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am in the process of getting my network setup. I am having some stability problems and read somewhere ( I can’t find it now) that the serial network adapter offered more stability than the USB adapter. My main questions are, is it likely that a serial adapter will improve the stability of the network? And, the desktop that I would switch to would also be running Win Xp. Would a later Windows OS be better? I am also considering change to Linix, but I do not currently have any facility with Linix. The software interrogating the network is based on Tim Bitson’s WeatherToys.

Below is my current network. All the modules are reporting consistently expect the temperature sensors. The humidity sensors in the in the same modules continue to report. Note also that modules further out the string from the temp sensors report reliably. If I restart the program ( which initializes the network adapter) I usually get all sensors reporting ( including the temp sensors) for 1-3 hours (polling every minute).

Any other ideas or suggestions?

RiverRidge Weather Station 1-wire network
Laptop running Win Xp in house
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USB Adapter for 1-wire network
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House Power Injector
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Barometer module
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150’ run to hoop house
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Hoophouse Temp/Humidity module
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50’ to Chicken Coop
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Coop Temp module
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200’ run to field station
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Field Power Injector
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Field Temp/Humidity/Solar module
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Inspeed Anemometer
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Rain gauge
Planned additions are a 8 channel I/O board to control irrigation valves and four –six soil moisture modules

Many thanx.............. jt

Jim Tolbert
Jim at SquirrelRidgeFarm dot com

Well.... I found the problem. I had been using several commercially produced ethernet cables, including one with a ferrite core. Once I replace ALL of the commercial cables with cables I had built, the network settled down and is working great!

Now onto other problems like trying to get the serial adapter to work instead of the USB adapter....

Also... trying to figure out why two temperature sensors laying next to each other differ by 4-5 degrees F

Later............. jt

Are your temperature sensors calibrated?

I've noticed that if you read them frequently, the temperature can go up a tiny bit.


Steve

I have not calibrated them... I don't know of a way to do that. I think they are "factory calibrated". They ( over several days) are holding at 1.8 degrees different.

They're supposed to have an accuracy of 0.5C, so yes, 1.8C is a bit too far apart.

ESD can cause them to differ a couple of degrees. If you want to have them with same temp put them on breadborad all and in closed space and test which one to use and not to use. This is how i do it when i want several sensors on almost same spot and need accuracy.

Out of interest, how we're/are you connecting the devices to the cable(bus?).

I am using crimp connectors like these