nickname the new sensors. After a lot of trial and error, I found a success route. Under the Real Data tab, while reading the sensors, click on the sensor, fill in the upper and lower setting with a C number (I used 100 for the upper and 0 for the lower, corresponding to 212F and 32F), add the nickname, click OK, and I got a report of "success." Repeat for each sensor. Doing this I successfully added nicknames for the 4 new sensors.

 

[bpirger]

Jim, How did you pay for these from pcsensor? I'm having issues...."merchant company not supported"....?

Thanks,
Bruce

 

[jebatty]

I think I bought through ebay and used Paypal: PCsensor.

 

[bpirger]

Jim and all,

I just received my 16-sensor 1W_D16 system from PCsensor. I had it all up and running on my bench....and then the USB9097 interface let out the magic smoke. It is a very simple design, using this apparently Chinese sourced USB to serial chip CH340T and then the DS2480B. Anyways, the CH340T let out the magic smoke. I wrote to pcsensor and explained what happened and asked for a new one. I also ordered two more direct from the website. For $10.50 each....might as well.

Otherwise, everything looks quite nice and the cables don't appear to be as cheap quality as I expected. I'm actually impressed for $135 delivered for 16 sensor system. Software installed and I had all 16 sensors up and running....then as they were sitting on the bench operating, I saw the smoke come out....No idea why.

I'll report on how the replacement service goes....this may be "fun".

Now I guess I have to wait another couple of weeks to receive my replacement controller. Doesn't appear I can pick up the chip itself easily either.

Thanks!
Bruce

 

[chuck172]

Now comes the term "slow boat from china"-bpirger
Has anyone found a better program than the software that came from PCsensor?

 

[kabbott]

Now comes the term "slow boat from china"-bpirger
Has anyone found a better program than the software that came from PCsensor?

I have not used the PCsensor software but there is a "bunch" of 1-wire stuff out there.
What do you need? better logging? pretty graphs? linux or windoz?

OWW (one wire weather), digitemp, jhomenet, the list goes on.
Most of the 1-wire weather programs will read and log multiple temp sensors.
jhomenet looked promising, worked great for temp sensors but I was looking to control things with it as well and there were some bugs. It is java and will work on
linux or windows. Has nice graphs that rebuild themselves from the last 24 hours of logs.

 

[kabbott]

Jim and all,

I just received my 16-sensor 1W_D16 system from PCsensor. I had it all up and running on my bench....and then the USB9097 interface let out the magic smoke. It is a very simple design, using this apparently Chinese sourced USB to serial chip CH340T and then the DS2480B. Anyways, the CH340T let out the magic smoke. I wrote to pcsensor and explained what happened and asked for a new one. I also ordered two more direct from the website. For $10.50 each....might as well.

Otherwise, everything looks quite nice and the cables don't appear to be as cheap quality as I expected. I'm actually impressed for $135 delivered for 16 sensor system. Software installed and I had all 16 sensors up and running....then as they were sitting on the bench operating, I saw the smoke come out....No idea why.

I'll report on how the replacement service goes....this may be "fun".

Now I guess I have to wait another couple of weeks to receive my replacement controller. Doesn't appear I can pick up the chip itself easily either.

Thanks!
Bruce

usb<serial<1-wire? must be cheaper than just using the ds2490 usb<1-wire chip. not sure what connection these systems come with but you should be able to use the ds-9490
usb<1-wire adapter... about $30 though.

 

[chuck172]

thanks kabbott, I'm running xp, tried jhomenet, couldn't get it to work, I'm downloading OWW. I think OWW is linux.

 

[kabbott]

thanks kabbott, I'm running xp, tried jhomenet, couldn't get it to work, I'm downloading OWW. I think OWW is linux.

Yes oww is for linux. It has been a year or more since I messed with jhomenet but I seem to remember fighting with it for a while, I did finally get it
to work though.

Here is a link with some other software. (broken link removed to http://www.hobby-boards.com/catalog/links.php)
The 1-wire viewer from dallas/maxim is good for testing as it will read/control just about any 1-wire device made.

 

[EForest]

I purchased the 1WIRE with 32 sensors and have tried everything but cannot install the USB driver. the disc they sent will load the data logging software but that's it. When I went to the manufactures website and found the driver my computer could not find the correct program to open it up. AARRG! I'm running windows 7 64 bit. Any advice here would be much appreciated.

 

[Hunderliggur]

"windows 7 64 bit" - over achiever. My bet is that you will have some trouble with this. Do you have an older 32 bit machine? I bet you don't want to dedicate your 64 bit baby to monitoring anyway.

I have not run 64 bit Windows (for compatabilityreasons), but is there a 32 bit compatability mode?

 

[EForest]

"windows 7 64 bit" - over achiever. My bet is that you will have some trouble with this. Do you have an older 32 bit machine? I bet you don't want to dedicate your 64 bit baby to monitoring anyway.

I have not run 64 bit Windows (for compatabilityreasons), but is there a 32 bit compatability mode?

Wow, what a wake up. I've had my old PC stored in a closet solely for this data logger. I guess I was so excited to get it in the mail I tried loading it in this PC.

 

[kabbott]

The drivers from Dallas/Maxim do work fine with xp/vista/seven 64 bit. Not sure if there is a special driver for the adapter that you are using.
Here is the download page for the Maxim 1-wire drivers http://www.maxim-ic.com/products/ibutton/software/tmex/download_drivers.cfm

 

[EForest]

the 1Wire driver is not the problem, it's the usb driver from RDing Technology (pcsensor.com)

 

[jebatty]

Either to confuse the issue or expand the options, here are three Data Loggers. The 4 channel COM model was my first data logger - worked well, but I needed a RS232 to USB converter, which I got. No problem.

A disadvantage of all of these is that, although they use DS18B20's, they are not 1-wire cabled; separate cabling is needed (at least the data line, maybe the V and G can be shared?) for each sensor to the logger. Perhaps they all could be spliced into a single Cat 5. The stand-alone model still is interesting because a computer would not need to be on all the time to do the logging.

 

[bpirger]

A little more on my saga:

I ordered the 16 sensor "1 wire adapter" system from pcsensor. It arrived and actually the quality of the wiring was better than expected...

But my USB controller adapter died after about 30 minutes....

My attempts to communicate to them that it died failed...no response to any email.

So I ordered two more, $10.50 each. Why get just one?

Three weeks later (today) this arrived....but there is only one adapter, not two.

I've tried to send out emails, but I suspect I may not hear back....again!

But, the new one plugged in and worked (at the moment).

The dollar amount is rather low here...and the sensors themselves seem to be decent. But, don't count on any customer service. One may purchase a couple of extra of things to have what you need....I'm not holding my breath for any replies.

 

[chuck172]

Has anyone found any other good programs that work with these sensors.
I'm using temper1Wv1.0.4. It's O.K, but I'm always looking.
By the way, I run windows XP not linux.

 

[bpirger]

Surprise, surprise.....I did get a reply and a second adapter is on its way....